Siân Phillips

Siân Phillips (born Siân Elizabeth Ailwen Phillips) was born on May 14, 1934 in Bettws, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, a remote area around the Black Mountain and was raised speaking both Welsh and English.  She was educated at Pontardawe Grammar School and starting started performing when she was very young and made her radio debut at age eleven.  While still in her teens Phillips was an award-winning actress.

  Phillips attended the University of Wales where she earned a scholarship (Bancroft Gold Medal) to be trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art but had also studied English and philosophy.

Siân Phillips was married to actor Peter O'Toole (1959 - 1979 div), they had 2 daughters together, Kate and Pat.  Phillips was also married to actor  Robin Sachs (1979 - 1991)

 

 

Film

House of America~1997 - Mam

Age of Innocence, The~1993 - Mrs. Archer

Valmont~1989 (as Sian Phillips) - Madame de Volanges

Doctor and the Devils, The~1985 - Annabella Rock (see Actor Connections - Film)

Dune~1984 - Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

Clash of the Titans~1981 - Queen Cassiopeia

Carpathian Eagle, The~1980 - Mrs. Henska

Nijinsky~1980 - Lady Ripon

Under Milk Wood~1972 - Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard

Murphy's War~1971 - Dr. Hayden (see Actor Connections - Film)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips~1969 - Ursula Mossbank

Laughter in the Dark~1969 - Lady Elizabeth More

Young Cassidy~1965 - Ella

Becket~1964 - Gwendolen

Longest Day, The~1962 (uncredited)  -WREN

 

TV

Alec Guinness: A Secret Man~2003  (voice-Narrator

Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2003, The~2003 Herself

Last Detective, The~2003- Vera Dulciman in  Moonlight (# 1.2) 2/14/03

Attila~2001 - Grandmother

Ballykissangel~1996- Conseula Dunphy in  One Reborn Every Minute (# 6.7) 4/8/01

Ruby~1997- Herself (# 4.3) 10/25/00

La Femme Nikita~1997- Adrian (as Sian Phillips) in  Into the Looking Glass (# 4.4) 1/23/00

La Femme Nikita~1997- Adrian (as Sian Phillips) in  View of the Garden (# 4.3) 1/16/00

La Femme Nikita~1997- Adrian (as Sian Phillips) in  There are No Missions (# 4.2) 1/9/00

Come and Go~2000 Ru

Magician's House II, The~2000 Meg Lewis

Cinderella~2000 -  The Evil Baroness

Magician's House, The~1999 Meg Lewis

Aristocrats~1999 (mini) Narrator/Older Lady Emily

Making of 'Aristocrats', The~1999 Herself

La Femme Nikita~1997- Adrian (as Sian Phillips) in  End Game (# 2.22) 8/30/98

La Femme Nikita~1997- Adrian (as Sian Phillips) in  Adrian's Garden (# 2.21) 8/23/98

Alice Through the Looking Glass~1998 Red Queen

Scold's Bridle, The~1998 Mathilda Gillespie

Ivanhoe~1997 (mini) Queen Eleanor (see Actor Connections - TV)

Vacillations of Poppy Carew, The~1995 Calypso

Mind to Kill, A~1994- Rachel Hardcastle in  Rachel Hardcastle (# 1.2) 1994

Return of the Borrowers, The~1993 Mrs. Driver

Heidi~1993 Frau Sesemann

Borrowers, The~1992 Mrs. Driver

Black Candle, The~1991 Daisy Barnett

Chestnut Soldier, The~1991 (mini) Nain Griffiths

Perfect Scoundrels~1990 in  Ah, The Sisters of Mercy (# 2.2) 4/13/91

Freddie and Max~1990 -  Ursuala Blythe (# 1.6) 12/18/90

Dark River~1990 Mrs. Blessington

Emlyn's Moon~1990 (mini) Nain Griffiths

Red Empire~1990 (mini)  (voice) - Narrator

Incident at Dark River~1989 

Snow Spider, The~1988 (mini) Nain Griffiths

Vanity Fair~1987 (mini) Miss Matilda Crawley (see Actor Connections -TV)

Killing On the Exchange, A~1987 (mini) Isobel Makepeace

Two Mrs. Grenvilles, The~1987 Duchess of Windsor

Ewoks: The Battle for Endor~1985 - Queen Charal

How Many Miles to Babylon?~1982 Mrs. Alicia Moore

Smiley's People~1982(mini) Ann Smiley

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years~1981 (mini) Clementine Churchill

Barriers~1980 (mini) Mrs. Dalgleish

Hammer House of Horror~1980 -  Mrs. Henska in  Carpathian Eagle (# 1.9) 11/8/80

Crime and Punishment~1979 (mini) Katerina Ivanovna (see Actor Connections - TV)

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy~1979 (mini) Ann Smiley  (see Actor Connections - TV)

Oresteia~1979 (mini) Leader of the Furies

Warrior Queen~1978 Queen Boudicca

Heartbreak House~1977 

I, Claudius~1976 (mini) Livia

How Green Was My Valley~1975 (mini) Beth Morgan

Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill~1975 (mini) Mrs. Patrick Campbell (see Actor Connections - TV)

Shoulder to Shoulder~1974 (mini) Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst

Lady Windermere's Fan~1972 The Duchesse of Berwich

Vessel of Wrath, The~1970 Martha Jones

Eh, Joe?~1966

Other World of Winston Churchill, The~1964 Lady Lavery

Other Man, The~1964 Kate

Espionage~1963 -  Anna in  A Free Agent (# 1.23) 3/21/64

 

Theatre

Enemies~???? - ?? (Almeida Theatre, London, UK) (see Actor Connections - Theatre)

Marlene, A Tribute to Dietrich~1998 - Marlene Dietrich (Lyric and Cort Theatres, New York)

Dark, The~2004 -  (Donmar Warehouse, London, UK)

My Old Lady~2002 - Mathilde Giffard (Promenade Theatre, New York, New York, US)

Marlene, A Tribute to Dietrich~1996 - Marlene Dietrich (Lyric Theatre, London, UK)

Man of Destiny/O'Flaherty VC~1966 - (Mermaid Theatre, London, UK)

Pal Joey~1980 - (West End, London, UK) (see Actor Connections - Theatre)

Man and Superman~1965 - Anne (The Ars, Vaudeville and Garrick Theatres)

Ride a Cock Horse~1965 - (The Piccadilly Theatre, London, UK)

Hedda Gabler~1957 - Hedda Tesman (Gabler) (Det Nye Teater, Oslo, Norge; Vanburgh Theatre, London, UK)

Saint Joan~ -

The Taming of the Shrew~ -

The Duchess of Malfi~ -

Gigi~ - 

A Little Night Music~ - Madame Armfeldt (National Theatre, )

Little Old Ladies~ - (Tour)

Vagina Monologues, The~ - (The Arts Theatre, )

Diva's At the Donmar~ - (cabaret) (Donmar Warehouse, )

Almost Like Being In Love~ - (National Theatre, )

Lettice and Lovage~ - Lettice Douffet (Theatre Royal, Bath; Tour, UK)

Precieuse Ridicules, Les~ - (French)

Huis Clos~ - (French)

Medicin Malgre Lui, Le~ - (Welsh)

Proposal, The~ - (Welsh)

Bear, The~ - (Welsh)

Midsummer Night's Dream, A~ - Helena

Inconstant Couple, The~ - Countess

Three Sisters~ - Masha

Uncle Vanya~ - Elena

Othello~ - Desdemona

Woman of No Importance, A~ - Mrs. Arbuthnott

Glass Menagerie, The~ - Amanda

Siwan~ - Siwan

St. Joan~ - St. Joan

Taming of the Shrew~ - Kate

Candida~ - Candida

Twelfth Night~ - Viola

Thursday's Ladies~ - (The Apollo Theatre, )

Gigi~ - (The Lyric Theatre, )

Peg of My Heart~ - (The Phoenix Theatre, )

Major Barbara~ - (National Theatre, )

Dear Liar~ - (The Mermaid Theatre, )

You Never Can Tell~ - 

Spinechiller~ - (The Duke of York, )

Gay Lord Quex, The~ - (The Albery Theatre, )

Siwan~ - (The Hampstead Theatre, )

Nightingale in Bloomsbury Square, A~ - (The Hampstead Theatre, )

Epitaph For George Dillon~ - (The Young Vic, )

Burglar, The~ - (The Vaudeville, )

Man of Destiny~ - (The Mermaid Theatre, )

Night of the Iguana, The~ - Hannah Jelkes (The Savoy Theatre, )

Maxibules~ - (The Queen's Theatre, )

Gentle Jack~ - (The Queen's Theatre, )

Lizard on the Rock, The~ - (The Phoenix Theatre, )

Ondine~ - (Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych, )

Duchess of Malfi, The~ - (Royal Shakespeare Company, Aldwych, )

Paris Match~ - (The Garrick Theater, )

Vanilla~ - (Lyric, Hammersmith, )

Manchurian Candidate, The~ - (Lyric, Hammersmith, )

Painting Churches~ - (The Playhouse Theatre, )

Brel~ - (Donmar Warehouse, )

Ghosts~ - Mrs. Alving (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff and tour)

Lion in Winter, The~ - Mrs. Alving (National Tour)

Inspector Calls, An~ - Mrs. Birling (Royal Theatre, New York, US)

 

Radio

Leopard in Autumn, The~ 

Phedre

Oedipus Rex

Maids, The

All's Well That Ends Well

Anthony and Cleopatra

Skirmishes

Bequest to the Nation

 

Audio Books/Plays

Camomile Lawn, The

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine

Measure for Measure

Taming of the Shrew, The

 

CD's

Bewitched

Marlene

I Remember Mama

Peg

A Little Night Music

Pal Joey

Gigi

 

Live Appearances/Performances

The Stars Shine for Autism~2004 - Herself/reader

Huw Wheldon Lecture for RTS - Narrator

Nicholas and Alexandra - Narrator

Flick of the Switch - Narrator

Legend and Landscape - Narrator

 

Books

Siân Phillips: Private Faces

Siân Phillips: Public Places~2001

 

Awards, Honors and Nominations

BAFTA Awards

Rec'd 1977 TV Award Best Actress for I, Caudius

Rec'd  1976 TV Award Best Actress for How Green Was My Valley

Nom for Nain in The Snow Spider

Nom for Emmeline Pankhurst in Shoulder to Shoulder

BAFTA Awards, Wales

Rec'd 2001 Special

Nom for Nain in The chestnut Soldier

Nom for Mam in House of America

Commander of the order of the British Empire

Rec'd 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours List

Critics Circle Award

Rec'd 1970 Best Supporting Actress for Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Drama Desk Award

Rec'd for Marlene

Golden Globe Awards

Nom 1970 Best Supporting Actress for Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Laurence Olivier Theatre Award

Nom 1998 Best Actress in a Musical for Marlene

nom for Madame Armfeldt for A Little Night Music

National Society of Film Critics Awards

Rec'd 1970 NSFC Award Best Supporting Actress for Goodbye, Mr. Chips

New York Critics Award

Rec'd 1970 Best Supporting Actress for Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art

Rec'd Bancroft Gold Medal

Royal Television Society Awards

Rec'd 1977 RTS Television Award Best Actor - Female for I, Claudius

Society of West End Theatre Awards

Nom for Vera in Pal Joey

Nom for Anne in Man and Superman

Nom for Hannah Jelkes in Night of the Iguana

Tony Awards

Nom 1999 for Marlene

Welsh Artist of the Year

Nom for Mrs. Alving in Ghosts

 

Miscellany

Has an Honorary Fellowship from Trinity College, Carmarthen

 

Member of the Gorsedd of Bards

 

Phillips is related (great aunt) to Rosina Davies, a well-known Welsh evangelist.

 

Served on the Welsh National Council and as a governor of the National Theatre of Wales, and received Wales' highest theatrical honor -- membership in the Honorary Order of Druids -- in recognition of her services to Welsh drama.

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