Phyllis Logan

Phyllis Logan
Logan at an event for Downton Abbey Cast and Creators, May 2014
Born (1956-01-11) 11 January 1956 (age 68)
Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Alma materRoyal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (1977)
OccupationActress
Years active1977–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2011)​
Children1

Phyllis Logan (born 11 January 1956)[1] is a Scottish actress, widely known for her roles as Lady Jane Felsham in Lovejoy (1986–1993) and Mrs Hughes in Downton Abbey (2010–2015). She won the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for the 1983 film Another Time, Another Place. Her other film appearances include Secrets & Lies (1996), Shooting Fish (1997), Downton Abbey (2019) and Misbehaviour (2020).

Early life

Logan's father, David, was a Rolls-Royce engineer and a trade-union leader and became the secretary of his local branch of the AUEW (Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers). Phyllis is the youngest in her family and has a brother and a sister. Her father died at the age of 59 while she was at drama school.[2]

Education

Logan was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire,[3] and grew up in nearby Johnstone,[4] where she was educated at Johnstone High School.[5] She studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow and graduated with the James Bridie gold medal in 1977.[6][7]

Career

After graduation Logan joined the Dundee Repertory Theatre.[8] She left in 1979 to work on stage in Edinburgh. She also worked regularly on Scottish television. On the BBC Scotland production, The White Bird Passes, she first met writer-director Michael Radford. For his first feature film, Another Time, Another Place (1983), he cast Logan in the leading role of Janie, for which she won a Gold Award for Best Actress at the Taormina Film Festival and the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress in 1983 and the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles in 1984.[9] She was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Before her success in Downton Abbey, where she played the housekeeper Mrs Hughes, Logan was widely known for the role of Lady Jane Felsham, co-starring with Ian McShane for eight years in nearly 50 episodes of Lovejoy, a comedy-drama for television.

Her character in Downton Abbey, Mrs Hughes, was voted the best Downton Abbey character of all time in a poll conducted by RadioTimes.com (the official website of Radio Times).[10]

She also starred in the 1996 Mike Leigh film Secrets & Lies alongside Timothy Spall and Brenda Blethyn. Logan provided the broadcast voice of Ingsoc in a film version of Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) and the Loch Ness Monster (Nessie) in the animated film Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992). She was in the radio series Coming Alive and Baggage. She played Inspector Frost's love interest and eventual wife in If Dogs Run Free, the last story in the A Touch of Frost series.

Logan played Maggie Smart in The Good Karma Hospital[11] (7 episodes, 2017–2018) on the ITV drama series which was later made available on Acorn TV. She also starred in a main role as Linda Hutchinson in the ITV drama series Girlfriends which was created and directed by Kay Mellor, alongside Miranda Richardson and Zoë Wanamaker.[12][13]

She played Andinio in "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos", the tenth episode in the eleventh series of Doctor Who.[14][15]

She starred as Maggie Lynch in the second series of the British television series Guilt, which was shown on both BBC Two and BBC Scotland in 2021.[16] At the British Academy Scotland Awards 2022, Logan won the award for Best Actress – Television for the role.[17] She also starred in the third and final series which was released in April 2023, premiering on BBC Scotland on 25 April 2023.

In 2024, she played Grace Bain in season 8 of the Scottish series Shetland.

Personal life

Logan married actor Kevin McNally, whom she met in the 1994 mini-series Love and Reason[citation needed], and has one child.[18] They live in Chiswick.[19][20]

She supports several charities that support the welfare of dementia patients[21][22][23] and is also a supporter of SSPCA.[24]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Another Time, Another Place Janie BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actress
Rimini Film Festival Award for Best Actress
Taormina Film Fest Golden Mask Award
Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominated – David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress
Every Picture Tells a Story Agnes Scott
1984 The Chain Alison
Nineteen Eighty-Four Telescreen Announcer Voice
1985 The Doctor and the Devils Elizabeth Rock
1987 The Inquiry Claudia Procula
The Kitchen Toto Janet Graham
1989 The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway Mary Welsh
The Angry Earth Mary Penrys Jones
1990 The Dark Sun Camilla Staffa
1992 Freddie as F.R.O.7. Nessie (voice)
Soft Top Hard Shoulder Karla
1993 Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life Frau Brunofsky Short film
1996 Secrets & Lies Monica Purley
1997 Shooting Fish Mrs. Ross
2003 Crust Bill's Girlfriend
2009 Nativity! Mrs. Lore
2012 Day of the Flowers Brenda
2019 Downton Abbey Elsie Hughes-Carson
2020 Misbehaviour Evelyn Alexander
2021 The Last Bus Mary
Last Train to Christmas Auntie Vi
2022 Downton Abbey: A New Era Elsie Hughes-Carson
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Mrs. Cleaver
2024 No Way Up Mardy 'Nana'
2025 Untitled Downton Abbey: A New Era sequel Elsie Hughes-Carson Filming
TBA Surprised by Oxford Provost Regina Knight Post-production[25]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Shoestring Linda Episode: "Mocking Bird"
The White Bird Passes Janie (age 16) TV film[26]
1981 Beginnings Nell TV film[27]
Play for Today Nancy Park Episode: "The Good Time Girls"
1982 Scotch and Wry Various Episode: "Hogmanay 1982"[28][29]
1985 Time and the Conways Kay Conway TV film
Off Peak Janet TV film
1986 Screen Two Anne Episode: "The McGuffin"
1986–1994 Lovejoy Lady Jane Felsham Main role (series 1–5), guest (season 6)
1987 First Sight Kathy Episode: "Extras"
Bust Sheila Walsh TV series
When Reason Sleeps: Out of Time Helen Wilmot TV film[30][31]
1988 Hannay Alison Ross Episode: "Act of Riot"
1989 Screen Two Alison Episode: "Sitting Targets"
Lee Episode: "Defrosting the Fridge"
And a Nightingale Sang Helen Stott TV film
Goldeneye Ann Fleming TV film
1991 Screen One Dora Episode: "Happy Feet"
Play on One Andrea Episode: "And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon"[32]
Dr Ruth Kovacs Episode: "Effie's Burning"[33]
1993 Love and Reason Lou Larson TV miniseries
Silent Cries Nancy Muir TV film
1995 Kavanagh QC Samantha Fisher Episode: "A Family Affair"
The Big One Mrs. Wilde TV film
Chiller Anna Spalinsky Episode: "Here Comes the Mirror Man"
1996 Pie in the Sky Det. Supt. Chalmers Episode: "Coddled Eggs"
Inspector Morse Julia Stevens Episode: "The Daughters of Cain"
1997 Scene Anna Episode: "Skinny Marink"
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman Elizabeth Leaming Episode: "Sacrifice"
1998 The Game Betty McCallum TV film[34]
Invasion: Earth Helen Knox TV miniseries
1999 Holby City Muriel McKendrick Main role (series 1)
Midsomer Murders Kate Merrill Episode: "Strangler's Wood"
Rab C Nesbitt Jenny Welthorpe Episode: "Commons"
All the King's Men Mary Beck TV film
Heartbeat Julia Kendall Episode: "Stag at Bay"
2000 Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) Harriet Banks-Smith Episode: "The Best Years of Your Death"
Hope and Glory Annie Gilbert Main role (series 3)
2001 NCS: Manhunt Anne Warwick TV film
2002 Dickens Georgina Hogarth Episode: "Terror to the End"
Fields of Gold Rachel Greenlaw TV film
The Real Jane Austen Mrs. Austen TV film
2003 The Inspector Lynley Mysteries Miriam Whitelaw Episode: "Playing for the Ashes"
Alibi Linda Brentwood TV film[35]
Agatha Christie's Poirot Nurse Hopkins Episode: "Sad Cypress"
2004 Dalziel and Pascoe Jenny Ettrick Episode: "A Game of Soldiers"
Murder in Suburbia Wendy Episode: "Noisy Neighbours"
Silent Witness Helen Wharton Episodes: "Death by Water: Parts 1 & 2"
2005 Beneath the Skin DCI Grace Shilling TV film
2005, 2006 Spooks Diana Jewell Episodes: "4.8", "5.10"
2006 Missing Karen Foster TV film
Sea of Souls Elaine Episode: "Sleeper"
Heartbeat Diane Bell Episode: "Get Back"
2007 Richard is My Boyfriend Laura TV film
Trial & Retribution Anna Wildsmith Episodes: "Curriculum Vitae: Parts 1 & 2"
2008 Honest Jenny Episode: "1.4"
Taggart Kathy Moffat Episode: "Trust"
New Tricks Dr. Mathieson Episode: "Mad Dogs"
The Royal George Fawcett Episode: "Pastures New"
2010 Maid in Britain TV movie documentary
Silent Witness Jennifer Mears Episodes: "Shadows: Parts 1 & 2"
Heartbeat Rose Brown Episode: "The War of the Roses"
Wallander Inga Wallander Episode: "The Fifth Woman"
A Touch of Frost Christine Moorhead Episodes: "If Dogs Run Free: Parts 1 & 2"
2010, 2012 Lip Service Judy Episodes: "1.4", "2.2"
2010–2015 Downton Abbey Elsie May Carson (Mrs. Hughes) Regular role
2012 Vera Shirley Episode: "A Certain Samaritan"
2014 Bones Sandra Zins Episode: "The Lost Love in the Foreign Land"
2017–2018 The Good Karma Hospital Maggie Smart Main role (series 1), guest (series 2)
2018 Girlfriends Linda Hutchinson Main role
Doctor Who Andinio Episode: "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos"
2019 The Adventures of Paddington Mrs. Bird Voice
2020 Our Queen at War Narrator TV movie documentary[36]
The Highland Vet Narrator TV documentary series[37][38]
2021 Intergalactic Phoebe Skov-King Episode: 1.5
Ladybaby Sheena Dunbar [39]
Guilt Maggie Lynch Series 2 and 3
TBA Miss Austen TBA In-production[40]
TBA Lockerbie TBA Filming[41]

Radio appearances

  • Baggage[42][43] as Fiona
  • Coming Alive on BBC Radio 4[44]
  • BBC Radio Shakespeare: Macbeth (Dramatised) on BBC Radio 3 as Lady Macbeth[45]
  • R.L. Stevenson's Weir Of Hermiston on BBC Radio 4[46] as Kirstie
  • Classic BBC Radio Horror: Dracula on BBC Radio 4[47]
  • Dr Finlay: Adventures of a Black Bag' on BBC Radio 4[48]

Selected stage roles

Year Title Role Theatre
1980 The Case of David Anderson Q. C. Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
Threads Bernadette Hampstead Theatre
1983 The Communication Cord Susan Hampstead Theatre
1993 Marvin's Room[49] Lee Wakefield Lacker Hampstead Theatre and Comedy Theatre, London
1994 Gaucho[50] Steph/Stephanie Hampstead Theatre
2002 Richard III Queen Elizabeth Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2008 2000 Feet Away[51] Nan Bush Theatre
2016 Present Laughter[52][53] Monica Reed Richmond Theatre
2018 Switzerland[54] Patricia Highsmith Ambassadors Theatre, London and Theatre Royal, Bath

Awards and nominations

In addition to the role-related awards listed below, Logan is 2023 winner of the St Andrew's Society of New York's Mark Twain Award[55] in honor of her significant and positive impact on the Scots community around the world.[56]

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1983 Taormina Film Fest Golden Mask Another Time, Another Place Won
1984 Rimini Film Festival Best Actress Another Time, Another Place Won
Evening Standard British Film Awards Best Actress Another Time, Another Place Won
British Academy Film Awards Best Actress Another Time, Another Place Nominated
British Academy Film Awards Most Outstanding Newcomer to Film Another Time, Another Place Won
1986 David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Actress Another Time, Another Place Nominated
1991 British Academy Television Awards - Scotland[57] Scotland - Actress in 1991 The Play On One: And The Cow Jumped Over The Moon Nominated
2012 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Won
2013 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Won
2014 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Nominated
2015 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Won
2016 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Won
2017 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Downton Abbey Nominated
2022 British Academy Scotland Awards Best Actress - Television[58] Guilt Won

References

  1. ^ "Phyllis Logan". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 14 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  2. ^ Paton Maguire, Maureen (3 February 2017). "Phyllis Logan: 'I never confided in my parents. My generation didn't do that'". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "10 reasons why Paisley is already a city of culture". BBC News. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Video: Downton Abbey star from Refrewshire takes part in one-legged wobble challenge". Evening Times. Glasgow. 6 December 2015. Archived from the original on 14 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Renfrewshire Council – Education". The Scotsman. Scotland. 24 April 2008. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  6. ^ "My Scotland". Scotland in Trust: 23. OCLC 49921348.
  7. ^ "Celebration of Scotland's Treasures" (PDF). The National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Every Picture Tells a Story" (Press release). James Scott official site. 20 December 1984. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  9. ^ Shaw, Ann (1 August 1983). "Phyllis Logan Sets the Film World Buzzing". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  10. ^ Walker-Arnott, Ellie (28 September 2014). "Mrs Hughes is the best Downton Abbey character of all time". Archived from the original on 9 October 2020.
  11. ^ Whittle, Nathalie (8 February 2017). "Phyllis Logan: "I'd Be Terrible In A Medical Crisis!"". Woman & Home.
  12. ^ "Girlfriends is about women of a certain age, which is nice to be involved with, says Phyllis Logan". The Sunday Post. 2 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Downton's Phyllis Logan: Women are usually an 'appendage' on screen". Sutton & Croydon Guardian. 3 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Coming Soon, Series 11, Doctor Who – BBC One". BBC. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  15. ^ Willis, Ciaran. "Who is Doctor Who series finale guest star Phyllis Logan?". Radio Times.
  16. ^ "New cast confirmed for Guilt as filming begins on the second series of BBC Two and BBC Scotland's multi award-winning drama". BBC. 25 November 2020.
  17. ^ "BAFTA Scotland Awards 2022: Full List of Winners". BAFTA. 20 November 2022.
  18. ^ Scougall, Murray (23 June 2020). "Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan on a sequel, feminism protests, the struggle facing theatres, and her love of animals". The Sunday Post.
  19. ^ Lawrence, Janie (29 October 2012). "I'll stay in Downton Abbey as long as I can says Phyllis Logan". Daily Express. UK. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  20. ^ Gm, Level Magazine- (19 June 2020). "Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan's Lorraine interview interrupted by husband in his dressing gown". LEVEL MAGAZINE. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  21. ^ "Jim Broadbent and Phyllis Logan feature in charity video about dementia carers". Evening Express (Scotland). 16 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Phyllis Logan's charity work with dementia". ITV.
  23. ^ "Downton Abbey star named as Scottish charity ambassador". The Scotsman. 30 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Scottish SPCA holds event backed by Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan". scottishspca.org. 12 March 2020.
  25. ^ Kay, Jeremy (15 October 2021). "UK shoot underway on romance 'Surprised By Oxford' (exclusive)". Screen Daily.
  26. ^ "The White Bird Passes (1980)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Beginnings (1981)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020.
  28. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. January 1983.
  29. ^ "Obituary: Rikki Fulton". the Guardian. 30 January 2004.
  30. ^ "Out of Time (1987)". BFI. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021.
  31. ^ "When Reason Sleeps: Out Of Time". BFI. Archived from the original on 9 February 2009.
  32. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 15 August 1991.
  33. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 29 August 1991.
  34. ^ "The Game (1998)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020.
  35. ^ "Alibi (2003)". IMDb.
  36. ^ "ITV Press Centre - Our Queen at War". ITV.
  37. ^ "Highland vets reveal life on the frontline in new documentary". The Press and Journal (Scotland). 14 June 2020.
  38. ^ "Broadcaster Jeremy Vine reveals he's a fan of The Highland Vet". The Northern Times. 26 June 2020.
  39. ^ "BBC Three - Ladybaby". BBC.
  40. ^ Rice, Lynette (7 December 2023). "'Miss Austen': Keeley Hawes & Rose Leslie Join TV Adaptation For Masterpiece". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  41. ^ Szalai, Georg (5 March 2024). "'Suits' Star Patrick J. Adams, Connor Swindells, Merritt Wever Cast in Netflix, BBC Series 'Lockerbie'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  42. ^ "Baggage". comedy.co.uk.
  43. ^ Donaldson, Brian (29 November 2007). "Baggage". The List.
  44. ^ "Coming Alive". BBC.
  45. ^ "Drama on 3: Macbeth". BBC. 20 November 2005.
  46. ^ "R.L. Stevenson's Weir Of Hermiston". BBC.
  47. ^ "Bram Stoker's Dracula". BBC.
  48. ^ "BBC Radio 4 Extra - Doctor Finlay: Adventures of a Black Bag". BBC.
  49. ^ "Scott McPherson - Other Works". IMDb.
  50. ^ Taylor, Paul (24 October 1994). "THEATRE / Sympathy for the devil: Gaucho - Hampstead Theatre". Independent. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022.
  51. ^ Fisher, Philip. "2000 Feet Away - Anthony Weigh - Bush Theatre (2008)". British Theatre Guide.
  52. ^ "Present Laughter". 1 August 2016.
  53. ^ "Downton Abbey's Phyllis Logan to lead glittering cast in Noel Coward's Present Laughter at Richmond Theatre". Sutton & Croydon Guardian. 6 July 2016.
  54. ^ "Switzerland starring Phyllis Logan to transfer to the West End". WhatsOnStage.com. 23 August 2018.
  55. ^ "267th Annual Banquet - Saint Andrew's Society of the State of NY". standrewsny.org. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  56. ^ Staff, NYSD (8 December 2023). "Mystery, Intrigue, and History | New York Social Diary". New York Social Diary. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  57. ^ "Scotland - Actress in 1991". BAFTA.
  58. ^ "BAFTA Scotland Awards 2022: Full List of Winners". BAFTA. 20 November 2022.