born May 9, 1936, Birkenhead, Cheshire, Eng.
British stage and film actress.
Discovered by Theatre of Cruelty revue and soon appeared as the mad Charlotte Corday in his celebrated production of {{link=Weiss, Peter Ulrich">Peter Weiss 's Marat/Sade (1964; film, 1967). She became known for her tense portrayals of complex women, gaining international acclaim in the film Women in Love (1969, Academy Award) and later successes such as Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971), A Touch of Class (1973, Academy Award), and the television series Elizabeth R . Her screen career continued until 1992, when she won a seat in the House of Commons.