Patricia Routledge as a young woman
Born on February 17, 1929 as Katherine Patricia Routledge, the actress grew up in Birkenhead, Merseyside.
Her father was a haberdasher, and during the Second World War the family lived in the basement of his shop.
She studied English at Liverpool University and had ambitions of becoming a headmistress.
But after becoming involved in the university’s drama society, she decided to take up acting.
Patricia explained: “Looking back, I was always acting. The written word, which I loved, became the spoken word and I realised the power of that.”
After graduating Patricia took an unpaid job as a stage manager at the Liverpool Playhouse.
She was invited to join the company and made her theatre debut in 1952 as Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
At 23, Patricia moved to Bristol where she formally trained at the Old Vic Theatre School.
She made her West End debut in 1954 in comic opera The Duenna.
Patricia Routledge is one of Britain’s most iconic actresses
Patricia Routledge on stage
For more than 50 years Patricia has enjoyed a prolific stage career in both London and the US.
She is a classically trained singer and has regularly starred in musicals and the occasional operetta.
In 1968 she won best actress at the Tony Awards for her turn in Darling of the Day.
She has been a long standing member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and has starred in plays such as Richard III.
In 1988 Patricia won a Laurence Olivier Award for her portrayal of the Old Lady in the Scottish Opera production of Candide.
Patricia played Queen Victoria in 1964
Patricia Routledge on screen
Patricia has an extensive back catalogue of film and TV appearances.
One of her early parts was a role in Steptoe and Son in 1974 as a clairvoyant called Madame Fontana.
She has also once had a small part in Coronation Street.
Patricia’s TV breakthrough came in the form of a series of monologues written by Alan Bennett.
In 1987 she was nominated for a BAFTA for A Lady of Letters, one of the monologues in the Talking Heads series.
Patricia starred in Marjorie and Men in 1985
Patricia Routledge in Keeping Up Appearances
Patricia’s most iconic role came in 1990, when she was cast in Keeping Up Appearances as working class snob Hyacinth Bucket – which as she regularly insisted, is pronounced ‘Bouquet’.
The down-to-Earth actress has said that she enjoyed playing the character because of how different she was to herself.
When asked if there were any similarities between herself and Hyacinth, she said: “Apart from two arms, two legs, two eyes, a nose and a mouth, I sincerely hope not! It’s what acting’s all about.
“Just because I may play a murderer doesn’t mean I have to commit a murder – you just play a part.”
The series ran for five years and four Christmas specials before Patricia requested that it come to an end.
Patricia’s most famous role is as Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances
Patricia Routledge in recent years
Between 1996 and 1998 Patricia starred in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.
She was widely reported as saying that the BBC was “run by 10-year-old children” after it decided to drop the series.
Patricia’s last major screen role was in 2001, when she played Sheila Bowler in the TV film Anybody’s Nightmare.
She has continued to perform on stage and has played Myra Hess in Admission: One Shilling in various performances since 2009.
Patricia was made a Dame in the 2016 New Year’s Honours
Patricia was made a Dame in the Queen’s 2016 New Year’s Honours list.
She said that she was “very surprised indeed but very pleased that the honour pertains to theatre”.
Currently she serves as patron of the Beatrix Potter Society, and last year wrote and presented a documentary about the author’s life.
Patricia, who never married and had no children, lives in Chichester, West Sussex.
