Veteran British actress Dame Penelope Keith, who rose to fame in the hit 1970s UK sitcom “The Good Life”, has died aged 86, her family said.
Keith, who was made a dame in Britain in 2014, established herself as a household name through her decades-spanning comedic roles on television, in film, radio and theatre.
Her family said she had “died peacefully” at home after battling cancer.
Penelope Keith was made a Dame Commander for services to the Arts and to charity in 2014. (Reuters: Andrew Matthews)
“The family is grateful for the care and support she received throughout her treatments,”
they said.
Keith’s first major break was as the snobbish suburbanite Margot Leadbetter in “The Good Life”, which earned her a BAFTA award.
She later starred in “To The Manor Born”, another hit BBC sitcom.
The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) organisation said it was saddened to learn of Dame Keith’s passing, in a post on X.
Dame Keith won two BAFTAs and an Olivier award during her career. (Reuters: Luke MacGregor)
“A familiar face on stage and screen, Keith won a BAFTA for her iconic role in The Good Life in 1977 and another for her work in The Norman Conquests and Saving It For Albie in 1978, with a further three BAFTA nominations during her career,” it said.
The Laurence Olivier Awards also paid tribute to the actor, announcing the lights of West End theatres will be dimmed for two minutes on July 1 following the passing of the “beloved” performer.
“Dame Penelope began her acting career in repertory theatre and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963,” the organisation said.
“She went on to win the 1976 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for the play Donkeys’ Years.”
AFP/ABC
