Linda Bassett
Born
February 4, 1950 (75 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Pluckley, Kent, England, UK
Linda Bassett was born in the Kentish village of Pluckley - location for the television series The Darling Buds of May (1991). She was brought up in Pimlico, South London, by her typist mother and police officer father. She became interested in acting as a child when she was frequently taken to see plays in London, most notably at the Old Vic, the famous classical theater. On leaving school, Linda went to work at the Old Vic as an usherette and catering manager, before going to read English at Leeds University. However, she dropped out after a year and became involved in a local drama group which put on plays in community-based locations, such as schools. She regards this as her theatrical schooling, having had no formal training. She made her London stage debut at the age of 32 in 1982 and, in 1991, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. Although she was a well-regarded stage performer, it was the 1999 film version of the play East Is East (1999) (in which she had been an original stage cast member) which brought her to a larger audience and, throughout the 2000s, she has been a familiar face in a variety of films and television series. In the late 1980s, she returned to live in Pluckley.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Queenie
2023
Careful How You Go
2018
Strike
Joan Nancarrow · (4 episodes)
2017
Carnage: Swallowing the Past
Dr Yasmine Vondenburg
2017
Effie Gray
Anna
2014
National Theatre Live: People
Iris
2013
Spies of Warsaw
Malka Rosen · (2 episodes)
2013
The Life and Adventures of Nick Nickleby
Mrs. Smike · (5 episodes)
2012
Call the Midwife
Phyllis Crane · (79 episodes)
2012
West Is West
Ella Khan
2010
Grandma's House
Grandma · (12 episodes)
2010
The Reader
Ms. Brenner
2008
Lark Rise to Candleford
Queenie Turrill · (40 episodes)
2008
Cass
Doll
2008
Sense and Sensibility
Mrs. Jennings · (3 episodes)
2008
The English Harem
Monica Pringle
2005
Colour Me Kubrick
Trolley Lady
2005
Separate Lies
Maggie
2005
Kinky Boots
Mel
2005
Spivs
Auntie Vee
2004
The Brief
Maureen Tyler · (8 episodes)
2004
Calendar Girls
Cora
2003
This Little Life
Nurse Nina
2003
The Hours
Nelly Boxall
2002
The Martins
Anthea
2001
Don Quixote
Housekeeper
2000
Lounge Act
2000
Beautiful People
Sister
1999
East Is East
Ella Khan
1999
dinnerladies
Peggy · (1 episode)
1998
Far from the Madding Crowd
Maryann Money
1998
Spoonface Steinberg
Mrs. Spud
1998
Our Mutual Friend
(4 episodes)
1998
The Life and Crimes of William Palmer
Mary Thornton
1998
Oscar and Lucinda
Betty Stratton
1997
Midsomer Murders
Eileen Carnack · (1 episode)
1997
Alive and Kicking
Doctor
1996
No Bananas
Ellen Slater · (10 episodes)
1996
Mary Reilly
Mary's Mother
1996
Haunted
Madame Brontski
1995
Loved Up
Mum
1995
Bramwell
Maud · (1 episode)
1995
A Village Affair
Gwen
1995
Kavanagh Q.C.
Miss Haddon QC · (1 episode)
1995
In The Cold Light Of Day
Mrs. Loveless
1994
Skallagrigg
Susan
1994
Frank Stubbs Promotes
Eileen · (1 episode)
1993
A Touch of Frost
(1 episode)
1992
Heartbeat
Beryl Palmer · (1 episode)
1992
A Small Dance
Sandra Matkin
1991
Let Him Have It
Mrs. Miles
1991
News Hounds
Virginia Lyddon
1990
Paris by Night
Janet Swanton
1989
Waiting for the Moon
Gertrude Stein
1987
Casualty
Olwyn Humphries · (1 episode)
1986
The Bill
(1 episode)
1984
Dramarama
(1 episode)
1983