Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

105

Gender

Female

Birthday

1933-05-14 (92 years old)

Place of Birth

Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Glamorgan, Wales

Also Known As

Sian Phillips

Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips

Siân Phillips

Biography

Dame Jane Elizabeth Ailwên Phillips DBE (born 14 May 1933), known professionally as Siân Phillips, is a Welsh actress, author and singer. Phillips was the daughter of Sally (née Thomas), a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman. She is a Welsh-speaker and in the first volume of her autobiography, "Private Faces", she notes that she spoke only Welsh for much of her childhood, learning English by listening to the radio. She attended Pontardawe Grammar School and later read English and Philosophy at University College Cardiff, graduating in 1955. She entered RADA in LOndon, England with a scholarship in September 1955, the same year as Diana Rigg and Glenda Jackson. She went on to win the prestigious Bancroft Gold Medal for Hedda Gabler and was offered work in Hollywood when she left RADA. While still a student she was offered three film contracts, entailing her to work for an extended period of time in the United States; but she declined, preferring to work on stage instead.

Known For

Acting

The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

2007

The 50 Greatest Television Dramas

as

Self

Dune

1984

Dune

as

Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam

Clash of the Titans

1981

Clash of the Titans

as

Cassiopeia

The Mountain That Had To Be Painted

2011

The Mountain That Had To Be Painted

as

Narrator

Ewoks: The Battle for Endor

1985

Ewoks: The Battle for Endor

as

Charal

The Age of Innocence

1993

The Age of Innocence

as

Mrs. Archer

The Snow Spider

1988

The Snow Spider

as

Nain Griffiths

Emlyn's Moon

1990

Emlyn's Moon

as

Nain Griffiths

National Theatre Live: Under Milk Wood

2021

National Theatre Live: Under Milk Wood

as

Mrs Utah Watkins / Polly Garter / Mrs Beyon

The Chestnut Soldier

1991

The Chestnut Soldier

as

Nain Griffiths

Murphy's War

1971

Murphy's War

as

Hayden

Under Milk Wood

1972

Under Milk Wood

as

Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard

Becket

1964

Becket

as

Gwendolen

Valmont

1989

Valmont

as

Madame de Volanges

The Murder Room

2004

The Murder Room

as

Marie Strickland

Eh, Joe?

1966

Eh, Joe?

as

Voice

Come and Go

2000

Come and Go

as

Ru

A Picture of London

2012

A Picture of London

as

Narrator

Young Cassidy

1965

Young Cassidy

as

Ella

Nijinsky

1980

Nijinsky

as

Lady Ripon

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

2022

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

as

Self

Red Empire

1990

Red Empire

as

Narrator (voice)

Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill

1974

Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill

as

Mrs. Patrick Campbell

The Doctor and the Devils

1985

The Doctor and the Devils

as

Annabella Rock

Under Milk Wood

2014

Under Milk Wood

as

Mrs. Pugh

The Scold's Bridle

1998

The Scold's Bridle

as

Mathilda Gillespie

Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends

2022

Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends

as

Self

It’s Dearer After Midnight

1968

It’s Dearer After Midnight

as

Jo

Apple Cider Vinegar

2024

Apple Cider Vinegar

as

Voice

Thief

1968

Thief

as

Woman

Don Juan in Hell

1962

Don Juan in Hell

as

Dona Ana

Lovesong

2012

Lovesong

as

Maggie

The Black Candle

1991

The Black Candle

as

Daisy Barnett

Siân Phillips at 90

2023

Siân Phillips at 90

as

Self

Aberfan: The Green Hollow

2016

Aberfan: The Green Hollow

as

Stalin: Inside the Terror

2003

Stalin: Inside the Terror

as

Narrator

The Vacillations of Poppy Carew

1995

The Vacillations of Poppy Carew

as

Calypso

Alice Through the Looking Glass

1998

Alice Through the Looking Glass

as

Red Queen

Dark River

1990

Dark River

as

Mrs. Blessington

House of America

1997

House of America

as

Mam

Heartbreak House

1977

Heartbreak House

as

Hesione Hushabye

Hochelaga, Land of Souls

2017

Hochelaga, Land of Souls

as

Sarah Walker

Voyageuse

2018

Voyageuse

as

Erica

The Mousehole Cat

1995

The Mousehole Cat

as

Narrator

Miss Dalí

2018

Miss Dalí

as

Anna Maria Dalí

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

1969

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

as

Ursula Mossbank

To Provide All People

2018

To Provide All People

as

Patient

David Macaulay: Pyramid

1989

David Macaulay: Pyramid

as

Mersyankh (voice)

A Christmas Carol

2020

A Christmas Carol

as

Grandmother / narrator (voice)

How Many Miles to Babylon?

1982

How Many Miles to Babylon?

as

Mrs Alicia Moore

Nureyev

2018

Nureyev

as

Narrator

Dream Horse

2021

Dream Horse

as

Maureen

Aristocrats

1999

Aristocrats

as

Narrator/Older Lady Emily Lennox

Be Happy!

2019

Be Happy!

as

Summerland

2020

Summerland

as

Margaret Corey

The Longest Day

1962

The Longest Day

as

WRNS Officer (uncredited)

Time & Again

2019

Time & Again

as

Eleanor

National Theatre Live: Les Blancs

2019

National Theatre Live: Les Blancs

as

Madame Neilsen

I, Claudius: A Television Epic

2002

I, Claudius: A Television Epic

as

Self

Cinderella: The ITV Pantomime

2000

Cinderella: The ITV Pantomime

as

Evil Baroness

Platonov

1971

Platonov

as

Anna

Carpathian Eagle

1980

Carpathian Eagle

as

Mrs. Henska

Still: Here/Now

2003

Still: Here/Now

as

Self

Laughter in the Dark

1969

Laughter in the Dark

as

Lady Pamela More

The Achurch Letters

1977

The Achurch Letters

as

Janet Achurch

Alec Guinness: A Class Act

2024

Alec Guinness: A Class Act

as

self

I, Claudius

I, Claudius

as

Livia

I, Claudius

I, Claudius

as

Livia Drusilla

The Magician's House

The Magician's House

as

Meg Lewis

La Femme Nikita

La Femme Nikita

as

Adrian

How Green Was My Valley

How Green Was My Valley

as

Beth Morgan

Perfect Scoundrels

Perfect Scoundrels

as

Mother Aloysius

A Year in the Beacons

A Year in the Beacons

as

Narrator

Wonders of the Celtic Deep

Wonders of the Celtic Deep

as

Self - Narrator

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

as

Duchess of Windsor

Good Omens

Good Omens

as

Mr. Henderson

Smiley's People

Smiley's People

as

Lady Ann Smiley

Hammer House of Horror

Hammer House of Horror

as

Mrs. Henska

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

as

Self - Nominee

Arthouse

Arthouse

as

Self - Commentary

The Return of the Borrowers

The Return of the Borrowers

as

Mrs. Driver

Warrior Queen

Warrior Queen

as

Queen Boudicca

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame

as

Lady Lavery

Tales of the Unexpected

Tales of the Unexpected

as

Hermione

The Chelsea Detective

The Chelsea Detective

as

Grandma Dix

Shoulder to Shoulder

Shoulder to Shoulder

as

Emmeline Pankhurst

Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair

as

Miss Matilda Crawley

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

as

Ann Smiley

Heidi

Heidi

as

Frau Sesemann

Attila

Attila

as

Grandmother

Ivanhoe

Ivanhoe

as

Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

McDonald & Dodds

McDonald & Dodds

as

Agnes Gillian

The Last Detective

The Last Detective

as

Vera Dulciman

The Scold's Bridle

The Scold's Bridle

as

Mathilda

Doctor Who

Doctor Who

as

Enid Meadows

Silent Witness

Silent Witness

as

Beattie Elletson

Midsomer Murders

Midsomer Murders

as

Lady Annabel Butler

Agatha Christie's Poirot

Agatha Christie's Poirot

as

Mrs. Laura Upward

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment

as

Katerina Ivanovna

Shadow of the Noose

Shadow of the Noose

as

Lady Scott

Emperor: Rise & Fall of a Dynasty

Emperor: Rise & Fall of a Dynasty

as

Narrator

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

as

Clementine Churchill

The Borrowers

The Borrowers

as

Mrs. Driver

The Magician's House

The Magician's House

as

Meg Lewis / Lutra the Otter (voice)

Production

Crew

Directing