Image of Sheila Gish

Sheila Gish

Sheila Gish (23 April 1942 – 9 March 2005) was a British stage and television actress. She was born Sheila Anne Gash in Lincoln, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and made her stage debut with a repertory company. Her first starring role in the West End was as Bella in Robert and Elizabeth. She continued to be best known for her stage work, but she also appeared in many television dramas, from The First Churchills (in which she played Mary of Modena) to the successful adaptation of Love in a Cold Climate (2001) in which she played the eccentric and outrageous Lady Montdore. She had two daughters: the actresses Kay Curram and Lou Gish (1967–2006) by her first husband, the actor Roland Curram. While filming That Uncertain Feeling for BBC2 in 1985, she met actor Denis Lawson, who was to become her second husband. She rarely appeared on film, her most notable performances being as Anna in the Merchant-Ivory film Quartet (1981) and as Mrs Norris in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park (1999). She is also known for her appearance in the 1986 film Highlander as Rachel Ellenstein. She took the part of the alcoholic Joanne in Stephen Sondheim's musical Company, directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End, in 1995. The following year, she won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. In 1999 she played Miss Venable in Tennessee Williams's Suddenly Last Summer, directed by Sean Mathias with Rachel Weisz at the Comedy Theatre, London. One of her last stage roles was as Arkadina in the Chichester Festival Theatre's production of The Seagull in 2003. By this time she had been diagnosed with cancer and had lost an eye as a result of surgery. She died in Camden, London. Her final performance was for BBC Radio. She is Ewan McGregor's mother's sister-in-law. Her daughter, Lou, also died of cancer less than a year after her mother.


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Born:
Apr 23, 1942 In Lincoln, England, United Kingdom
Movie/TV Credits:
28
First Appeared:
In the movie Darling 1965-08-03
Latest Project:
Series Love in a Cold Climate 2001-02-04
Known For
Poster of Helen: A Woman of Today
Poster of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Poster of The Reckoning
Filmography
Series Love in a Cold Climate Lady Montdore 2001-02-04
Movie Mansfield Park Mrs. Norris 1999-11-12
Series Jonathan Creek Unknown 1997-05-09
Movie Seasick Martina Schaffer 1996-04-05
Movie Company Joanne 1996-12-10
Series The Thin Blue Line Unknown 1995-11-13
Series Brighton Belles Bridget 1993-03-09
Movie Resnick: Rough Treatment Maria Roy 1993-07-25
Series Jewels Victoria Thompson 1992-10-18
Series The House of Eliott Yolande Hermane 1991-08-31
Series Stanley and the Women Nowell Hutchinson 1991-11-28
Series Inspector Morse Unknown 1987-01-06
Movie Highlander Rachel Ellenstein 1986-03-07
Movie Quartet Anna 1981-10-25
Series Tales of the Unexpected Laura Parker 1979-03-24
Series Anna Karenina Unknown 1977-09-25
Movie The Lifeswappers Dinah/Miss Trevor 1976-04-12
Series The Sweeney Unknown 1975-01-02
Series Helen: A Woman of Today Unknown 1973-09-21
Movie Hitler: The Last Ten Days Frau Christian 1973-04-19
Movie A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Pam 1972-05-01
Series Crown Court Unknown 1972-10-11
Movie Funny Phyl 1971-11-16
Series The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Unknown 1971-09-20
Movie The Reckoning Mrs Garner 1970-01-31
Movie Every Home Should Have One Mother in Commercial 1970-03-05
Series The First Churchills Unknown 1969-09-27
Movie Darling Cameo (uncredited) 1965-08-03