Glenda Jackson

Glenda Jackson (1936-2023) was an Oscar-winning British actress who later entered politics. As the guest star in episode 507 of The Muppet Show, she leads a band of pirates in a takeover of The Muppet Theatre.
In Of Muppets and Men, head writer Jerry Juhl explained the origin of her episode:
Jackson was a classically trained actress known for her dramatic portrayals of royalty (notably as Queen Elizabeth I and Cleopatra), historical personages (French Revolution figure Charlotte Corday in stage and film), and classic theater roles (Hedda Gabbler, Lady Macbeth). She won two Oscars for Best Actress, in 1969 for Women in Love (directed by Ken Russell) and in 1974 for A Touch of Class. She worked with Russell again in The Music Lovers (as Tchaikovsky's wife Nina), The Boyfriend (with Twiggy), and The Rainbow. For Robert Altman, she was one of the ensemble stars in Health (with Paul Dooley, who co-wrote) and Beyond Therapy (with Julie Hagerty). Other films include The Romantic Englishwoman (with Michael Caine), Nasty Habits (as a Richard Nixon analogue nun, with Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara), and House Calls and Hopscotch (both with Walter Matthau).
She was nominated for a Tony Award four times (including for Strange Interlude), winning in 2018 for her performance in Edward Albee's Three Tall Women. Other stage work includes Pygmalion (Eliza Doolittle), Jane Eyre, Three Sisters, and House of Bernard Alba. On TV, she won two Emmy Awards in 1972 for starring in Elizabeth R, both for best continued performance in a leading dramatic role and for best single performance for the third episode. Apart from The Muppet Show, she guest starred on several The Morecambe & Wise Show Christmas specials.
Jackson left entertainment for politics in 1992 and was elected as a British Labour Party MP. She served five terms as MP for Hampstead & Highgate but stepped down to return to acting in 2015. In her final stage role in 2019, she starred on Broadway as the title character in King Lear. Her final film, released posthumously in 2023, was The Great Escaper (reteamed with Michael Caine).
==External links==
*Internet Broadway Database
*IMDb
__NOWYSIWYG__
Category:Muppet Show Guest Stars
Category:Celebrities
Category:Politics