- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJoan Bogle Hickson
- Nicknames
- Joanie
- Miss M
- Height5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
- Joan Hickson was born in 1906 at Kingsthorpe, Northampton. Her stage career began with provincial theater in 1927, going on to a long series of West End comedies, usually playing the part of a confused or eccentric middle-age woman. She performed at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, at the time London was subject to World War II bombing. Her work gradually included screen roles: The Outsider (1948), The Promoter (1952), The 39 Steps (1959) - over 80 movies in all - but her stage career continued, with parts in three Peter Nichols plays, Noël Coward's "Blithe Spirit" (1976) and and a Tony award supporting actress performance in Alan Ayckbourn's "Bedroom Farce" (1977). Her first Agatha Christie role was "Miss Pryce" in the play, "Appointment With Death" (1946), which prompted Christie, herself, to write "I hope you will play my dear Miss Marple". She began playing this, her best known part, in her late 70s, in a BBC television series which ran from 1984 to 1992. A Miss Marple fan, Queen Elizabeth II, awarded her the Order of the British Empire in 1987. After the series closed, Joan recorded audio books of the Christie mysteries. She died, aged 92, in a hospital at Colchester, Essex, survived by a son and daughter (her physician husband Eric Butler died in 1967).- IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
- SpouseEric Norman Butler(October 29, 1932 - June 1967) (his death, 2 children)
- ChildrenNicholas ButlerCaroline ButlerNicholas HicksonCaroline Hickson
- Straw hat and handbag
- Agatha Christie saw Ms. Hickson in the 1946 play of the Christie novel "Appointment With Death." Christie sent Ms. Hickson a note that read, "I hope one day you will play my dear Miss Marple."
- After appearing in the play "Appointment with Death", Agatha Christie wrote Joan a letter telling her she hoped that she would one day play "Miss Marple". Nearly 40 years later, Joan did just that, and ended up being considered the closest to the character, Christie created, in her portrayal.
- Vice President of The Agatha Christie Society, with David Suchet, until her death.
- Vowed not to do another film after Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery (1989), but was persuaded to return for the final two films in 1991 and 1992. She then retired from the role, believing that she should stop while the programme was still at the peak of its popularity.
- Lived in Rose Lane, Wivenhoe along the River Colne in Essex. A plaque now marks the house where she lived for 40 years.
- I was lucky not to have been born pretty.
- I thought I was the wrong shape, that Miss Marple would be much fluffier than me, much more wearing shawls and things. But I was persuaded and now, well - I can only do it my way.
- [on the death of her husband] I never really got over it, but my work was an enormous help. You simply have to go on.
- [on her husband] He had no interest in the theatre. I don't think he ever came to see my work. After the show I would get on the train, go home and become Mrs Butler again. It was rather nice having two lives.
- I wasn't beautiful, so there were plenty of character roles. I never did any Shakespeare, I'm far too superficial for that. I just act instinctively.
- Carry on Girls (1973) - £300
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