Profile Text
Smith in 2015, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Margaret Natalie Smith
Date of Birth: 28 December, 1934
Place of Birth: Romford, Essex, England, U.K.
Date of Death: 27 September, 2024
Place of Death: London, England, U.K.
Ethnicity: * father – English * mother – Scottish/Northern Irish
Maggie Smith was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for California Suite (1978). Known for her sardonic performances, she had a long, Tony-winning career on stage, beginning at the Oxford Playhouse. Her roles also included the films Nowhere to Go (1958), The V.I.P.s , Othello (1965), The Honey Pot , Travels with My Aunt , Murder by Death , Death on the Nile (1978), Clash of the Titans (1981), Evil Under the Sun , The Missionary (1982), A Room with a View (1985), The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne , Hook , Sister Act , and its sequel; The Secret Garden (1993), The First Wives Club , Tea with Mussolini , Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , and subsequent films in the franchise; Gosford Park , Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood , Ladies in Lavender , Becoming Jane , Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang , The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , Quartet (2012), My Old Lady , The Lady in the Van , and A Boy Called Christmas ; the Downton Abbey series and cinematic spin-offs; and the made-for-tv movie My House in Umbria . She was often associated with actress Judi Dench , who is nineteen days older.
She was the daughter of Margaret Little (Hutton), a secretary, and Nathaniel Smith, a public-health pathologist. Her father was English, from Newcastle upon Tyne. Her mother was Scottish, from Patrick, Lanarkshire; and had roots in Northern Ireland. Maggie was partly raised in Oxford, while her father worked at the University of Oxford. She was married to playwright, librettist, and screenwriter Beverley Cross, until his death. She had two children, actors Chris Larkin (born Christopher Stephens) and Toby Stephens , with her former husband, actor Robert Stephens.
Maggie’s paternal grandfather was Henry Smith (the son of Henry Smith and Ann Stelling). Maggie’s grandfather Henry was born in Bedale, Yorkshire. Maggie’s great-grandfather Henry was born in Bedale, the son of Thomas Smith and Ann Cantrill. Maggie’s great-grandmother Ann was born in Scruton, Yorkshire, the daughter of John Stelling and Jane North.
Maggie’s paternal grandmother was Kate Gregory (the daughter of Charles Nathaniel Gregory and Susan/Louisa Jones). Kate was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. Charles was born in Ramsgate, Kent, the son of Nathaniel Gregory and Eliza Beer. Maggie’s great-grandmother Louisa was born in Maidstone, Kent, the daughter of Thomas Jones and Louisa Pearce.
Maggie’s maternal grandfather was William Hutton (the son of John Hutton and Martha Hinton). William was born in Markethill, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Ireland. John was born in Corhamock, Armagh, the son of James Hutton. Martha was born in Armagh, the daughter of Joseph Hinton.
Maggie’s maternal grandmother was Martha Little (the daughter of John Hamilton Little and Margaret Crozier). Martha was born in Newry, County Armagh, Ireland. John was the son of English parents, with his father’s name having been Robert Little. Maggie’s great-grandmother Margaret was the daughter of James Crozier and Ann.
Sources: Genealogies of Maggie Smith – http://www.geni.com https://www.familysearch.org