Glynis Barber
Encyclopedia
Glynis Barber is a South Africa
n actress of Afrikaner
descent, born and brought up in South Africa
. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg
. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey & Makepeace
.
. Acting since 1978, her popular breakthrough came in 1981 with her role as Soolin
in the BBC
science fiction
television series Blake's 7
.
In 1982 she took the title role in the television series Jane
playing a World War II
heroine. This series was filmed against a blue screen allowing for the addition of a cartoon background, an experimental technique in its day. However, Barber is best known for her mid-1980s role of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey & Makepeace
, where she met her future husband, Michael Brandon
.
Since 1987, Barber has appeared frequently in plays, films and television series. She also starred in the LWT drama series Night and Day
as Fiona Brake. In 2006 she joined the cast of ITV
soap, Emmerdale
, playing the character of DCI Grace Barraclough
, investigating the death of Tom King
on Christmas Day. She exited the soap in September 2007, when her character was killed.
In 2009, she appeared as hospital administrator Jean McAteer in The Royal
, another ITV drama series set in Yorkshire
On 23 October 2009 it was announced she would play Glenda Mitchell
the mother of Ronnie Mitchell
, Roxy Mitchell
and Danny Mitchell in EastEnders
after Jill Gascoine
withdrew from the role during her first day on set. On 27 February 2011 it was announced that Barber was to leave EastEnders in March 2011.
, Killing Time with Dennis Waterman
, High Flyers with Hugh Grant
and Make Me A Match and The Graduate. In 2011 Barber starred alongside Christopher Timothy
and Denis Lil in Alan Ackbourne's Seasons Greetings
playing Belinda.
's 1983 remake of The Wicked Lady
, which starred Faye Dunaway
. She later appeared alongside Vanessa Redgrave
in the 1997 film, Déjà Vu
.
She appeared as Anthea Davis in On the Nose
in 2001 along with Dan Aykroyd
and Robbie Coltrane
.
Barber married her Dempsey & Makepeace co-star Michael Brandon
on 18 November 1989; they have a son, Alexander Max Brandon (born November 1992).
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n actress of Afrikaner
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
descent, born and brought up in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey & Makepeace
Dempsey & Makepeace
Dempsey & Makepeace is a British television crime drama made by London Weekend Television for ITV, created and produced by Ranald Graham...
.
Television
She studied at the Mountview Academy of Theatre ArtsMountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is an independent drama school situated in the Wood Green area of North London. It was founded in 1945 by Peter Coxhead and Ralph Nossek as 'The Mountview Theatre Club', an amateur repertory company staging a new production for a six-day run every second week...
. Acting since 1978, her popular breakthrough came in 1981 with her role as Soolin
Soolin
Soolin is a fictional character from the British science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Glynis Barber.Soolin met the survivors of the Liberator on their return from Terminal at the beginning of Season Four. Dorian's companion and lover, she was a skilled gunfighter...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
.
In 1982 she took the title role in the television series Jane
Jane (comic strip)
Jane was a comic strip created and drawn by Norman Pett exclusively for the British tabloid The Daily Mirror from 5 December 1932 to 10 October 1959.-Characters and story:...
playing a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
heroine. This series was filmed against a blue screen allowing for the addition of a cartoon background, an experimental technique in its day. However, Barber is best known for her mid-1980s role of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey & Makepeace
Dempsey & Makepeace
Dempsey & Makepeace is a British television crime drama made by London Weekend Television for ITV, created and produced by Ranald Graham...
, where she met her future husband, Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
.
Since 1987, Barber has appeared frequently in plays, films and television series. She also starred in the LWT drama series Night and Day
Night and Day (TV series)
Night and Day was a British soap opera which was produced by Granada Television for LWT and ran on ITV from 2001 to 2003.Its theme-song, "Always & Forever", was sung by Kylie Minogue.-Synopsis:...
as Fiona Brake. In 2006 she joined the cast of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
soap, Emmerdale
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
, playing the character of DCI Grace Barraclough
DCI Grace Barraclough
Detective Chief Inspector "DCI" Grace Barraclough is a fictional character in the ITV1 soap opera Emmerdale. Her first episode was broadcast on December 26 2006. She was portrayed by Glynis Barber.-Character's background:...
, investigating the death of Tom King
Tom King (Emmerdale)
Thomas "Tom" Albert King was a fictional character on the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He appeared in the show from February 2004 to December 2006. Ken Farrington played him during the character's run.Tom grew up in Emmerdale and was keen to return...
on Christmas Day. She exited the soap in September 2007, when her character was killed.
In 2009, she appeared as hospital administrator Jean McAteer in The Royal
The Royal
The Royal is a British medical drama series produced by ITV. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot....
, another ITV drama series set in Yorkshire
On 23 October 2009 it was announced she would play Glenda Mitchell
Glenda Mitchell
The following is a list of characters who first appeared or are due to appear in the BBC soap opera EastEnders in 2010, by order of first appearance...
the mother of Ronnie Mitchell
Ronnie Mitchell
Veronica Elizabeth "Ronnie" Branning is a fictional character from the British BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Samantha Womack. Ronnie and her sister Roxy were introduced by executive producer Diederick Santer in July 2007; Ronnie is the "ice" to Roxy's "fire"...
, Roxy Mitchell
Roxy Mitchell
Roxanne Lizette "Roxy" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, portrayed by Rita Simons. Roxy arrived in Walford with her sister Ronnie on 24 July 2007 and decided to move permanently to Walford from Ibiza where they ran a bar together. Roxy is the younger of the two...
and Danny Mitchell in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
after Jill Gascoine
Jill Gascoine
Jill Gascoine is a British actress and novelist. She is most widely known for her role as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes in the 1980s television series The Gentle Touch and its spin-off series C.A.T.S. Eyes...
withdrew from the role during her first day on set. On 27 February 2011 it was announced that Barber was to leave EastEnders in March 2011.
Theatre
Her stage work has included MacbethMacbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, Killing Time with Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman
Dennis Waterman is a British actor and singer, best known for his tough-guy roles in television series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks.-Early life:...
, High Flyers with Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
and Make Me A Match and The Graduate. In 2011 Barber starred alongside Christopher Timothy
Christopher Timothy
Christopher Timothy is a Welsh actor, television director and writer. Timothy is possibly best known today for his role as James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small; more recently he has starred as Dr. Brendan 'Mac' McGuire in the British television drama Doctors...
and Denis Lil in Alan Ackbourne's Seasons Greetings
Season's Greetings (play)
Season's Greetings is a 1980 play by British playwright Alan Ayckbourn. It is a black, though often farcical, comedy about a dysfunctional family Christmas, set over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day in an average English suburban house....
playing Belinda.
Film
She appeared as Lady Caroline in Michael WinnerMichael Winner
Michael Robert Winner is a British film director and producer, active in both Europe and the United States, also known as a food critic for the Sunday Times.-Early life and early career :...
's 1983 remake of The Wicked Lady
The Wicked Lady (1983 film)
The Wicked Lady is a 1983 British drama film directed by Michael Winner. It was screened out of competition at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. It is a remake of the 1945 film of the same name, which was one of the popular series of Gainsborough melodramas....
, which starred Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
. She later appeared alongside Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
in the 1997 film, Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu (1997 film)
Déjà Vu is a 1997 American dramatic romance film directed by Henry Jaglom. It stars the British actors, Stephen Dillane and Vanessa Redgrave. It premiered at the American Film Institute Festival on 25 October 1997 and was released theatrically on 22 April 1998.-Plot:Dana , a young American woman,...
.
She appeared as Anthea Davis in On the Nose
On the Nose (film)
On the Nose is an Irish / Canadian comedy, fantasy film released in 2001. It was written by Tony Philpott and stars Dan Aykroyd and Robbie Coltrane in a magical comedy where a long dead Australian aboriginal's head is used to predict winners in horse races...
in 2001 along with Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
and Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
.
Personal life
Barber married actor Paul Antony Barber, who she met at drama school, in 1976. They were divorced in 1979.Barber married her Dempsey & Makepeace co-star Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.-Life and career:Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam and Sol Feldman...
on 18 November 1989; they have a son, Alexander Max Brandon (born November 1992).