Peggy Ashcroft English actress, Dame of the British Order Date of Birth: 22.12.1907 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Peggy Ashcroft

Peggy Ashcroft was a renowned English actress and Dame of the British Order. She was born in Croydon and showed a clear talent for performing on stage from a young age. However, it wasn't until 1929 that she gained fame for her role as Naemi in "Jew Suss". Two years later, Ashcroft played Desdemona in a stage adaptation of William Shakespeare's famous work "Othello", alongside Paul Robeson, with whom she had a brief romance at the time.

Ashcroft's true breakthrough came in 1934 when she portrayed Juliet in the legendary production of "Romeo and Juliet" at the New Theatre. Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud played the roles of Romeo and Mercutio, respectively. She later worked with Gielgud again, playing Beatrice and Benedick in "Much Ado About Nothing", a performance that was hailed as a revelation by Edith Gielgud.

Throughout her career, Ashcroft remained one of Britain's most famous actresses. Her notable works include "Three Sisters", "The Heiress", "Antony and Cleopatra", "As You Like It", "Cymbeline", "The Taming of the Shrew", and "The War of the Roses". She also left a lasting impression with her performance in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of three Henry VI plays and "Richard III", directed by Peter Hall.

Although Ashcroft appeared infrequently in film and television, she achieved remarkable success. One of her first experiences on the big screen was a minor role in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Thirty-Nine Steps". In 1937, she appeared in a thirty-minute adaptation of "Twelfth Night" on BBC Television Service, which marked the first televised version of a Shakespeare play. In 1959, Ashcroft starred in "The Nun's Story" alongside Audrey Hepburn, and in 1968, she appeared in Joseph Losey's "Secret Ceremony" alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Mia Farrow. Additionally, she appeared in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" in 1971, alongside Peter Finch and Glenda Jackson.

In the 1970s, Ashcroft was invited to participate in the German film "Der Fußgänger", which was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film in 1974. Directed by Maximilian Schell, the film starred popular German actors Käthe Haack, Lil Dagover, and Françoise Rosay.

However, Ashcroft's most iconic screen role came in 1984 when she portrayed Mrs. Moore in David Lean's "A Passage to India". This performance earned her numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Ashcroft's last role was in 1988, playing Madame Sousatzka in John Schlesinger's "Madame Sousatzka" alongside Shirley MacLaine. She passed away on June 14, 1991, due to a heart attack.