Happy Birthday to Olivier-winning actress Sheila Hancock, born Feb. 22, 1933, on the Isle of Wight. She later moved to King’s Cross in London, where her parents ran a pub. After wartime evacuation to Somerset, Hancock attended Dartford County Grammar School, where her first role was a cold germ in a school play at age 10. She attended RADA on a grant, then spent nine years in weekly repertory around the U.K. While in Bath, she met actor Alec Ross, whom she married in 1955.
She made her West End debut in 1958, replacing Joan Sims in the play Breath of Spring. She then appeared in Joan Littlewood’s musical Make Me an Offer (1959) and Peter Cook’s revue One over the Eight (1961). In 1962, she collaborated with folk musician Sydney Carter on the album Putting Out the Dustbin, which included the novelty hit “My Last Cigarette,” which you can listen to below.
In 1966, she made her only Broadway appearance in the play Entertaining Mr Sloane, earning a Tony nomination. In 1969, she was back on the West End in the play So What About Love?, where she met actor John Thaw. She then lost her mother and husband within nine months of each other. She married Thaw two years later, and in 1974, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. She closed out the 1970s as Miss Hannigan in the West End premiere of Annie (1978), earning her first Olivier nomination. Below you can hear her sing “Little Girls” on the original London cast album.
She began the 1980s as Mrs Lovett in the West End premiere of Sweeney Todd, earning her second Olivier nomination. She was associate director of Cambridge Theatre Company (1980-81) and director of RSC’s Touring Company (1983-84), while earning two more Olivier noms for her performances in the plays The Winter’s Tale (1982) and Prin (1989). Below is a montage from Sweeney Todd, featuring Hancock in “The Worst Pies in London” (3:08) and “A Little Priest” (9:28).
Hancock worked most of the 1990s in supporting roles on film and TV, with the exception of Rose in the West Yorkshire Playhouse 1993 production of Gypsy. After Thaw died in 2002, Hancock returned to performing with BAFTA-nominated TV roles in The Russian Bride (2002) and Bedtime (2003). Then in 2004, she released the memoir The Two of Us: My Life with John Thaw, followed by Just Me in 2008. She returned to the West End stage as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret (2007), earning her first Olivier Award. Below is Hancock singing “So What.”
She began the 2010s on the West End as Mother Superior in Sister Act, earning an Olivier nomination. Then she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (2011), published the novel Miss Carter’s War (2014), and starred as Big Edie in the U.K. premiere of Grey Gardens at Southwark Playhouse (2016). Earlier this year, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Below are highlights from Sister Act, featuring Hancock in “Here Within These Walls” (1:45).