Lumley, Joanna (1946–)

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Lumley, Joanna (1946–)

English actress. Born Joanna Lamond Lumley, May 1, 1946, in Srinagar, Kashmir, India; dau. of major in Ghurka Rifles; m. Jeremy Lloyd (comedy writer), 1971 (div. 1971); m. Stephen Barlow (conductor), 1986; children: (with photographer Michael Claydon) Jamie (b. 1967).

Spent early years in Asia, attending army schools in Hong Kong and Malaya before moving to England and taking up ballet in adolescence; made stage debut in Not Now Darling (1972); starred in tv series "The New Avengers" (1976–78), "Sapphire and Steel" (1979–82), "Cold Comfort Farm" (1996), "Coming Home" (1998) and "Up in Town" (2002), among many others; came to international prominence as Patsy Stone in "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992–94, 2001) for which she won BAFTA award (1993) and Emmy Award (1994); participated in BBC reality show Girl Friday (1994); made travel documentary of Bhutan in Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunderdragon (1997); won BAFTA Special Award for role in The Avengers (2000); films include Games That Lovers Play (1970), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), Shirley Valentine (1989), James and the Giant Peach (1996), Parting Shots (1998), Maybe Baby (1999) and Cat's Meow (2000). Awarded Officer of British Empire (OBE, 1995).

See also autobiography, Stare Back and Smile (Viking, 1989).