 Anna Massey is the red-haired daughter of Raymond Massey and Adrianne Allen and sister of Daniel Massey, and a respected and prolific actress of stage, TV and screen since the mid '50s. She made her stage debut as The Reluctant Debutante (1955), playing with 'nice down-to-earth determination' (Ivor Brown) and following this with a string of substantial roles over ensuing decades. She made her film debut in godfather John Ford's Gideon's Day (1958) and then came the female lead in the controversial Peeping Tom (d. Michael Powell, 1969), and it was clear she was not going to be a conventional film leading lady. Just over 30 she played the vinegary Miss Murdstone in David Copperfield (d. Delbert Mann, 1970), was an affectingly life-worn Mrs Linde in A Doll's House (d. Patrick Garland, 1973) and a zany society mother in Another Country (d. Marek Kanievska, 1984). Solid supporting roles have kept coming her way, but it is at least arguable that TV has served her better, above all with the starring role in Hotel du Lac (BBC, 1986); she seemed born to play Anita Brookner's heroine. Her first husband (of two) was Jeremy Brett (1958-62). Brian McFarlane, Encyclopedia of British Film
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