• Pamela E. Ferris was born in 1948 in Hanover, Germany.
• She pursued an acting career after watching the film “London Assurance”.
• She is known for her role as Aunt Marge in “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”.
• She has a net worth of $6 million.
• She is 5ft 6ins tall, has auburn hair which has turned gray, and bright blue eyes.
Known for movies
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Short Info
Spouse | Roger Frost |
Fact | Is a vegetarian. |
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Introduction
If you’ve watched the “Harry Potter” film series, you probably remember the spiteful Aunt Marge. Despite having a rather short appearance in the third installment, actor Pam Ferris left quite an impression on young fans. Do you know that she’s been a noted actress since the 1970s?
Early life and Education
Pamela E. Ferris was born on 11 May 1948, in Hanover, Lower Saxony, then Allied-occupied Germany. Her parents were Welsh – her father Fred Ferris, was in the Royal Air Force, which is why she was born in Hanover. Her parents returned to Wales when she was still a baby, so she spent most of her early years near Bridgend, Glamorgan.
After resigning from the RAF, her father became a policeman, while her mother, Ann Perkins, worked in the bakery owned by her family. Ferris has a sister, called Barbara.
When Ferris was 13, her family emigrated to New Zealand, where she matriculated from high school. Little is known about her life from this time period, but she disclosed that she worked as a representative. Around this time, she saw the film “London Assurance” starring Judi Dench, and it was then that she decided to pursue an acting career. For a while, she performed at the Mercury Theatre located in Auckland, New Zealand, but when she was 22, she moved back to the UK so she could find more job opportunities.
Career
Ferris continued her theatre career in the UK. She worked for several regional companies, before finally making her TV debut in 1972, in the feature film “To Love a Maori”. During this time, though, she took a break from her career so she could take care of her sick mother. This is why she didn’t land any new roles until 1983, when she appeared in the TV film “Meantime”.
In 1985, Ferris landed her first recurring role in a TV series, when she was cast as Nesta in “Connie”, a drama series set in the fashion industry. Before the end of the ‘80s, she was seen in several more titles, such as “Ladies in Charge”, “Dramarama”, “Hardwicke House” and “South of the Border”.
In 1991 she landed her breakthrough role as Ma Larkin in the ITV series “The Darling Buds of May”, maintaining her role of the motherly figure until the show ended in 1993. In 1992 she portrayed Mrs White in “Cluedo”, and in 1994 she was in “Middlemarch”, alongside Juliet Aubrey and Robert Hardy. During this period, she also guest-starred in numerous TV series, including “The Rector’s Wife”, “The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends” and “Screen Two”.
In 1996, Ferris portrayed Trunchbull in the famous family comedy film “Matilda”, co-starring with famous actors such as Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, and Mara Wilson, and for her contribution to this film, she even earned a Saturn Award nomination.
The following year, she was cast as Peggy Snow in the TV series “Where the Heart Is”, remaining on the show for three years and earning three nominations for National Television Awards in the category Most Popular Actress.
Before the end of the millennium, Ferris was often seen on TV in series such as “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall”, “Our Mutual Friend” and “Wycliffe”. She was also in several TV films, including “Death of a Salesman”, “The Turn of the Screw” and “Cows”.
In 2002, she portrayed Marion Eustace in the drama TV series “Paradise Heights”, but the show was canceled after just one season.
In 2003, she was in “Clocking Off” and “Doc Martin and the Legend of the Clouty”. She co-starred as Laura Thyme in “Rosemary and Thyme”, the crime series about two professional gardeners who became the key to solving various crimes; the show lasted for three seasons, with her on-screen best friend portrayed by Felicity Kendal.
Ferris landed the role of the rather disliked Aunt Marge in the third installment of the worldwide famous film series, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”, in 2004. That same year, she was also in the movies “Gladiatress” and “Picadilly Jim”. Two years later, in 2006, she was in Alfonso Cuaron’s sci-fi thriller “Children of Men”, alongside Julianne Moore, Clive Owen and Chiwetel Ejiofor, and the same year portrayed Grace Poole in the mini-series adaptation of “Jane Eyre”.
In 2008, Pam appeared alongside Liam Neeson and Antonio Banderas in Richard Eyre’s thriller “The Other Man”, and later that year was cast as Mrs General in the drama TV series “Little Dorrit”. In 2009, she was in several feature films, most notably “Within the Whirlwind” and “Malice in Wonderland”.
Ferris portrayed Sister Evangelina in the main cast of the Heidi Thomas’ history series “Call the Midwife”, about a group of midwives from East London, for four seasons before she left the show in 2016.
In 2018, she portrayed Queen Victoria in the comedy film “Holmes and Watson”. As of June 2020, her latest appearance on the big screen has been in 2019, when she portrayed Mrs. Faulkner in the biographical film “Tolkien”.
Personal Life
Ferris met Roger Frost in 1983 while working at the London’s Royal Court Theatre; Frost is known for performing in movies such as “The Wolfman”, “Time Bandits” and “The Bourne Identity”. The duo married in 1986 after a long relationship, and spent many years living in Golders Greens, London, but currently reside in Elham, Kent, England. They don’t have children, and when asked about this, Ferris once said: ‘I was obsessed with work in my youth. It’s why I didn’t get married until I was 38, and the reason I didn’t have kids.’ She added that she isn’t sad about this, not because she doesn’t think she’d make a good mother, but simply because that’s the way it happened, and she can’t change anything about it.
She and her future husband gave up smoking in 1985.
Ferris is an avid supporter of various charitable organizations that support disabled people.
She is known to be very professional. During filming the bed scene for “The Darling Buds of May”, her co-star David Jason smuggled a cucumber and kept it under the sheets. Ferris knew it was there, but that didn’t prevent her from completing the scene perfectly.
Ferris loves dogs, and as of June 2020 she has two – a Jack Russell called Elsie and a Lurcher named Stanley.
She even stated during the interview for the online magazine “Yours” that the reason she left the series “Call the Midwife” was because she couldn’t take her dogs to the new filming location in Surrey, England. The rumors were that she left the show because she had a stroke, just like the character she portrayed, but the truth was far from that.
Net Worth
Ferris has one of the longest lasting acting careers in England. As of mid-2020, her successful endeavors have earned her a net worth that is estimated at around $6 million!
Physical characteristics
Ferris has a height of 5ft 6ins (1.68cm), and weighs around 137lbs (62kgs). From looking at her pictures, we can conclude that she used to weigh more, but has managed to lose a significant number of pounds. When she was younger, she had auburn hair which later turned gray, and she has bright blue eyes.
General Info
Full Name | Pam Ferris |
Height | 1.7 m |
Profession | Actor |
Family
Spouse | Roger Frost |
Parents | Ann Perkins, Fred Ferris |
Siblings | Barbara Ferris |
Accomplishments
Nominations | National Television Award for Most Popular Actress, Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role |
Movies | Matilda, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men, Nativity!, The Raven, Death to Smoochy, Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger, Saving Santa, Telstar: The Joe Meek Story, The Other Man, Malice in Wonderland, Jackboots on Whitehall, Within the Whirlwind, Gladiatress, Christmas at the Ri... |
TV Shows | Call The Midwife, Rosemary & Thyme, The Darling Buds of May, Where the Heart Is, Little Dorrit, Clocking Off, Jane Eyre, Hardwicke House, Connie, Our Mutual Friend, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Cluedo, Lizzie's Pictures, All Change |
Social profile links
Quotes
# | Quote |
---|---|
1 | I was obsessed with work in my youth. It's why I didn't get married until I was 38 and the reason I didn't have kids. Not having children isn't a sadness in my life, though. I know I wouldn't have been a half-bad mother, but that's what happened. There's no regretting it. |
Facts
# | Fact |
---|---|
1 | Her favourite character that she played was Miss Trunchbull in Matilda (1996). |
2 | She met her husband in 1983 when they were both working at the Royal Court Theatre in London. |
3 | She and her husband lived for many years in Golders Green, North London, before relocating to Canterbury, Kent in around 2012. |
4 | David Jason had never heard of Ferris before they starred together in The Darling Buds of May (1991). She was nice and easygoing, which was enough to convince Jason she was right for the role. Jason didn't meet Ferris at the readthrough or rehearsals but at lunch. He described Ferris as "down-to-Earth, which I immediately liked about her, and we relaxed in each other's company very quickly". |
5 | On The Darling Buds of May (1991), David Jason once smuggled a cucumber into a bed scene with Ferris. She had to deliver most of the dialogue and even though she knew it was there, she did the scene perfectly. It was only after the cameras stopped rolling that she wanted to know what the corpsing Jason was up to. Ferris is known for being very professional. |
6 | In The Darling Buds of May (1991), there was a famous scene where Ferris shared a bath with David Jason while eating supper. Jason thought about turning up to the set in a frog mask and flippers but couldn't go through with it. Jason and Ferris both wore swimming costumes and the water was colored up to protect their modesty's. Jason considered that scene their icebreaker. |
7 | Her father, Fred, was a policeman and her mother, Ann, worked in the family bakery business. |
8 | She took a break from her career to nurse her mother, who died in 1983. She supports disabled people and their careers. |
9 | She worked in rep in New Zealand before returning to England at 22. She decided to pursue an acting career in the UK after seeing Judi Dench in 'London Assurance'. |
10 | She was born in Germany as her father was involved in the denazification process after the war. |
11 | She and her husband gave up smoking in 1985. |
12 | Is a vegetarian. |
13 | Born in Germany and raised in Wales and New Zealand. |
14 | Pam moved back to the UK aged 22 after a spell in theatre in Christchurch. |
15 | Pam's family emigrated to New Zealand when she was age 13. |
Pictures
Movies
Actress
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
We're Going on a Bear Hunt | 2016 | TV Movie completed | Grandma (voice) |
Ethel & Ernest | 2016 | Mrs. Bennett / Aunty Betty (voice) | |
Call the Midwife | 2012-2016 | TV Series | Sister Evangelina |
Saving Santa | 2013 | Video | Mrs. Claus (voice) |
Nativity 2: Danger in the Manger! | 2012 | Mrs. Bevan | |
The Raven | 2012/I | Mrs. Bradley | |
Luther | 2011 | TV Series | Baba |
Midsomer Murders | 2011 | TV Series | Liz Tomlin |
Grandma's House | 2010 | TV Series | Deborah Adler |
Jackboots on Whitehall | 2010 | Matron Rutty (voice) | |
Gavin & Stacey | 2009 | TV Series | Cath |
Nativity! | 2009 | Mrs. Bevan | |
Malice in Wonderland | 2009 | Doochey | |
Within the Whirlwind | 2009 | Genia's mother | |
Little Dorrit | 2008 | TV Mini-Series | Mrs. General |
Telstar: The Joe Meek Story | 2008 | Mrs. Violet Shenton | |
The Other Man | 2008 | Vera | |
Christmas at the Riviera | 2007 | TV Movie | Avril |
Lilies | 2007 | TV Series | Mrs. Bird |
Jane Eyre | 2006 | TV Mini-Series | Grace Poole |
Children of Men | 2006 | Miriam | |
Rosemary & Thyme | 2003-2006 | TV Series | Laura Thyme |
Piccadilly Jim | 2005 | Miss Trimble | |
Agatha Christie's Marple | 2004 | TV Series | Elspeth McGillicuddy |
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 2004 | Aunt Marge | |
Gladiatress | 2004 | Mrs. Goatsplitter | |
Doc Martin and the Legend of the Cloutie | 2003 | TV Movie | Lolita |
Clocking Off | 2003 | TV Series | Pat Fletcher |
Anna Spud | 2003 | Short | Mum |
Pollyanna | 2003 | TV Movie | Mrs. Snow |
Family | 2002 | TV Movie | Marion |
Paradise Heights | 2002 | TV Series | Marion Eustace |
Death to Smoochy | 2002 | Tommy Cotter | |
Linda Green | 2001 | TV Series | Norma Fitts |
Sweet Revenge | 2001 | TV Movie | Denise Williams |
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby | 2001 | TV Movie | Mrs. Squeers |
Where the Heart Is | 1997-2000 | TV Series | Peggy Snow |
The Turn of the Screw | 1999 | TV Movie | Mrs Grose |
Bill's New Frock | 1998 | Short | Mrs. Collins |
Our Mutual Friend | 1998 | TV Mini-Series | Mrs. Boffin |
Cows | 1997 | TV Movie | Boo Johnson |
Death of a Salesman | 1996 | TV Movie | Woman |
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall | 1996 | TV Mini-Series | Mrs. Markham |
Wycliffe | 1996 | TV Series | Pat Trethowan |
Matilda | 1996 | Trunchbull | |
Screen Two | 1995 | TV Series | Alice Hartley |
The Rector's Wife | 1994 | TV Mini-Series | Eleanor Ramsay |
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends | 1994 | TV Series | Aunt Pettitoes |
Middlemarch | 1994 | TV Mini-Series | Mrs. Dollop |
The Darling Buds of May | 1991-1993 | TV Series | Ma Larkin |
Comedy Playhouse | 1993 | TV Series | Matron |
Performance | 1992 | TV Series | Mrs. Bryant |
Cluedo | 1992 | TV Series | Mrs. White |
Mr. Wakefield's Crusade | 1992 | TV Series | Mad Marion |
A Sense of Guilt | 1990 | TV Series | Magdalen Parry |
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit | 1990 | TV Mini-Series | Mrs. Arkwright |
All Change | 1989 | TV Series | Maggie Oldfield |
South of the Border | 1988 | TV Series | Brenda |
Valentine Park | 1988 | TV Series | Mrs. Fox |
The Fear | 1988 | TV Series | Brenda |
Casualty | 1987 | TV Series | Linda |
Dramarama | 1984-1987 | TV Series | Anne Bailey / Dorothy |
Lizzie's Pictures | 1987 | TV Mini-Series | Grace |
Hardwicke House | 1987 | TV Series | Ms. Crabbe |
Ladies in Charge | 1986 | TV Series | Charlie |
Star Quality | 1985 | TV Movie | Marian Blake |
Connie | 1985 | TV Series | Nesta |
The Bill | 1985 | TV Series | Mrs. Draper |
The House | 1984 | TV Movie | Mrs. Smeth |
Meantime | 1984 | TV Movie | Mavis |
To Love a Maori | 1972 | Deirdre | |
BBC Play of the Month | 1971 | TV Series | Puck & Fairie |
Soundtrack
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Jackboots on Whitehall | 2010 | performer: "Jerusalem" |
Thanks
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
Magic Within | 1996 | TV Movie special thanks |
Self
Title | Year | Status | Character |
---|---|---|---|
The Runner | 2013/I | Documentary short | |
Afternoon Tea, a Matilda Reunion | 2013 | Video documentary short | Herself - 'Agatha Trunchbull' |
Pointless Celebrities | 2013 | TV Series | Herself |
Piers Morgan's Life Stories | 2012 | TV Series | Herself |
50 Greatest Harry Potter Moments | 2011 | TV Movie documentary | Herself - Aunt Marge |
The Paul O'Grady Show | 2004-2009 | TV Series | Herself |
Top of the Cops | 2009 | TV Movie documentary | Herself / Laura Thyme |
Richard & Judy's New Position | 2009 | TV Series | Herself |
Little Dorrit: An Insight | 2009 | Video documentary short | Herself - 'Mrs. General' |
Drama Trails | 2008 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
Christmas Cooks | 2007 | TV Series | Herself |
Breakfast | 2004-2007 | TV Series | Herself - Guest |
Children of Men: Visions of the Future | 2007 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
Film '72 | 2006 | TV Series | Herself |
The Prince's Trust 30th Birthday: Live | 2006 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
The 50 Greatest Documentaries | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
The Wonderful World of Roald Dahl | 2005 | TV Movie documentary | Herself |
Page Turners | 2005 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
Head to Shrunken Head | 2004 | Video documentary short | Herself |
This Morning | 2004 | TV Series | Herself |
The Terry and Gaby Show | 2004 | TV Series | Herself |
French and Saunders | 2003 | TV Series | Herself |
Richard and Judy Exclusive | 1997 | TV Series | Herself |
Aspel & Company | 1993 | TV Series | Herself - Guest |
This Is Your Life | 1991 | TV Series documentary | Herself |
Awards
Nominated Awards
Year | Award | Ceremony | Nomination | Movie |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | National Television Award | National Television Awards, UK | Most Popular Actress | Where the Heart Is (1997) |
1998 | National Television Award | National Television Awards, UK | Most Popular Actress | Where the Heart Is (1997) |
1997 | Saturn Award | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA | Best Supporting Actress | Matilda (1996) |
1997 | National Television Award | National Television Awards, UK | Most Popular Actress | Where the Heart Is (1997) |
Source: IMDb, Wikipedia
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