Sarah Douglas (actress)

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Sarah Douglas
Sarah Douglas Photo Op GalaxyCon Richmond 2023.jpg
Douglas at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2023
Born (1952-12-12) 12 December 1952 (age 72)
Alma mater Rose Bruford College
OccupationActress
Years active1966present
Spouse
(m. 1981;div. 1984)
Website www.sarah-douglas.com

Sarah Douglas (born 12 December 1952) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for having played the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), and she is also known for her roles as Queen Taramis in the sword-and-sorcery epic fantasy film Conan the Destroyer (1984), Pamela Lynch in the primetime drama series Falcon Crest (198385), and Jindah Kol Rozz in Supergirl .

Contents

Early life and career

Douglas was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, the second daughter of Beryl ( née Smith), a physiotherapist who often worked upon RSC actors, and Edward Douglas, a career member of the Royal Air Force. [1] She attended Alcester Grammar School before training with the National Youth Theatre and the Rose Bruford College. [2]

Eventually, Douglas's career took her in front of the camera with small appearances in the 1973 film The Final Programme (alternatively known as The Last Days of Man on Earth) and Rollerball in 1975. After this, she became known to British television audiences in the 1970s by appearing in The Howerd Confessions , the 1973 television edition of Dracula , The Inheritors, Space: 1999 , and Return of the Saint , and appeared in the film The People That Time Forgot (1977) and the controversial film The Brute (1977), in which she played an abused wife.

After an intensive casting call in which she beat out over 600 actresses for the part, including Caroline Munro and Marilu Tolo, Douglas secured her first major feature film role as the supporting antagonist Ursa in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980); her performance garnered critical acclaim and became her signature role. [3] [4] [5] She then accepted the role of the main antagonist Queen Taramis opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones and Maryam d'Abo in the sword-and-sorcery epic fantasy film Conan the Destroyer (1984).

Douglas also continued to appear on television, and was a series regular in the short-lived British sitcom Thundercloud in 1979. Throughout the 1980s, she went on to appear in a variety of guest roles in UK and US series such as The Professionals , Bergerac , Hotel , Magnum, P.I. , Sledge Hammer! and Remington Steele . However, her most prominent television role was that of Pamela Lynch in the primetime soap opera Falcon Crest , which she played for two seasons from 1983 to 1985. She also played Pamela in the 1984 television miniseries V: The Final Battle and portrayed supporting characters in The Return of Swamp Thing (1989), Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991) and Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993) among others.

In the 1990s, she returned to science fiction, guest starring in Babylon 5 (in the 1994 episode "Deathwalker"), and in Stargate SG-1 (in the 1998 two-part episode "The Tok'ra"). She also voiced characters in episodes of several animated TV series, including Iron Man , The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest , Superman: The Animated Series , Heavy Gear and Batman of the Future .

In 2003, Douglas returned to the UK to appear in a nationwide tour of Hamlet playing alongside actress Emily Lloyd.[ citation needed ] The following year, she completed a run in London's West End in the play Roast Beef playing the role of Clytemnestra.[ citation needed ] Also in 2004, Douglas completed an audio commentary for the Special Edition DVD of Conan the Destroyer .

In 2006, she performed in the audio drama Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour alongside David Warner, and she was reunited with many of her Superman co-stars in Los Angeles as a new version of Superman II (known as Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut ) was released with previously unseen footage. At the same time, a new Superman DVD boxset was released, featuring an interview with Douglas and the actress' original screen test. [3]

Douglas' later appearances included the television films Gryphon (2007), Witchville (2010) and Strippers vs Werewolves (2012), and she participated in the audio recordings for Stargate Atlantis . Additionally, Douglas completed work on a series of radio plays for the BBC and voiced Scar in Green Lantern: The Animated Series . After this, she returned to the London stage, appearing in The Hallowe'en Sessions at the Leicester Square Theatre from 29 October to 3 November 2012 to positive reviews. [6] [7] She has continued to make minor appearance on film, stage, television and radio, in addition to appearing in Supergirl (2018) continued the tradition of re-casting former Superman stars, and cast Douglas as Jindah Kol Rozz in the episode "Fort Rozz". [8]

Personal life

Douglas married actor Richard LeParmentier in 1981. They divorced in 1984, and he died in 2013. [9] [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1973 The Final Programme Catherine
1977The BruteDiane
The People That Time Forgot Charly
1978 Superman Ursa
1980 Superman II
1984 Conan the Destroyer Queen Taramis
1986 Solarbabies Shandray
1987 Steele Justice Kay
1988 Nightfall Roa
1989 The Return of Swamp Thing Dr. Lana Zurrell
1991DalíGala
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time Lyranna
The Art of DyingSara
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge Elsa ToulonDirect-to-video
1992 Meatballs 4 Monica Shavetts
1993 Return of the Living Dead 3 Lieutenant Colonel Sinclair
Quest of the Delta Knights Madam MaaydeedDirect-to-video
1994 Mirror, Mirror 2: Raven Dance Nicolette
1995SpitfireCarla Davis
The Demolitionist The Surgeon
Voodoo Professor Conner
Monster Mash Countess Natasha 'Nasty' Dracula
1997AsylumDr. Emily Hill
1998Hell MountainDaneeka
1999Changing DirectionsSarah JohnsonShort film
2007 Gryphon Queen Cassandra of Delphi
2011Halloween: H33Dr. LoomisShort film
2012 Strippers vs Werewolves Jeanette
2016DisplacementDr. Miles
2017 A Christmas Prince Mrs. Averill
2018 A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
2019 A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1966 The Spies MariaEpisode: "A Lamb to the Flock"
1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Joyce LanglandEpisode: "Harlequinade"
Black and Blue Beautiful GirlEpisode: "Secrets"
1974 Dracula Dracula's Wife Television film
Justice Jenny Deane2 episodes
The InheritorsJennie GarrettTV series
1976 BBC2 Playhouse Miss RadsonEpisode: "The Mind Beyond: Meriel, the Ghost Girl"
The Howerd Confessions LolaEpisode: "1.6"
Space: 1999 BEpisode: "The AB Chrysalis"
1977 Warship AmandaEpisode: "Robertson Crusoe"
Esther WatersMiss PeggyEpisode: "1.1"
Seven Faces of WomenMarianneEpisode: "She: Eye of the Beholder"
1978 Return of the Saint Sheila NorthcottEpisode: "The Arrangement"
1979 Room Service Mrs. MartindaleEpisode: "1.7"
ThundercloudBella HarringtonTV series
1980 The Professionals Dr. Kate RossEpisode: "Wild Justice"
1981 Bergerac Anne BeresfordEpisode: "Last Chance for a Loser"
1983–1985 Falcon Crest Pamela Lynch51 episodes: recurring (season 3), main cast (season 4)
1984 V: The Final Battle PamelaTV miniseries
1985 Murder, She Wrote Violet WeemsEpisode: "Sing a Song of Murder"
1986 Magnum, P.I. Isobel Dumout / Countess Jacklyn Fabre DumoutEpisode: "All Thieves on Deck"
Hotel Stella FalcoEpisode: "Hearts Divided"
The Wizard Lady WhitehurstEpisode: "It Takes a Chimp"
1987 Remington Steele Shannon WayneEpisode: "Steele Hanging in There"
Matlock Barbara SutcliffeEpisode: "The Therapist"
Sledge Hammer! Mrs. Emily CarstairsEpisode: "Play It Again Sledge"
Eight Is Enough: A Family ReunionLeona StarkTelevision film
1989 A Fine Romance Dr. Emma GaborEpisode: "It's Just the Gypsy in My Soul"
1990 Father Dowling Mysteries Mrs. GibbonsEpisode: "The Royal Mystery"
Super Force Dr. VeronaEpisode: "The Crime Doctor"
1991 Tagget Mrs. SandsTelevision film
1993 Tarzán Kiki BluetEpisode: "Tarzan and the Fountain of Youth"
Almost Home Lady HarringtonEpisode: "The Fox and the Hound"
1994 Babylon 5 Deathwalker / Jha'DurEpisode: "Deathwalker"
Iron Man Alana UlanovaVoice, episode: "Enemy Within, Enemy Without"
1995 Gargoyles UnaVoice, episode: "M.I.A." [11]
1996 The Stepford Husbands Dr. Frances BorzageTelevision film
To the Ends of TimeKarnissa
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Mrs. Cadbury / WomanVoice, episode: "Village of the Doomed"
1997 L.A. Heat WilmaEpisode: "Electra"
1998 Stargate SG-1 Yosuuf / Garshaw of BeloteEpisode: "The Tok'ra"
1999 Superman: The Animated Series Mala Voice, episode: "Absolute Power" [11]
1999–2000 Batman Beyond Donna Walker / Queen Voice, 2 episodes [11]
2001 Heavy Gear: The Animated Series Col. Magnilda RykkaVoice
2005 The Brief Crown Court JudgeEpisode: "Blame"
2008 Zorro: Generation Z Gloria SheffieldEpisode: "Poll Axed"
Doctors Stacy MorganEpisode: "Hearts and Minds"
2010 Witchville The Red QueenTelevision film
2012–2013 Green Lantern: The Animated Series Scar Voice, 4 episodes [11]
2015 Emmerdale Consultant2 episodes
2018 Supergirl Jindah Kol RozEpisode: "Fort Rozz"
2019 Holby City Victoria ParkerEpisode: "Ex Marks The Spot"

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References

  1. "Sarah Douglas Biography". Yahoo! Movies. AEC One Stop Group, Inc. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  2. "Biography-Sarah Douglas". sarah-douglas.com. 2 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Superman: Screen Tests (Video 2001)". IMDB . 26 August 2007. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  4. Krug, Kurt Anthony (28 December 2020). "Superman II's Sarah Douglas Looks Back On Ursa, Brando, and More 40 Years Later". SyFy . Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  5. Prokopy, Steve (9 October 2024). "Interview: Sarah Douglas, Hosting Superman II Events in Batavia, Talks Christopher Reeve on Set, That Ursa Costume and More". 3CR: Third Coast Review. Archived from the original on 6 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  6. "Hallowe'en Sessions Review". Forbidden Planet. James Bacon. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  7. "Hallowe'en Sessions Review". The Quietus.com. Manish Agarwal. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. "'Superman: The Movie' Alum Sarah Douglas Comes to 'Supergirl' in "Fort Rozz" Photos". DC. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  9. "Star Wars Actor Dies at Age 66". wetpaint.com. 16 April 2013.
  10. "Star Wars actor Richard LeParmentier dies". ABC News . Australia. 18 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Sarah Douglas (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 10 September 2023.