Showbusiness Friends - Linda Thorson

 

Linda was attending a reception for my husband Patrick Garland's production of Charles Dickens' Dr Marigold and Mr Chops, starring Simon Callow, at the Riverside Studios.

 

Linda had toured with Simon in Peter Schaffer's play Equus in 2008, and had come along to support him.

 

It was marvellous seeing Linda again.  She and I used to regularly have lunch at Elstree - she was filming The Avengers and I was filming The Champions in the next studio.  Most recently she's been playing Lady Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.  I must admit, I'd give anything to hear Linda deliver the imortal line: "A Handbag!"

 

There's actually no-one better trained to deliver it, as Linda originally studied at the Royal Acadamy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and was destined for a career on the stage - until The Avengers called.

 

She had the extremely difficult task of taking over from Diana Rigg in the series, and did wonderfully.  Not only did she make Tara King a completely different kind of character from Emma Peel, but also inspired a whole generation of parents to call their daughters Tara!

 

 

 

 

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