Sounds Familiar

“There are between 80 and 100 babies born each month in Poplar. Soon as one vacates its pram, another one takes its place. And thus it was and ever shall be, until such time as they invent a magic potion to put a stop to it.” – Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), CALL THE MIDWIFE

Where Do I Know That Actor?

Since CALL THE MIDWIFE is back for a twelfth year, I thought I’d take a quick look at who’s who in the cast. I think I’ve done this series before but some of the actors have come and gone in twelve seasons, so it’s a good time for a refresher.

As you may know, CALL THE MIDWIFE is a BBC period drama about a group of nurse midwives working during the 1950s and 1960s. Set at the a nursing convent Nonnatus House, the midwives tackle issues of the day and cope with medical problems in the deprived Poplar district of London’s desperately poor East End. Note: I’m dealing with actors on the current series, so anyone who appears on earlier seasons may not be listed.

To start, Vanessa Redgrave appears as the voice of Mature Jenny. An acclaimed actor, Redgrave has appeared on stage and screen in dozens of roles during her 65-year career. Surprisingly, not a ton of work that’s been seen on PBS. However, she did play Flora Berryman in Man In An Orange Shirt and Sarah Cloyce in the PBS anthology series American Playhouse.

Linda Bassett is Phyllis Crane. She’s been seen as Malka Rosen in Spies of Warsaw, Queenie in Lark Rise to Candleford, Mrs. Jennings in Sense & Sensibility and Rachel Lithgow in Traffik.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

This week’s Midsomer Murders on UNC-TV featured some familiar faces. The episode in question (“Days of Misrule” part one) saw Midsomer celebrating the holiday season – as well as DCI Barnaby forced to participate in a team building exercise. Along the way, a trio of guests worth noting made appearances. Let’s see if you spotted them all.

Tim Piggott-Smith played Colonel Matt Parkes, supervisor of Barnaby’s team-building misery. Sadly, the veteran actor passed away earlier this year. However, he had been acting for nearly fifty years and, most recently, had played the title role in the Masterpiece presentation King Charles III. Back in the 1970s, Piggott-Smith was Marco in the classic Tom Baker Doctor Who serial “Masque Of Mandragora.” In the 80s, he played Brendan Bracken in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years and Ronald Merrick in The Jewel In The Crown (both on Masterpiece Theatre). Along the way, the actor popped up in guest roles on lots of shows you might have seen, including Foyle’s War, Downton Abbey, Danger UXB, The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, MI-5, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, The Bletchley Circle and Inspector Lewis.

Where Do I Know That Actor?

Call The Midwife fans had their collective appetites whet Christmas night with the airing of the annual holiday special. The good news is that PBS has announced the new season of this acclaimed drama will premiere in April. And so I thought I’d tackle the actors who bring Call The Midwife to life – many of them faces I’m sure you know – others, less famous but still of interest to UNC-TV viewers.

Veteran actor Vanessa Redgrave is a very recognizable face, however you won’t see her on Call The Midwife, since Redgrave provides only the voice of “Mature Jennifer” on the series. However, you will have seen her on PBS in 1985 playing Sarah Cloyce on an American Playhouse broadcast – Three Sovereigns For Sarah.

Jenny Agutter (Sister Julienne) is another well-known face that’s been seen on stage and screen for many decades. Keen-eyed viewers may remember her as Idina Hatton on The Buccaneers, a late-90s Masterpiece Theatre presentation. She was also Nancy Lammeter on Masterpiece Theatre‘s Silas Marner.