Elizabeth Shepherd

Elizabeth Shepherd (born 12 August 1936) is an English character actress whose long career has encompassed the stage and both the big and small screens. Her television work has been especially prolific. Shepherd's surname has been variously rendered as "Shephard" and "Sheppard".

Career
Shepherd began acting in television series in 1959. In 1960, she appeared in an adaptation of A. J. Cronin's novel, The Citadel. She was the original choice to play Emma Peel in the 1960s television series The Avengers. However, after filming nearly two episodes, Shepherd left the production and was replaced by Diana Rigg.

In 1970 she appeared on Broadway in Barry England's Conduct Unbecoming, a story of the British Army in Kipling's India, as Mrs Hasseltine. She was praised for her performance in Time magazine.Kalem, T.E. "Theater: The Thin Red Line". Time magazine, October 26, 1970, page 93 Shepherd was pictured in Time along with her co-stars, the pop singers Jeremy Clyde and Paul Jones, who began their roles as British subalterns in London during 1969.

In film she appeared as both Lady Rowena and Ligeia in Roger Corman's The Tomb of Ligeia (1964), as well as in Damien: Omen II as the ill-fated reporter Joan Hart, The Kidnapping of the President, Deadly Companion and Amelia. Her TV work includes the cult series The Corridor People (1966), the 1978 miniseries The Bastard, and The Cleopatras, a BBC historical drama.

Elizabeth Shepherd has acted in numerous stage plays in both Shakespearean and contemporary dramas. As well as teaching drama at the Stella Adler school, she starred in "December Fools" in 2006 at the Abingdon Theater in New York. In 2014, she starred in a Canadian production of Driving Miss Daisy.

An article in the Toronto Star reported an incident of Shepherd being a victim of identity theft and mortgage fraud in 2006.

In 2019 she released an audiobook of Edgar Allan Poe's Ligeia along with other Poe tales. The CD has been met with critical acclaim.

Filmography
 The Queen's Guards (1961) - Susan
 What Every Woman Wants (1962) - Sue Goodwin
 Blind Corner (1964) - Joan Marshall
 The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) - The Lady Rowena Trevanion / The Lady Ligeia
 Hell Boats (1970) - Alison
 The Duchess of Duke Street (1976) - Series 1, episode 7 - Diana Strickland
 Damien: Omen II (1978) - Joan Hart
 Deadly Companion (1980) - Frances
 The Kidnapping of the President (1980) - Joan Scott
 Love (1982) - Mrs Wiseman (segment "Julia")
 Invitation to the Wedding (1985) - Lady Caroline
 Head Office (1985) - Mrs Issel
 Criminal Law (1988) - Dr Sybil Thiel
 Mustard Bath (1993) - Matthew's mother
 Time to Say Goodbye? (1997) - Teresa Rodriguez
 The White Raven (1998) - Hannah Rothschild
 The Spreading Ground (2000) - Mayor Hackett
 Desire (2000) - Mrs Waterson
 Amelia (2009) - Frances Putnam

References

Other websites
 Official website


Category:1936 births
Category:Living people
Category:English movie actors
Category:English television actors