Sheila Gish (born Sheila Anne Syme Gash; 23 April 1942 – 9 March 2005) was an English actress. For her role in the 1995 London revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical.

Her film appearances included an A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972), Quartet (1981), Highlander (1986) and Mansfield Park (1999) On television, she starred in the 1969 BBC series The First Churchills, the 1992 TV miniseries of Danielle Steel's Jewels and the short-lived ITV sitcom Brighton Belles (1993–94).

Early life and education

Gish was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, graduating with an Acting (RADA Diploma) in 1962.

Career

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. In 1976 she appeared in Alan Aykbourn's Confusions in London's West End, In 1999 she played Mrs Venable in Tennessee Williams's Suddenly Last Summer, directed by Sean Mathias with Rachel Weisz at the Comedy Theatre, London. She played the eccentric and outrageous Lady Montdore in the successful adaptation of Love in a Cold Climate (2001).

In March 2004, Gish married her partner Denis Lawson in Antigua.

Selected filmography

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Partial list of Sheila Gish film and television credits

|-

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! class="unsortable" scope="col" | Notes

|-

|1965

|Darling

|

|Cameo (uncredited)

|-

|1968

|Z-Cars

|Jane

|Episode: "Dead End – Part 1"

|-

| rowspan="3" |1969

|The First Churchills

|Mary, Duchess of York

|5 episodes

|-

|Fraud Squad

|Leonie

|Episode: "Last Exit to Liechenstein"

|-

|The Troubleshooters

|Sue Kihl

|Episode: "How Much is One Man's Worth?"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1970

|The Reckoning

|Mrs. Garner

|

|-

|Every Home Should Have One

|Mother in TV Commercial (uncredited)

|

|-

|1971

|The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes

|Mrs. Chalmers

|Episode: "The Affair of the Avalanche Bicycle & Tyre Co. Ltd.

|-

| rowspan="2" |1972

|A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

|Pam

|

|-

|New Scotland Yard

|Kay Stevens

|Episode: "Shock Tactics"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1973

|The Adventurer

|Laura

|Episode: "To the Lowest Bidder"

|-

|Hitler: The Last Ten Days

|Gerda Christian

|

|-

|1975

|The Sweeney

|June

|Episode: "Jigsaw"

|-

|1976

|Yes, Honestly

|Antonia Lavenham

|Episode: "Black and White and Red All Over"

|-

|1977

|Anna Karenina

|Princess Betsy

|7 episodes

|-

|1979

|Thomas and Sarah

|Polly

|Episode: "Putting on the Ritz"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1981

|Goodbye Darling

|Janet Lyall

|4 episodes

|-

|Quartet

|Anna

|

|-

|1982

|The Gentle Touch

|Adela Baker

|Episode: "Victims"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1986

|Highlander

|Rachel Ellenstein

|

|-

|That Uncertain Feeling

|Elizabeth Gruffydd-Williams

|4 episodes

|-

|1988

|Worlds Beyond

|Mrs. Hitchcock

|Reflections of Evil

|-

| rowspan="2" |1989

|Boon

|Barbara Lake

|Episode: "Love Letters From a Dead Man"

|-

|Chambre à part

|Mme. Kirby

|

|-

| rowspan="2" |1991

|The House of Elliot

|Yolande Hermane

|1 episode

|-

|Stanley and the Women

|Nowell Hutchinson

|4 episodes (mini-series)

|-

|1992

|Jewels

|Victoria Thomspon

|2 episodes (mini-series)

|-

| rowspan="2" |1993

|The Brighton Belles

|Bridget

|10 episodes

|-

|Inspector Morse

|Gwladys Probert

|Episode: "Twilight of the Gods"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1995

|The Ghosbusters of East Finchley

|Mrs. Paget

|1 episode

|-

|The Thin Blue Line

|Maeve – The Sex Therapist

|Episode: "Night Shift"

|-

|1996

|Merisairas

|Martina Schaffer

|

|-

| rowspan="2" |1997

|Jonathan Creek

|Serena Shale

|Episode: "The Wrestler's Tomb"

|-

|Pie in the Sky

|Julia Sutton

|Episode: "Pork Pies"

|-

|| 1998

| Supply & Demand

|Pauline Monroe

|Episodes: "Golden Goose (Parts 1 and 2)"

|-

|-

|1999

|Mansfield Park

|Mrs. Norris

|

|-

|2000

|Highlander: Endgame

|Rachel Ellenstein

|

|-

|2001

|Love in a Cold Climate

|Lady Montdore

|3 episodes (mini-series)

|}

See also

  • List of British actors

References

  • Guardian obituary