CineScope
Sheila Gish picture

Sheila Gish

Acting
Known For

62 Years Old

Sheila Gish (23 April 1942 – 9 March 2005) was a British stage and television actress. She was born Sheila Anne Gash in Lincoln, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and made her stage debut with a repertory company. Her first starring role in the West End was as Bella in Robert and Elizabeth. She continued to be best known for her stage work, but she also appeared in many television dramas, from The First Churchills (in which she played Mary of Modena) to the successful adaptation of Love in a Cold Climate (2001) in which she played the eccentric and outrageous Lady Montdore. She had two daughters: the actresses Kay Curram and Lou Gish (1967–2006) by her first husband, the actor Roland Curram. While filming That Uncertain Feeling for BBC2 in 1985, she met actor Denis Lawson, who was to become her second husband. She rarely appeared on film, her most notable performances being as Anna in the Merchant-Ivory film Quartet (1981) and as Mrs Norris in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park (1999). She is also known for her appearance in the 1986 film Highlander as Rachel Ellenstein. She took the part of the alcoholic Joanne in Stephen Sondheim's musical Company, directed by Sam Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse and in the West End, in 1995. The following year, she won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. In 1999 she played Miss Venable in Tennessee Williams's Suddenly Last Summer, directed by Sean Mathias with Rachel Weisz at the Comedy Theatre, London. One of her last stage roles was as Arkadina in the Chichester Festival Theatre's production of The Seagull in 2003. By this time she had been diagnosed with cancer and had lost an eye as a result of surgery. She died in Camden, London. Her final performance was for BBC Radio. She is Ewan McGregor's mother's sister-in-law. Her daughter, Lou, also died of cancer less than a year after her mother.

Born

Lincoln, England, United Kingdom on 23rd April 1942

Died

9th March 2005

All Credits

Play for Today Image
Play for Today
Jane Elkinson
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Image
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Mrs. Chalmers
Pie in the Sky Image
Pie in the Sky
Julia Sutton
Tales of the Unexpected Image
Tales of the Unexpected
Frances
Tales of the Unexpected Image
Tales of the Unexpected
Mary Hitchman
Tales of the Unexpected Image
Tales of the Unexpected
Laura Parker
The Adventurer Image
The Adventurer
Laura
The Sweeney Image
The Sweeney
June
Crown Court Image
Crown Court
Erika Brabazon
Performance Image
Performance
Joanne
Inspector Morse Image
Inspector Morse
Gwladys Probert
Anna Karenina Image
Anna Karenina
The House of Eliott Image
The House of Eliott
Yolande Hermane
The Thin Blue Line Image
The Thin Blue Line
Maeve the Sex Therapist
Jonathan Creek Image
Jonathan Creek
Serena Shale
Highlander Image
Highlander
Rachel Ellenstein
Love in a Cold Climate Image
Love in a Cold Climate
Lady Montdore
The First Churchills Image
The First Churchills
Hitler: The Last Ten Days Image
Hitler: The Last Ten Days
Frau Christian
Mansfield Park Image
Mansfield Park
Mrs. Norris
Darling Image
Darling
Cameo (uncredited)
Jewels Image
Jewels
Victoria Thompson
Stanley and the Women Image
Stanley and the Women
Nowell Hutchinson
Quartet Image
Quartet
Anna
Brighton Belles Image
Brighton Belles
Bridget
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Helen: A Woman of Today
Company Image
Company
Joanne
Every Home Should Have One Image
Every Home Should Have One
Mother in Commercial
Seasick Image
Seasick
Martina Schaffer
The Reckoning Image
The Reckoning
Mrs Garner
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Image
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Pam
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Funny
Phyl
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Resnick: Rough Treatment
Maria Roy
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The Perfect Match
Helen
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The Bass Player
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The Lifeswappers
Dinah/Miss Trevor