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Patricia Heywood (1 August 1931 – 26 June 2024) was a Scottish character actress who appeared in stage productions, films and television. She was married to Oliver Neville, the former principal of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Pat Heywood
Born(1931-08-01)1 August 1931
Gretna Green, Scotland
Died26 June 2024(2024-06-26) (aged 92)
EducationBristol Old Vic Theatre School
Occupation(s)Stage and screen actress
Years active1954–1993

Life and career

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Patricia Heywood was born on 1 August 1931.[1] She was one of five children of engineer John David Heywood. She was educated at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, transferring to the theatre company afterwards and appearing in their production of Salad Days as Rowena in 1954. The same year the entire production transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in London, where it played for five years, a record for a musical at the time.

In 1968, she debuted in film at the age of 36 as Juliet's nurse in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet, followed by small roles in Staircase (1969) and Battle of Britain (1969). Her next role was as a maid in the psychodrama Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly (1970) by Freddie Francis. After that film she was seen (often in supporting roles or short appearances) in comedies, thrillers and horror films. Her other film roles include parts in All the Way Up (1970), Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971), 10 Rillington Place (1971, where she played Ethel Christie, the wife of serial killer John Christie), Young Winston (1971, as Winston Churchill's nurse), Bequest to the Nation (1973), Wish You Were Here (1987, as Lynda's aunt Millie), Young Toscanini (1988), Getting It Right (1989), and Franco Zeffirelli's Sparrow (1993).

In 1978, Heywood played Nelly in the BBC's television production of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights. She appeared on the television miniseries Root into Europe. She played Dickon's mother in the 1987 Hallmark Hall of Fame version of The Secret Garden. She was also in the Inspector Morse episode "Second Time Around".

She was nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Romeo and Juliet in 1969.

Heywood died on 26 June 2024, at the age of 92.[2][3][4]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1968 Romeo and Juliet The Nurse Feature film
1969 Staircase Nurse Feature film
1969 Battle of Britain WRAF Cpl. Seymour (uncredited) Feature film
1970 Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly Nanny Feature film
1970 All the Way Up Hilda Midway Feature film
1971 10 Rillington Place Ethel Christie Feature film
1971 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? Dr. Mason Feature film
1972 Young Winston Mrs. Everest Feature film
1973 Bequest to the Nation Emily Feature film
1987 Wish You Were Here Aunt Millie Feature film
1987 The Secret Garden Dickon's mother TV movie
1988 Young Toscanini Madre Allegri Feature film
1989 Getting It Right Mrs. Lamb Feature film
1993 Sparrow Sister Teresa Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1972 Public Eye (episode: "Horse and Carriage") Lil TV series
1978 Wuthering Heights Nelly TV series
1984 I Thought You'd Gone (TV sitcom) Alice TV series
1991 Inspector Morse (episode: "Second Time Around") Mrs. Mitchell TV series
1992 Root into Europe Muriel TV miniseries

References

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  1. ^ "Pat Heywood". OVGuide. Archived from the original on 16 February 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Pat Neville (née Heywood)". The Times. 24 July 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Pat Heywood, the Nurse in Franco Zeffirelli's 'Romeo and Juliet,' Dies at 92". The Hollywood Reporter. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  4. ^ Coveney, Michael (31 July 2024). "Pat Heywood obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
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