Early life and education

Routledge was born in Tranmere, Birkenhead, Cheshire, to parents Catherine (née Perry) and Isaac Routledge. Her father was a haberdasher and during the Second World War, the family lived in the basement of his shop for weeks at a time.

She was educated at Mersey Park Primary School, Birkenhead High School, now a state-funded Academy school, and the University of Liverpool. At Liverpool she graduated with Honours in English Language and Literature and was not on a path to pursue an acting career. She was, however, involved in the university's dramatic society, where she worked closely with the academic Edmund Colledge, who both directed and acted in several of the society's productions. It was Colledge who persuaded her to pursue an acting career. After graduating from Liverpool, she trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and launched her acting career at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Career

Theatre

Routledge has had a prolific career in theatre, particularly musical theatre, in the United Kingdom and the United States. She has been a long-standing member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), appearing in such acclaimed productions as the 1983 Richard III, which starred Antony Sher in the title role. Her West End credits include Little Mary Sunshine, Cowardy Custard, Virtue in Danger, Noises Off, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Solid Gold Cadillac, as well as a number of less successful vehicles. She was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in And a Nightingale Sang in 1979. A classically trained singer, she has occasionally made forays into operetta including taking the title role in an acclaimed production of Jacques Offenbach's La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein at the 1978 Camden Festival.

Routledge made her Broadway debut in Roger Milner's outrageous comedy, How's the World Treating You? in 1966, returning in the short-lived 1968 musical Darling of the Day, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, sharing the honour with Leslie Uggams of Hallelujah, Baby! Following this, Routledge had roles in several more unsuccessful Broadway productions including a musical called Love Match, in which she played Queen Victoria; the legendary 1976 Leonard Bernstein flop 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, in which she portrayed every U.S. First Lady from Abigail Adams to Eleanor Roosevelt; and a 1981 musical, Say Hello to Harvey - based on the Mary Coyle Chase play Harvey (1944) - which closed in Toronto before reaching New York.

In 1980, Routledge played Ruth in the Joseph Papp production of The Pirates of Penzance, co-starring American actor Kevin Kline and pop vocalist Linda Ronstadt, at the Delacorte Theatre in New York City's Central Park, one of a series of Shakespeare in the Park summer events. The show was a hit and transferred to Broadway the following January, with Estelle Parsons replacing Routledge. A DVD of the Central Park production, with Routledge, was released in October 2002. She also performed in Façade at New York's Carnegie Recital Hall.

Routledge won a Laurence Olivier Award in 1988 for her portrayal of the Old Lady in Leonard Bernstein's Candide in the London cast of the critically acclaimed Scottish Opera production. She also played the role of Nettie Fowler to great acclaim in the 1993 London production of Carousel. In a 2006 Hampstead Theatre production of The Best of Friends, she portrayed Dame Laurentia McLachlan. In 2008, she played Queen Mary in Royce Ryton's play Crown Matrimonial. More recent work include the narrator in The Carnival of the Animals with the Nash Ensemble in 2010 the role of Myra Hess in the play Admission: One Shilling in 2011 and Lady Markby in An Ideal Husband at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2014.

Film and television

Routledge's screen credits include To Sir, with Love (1967), Pretty Polly (1967), 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1968), The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968), Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1968), If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) and Girl Stroke Boy (1971).

Routledge's early television appearances included a role in Steptoe and Son, in the episode "Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard" (1974), as a clairvoyant called Madame Fontana. She also appeared in Coronation Street, and as a white witch in Doctor at Large (1971). Also in 1971, Routledge played Mrs. Jennings in the BBC mini-series production of Sense and Sensibility. However, she did not come to prominence on television until she featured in monologues written for her by Alan Bennett from 1978 (A Visit from Miss Protheroe), and later Victoria Wood in the 1980s. She first appeared in Alan Bennett's A Woman of No Importance in 1982, and then as the opinionated Kitty in Victoria Wood As Seen On TV in 1985. She performed two further monologues in Bennett's Talking Heads in 1987 and 1998. Routledge was nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for the monologue "A Lady of Letters".

In 1990, Routledge was cast as Hyacinth Bucket in the comedy series Keeping Up Appearances. She portrayed a formerly working-class woman with social pretensions (insisting her surname be pronounced "bouquet") and delusions of grandeur (her oft-mentioned "candlelight suppers"). Routledge delighted in portraying Hyacinth, as she claimed she couldn't stand people like her in real life. In 1991, she won a British Comedy Award for her portrayal, and she was later nominated for two BAFTA TV Awards in 1992 and 1993. The series ended at Routledge's request in 1995.

In 1995, Routledge accepted the lead in another long-running series, playing Hetty Wainthropp in the mystery drama Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, co-starring rising star Dominic Monaghan as her assistant and Derek Benfield as her husband. It first aired in January 1996, and ran until the autumn of 1998, with one special episode in 1999.

She has also played several real-life characters for television, including Barbara Pym, and, in a dramatised BBC Omnibus biographical documentary of 1994, Hildegard of Bingen.

In 2001, Routledge starred in Anybody's Nightmare, a fact-based television drama in which she played a piano teacher who served four years in prison for murdering her elderly aunt, but was acquitted following a retrial.

Radio and audio books

Routledge's extensive radio credits include several Alan Bennett plays and the BBC dramatisation of Carole Hayman's Ladies of Letters, in which she and Prunella Scales play retired women exchanging humorous correspondence over the course of several years. A tenth series of Ladies of Letters premiered on BBC Radio 4 in 2009.

Radio work prior to 1985 included Private Lives, Present Laughter, The Cherry Orchard, Romeo and Juliet, Alice in Wonderland and The Fountain Overflows.

Having a distinctive voice, Routledge has also recorded and released a variety of audiobooks including unabridged readings of Wuthering Heights and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and abridged novelisations of the Hetty Wainthropp series.

In 1966, she sang the role of Mad Margaret in Ruddigore, the title role in Iolanthe, and Melissa in Princess Ida, in a series of BBC radio Gilbert and Sullivan recordings. She took part in a studio broadcast of Tchaikovsky's opera Vakula the Smith (narrating excerpts from the work by Gogol) in 1989. In 2006, she was featured in a programme of the "Stage and Screen" series on Radio 3.

Records

Routledge featured as the Mother Abbess on an album version of The Sound of Music released in 1966 by MFP (Music for Pleasure; MFP1255).

She is among the actors on the original cast recording of Cowardy Custard (RCA LPs, 1973), singing "You Were There", "Mad About the Boy" and "I Went to a Marvellous Party".

In 1973, RCA released a solo album Presenting Patricia Routledge. She sang songs from among others Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter and Noël Coward. In 1996, it was released on CD by Camden Records.

Charity work

Routledge is an ambassador for age-positive charity Royal Voluntary Service, previously known as WRVS.

Personal life

Routledge has never married, has no children, and as of June 2008 resides in Chichester, West Sussex and regularly worships at Chichester Cathedral.

She was appointed OBE in 1993 and CBE in 2004. As of July 2012, she was a patron of the Beatrix Potter Society.

In 2008, Routledge received a Doctor of Letters degree from Lancaster University for her contribution to drama and theatre.

Filmography

Film and television work

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1961	Hilda Lessways	Hilda Lessways	TV series (6 episodes)
1959	ITV Play of the Week	Dido Morgan/Kate Barclay/Louisa Lindley	TV series (6 episodes)
1960	The Terrible Choice		TV series
1961	Coronation Street	Sylvia Snape	TV series (5 episodes)
1962	Z-Cars	Madge Kenton	TV series (1 episode: "Search")
1964	Victoria Regina	Queen Victoria	TV mini-series (4 episodes)
1965	Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life	Irish Mother	TV series (2 episodes)
1965	No Hiding Place	Pat	TV series (1 episode: "A Place in the Sun")
1965	Gaslight Theatre	'Our Mary'	TV series (1 episode: "Britons to the Rescue or, English Virtue Preserved in South America")
1956-66	ITV Play of the Week	Alice Clay/Maggie Hobson	TV series (3 episodes)
1966	Eamonn Andrews Show	herself	TV series (1 episode)
1967	Thirty-Minute Theatre	Beryl Turner	TV series (1 episode: "An Absolute Treasure")
1967	Seven Deadly Sins	Mrs. Vealfoy	TV series (1 episode: "The Good & Faithful Servant")
1967	To Sir, with Love	Clinty Clintridge
1967	A Matter of Innocence	Miss Gudgeon	Originally titled "Pretty Polly", starring Hayley Mills as the title role, Polly Barlow
1967	Androcles and the Lion	Megaera, Androcles' Wife	TV film
1967	Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River	Lucille Beatty	Film directed by Walter Shenson
1968	30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia	Mrs. Woolley	Film directed by Joseph McGrath
1968	The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom	Miss Reece	Film directed by Joseph McGrath
1968	The Ed Sullivan Show	herself (Audience Bow/Singer)	TV series (2 episodes)
1968	The Ed Sullivan Show	Performer, "Not on Your Nellie"	Soundtrack
1969	Lock Up Your Daughters!	Nurse	Film directed by Peter Coe
1969	ITV Saturday Night Theatre	Hazel Day	TV series (1 episode: "Hazel and Her New Gas Cooker")
1969	If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium	Mrs. Featherstone
1970	Egghead's Robot	Mrs Janice Wentworth	Children's Film Foundation
1961-70	Armchair Theatre	Miss Furling/New mother	TV series (2 episodes)
1970	ITV Playhouse	Fern/Rose	TV series (1 episode: "Rose and Fern")
1971	Girl Stroke Boy	Pamela Hovendon	Film directed by Bob Kellett
1971	Sense and Sensibility	Mrs. Jennings	TV series (4 episodes)
1971	Doctor at Large	Audrey Watt	TV series (1 episode: "It's All in the Mind")
1971	Play of the Month: Tartuffe	Dorine	Videotaped drama
1971	Vincent Price Is in the Country	herself	TV film
1972	His and Hers	Myrtle Waller	TV series (1 episode: "Driving")
1973	Ooh La La!	Lucienne Homenides de Histangau	TV series (1 episode: "Caught in the Act")
1973	That's Life	On-screen Participant	BBC pilot programme
1974	Affairs of the Heart	Mrs. Meldrum	TV series (1 episode: "Flora")
1974	Steptoe and Son	Madame Fontana	TV series (1 episode: "Seance in a Wet Rag and Bone Yard")
1974	...And Mother Makes Five	Mrs. Fletcher	TV series (2 episodes)
1974	David Copperfield	Mrs. Micawber	TV mini-series (3 episodes)
1975	More Awkward Customers	Cast member	Video Arts training film
1971-75	Play of the Month: When We Are Married	Annie Parker	Videotaped drama
1977	Nicholas Nickleby	Madame Mantalini	BBC TV mini-series (5 episodes)
1977	Jubilee		TV series (1 episode: "Plain Jane")
1977	The Cost of Loving	Sarah Taplow	TV series (1 episode: "The Years Between")
1978	BBC2 Play of the Week	Miss Protheroe	TV series (1 episode: "A Visit from Miss Protheroe")
1978	Doris and Doreen	Doreen Bidmead	TV film
1979	Crown Court	Rita Finch	TV series (1 episode: "Forever: Part 1")
1980	The Pirates of Penzance	Ruth	TV film
1980	Play for Today	ATS Officer	TV series (1 episode: "The Imitation Game")
1980	The Curse of King Tut's Tomb	'Posh' Lady	TV film
1982	Objects of Affection	Peggy Schofield	TV series (1 episode: "A Woman of No Importance")
1983	The Beggar's Opera	Mrs. Peachum	TV film
1983	Keep Off the Grass	Bag Lady	Short
1983	The Two Ronnies	Madame Multitude	TV series (1 episode)
1984	Home Video		TV film
1985	Marjorie and Men	Marjorie Belton	TV series (6 episodes)
1985-86	Victoria Wood: As Seen On TV	Kitty	TV series (5 episodes)
1987	When We Are Married	Maria Helliwell	TV film
1988	Tales of the Unexpected	Milly Dobson	TV series (1 episode: "The Verger")
1988	Talking Heads	Miss Ruddock	TV mini-series (1 episode: "A Lady of Letters")
1988	Sophia and Constance	Mrs. Baines	TV series (3 episodes)
1989	First and Last	Ivy	TV film
1989	Let's Face the Music	On-screen participant	Yorkshire TV (programmes on Noël Coward, Jerome Kern and Frederick Loewe)
1990	Missing Persons	Hetty Wainthropp	TV film
1990	Alas Smith and Jones		TV series (1 episode)
1991	Miss Pym's Day Out	Barbara Pym	TV series
1993	The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends	Cousin Ribby	TV series (2 episodes)
1994	Hildegard of Bingen	Hildegard von Bingen	BBC TV Dramatisation/documentary
1990-95	Keeping Up Appearances	Hyacinth Bucket	TV series (44 episodes)
1997	Heroes of Comedy	herself	TV series documentary (1 episode: "Alastair Sim", as Patricia Routledge OBE)
1996-98	Hetty Wainthropp Investigates	Hetty Wainthropp	TV series (27 episodes)
1998	Talking Heads 2	Miss Fozzard	TV mini-series (1 episode: "Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet")
1998	Funny Women	herself	TV series documentary (1 episode: "Patricia Routledge")
2001	Anybody's Nightmare	Sheila Bowler	TV film
2003	In Search of the Brontës	narrator	TV film
2004	The Funny Ladies of British Comedy	herself	TV documentary
2004	Ronnie Barker: A BAFTA Tribute	herself	TV film
2004	Comedy Connections	herself	TV series documentary (1 episode: "Keeping Up Appearances")
2005	The Funny Blokes of British Comedy	herself	TV documentary
2006	A Taste of My Life	herself	TV series documentary (1 episode: "Alan Bennett")
2008	Keeping Up Appearances: Life Lessons from Onslow	Hyacinth Bucket	Video
2008	The Greatest Christmas Comedy Moments	herself	TV documentary
2016	Beatrix Potter with Patricia Routledge	herself	TV documentary

Stage work

Year	Production	Role	Venue
1952	A Midsummer Night's Dream	Hippolyta	Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool
1954	The Duenna	Carlotta	Westminster Theatre, London
1956	The Comedy of Errors	Adriana	Arts Theatre, London
1957	Zuleika	Aunt Mabel	Saville Theatre, London
1959	The Love Doctor	Henrietta Argan	Piccadilly Theatre, London
1960	Follow That Girl	Mrs. Gilchrist	Vaudeville Theatre, London
1961	Come As You Are		Guildford
1961	Out of My Mind		Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith
1962	Little Mary Sunshine	Mary Potts ("Little Mary Sunshine")	Comedy Theatre, London
1963	The Relapse, Virtue in Danger	Berinthia	Mermaid and Strand Theatres, London
1964	Home and Beauty	Victoria	Croydon
1965	How's the World Treating You?	Violet/Nell/Rover	London (1965) and Music Box Theatre, Broadway (1966)
1968	Darling of the Day	Alice Challice	George Abbott Theatre, New York City
1968	Love Match	Queen Victoria	Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
1969	The Caucasian Chalk Circle	Mother-in-law	Chichester Festival
1969	The Country Wife	Lady Fidget	Chichester Festival
1969	The Magistrate	Agatha Posket	Chichester Festival and Cambridge Theatre, London
1971	First Impressions	Mrs Bennet	Birmingham Rep
1972	Cowardy Custard		Mermaid Theatre, London
1973	Dandy Dick	Georgina Tidman	Chichester Festival and Garrick Theatre, London
1975	The Cherry Orchard	Madame Ranevsky	Bristol Old Vic
1975	Othello	Emilia	Chichester Festival
1975	Made in Heaven	Martha Avon	Chichester Festival
1976	1600 Pennsylvania Avenue	All of the First Ladies	Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City
1976	The Rivals	Mrs Malaprop	Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
1976	Zack	Mrs Munnings	Royal Exchange Theatre
1977	On Approval	Maria Wislack	Vaudeville Theatre, London
1978	Gracious Living	Daisy Tuttle	Eisenhower Theatre, Washington, D.C.
1978	Semmelweiss	Julia	Eisenhower Theatre, Washington, D.C.
1979	The Schoolmistress	Miss Dyott	Royal Exchange Theatre
1979	And a Nightingale Sang...	Peggy Stott	Queen's Theatre, London
1980	The Pirates of Penzance	Ruth	Delacorte Theater, New York City
1981	Say Hello to Harvey		Toronto
1982	Noises Off	Dotty Otley	Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and Savoy Theatre, London
1983	When the Wind Blows		Whitehall Theatre, London
1984	Richard III	Queen Margaret	Royal Shakespeare Company
1985	When We Are Married	Maria Heliwell	Whitehall Theatre, London
1988	Candide	Old Lady	The Old Vic, London
1989	Come for the Ride	(one-woman show)	UK tour
1992	Talking Heads		Comedy Theatre, London
1992	Carousel	Nettie Fowler	National Theatre, London
1994	Mr and Mrs Nobody	Carrie Pooter	Greenwich Theatre, London
1994	The Rivals	Mrs Malaprop	Chichester Festival and Albery Theatre
1994	The Schoolmistress	Miss Dyott	Chichester Festival
1997	Beatrix	Beatrix Potter	Minerva Theatre, Chichester and UK tour
1999-2001	The Importance of Being Earnest	Lady Bracknell	Chichester Festival and Haymarket Theatre, London (1999), Australian tour (2000) and Savoy Theatre, London (2001)
2002	Wild Orchids	Duchess	Chichester Festival
2004	The Solid Gold Cadillac	Mrs Laura Partridge	Garrick Theatre, London
2006	The Best of Friends	Dame Laurentia MacLachlan	Hampstead Theatre and UK tour
2007	Office Suite	Doreen/Miss Protheroe	Minerva Theatre, Chichester and UK tour
2008	Crown Matrimonial	Queen Mary	UK tour
2009-present	Admission: One Shilling	Myra Hess	UK and Australian tours
2009-present	Facing the Music		UK tours
2014	An Ideal Husband	Lady Markby	Chichester Festival

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1968	Tony Award	Best Actress in a Musical	Darling of the Day	Won
1979	Olivier Award	Best Supporting Actress	And a Nightingale Sang...	Nominated
1985	Olivier Award	Best Supporting Performance	Richard III	Nominated
1988	Olivier Award	Best Actress in a Musical	Candide	Won
1989	BAFTA TV Award	Best Actress	Talking Heads: A Lady of Letters	Nominated
1992	BAFTA TV Award	Best Light Entertainment Performance	Keeping Up Appearances	Nominated
1992	Olivier Award	Best Actress	Talking Heads	Nominated
1993	BAFTA TV Award	Best Light Entertainment Performance	Keeping up Appearances	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]