WWTBAM Bored

Maggie Smith, star of stage, film and ‘Downton Abbey,’ has died aged 89

Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.

Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith died early Friday in a London hospital.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.

Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British woman actor of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench.

“Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress and the British Academy (BAFTA) award as well in 1969. She added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978.

Anyone who ever played one of my movie games here knew that, whenever a clue referred to "my favorite actress," it meant Maggie Smith. I fell in love with her at the age of 15 when I saw The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. And I was lucky enough to see her on stage once, in Private Lives.

franktangredi wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 27, 2024 8:19 am

Anyone who ever played one of my movie games here knew that, whenever a clue referred to "my favorite actress," it meant Maggie Smith. I fell in love with her at the age of 15 when I saw The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. And I was lucky enough to see her on stage once, in Private Lives.

I'm really glad you didn't have a recent movie game, so you couldn't blame yourself for this.

She was amazing.

I think back to the original version of Death on the Nile, with Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. I watch that every few months, even though I know darn well whodunit. The supporting cast was amazing with Smith playing the companion to Bette Davis. The two of them sparred throughout the film. It also featured David Niven and Angela Lansbury. All of them gone now, sadly.

We are so much richer for having had her in our lifetime.

I liked her performances in the Sister Act movies.

GOAT

King Charles issued a statement of sympathy about Smith today. Apparently, he had been quite close to her, throwing an 80th birthday party for her a few years back. I'm not sure I ever heard of Queen Elizabeth issuing a similar statement upon an actor's death.

mrkelley23 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 27, 2024 8:27 am

franktangredi wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 27, 2024 8:19 am

Anyone who ever played one of my movie games here knew that, whenever a clue referred to "my favorite actress," it meant Maggie Smith. I fell in love with her at the age of 15 when I saw The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. And I was lucky enough to see her on stage once, in Private Lives.

I'm really glad you didn't have a recent movie game, so you couldn't blame yourself for this.

She was amazing.

You can bet she's going to be in my next one, though.

franktangredi wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:28 am

mrkelley23 wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 27, 2024 8:27 am

franktangredi wrote: ↑

Fri Sep 27, 2024 8:19 am

Anyone who ever played one of my movie games here knew that, whenever a clue referred to "my favorite actress," it meant Maggie Smith. I fell in love with her at the age of 15 when I saw The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. And I was lucky enough to see her on stage once, in Private Lives.

I'm really glad you didn't have a recent movie game, so you couldn't blame yourself for this.

She was amazing.

You can bet she's going to be in my next one, though.

I might get something right!

Great actors amaze me, and she did, constantly. Most of my experience is from Sister Act and Harry Potter, and she was astonishingly good in both. I put that battle scene in Mother Superior's office (Smith and Whoopi Goldberg) right up there with that Shawshank prison yard scene (Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins) -- four Oscar winners showing us how it's done. Sometimes I imagine that Rowling waited to write HP until Smith could play McGonagall and Alan Rickman could play Snape, but then I come to my senses and discard the motion.

I'll miss you like crazy. Minerva.