Keeping Up Appearances star Patricia Routledge dies at 96

[muriel_volestrangler]

Actress Dame Patricia Routledge, known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in classic TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96.

She also starred in Alan Bennett's TV monologues and played BBC One's amateur sleuth Hetty Wainthropp, while also enjoying an acclaimed stage career.
...
Following roles in London's West End, she established herself in the US when she won the Tony Award for best lead actress in a musical on Broadway in New York for Darling of the Day in 1968.

She was as adept at serious drama as she was at musicals and comedy - she appeared in Richard III and Henry V for the Royal Shakespeare Company, then won an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for Candide in the 1980s.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdjegvjz3do

[Walleye]

1. It is pronounced bouquet! May she rest in peace.

I got a lot of laughs from her performances

[bigtree]

2. I was mesmerized by a monologue she did about a woman discovering she had a terminal illness

...just amazing.

Good bye, Patricia.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. That was the first of Alan Bennett's TV monologues

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/505008/index.html

(Bennett is the author of 'The Madness of King George', 'The History Boys' and much more. When he gets a great actor, the results can be fantastic.)

[malaise]

10. Sheer genius

Thanks for this

Loved her

[Endlessmike56]

12. I never saw that before

Thank you for posting it

[Happy Hoosier]

3. Saw her in "The Importance of Being Eatnest" on the West End in the late 90's

She was perfect as Lady Bracknell as you can imagine.

[Ritabert]

4. I remember her long-suffering husband and neighbors from the show.

RIP.

[LoisB]

5. Aw. She was a gem.

[greatauntoftriplets]

6. She was such a fine actress.

Perfect for the Hyacinth Bucket role. It amazes me that her sad attempts at singing on Keeping Up Appearances hid a strong, pleasant voice.

RIP

[MurrayDelph]

15. Here she is, in the role she originated *

as Ruth in Pirates of Penzance:

&list=RD4zBKsq1x5Cg&start_radio=1


(She showed off her operatic voice in the "Faithless Woman" clip on youtube, but I prefer my opera lighter)


* "Originated" in the modern-day version of the play. She was old, but not THAT old.

[greatauntoftriplets]

18. Nice that she was able to use her varied talents on stage and screen.

I read that she said she never married because her time was taken with her craft. That's dedication. She probably loved every minute.

[jmbar2]

20. I'd never heard her actual operatic performance voice before

She is really good. Makes her Hyacinth singing performances even funnier now.

[area51]

7. RIP

I loved her in Hetty Wainthropp investigates.

[niyad]

8. As did I.

[Polly Hennessey]

11. Hyacinth Bucket (Bouquet) is my feel good comfort zone. I have her shows recorded.

Just recently, laughed so much at the “What to wear while yachting” episode. A wonderful actress.

[DinahMoeHum]

13. Rest in Peace and Laughter, dear Lady

Loved Keeping Up Appearances on PBS.

[tavernier]

14. My husband's favorite actress!

I bet he’ll be bugging her for an autograph tonight in Pearly Gate land.

[kimbutgar]

16. My mother in law turned me on to keeping of appearances

And I have dvd of an episode I watch every Christmas. RIP Patricia you gave me a lot of laughs !

[Scalded Nun]

17. A true treasure! RIP

[Ford_Prefect]

19. "It's pronounced Bouquet"!

[Rocknation]

21. When my sister informed me that Routledge "really is a really good singer in real life"

I said, "You wasted your breath telling me that -- you HAVE to be a really good singer to sing as BADLY as she does as WELL as she does!"




Rocknation