Katy Murphy

Last updated

Katy Murphy
Born (1962-12-08) 8 December 1962 (age 61)
Glasgow, Scotland
Occupation(s)Actress, Teacher
Years active1987–present
Children1

Katy Murphy (born 8 December 1962) is a Scottish actress and teacher who has appeared in many television programs, most of them for the BBC and ITV. While most associated with television drama, she has worked across a variety of genres, including crime and children.

Contents

Early life

"Growing up in Glasgow’s east end housing scheme Cranhill, teaching was the plan," and Murphy studied at Glasgow University before discovering a love for the stage. [1] Her birth name is Margaret.

Career

Murphy rose to prominence after appearing in Tutti Frutti (1987), starring Robbie Coltrane. It was written by John Byrne for BBC Scotland, and won six BAFTAs, bringing "many of the cast to national prominence." [1] She also appeared in Byrne's next series, Your Cheatin' Heart (1990), starring Tilda Swinton.

Other credits include Takin' Over the Asylum , written by Donna Franceschild, A Mug's Game (1996), Mike and Angelo , Spatz , B&B , The Steamie , The River , Casualty , and Agatha Christie's Poirot . She played the part of Jenny Wren in the BBC Two adaptation of Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend .

Among her later work is the distraught mother of a murdered girl in Prime Suspect (2006), and the 2008 drama series Honest . In 2018, Murphy again teamed up with Donna Franceschild to star in her short film Bridge, with Steven Duffy. [2] Her radio work includes the role of Janet in the Radio 4 series Adventures of a Black Bag .

Katy Murphy works part time as a teacher, with young children, including those with special needs, saying she loves it because "[it’s] so healthy. You’re looking outwards, rather than inwards." [1] When teaching, she uses the name Margaret, which is on her birth certificate.

Personal life

Murphy lives in North London's Crouch End, where she has owned a home since 1998, the year her daughter, Lola, was born. [3] [1] [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Macdonald</span> Scottish actress

Kelly Macdonald is a Scottish actress. Known for her performances on film and television, she has received various accolades including a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Baxendale</span> English actress

Helen Victoria Baxendale is an English actress of stage and television, known for her roles as Rachel Bradley in the British comedy drama Cold Feet (1997–2003) and Emily Waltham in the American sitcom Friends (1998–1999).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Byrne (playwright)</span> Scottish playwright and artist (1940–2023)

John Patrick Byrne was a Scottish playwright, screenwriter, artist and designer. He wrote The Slab Boys Trilogy, plays which explore working-class life in Scotland, and the TV dramas Tutti Frutti and Your Cheatin' Heart. Byrne was also a painter, printmaker and scenic designer.

Simone Nicole Jean Lahbib Ould Cheikl is a Scottish actress. She is known for her roles as Helen Stewart in the ITV drama series Bad Girls, DCI Alex Fielding in the ITV crime series Wire in the Blood and Katy Lewis in the BBC soap opera EastEnders.

John Maurice Roëves was a British actor. He appeared in over 120 film and television roles, in both the United Kingdom and the United States. His breakthrough performance was as Stephen Dedalus in the 1967 film adaptation of James Joyce's Ulysses. He was a regular fixture on BBC and BBC Scotland programmes, often portraying what The Guardian called "tough guys, steely villains or stalwart military figures with directness, authenticity and spiky energy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Gomez</span> Scottish actress

Michelle Gomez is a Scottish actress. She gained recognition for her roles in the comedy series The Book Group (2002–2003), Green Wing (2004–2007), and Bad Education (2012–2013). She went on to appear as Missy in the long-running British science fiction series Doctor Who (2014–2017), for which she was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaine C. Smith</span> Scottish actor/ singer/ performer.

Elaine Constance Smith is a Scottish actress, comedian, and political activist. She rose to prominence from appearing in the BBC Scotland sitcoms City Lights (1984–1991) and Rab C. Nesbitt (1988–2014). Smith has played the role of Christine O'Neil in the BBC Scotland sitcom Two Doors Down (2013–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Jensen</span> Scottish actress and narrator (born 1969)

Ashley Jensen is a Scottish actress and narrator. She is best known for her roles as Maggie Jacobs in Extras, Christina McKinney in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), Agatha Raisin in Agatha Raisin (2014–present), and DI Ruth Calder in Shetland (2023–present).

Siobhan Redmond is a Scottish actress, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and known for various stage, audio and television roles such as Anne Marie in Two Doors Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen McCrory</span> British actress (1968–2021)

Helen Elizabeth McCrory was an English actress. After studying at the Drama Centre London, she made her stage debut in The Importance of Being Earnest in 1990. Other stage roles include playing Lady Macbeth in Macbeth at Shakespeare's Globe, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Rosalind in As You Like It in the West End, and Medea in the eponymous play in the Royal National Theatre.

Laurie Brett is a Scottish actress, best known for her roles as Jane Beale in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders and Christine Mulgrew in the BBC One drama series Waterloo Road.

Takin' Over the Asylum is a six-part BBC Scotland television drama about a hospital radio station in a Glasgow psychiatric hospital. The show was written by Donna Franceschild, produced by Chris Parr and directed by David Blair.

<i>Tutti Frutti</i> (1987 TV series) British television series

Tutti Frutti is a BBC Scotland six-part drama series, transmitted in 1987 and written by John Byrne. It starred Robbie Coltrane, Emma Thompson, Maurice Roëves, Richard Wilson and Katy Murphy. It won six BAFTAs and brought many of the cast to national prominence.

Julie Graham is a Scottish television and film actress. She is best known for her multiple roles in The Bill, as Sheron Dawson in Benidorm, and Gail in Two Doors Down.

Donna Franceschild is a British-based television writer and dramatist, originally from the US. She has written various plays and television shows, but her best-known work is the BBC series Takin' Over the Asylum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Coltrane</span> Scottish actor and comedian (1950–2022)

Anthony Robert McMillan, known professionally as Robbie Coltrane, was a Scottish actor and comedian. He gained worldwide recognition in the 2000s for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter film series. He was appointed an OBE in the 2006 New Year Honours by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to drama. In 1990, Coltrane received the Evening Standard British Film Award – Peter Sellers Award for Comedy. In 2011, he was honoured for his "outstanding contribution" to film at the British Academy Scotland Awards.

John Paterson Sinclair, better known as Jake D'Arcy, was a Scottish actor. He appeared in a number of television series, including as "Pete the Jakey" in the comedy programme Still Game from 2002 until 2007, and as 'Fud' O'Donnell in the 1987 Tutti Frutti. In films he played Coach Phil Menzies in Gregory's Girl (1981).

<i>Your Cheatin Heart</i> (TV series) BBC comedy TV show

Your Cheatin' Heart is a BBC Scotland six-part comedy drama serial, broadcast in 1990 and written by John Byrne. It starred Tilda Swinton, John Gordon-Sinclair, Katy Murphy, Eddi Reader and Ken Stott. The format is similar to Byrne's earlier serial Tutti Frutti but the tone is much darker.

Freda Margaret Kelsall is a British writer, theatre director and former teacher who is best known as the main writer of the schools television series How We Used To Live.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keara Murphy</span>

Keara Patricia Murphy is a stand-up comedian, actor and playwright from Glasgow, Scotland. She has named Billy Connolly as an early influence.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "How Tutti Frutti star took on her most challenging role... as a teacher". HeraldScotland. 24 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  2. "Bridge (Short 2018)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. "Katy is a lesson to all frustrated actors". Evening Times. 25 July 2017. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  4. "Stripping off for was like going to TV cameras the dentist; SAYS KATY MURPHY". The Free Library. Scottish Daily Record. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2018.