# Kate Harcourt

Dame Catherine Winifred Harcourt (née Fulton; born 16 June 1927), known professionally as Kate Harcourt, is a New Zealand actress. Over her long career she has worked in comedy as well as drama in theatre, film, TV and radio.

## Personal life

Harcourt was born and grew up on a sheep station in the rural area of Amberley, New Zealand. Her Australian mother was Winifred Harriet (née Austin) and her father was Gordon Fulton. Harcourt was the youngest of three children, with an older brother, John Fulton, a prominent Canterbury farmer, and president of the Canterbury Jockey Club, as well as an older sister. From age nine onward she attended boarding school, first at Amberley House and then at Woodford House (Hawke's Bay).
Music was important to Harcourt in her early years as it was to her mother too. She went to Christchurch to train as a kindergarten teacher partly so she could continue with her singing and piano. She also attended the Joan Cross Opera School in London.
Harcourt is the mother of actress Miranda Harcourt and former Fair Go television presenter Gordon Harcourt, and grandmother of actresses Thomasin McKenzie, Davida McKenzie and journalist Peter McKenzie. She played a part in the movie adaptation of The Changeover. Harcourt met her husband Peter Harcourt (1923–1995) at Wellington Repertory Theatre. He was from the family that founded Harcourts International real estate. Peter Harcourt died on 6 March 1995 of cancer, two years after being appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order in the 1993 New Year Honours for service to the community as an actor, broadcaster and presenter for 54 years since 1941. The Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai / Wellington Theatre Awards annually has an award called The Peter Harcourt Outstanding New Playwright.

## Career

Harcourt returned to New Zealand from London and took up a teaching position at Woodfood House in Havelock North. After that she moved to Wellington initially teaching at Marsden College, before working at the department store Kirkaldie and Stains organising and MC'ing weekly fashion shows for seven years.
Her entry into national entertainment came as a regular voice in the morning Listen with Mother which was a radio show for pre-schoolers on Radio New Zealand. She was later host of the children's TV show Junior Magazine.
Harcourt has acted in numerous stage and screen works. Stage work includes comedy with Hens' Teeth, and acting in a version of Hedda Gabler. She had a long association with theatre company Downstage starting out putting up posters for them. She lists acting in New Zealand playwright Renée's Wednesday to Come as one of her career favourites. Harcourt played Mary in the world premiere at Downstage Theatre in 1984.
In 1998 Harcourt performed on stage alongside her daughter Miranda Harcourt in the biographical Flowers from my Mother's Garden at the New Zealand Festival of the Arts. Written by Harcourt's daughter and son-in-law Stuart McKenzie, it was partly based on letters between mother and daughter. A review stated that the play shared "the experiences of a mother, daughter and extended family with an ingenious simplicity that belies the depth of insight. It's a prime example of how universal the particular can be."

## Honours

In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours, Harcourt was appointed as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the theatre.

## Theatre and screen work
### Film

| Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
| 2017 | The Changeover | Winter Carlisle | Changeover Films Ltd, dir. Stuart McKenzie, Miranda Harcourt | Feature Film |
| 2013 | Hope & Wire | Dotty | GPP / Hope & Wire Productions | Feature Film |
| 2008 | Separation City | Mrs Simpson | Separation City Limited, dir. Paul Middleditch | Feature Film |
| 2007 | Apron Strings | Nan (Core Cast) | Dir. Sima Urale | Feature Film |
| 2007 | Garage Sale | Margie | GS Productions Ltd, dir. Paul Murphy | Feature Film |
| 2003 | Without a Paddle | Old Woman | Viacom Ltd | Feature Film |
| 2002 | Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | | 3'6" Ltd, dir. Peter Jackson | Feature Film |
| 1988 | Send a Gorilla | | Dir. Melanie Read | Feature Film |
| 1984 | Mr Wrong | | Dir. Gaylene Preston | Feature Film |
| 1982 | Carry Me Back | Mrs. Brewster | Dir. John Reid | Feature Film |
| 1981 | Trespasses | | Dir. Peter Sharp | Feature Film |
| 1980 | Beyond Reasonable Doubt | | Dir. John Laing | Feature Film |

### Television

| Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
| 2015 | Lumen | Chambermaid | Ninth Floor NZ Productions | Drama |
| 2008 | The Table Plays – Jack in the box | Nan | First Hand Productions, dir. Keith Hunter | Drama |
| 2007 | A Tall Long Faced Tale | Sophie/ Pirate Mother voice | Production Shed.TV Ltd | Drama |
| 2007 | The Killian Curse 2 | | TVNZ | Drama |
| 2005 | The Insider's Guide to Love | Shaun | Gibson Group | Drama |
| 2005 | Shortland Street | Mavis Miller | South Pacific Pictures | Drama |
| 1997 | William Tell | | Cloud 9 Entertainment Ltd | Drama |
| 1997 | Mirror, Mirror | | Dir. Gibson Group | Drama |
| 1996 1997 | Hercules | | Pacific Renaissance | Drama |
| 1995 | Plain Tastes | | Montana Sunday Theatre, dir. Niki Caro | Drama |
| 1994 | Fallout | Margaret Thatcher | South Pacific Pictures, Avalon Studios | Drama |
| 1991 | Rodney and Juliet | | Dir. Fane Flaws | Drama |
| 1987 | Gloss: Between the Lines | (final ep) | | Drama |
| 1986 | Worzel Gummidge | | | Drama |
| 1986 | Seekers | | | Drama |
| 1986 | Open House | | TVNZ | Drama |
| 1985 | Night of the Red Hunter | | | Drama |
| 1984 | Inside Straight | | | Drama |
| 1983 | Mark ll | | Dir. John Anderson | Drama |
| 1982 | Gliding On | | | Drama |
| 1981 | Open File | | | Drama |
| 1980 | Cleaning Company | | | Drama |
| 1980 | Country GP | | TVNZ | Drama |
| 1983 | Hooks and Feelers | | Dir. Melanie Read | Drama |
| 1964–1965 | Junior Magazine | Presenter | | |

### Short film

| Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
| 2017 | The Pact | Betty | Happiness Ltd | Short Film |
| 2013 | Pigeon | | Mo Fresh Productions | Short Film |
| 2012 | The Silk | Mrs Blackie | Dir. Nathalie Boltt, Clare Burgess | Short Film |
| 2010 | Pacific Dreams | Grace Leahy | Morepork Films Ltd / Inspire Films Ltd | Short Film |
| 2007 | The Shoe Box | Martha Wilson | Dir. Chaz Harris | Short Film |
| 2005 | The Plant | Beryl | Isola Productions | Short Film |
| 1994 | The Dig | | Dir. Neil Pardington | Short Film |
| 2012 | Rhode Island Film Festival | Best Actress in a Short Film | Pacific Dreams | Short Film |
| 2011 | Rhode Island Film Festival | Best Actress | Pacific Dreams | Short Film |

### Web series

| Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director |
| 2017 | Lucy Lewis Can't Lose s2 | Librarian | Redletter TV |

### Theatre

| Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director |
| 2020 | The Older the Better | | Hens Teeth |
| 2014 | Destination Beehive | | Circa Theatre, dir. Jan Bolwell |
| 2012 | Flowers from my Mother's Garden | Kate Harcourt | Downstage Theatre, dir. Tim Spite |
| 2010 | Auntie & Me | Auntie | Wgtn Opera House / Tour, dir. Kevin Baddeley |
| 2007 | Babar The Elephant | Narrator | NZ Symphony Orchestra |
| 2007 | Uncle Vanya | Nurse | Circa Theatre, dir. Susan Wilson |
| 2006 07 | Music Hall | core cast | Centerstage, dir. Kevin Baddeley |
| 2006 | Truth About Love | | Expressions Theatre, Lower Hutt |
| 2006 | Mum's Choir | Auntie (core cast) | Downstage Theatre, dir. Cathy Downes |
| 2003 | My Fair Lady | Mrs Higgins | Dir. Stephen Robinson |
| 2002 | Halfmen of O | | Calico Theatre, Napier |
| 2001 | Musicians of Bremen | | Gypsy Capital E / Tour |
| 1998 1999 | Flowers From My Mothers Garden | Harcourt/McKenzie | Te Papa Soundings Theatre / Int. Fest of the Arts |
| 1998 1999 | Son's | Mrs McFarlane | Te Papa Soundings Theatre / Int. Fest of the arts |
| 1998 1999 | Weekends | Iris Pollard | Circa Theatre |
| 1996 | Hens Teeth | Various | NZIFA / Circa Theatre |
| 1993 | Ophelia Thinks Harder | Gertrude | Circa Theatre |
| 1993 | Joyful and Triumphant | Lila Bishop | Centrepoint Theatre |
| 1992 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Lady Bracknell | Centrepoint Theatre |
| 1991 92 | Hens Teeth | Adelaide Festival, Auckland Festival | |
| 1990 | Oracles and Miracles | Mother | National Tour |
| 1990 | Hedda Gabler | Bertha | Downstage / Edinburgh / Oslo / Sydney / Festival |