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Joan Plowright, actor
Actor

Joan Plowright: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films
41
on screen
1957–2018
box office
$218M
award win
1
average score
78
Born
October 28, 1929
Birthplace
Brigg, Lincolnshire, England
Full name
Joan Ann Plowright
Citizenship
British
Occupations
Actress
Years active
1948-2014, 2018
Spouses
Roger Gage, Laurence Olivier
Children
3
Career at a glance

Joan Plowright's Career in Numbers

Joan Plowright's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Joan Plowright works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Time Without Pity (1957) to Knife Edge (2009), and the 1990s were the busiest decade.

Joan Plowright Movies by Decade

  1. 1950s 1
  2. 1960s 2
  3. 1970s 4
  4. 1980s 8
  5. 1990s 17
  6. 2000s 7

The 1990s were Joan Plowright's busiest decade, with 17 films.

Joan Plowright Movies by Genre

  • Drama 19
  • Comedy 6
  • Romance 3
  • Horror 2
  • Adventure 2
  • Thriller 2
  • Tv movie 2
  • Family 1
  • Mystery 1
  • Crime 1

Drama is the genre Joan Plowright has worked in most, with 19 films, ahead of comedy (6).

Joan Plowright Career Milestones

First film
Time Without Pity 1957
Biggest box office hit
Dennis the Menace $117M worldwide
Newest film
Knife Edge 2009
41 credits

Joan Plowright Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Joan Plowright is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Rated films average a score of 78. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

Joan Plowright Movies as an Actor

39
  1. 2009 Knife Edge (2009) movie poster Knife Edge as Marjorie Blake · Horror
  2. 2004 I Am David (2004) movie poster I Am David Drama
  3. 2004 Callas Forever (2004) movie poster Callas Forever Drama
  4. 2004 George and the Dragon (2004) movie poster George and the Dragon as Mother Superior · Adventure
  5. 2002 Global Heresy (2002) movie poster Global Heresy as Lady Foxley · Drama
  6. 2000 Frankie & Hazel (2000) movie poster Frankie & Hazel as Phoebe Harkness · Drama
  7. 2000 Back to the Secret Garden (2000) movie poster Back to the Secret Garden as Martha Sowerby · Family
  8. 1999 Tom’s Midnight Garden (1999) movie poster Tom’s Midnight Garden as Mrs Bartholomew · Mystery
  9. 1999 Tea with Mussolini (1999) movie poster Tea with Mussolini Drama
  10. 1998 Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within (1998) movie poster Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within as Jeanne Vertefeuille · Drama
  11. 1998 Dance with Me (1998) movie poster Dance with Me as Bea Johnson · Drama
  12. 1996 Mr. Wrong (1996) movie poster Mr. Wrong as Mrs. Crawford · Comedy
  13. 1996 Jane Eyre (1996) movie poster Jane Eyre as Mrs. Fairfax · Drama
  14. 1995 The Scarlet Letter (1995) movie poster The Scarlet Letter as Harriet Hibbons · Romance
  15. 1995 A Pyromaniac’s Love Story (1995) movie poster A Pyromaniac’s Love Story as Mrs. Linzer · Comedy
  16. 1995 Hotel Sorrento (1995) movie poster Hotel Sorrento as Marge Morrisey · Drama
  17. 1994 The Return of the Native (1994) movie poster The Return of the Native as Frau Yeobright · Romance
  18. 1994 A Place for Annie (1994) movie poster A Place for Annie as Dorothy · Drama
  19. 1994 Widows’ Peak (1994) movie poster Widows’ Peak as Mrs. Doyle-Counihan · Thriller
  20. 1993 Dennis the Menace (1993) movie poster Dennis the Menace Comedy
  21. 1993 The Clothes in the Wardrobe (1993) movie poster The Clothes in the Wardrobe as Mrs. Monro · Tv movie
  22. 1992 Enchanted April (1992) movie poster Enchanted April Drama
  23. 1991 The House of Bernarda Alba (1991) movie poster The House of Bernarda Alba as Poncia · Drama
  24. 1990 Avalon (1990) movie poster Avalon Drama
  25. 1988 The Dressmaker (1988) movie poster The Dressmaker as Nellie · Drama
  26. 1988 Drowning by Numbers (1988) movie poster Drowning by Numbers as Cissie Colpitts 1 · Comedy
  27. 1988 The Importance of Being Earnest (1988) movie poster The Importance of Being Earnest as Lady Bracknell · Comedy
  28. 1987 The Birthday Party (1987) movie poster The Birthday Party as Meg Bowles · Drama
  29. 1985 Revolution (1985) movie poster Revolution Adventure
  30. 1982 Brimstone & Treacle (1982) movie poster Brimstone & Treacle as Norma Bates · Horror
  31. 1982 Britannia Hospital (1982) movie poster Britannia Hospital as Phyllis Grimshaw · Comedy
  32. 1980 The Diary of Anne Frank (1980) movie poster The Diary of Anne Frank as Edith Frank-Holländer · Drama
  33. 1977 Equus (1977) movie poster Equus as Dora Strang · Thriller
  34. 1973 The Merchant of Venice (1973) movie poster The Merchant of Venice as Portia · Tv movie
  35. 1970 Twelfth Night (1970) movie poster Twelfth Night as Viola · Romance
  36. 1970 Three Sisters (1970) movie poster Three Sisters as Masha · Drama
  37. 1963 Uncle Vanya (1963) movie poster Uncle Vanya as Sonya · Drama
  38. 1960 The Entertainer (1960) movie poster The Entertainer Drama
  39. 1957 Time Without Pity (1957) movie poster Time Without Pity as Agnes Cole · Crime
1 win · 2 nominations

Joan Plowright: Awards & Nominations

1 win from 2 nominations across 2 award bodies, from 1993 to 1993. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards
  • Golden Globes logo Golden Globes 1 win from 1 nomination
  • Oscars logo Oscars 1 nomination
Biography

Who Is Joan Plowright?

Joan Plowright was born in Brigg, Lincolnshire, England in 1929. Credited on films since 1957, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Joan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier DBE (born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is a distinguished British actress whose impressive career spanned over six decades. Born in Brigg, Lincolnshire, Plowright established herself as a staple of British and global theatre, earning manifold accolades including two Golden Globe Awards, a Tony Award, and further nominations from the likes of the Academy Awards, BAFTA, and Emmy Awards. Exceptionally, Plowright was the second of only four actresses to have won two Golden Globes in the same year and secured the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Actress of the Year in a New Play in 1978 for her performance in 'Filumena'.

Plowright's career began with her stage debut in Croydon in 1948, later making her London debut by 1954. Through her marriage to Laurence Olivier, Plowright significantly contributed to Olivier's work at the National Theatre from 1963 onwards. Among her most memorable roles, she earned critical acclaim for films such as 'Enchanted April', 'Dennis the Menace', 'The Scarlet Letter', '101 Dalmatians', and 'Tea With Mussolini'. Plowright's performance in 'Stalin', an HBO film, brought her another Golden Globe Award and an Emmy nomination. Plowright officially retired from acting in 2014 due to her declining vision caused by macular degeneration.

Works with

Who Joan Plowright Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Joan Plowright shares the most films with. Alan Bates comes first, with 5 films together, followed by Laurence Olivier (5).

FAQ

Joan Plowright: Questions & Answers

How many movies Joan Plowright has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Joan Plowright been in?

Joan Plowright is credited on 41 films, from 1957 to 2018. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Joan Plowright's highest-grossing movie?

Dennis the Menace (1993) is Joan Plowright's biggest box office hit, with $117M worldwide, ahead of Dance with Me (1998) ($15.9M). Across every film with box office figures, Joan Plowright's movies have made $218M.

Joan Plowright's biggest hits

What is the best Joan Plowright movie?

By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, Joan Plowright's best-rated film is Nothing Like a Dame (2018) with a score of 80, followed by Tea with the Dames (2018) (75).

Best Joan Plowright movies, ranked

Has Joan Plowright won an Oscar?

Joan Plowright has been nominated for an Oscar but has not won one yet. Across every ceremony in the awards database, Joan Plowright has 1 win from 2 nominations.

What is Joan Plowright's newest movie?

The most recent film on Joan Plowright's filmography is Tea with the Dames (2018), in the role of Self.

Who does Joan Plowright work with most often?

Joan Plowright shares the most films with Alan Bates (5 films), Laurence Olivier (5 films) and Eileen Atkins (3 films).

The Best Joan Plowright Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 41 credits.

See the ranking

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