Susan Hampshire


Actor

About

Also Known As
Lady Kulukundis
Birth Place
London, England, GB
Born
May 12, 1937

Biography

Best known to American audiences for her portrayal of sturdy upper crust Brits on public TV imports, Susan Hampshire was a celebrated British actress of stage, screen and TV, mostly in her native land. American audiences came to know her through such serials as "The Forsyte Saga" (PBS, 1969-70), in which she was Fleur, the stalwart member of a merchant family, "The First Churchills" (PBS...

Family & Companions

Pierre Granier-Deferre
Husband
Director. Married in 1967; divorced in 1974.
Nicky Henson
Companion
Actor. Had relationship after they appeared together in "Peter Pan" in the mid-1970s; at the time, Henson was married to Una Stubbs.
Sir Eddie Kulukundis
Husband
Theater impresario. Married on April 4, 1981.

Bibliography

"Lucy Jane and the Russian Ballet"
Susan Hampshire, Collins (1993)
"Easy Gardening"
Susan Hampshire (1991)
"Every Letter Counts"
Susan Hampshire, Transworld Press (1990)
"Lucy Jane and the Dancing Competition"
Susan Hampshire, Collins (1990)

Notes

Some sources erroneously list 1942 as the year of Miss Hampshire's birth.

A dyslexic, Hampshire was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995 for her work on behalf of those with that learning disability.

Biography

Best known to American audiences for her portrayal of sturdy upper crust Brits on public TV imports, Susan Hampshire was a celebrated British actress of stage, screen and TV, mostly in her native land. American audiences came to know her through such serials as "The Forsyte Saga" (PBS, 1969-70), in which she was Fleur, the stalwart member of a merchant family, "The First Churchills" (PBS, 1971), in which she was Sarah, the focused member of the Duke of Marlborough's clan, and as Becky Sharpe in the TV rendition of "Vanity Fair" (PBS, 1972). She won Emmy Awards for all three portrayals, and is also remembered as Agnes Wickfield in the "David Copperfield" adaptation shown on NBC in 1970. Additionally, Hampshire was the outspoken Glencora in "The Pallisers" (PBS, 1977), a series about a Victorian family with political leanings.

Hampshire's work in feature films is less well-known to American audiences. After an appearance as a child in the British-made "The Woman in the Hall" (1947), she appeared in ingenue roles beginning with "Upstairs and Downstairs" (1959). She was the mother in "The Three Lives of Thomasina," a 1963 Disney film about a girl in a Scottish village who heals animals through love. Her career transformed when she starred in Pierre Granier-Deferre's "Paris in the Month of August/Paris au mois d'Aout" (1966), in which she appeared in a nude scene. Hampshire later married Granier-Deferre (they divorced in 1974). Her portrayal of African-based naturalist Joy Adamson in "Living Free" (1972), the sequel to "Born Free" in which Elsa the lion has died, received some notice in the States. Some of her other appearances in film, including her work in several French films are almost unknown to US audiences.

Hampshire's work on stage in England began in the late 50s, and has included Shakespearean interpretations, from Rosalind in "As You Like It" to Katherina in "The Taming of the Shrew" (both at the Shaw Theatre). She played Peter Pan in a 1974 production of the classic musical as well. For most of the 80s, her performing career was virtually inactive. Hampshire devoted herself primarily to writing gardening and children's' books, including the "Lucy Jane" series. She authored "Susan's Story" (1982), which recounted her struggle with dyslexia, and "The Maternal Instinct" (1985), about coping with her daughter's fatal illness. Hampshire returned to the theatre in a 1990 production of "A Little Night Music" and was on stage at the Savoy Theatre in London in "Relative Values" (1993).

Life Events

1947

Film debut "The Woman in the Hall"

1958

Stage debut, "Night Must Fall" at Bognor Regis, England

1959

First adult film role, "Upstairs and Downstairs"

1959

London debut, "Expresso Bongo"

1961

Early TV appearance, "Adventures in Paradise" episode

1969

Played Fleur in "The Forsyte Saga" (PBS)

1970

Featured as Agnes Wickfield in "David Copperfield" (NBC)

1971

Played Sarah Churchilll in "The First Churchills" (Masterpiece Theatre)

1972

Played Joy Adamson in "Living Free"

1972

Starred as Becky Sharpe in "Vanity Fair" (Masterpiece Theatre)

1977

Cast as Glencora in "The Pallisers" TV series

1993

Starred in "Relative Values" at Savoy Theatre, London

1998

Appeared as a headmistress in the British TV adaptation of Rosamund Pilcher's novel "Coming Home" (ITV Network)

1999

Reprised role of headmistress in "Nancherrow" (ITV)

2000

Had featured role in the BBC TV series "Monarch of the Glen"

Family

George Kenneth Hampshire
Father
Was director of ICI.
June Pavey Hampshire
Mother
Educator. Operated a small private school and taught dance.
Christopher Granier-Deferre
Son
Born in 1971.
Victoria Granier-Deferre
Daughter
Died within a day of her birth.

Companions

Pierre Granier-Deferre
Husband
Director. Married in 1967; divorced in 1974.
Nicky Henson
Companion
Actor. Had relationship after they appeared together in "Peter Pan" in the mid-1970s; at the time, Henson was married to Una Stubbs.
Sir Eddie Kulukundis
Husband
Theater impresario. Married on April 4, 1981.

Bibliography

"Lucy Jane and the Russian Ballet"
Susan Hampshire, Collins (1993)
"Easy Gardening"
Susan Hampshire (1991)
"Every Letter Counts"
Susan Hampshire, Transworld Press (1990)
"Lucy Jane and the Dancing Competition"
Susan Hampshire, Collins (1990)
"Trouble Free Gardening"
Susan Hampshire, Elm Tree Books (1989)
"Lucy Jane on Television"
Susan Hampshire, Methuen (1989)
"Lucy Jane at the Ballet"
Susan Hampshire, William Collins and Sons (1987)
"The Maternal Instinct"
Susan Hampshire, Merrimack (1985)
"Susan's Story: An Autobiographical Account of My Struggle With Dyslexia"
Susan Hampshire, St. Martin's Press (1982)

Notes

Some sources erroneously list 1942 as the year of Miss Hampshire's birth.

A dyslexic, Hampshire was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995 for her work on behalf of those with that learning disability.

On having plastic surgery on her nose when she was starting out, Susan Hampshire told The Daily Express (January 2, 2001): "All my family had similar noses - handsome, but perhaps a bit large for an ingenue. At that young age you don't know why you do these things and in subsequent years absolutely everyone I know has had far more plastic surgery than me, so I'm reluctant to talk about it. But yes, it is true. Regretting anything is not in my nature, otherwise you'd sit around all day bewailing your past."

Hampshire has received honorary degrees from London University (1985), St. Andrew's University (1987), Kingston University (1993), and Pinemanor College (1993).

She created a bit of controversy in December 2000 when she announced she had become a member of Exit, a voluntary euthanasia society. (Euthanasia is illegal in the United Kingdom.)