Isla Blair

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Isla Blair
Born (1944-09-29) 29 September 1944 (age 79)
Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
OccupationActress
Years active1965–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1968)​
ChildrenJamie Glover

Isla Blair Glover (born 29 September 1944) is a British actress and singer. She made her first stage appearance in 1963 as Philia in the London debut of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Early life and education[edit]

Isla Blair was born in Bangalore, India, on 29 September 1944.[1] Her father, Ian Baxter Blair-Hill, was a British tea planter. Blair's interest in performing arts first became apparent when, at the age of two, she gave an impromptu singing performance on the boat ride from India to the United Kingdom.[2] She went on to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to prepare for a career in acting.

Career[edit]

Blair made her first stage appearance at the Strand Theatre on 3 October 1963 playing the part of Philia in the London debut of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 1971 season, during which she portrayed Emilia in The Man of Mode and Aglaya in Subject to Fits. In 1973, Blair toured the Middle East with the Prospect Theatre Company in the role of Viola in Twelfth Night. Other venues at which Blair has performed include the Old Vic and the Nottingham Playhouse.[1]

One of Blair's earliest experiences working in film was in a scene with Paul McCartney in the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night. McCartney offered to drive Blair home after the shoot, but upon exiting the building, the two were swarmed by fans who scratched and kicked Blair in an attempt to reach McCartney.[2][3] The following day, she declined a second offer of a ride from McCartney. The scene they had been filming, which was Blair's only scene in the movie, was eventually cut and lost.[2]

Her first credited film appearance was in the 1965 horror film Dr. Terror's House of Horrors as an art gallery assistant. Her other film appearances include A Flea in Her Ear (1968), Battle of Britain (1969), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989, as the wife of her real-life husband Julian Glover, and credited as Mrs. Glover), Valmont (1989), The Monk (1990), The House of Angelo (1997), The Match (1999), Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War (2002), AfterLife (2003) and Johnny English Reborn (2011). [4]

Blair guest starred in two episodes of Space: 1999; appearing in 1975, along with Anthony Valentine, in War Games and in 1976, along with Freddie Jones, in Journey to Where. In 1976, Blair played Emma Antrobus in the ITV drama series The Crezz. She played a principal role (Sally) in the BBC's alternative history TV serial An Englishman's Castle, first broadcast in 1978. One of her best known TV appearances was as Flora Beniform in The History Man (1981) alongside Anthony Sher. Blair played Claire Carlsen, Francis Urquhart's Parliamentary Private Secretary, in The Final Cut (1995). In 2003, she played opposite John Nettles in an episode of Midsomer Murders as a psychological profiler. She played Nanny Langton in The Star of Jacob, Father Brown (S5:E1, 2016). She played the part of a foreign agent, disguised as a bride, in The Avengers episode "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Station". (1967)

In 2010, she appeared at The Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond in The Company Man by Torben Betts. She was nominated for an Off West End Award as Best Actress. [5]

Blair has narrated many audiobooks.[6][7] In 2014–15 she appeared in the stage musical Made in Dagenham.

Personal life[edit]

Blair is married to fellow actor Julian Glover,[1] with whom she has a son, actor Jamie Glover.[8] Along with Prunella Scales, Blair and Glover were involved with the expansion of the Salisbury Playhouse.[9] She was vice president of TACT, the Actors' Children's Trust in 2015 and trustee in 2018.[10] [11]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1964 A Hard Day's Night Actress Uncredited
1965 Dr. Terror's House of Horrors Pretty Girl Uncredited
1968 A Flea in Her Ear Antoinette
The Three Princes Princess Yasmin TV film
1969 Battle of Britain Mrs. Moore
1970 Taste the Blood of Dracula Lucy Paxton
The Hero of My Life Ellen Ternan TV film
1974 The Canterville Ghost Lady Stutfield TV film
1976 Alien Attack Female Alien TV film
1983 The Beggar's Opera Jenny Diver TV film
1984 Real Life Anna
1985 Off Peak Elizabeth TV film
1989 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Mrs. Donovan
Valmont Baroness
1990 Treasure Island Mrs. Hawkins TV film
The Monk Mother Agueda
1996 In Your Dreams Jamie's Mother TV film
1997 The House of Angelo Peg Wallington
1998 Heaven on Earth Mary Weston TV film
1999 The Match Sheila Bailey
The Greatest Store in the World Grand Lady TV film
2002 Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War Matron
2003 AfterLife Dr. Jackson
2005 The Quatermass Experiment Blaker TV film
2011 Johnny English Reborn Shirley
2016 Brash Young Turks Newsreader Voice role
2017 Amy and Sophia Vivien
2020 The Reverend and Mrs Simpson Anna Wilson

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1965 Laughter from the Whitehall Rhoda Marley Episode: "Rookery Nook"
1966 The Liars Sarah Series regular
This Man Craig Jean Stoddart Episode: "A Rough Passage"
1967 ITV Play of the Week Daphne Stillington Episode: "Present Laughter"
The Avengers Bride Episode: "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station"
Mickey Dunne Babs Chesterton-Manville Episode: "A Handful of Coloured Chalks"
1968 The Dickie Henderson Show Jane Recurring role
Gazette Bettie Strickland Episode: "In Between the Lines"
1969 The Saint Janine Flambeau Episode: "The Ex-King of Diamonds"
Department S Elaine Episode: "The Treasure of the Costa Del Sol"
1970–1971 The Doctors Dr. Linda Carpenter Series regular
1971 Jason King Anne Winters Episode: "A Red Red Rose Forever"
1972 Spy Trap Marie Hansen Episode: "A Visit from Hamburg"
1973 The Regiment Lucy Franshaw Episode: "Troopship"
1974 Fall of Eagles Grand Duchess Ella Mini-series
Warship Sarah Foules Episode: "Nothing to Starboard"
1975 The Venturers Joanne Kelly Episode: "Gilt Edged"
Dixon of Dock Green Fleur Harris Episode: "A Slight Case of Love"
A Legacy Caroline Trafford 2 episodes
Quiller Germaine Allenby Episode: "Sacrifice to Survival"
Space: 1999 Female Alien Episode: "War Games"
1976 Carla Episode: "Journey to Where"
One-Upmanship Episode: "Womanship"
The Crezz Emma Antrobus Series regular
1976–1977 When the Boat Comes In Lady Caroline 5 episodes
1978 BBC2 Play of the Week Christina Episode: "Forgotten Love Songs"
Wilde Alliance Helen Bardskey Episode: "Too Much Too Often"
Blake's 7 Sinofar Episode: "Duel"
An Englishman's Castle Jill Mini-series
1981 The History Man Flora Beniform Mini-series
Only When I Laugh Nurse Bradley Episode: "Dear Diary"
1982 Alexa Alexa Mini-series
1982–1983 The Bounder Laura Miles Series regular
1983 Crown Court Melissa St. John Episode: "Brainwashed: Part 1"
Doctor Who Isabella Episode: "The King's Demons"
1983–1984 Storybook International Narrator Series regular
1984 Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense Eileen Episode: "Tennis Court"
1985 Screen Two Constance Scott Episode: "Poppyland"
Taggart Eleanor Samson Episode: "Murder in Season"
1986 Hold the Back Page Val Barnett Episode: "Our Man on the Spot"
King and Castle The Honorable Lisa Berkeley Episode: "Romance"
1987 C.A.T.S. Eyes Penny Osmond Episode: "Backlash"
Boogie Outlaws Inspector Leesley Mini-series
1988 Bookie Sylvia Cowan Mini-series
1989 Mother Love Ruth Vesey Mini-series
1990 Haggard Lady Amelia Foulacre Episode: "Eye of Newt"
1991 Boon Caroline Mortlake Episode: "Pillow Talk"
1991–1992 The Advocates Katherine Dunbar Series regular
1992 The Good Guys Maggie Episode: "Horseplay"
Inspector Morse Janey Wilson Episode: "Cherubim & Seraphim"
The Darling Buds of May Caroline Lime Episode: "Le Grand Weekend"
1993 Medics Janet Wendell 1 episode
1994 Taggart Lavinia Martin Episode: "Hellfire"
1995 The Final Cut Claire Carlsen Mini-series
Doctor Finlay Stroma Kennedy Episode: "No Time for Heroes"
1997 A Touch of Frost Rosalie Martin 3 episodes
1998 The Bill Barbara Chambers Episode: "Too Many Cooks"
Heartbeat Elaine Aubrey Episode: "Taking Sides"
2000 The Mrs Bradley Mysteries Myrtle Quincy Episode: "The Worsted Viper"
Dalziel and Pascoe Florence Stockton Episode: "Foreign Bodies"
2002 Holby City Mary Harrow Episode: "Love and Devotion"
2003 Midsomer Murders Dr. Jane Moore Episode: "Death and Dreams"
2004 New Tricks Alice Pimley Episode: "Good Work Rewarded"
2006 Casualty Agnes Ross Episode: "It's Now or Never"
2010 Single Father Beatty Mini-series
Law & Order: UK Carla Hopley, D.P.P. 2 episodes
2013 Quick Cuts Jenny 1 episode
2014 Grantchester Gladys Sheppard 1 episode
2016 Father Brown Nanny Langton Episode: "The Star of Jacob"
2019 Casualty Alice Jones 1 episode

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Herbert, Ian, ed. (1981). "BLAIR, Isla". Who's Who in the Theatre. Vol. 1. Gale Research Company. pp. 70–71. ISSN 0083-9833.
  2. ^ a b c Moore, Fiona. "Interview with Isla Blair". Faction Paradox. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  3. ^ Carlin, Peter Ames (2009). Paul McCartney: A Life. Touchstone. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-4165-6209-2.
  4. ^ Movieclips (30 August 2016). "Johnny English Reborn (3/10) Movie CLIP - You've Met Your Matchstick (2011)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Isla Blair". Doctor Who Guide.
  6. ^ "Search results for Isla Blair". Waterstones. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  7. ^ "Isla Blair narrated Audio Books". Simply Audiobooks. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  8. ^ John, Emma (12 October 2014). "Actors Julian Glover and Isla Blair on their 48-year relationship". The Observer. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  9. ^ "Prunella Scales @ Playhouse". BBC. July 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  10. ^ "TACT AGM 2015". ACT – The Actors' Children's Trust.
  11. ^ "Trustees" (PDF). ACT Newsletter. The Actors' Children's Trust: 1. 2018.

External links[edit]

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