This is another of those rare WCWs (like MCMs) that I attempt because of reader requests — don’t get any ideas, I won’t do it often because it’s rather difficult! A review request is different because if I can find the movie or TV show, I just watch and review it. But when it’s an actor I’m not familiar with, I have to research their entire life’s work. You’ve been asking about Margaret Tyzack (1931-2011), and while her acting resume goes back decades, much of her work is hard to find on the internet. She performed in many of those British play-of-the-week shows, which might be historical but I can’t tell because precious little evidence of them is searchable. But I did find her more recent work on streaming and YouTube, so I could make screencaps, I tried!
Tyzack joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962 and performed on stage throughout her life, winning a Tony and two Olivier awards for theater. She was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970 for her services to drama, and in 2010 she was elevated to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to drama. Tyzack worked alongside Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren, and she even appeared on the popular soap EastEnders before her final illness. Let’s take a look through these highlights of her career that I could find good images for!
Winifred Dartie in The Forsyte Saga (1967)
Princess / Queen Anne in The First Churchills (1969)
Mrs. Beeton in Solo (1970)
Cousin Bette in Cousin Bette (1971)
Miss Tita in “Miss Tita,” Affairs of the Heart (1975)
Antonia in I, Claudius (1976)
Paulina in The Winter’s Tale (1981)
Sybil Birling in An Inspector Calls (1982)
Clothilde Bradbury-Scott in Miss Marple: Nemesis (1987)
Dowager Countess in The King’s Whore (1990)
Miss Helen Seymour in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-93)
Miss Helen Seymour in The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (2002-08)
Lady Bruton in Mrs. Dalloway (1997)
Lady Tippins in Our Mutual Friend (1998)
Lady Thobbing in Bright Young Things (2003)
Queen Mary in Wallis & Edward (2005)
What’s your favorite of Margaret Tyzack’s frock flick roles? And don’t tell me it’s something I didn’t list here!
![Portrait of a lady said to be Jeanne de Valois, comtesse de la Motte [I would be shocked if this was accurate] by Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, c. 1780 [I'd say post-1783], via Wikimedia Commons](https://i0.wp.com/frockflicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jeanne_lamotte_valois.jpg?fit=300%2C175&ssl=1)
Thanks for doing this! The best Queen Anne ever! Also Cousine Bette. I had forgotten she was Antonia.
I watched The First Churchills when it came out, then on DVD from the library years later. Sadly, I think it had dated some. But still worth a watch (even if one didn’t know what fontanges were at the time).
Thank you for this WCW! I always admired her Antonia as one of the few decent characters in I, Clavdivs. Scary and uncompromising, but decent :). And was pleasantly surprised to recognize MT when she appeared in Young Indy. What a great resume and legacy she left behind!
An Inspector Calls isn’t by Agatha Christie and it isn’t a murder mystery. It’s a morality play by J B Priestley.
I suppose it’s pretty dated, but I’m still fond of “Inspector.” And “Affairs of the Heart” (dull title!) is “The Aspern Papers.” A good role for her. Finally, damn, Tyzack is fine as Antonia. Thanks for thinking of this wonderful performer.
Finally! Thank you so much.
I have only seen her in that Miss Marple episode. I will have to check out her other non-frock flicks to see if I know her in anything else, since I recognize her face.
Cousin Bette is one of the best adaptations from a novel ever – and Margaret Tyzak is beyond superb in the role – she makes you want to stand up and cheer the “villain” – just as Balzac intended!
I remember her so well from The First Churchills, a subtle performance of a sad woman, poor Queen Anne – not a caricature as she recently has been portrayed. Superb as well (thank you Vindici) in Cousin Bette. And in I Claudius, magnificent as the last of the Roman matrons with some sense of Roman Republican virtue.
Pretty wonderful in most things, but for me Antonia and Winifred stand out. She was one of those actors whose very presence in something brought class.
Sadly, the only film/series here that I’ve seen is Our Mutual Friend, and I was too busy staring at Paul McGann. You’re right – Cousin Bette is a very depressing story. I saw the 1998 version with Jessica Lange, Hugh Laurie, and Elizabeth Shue. There is not one character with any truly redeeming characteristics – everyone is out to get what they can for themselves. The next to final scene was pretty devastating. I’m now curious about The First Churchills. Still haven’t seen I, Claudius. Young Indiana Jones could be fun – I only saw the episode when Harrison Ford guested and relayed a story from his youth.
I’ll always remember her as “Mrs. Morley” (Queen Anne) with the amazing Susan Hampshire in The First Churchills, but I’m going to look for MT in I, Claudius.
I’m not going to lie, those pictures of her as Princess/Queen Anne made it delightfully plain how she and Prince George of Denmark found the wherewithal to keep making babies, despite everything.
On another note, I thought “I, CLAUDIUS?” the minute I saw the heading and was delighted to be educated on the further career of this fine actress (Also, it’s amusing to see how accurately the ‘aged up’ roles predicted her appearance in her later years).
I’ve loved Ms. Tyzack since forever. Everything here is worth watching. I have to disagree with everyone about Cousin Bette. I find it one of the best revenge stories out there. but then, I’m fairly twisted. (The Glory, Vincenzo)