Patricia Anne Thirza Byrne (13 July 1933 – 17 June 2014) was an English actress, best known for her role as "Nursie" in Blackadder II as well as Malcolm's domineering Mother, Mrs Stoneway in all seven series of the ITV comedy WatchingSlide, Anthony (1996) Some Joe You Don't Know: American Biographical Guide to 100 British Television Personalities, Greenwood Press; , p. 11 between 1987 and 1993.
Biography Byrne was educated at Ashford County Grammar School. She studied drama at Rose Bruford College before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company playing parts such as Maria in Twelfth Night and Gruscha in The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the Aldwych Theatre in the early 1960s. In the 1980s she also worked at Chichester Festival Theatre.
Byrne appeared alongside Tony Robinson in a Series 3 episode of Maid Marian and her Merry Men. She played Betty the Tea Lady on the BBC children's programme Playdays. She also played Marge Stoneway, mother of Malcolm, in TV series Watching which ran from 1987 to 1993.
Other roles included appearances in I, Claudius (1976), Stealing Heaven (1988), Inspector Morse (1989), 2point4 Children (1991), Les Misérables (1998), David Copperfield (1999) and Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000), as well as numerous radio plays. Byrne performed in the 1990 BBC production of C. S. Lewis' The Silver Chair as the giant nanny in the city of the giants. In 1998 she played Martha Coutts in episode 19 of series 7 of Heartbeat.
Death Byrne died at Denville Hall, a retirement home for performers, on 17 June 2014.
Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes1957BBC Sunday Night TheatreSusan Barwell"The Mayor's Nest"1962 The Cherry Orchard Dunyasha, the maid 1963EspionageMaid"The Frantic Rebel"1970The Wednesday PlayMarkenka"The Cellar and the Almond Tree"Z Cars: "Lost"Bessie Laidlaw2 episodes1971DoomwatchMary FranklinEpisode: "By the Picking of My Thumbs"1972The Alf Garnett SagaMrs. Frewin The Ruling Class Mrs. Pamela Treadwell 1973 Z Cars Mary Walker Episode: "Nuisance" 1974The Gathering StormCookTV movie1976 I, Claudius Martina Episode: "Some Justice" 1977 Eleanor MarxLenchen3 episodes (TV mini-series)Just WilliamMrs. CoombeEpisode: "The Great Detective"1978All Creatures Great and SmallMrs. HammondEpisode: "A Dog's Life" The Class of Miss MacMichael Mrs. Green The Devil's CrownFlorence3 episodes (TV mini-series)HazellMrs. DobsonEpisode: "Hazell Settles the Accounts"1979My Son, My SonMrs. O'Riordan1 episode1979–1980The Old Curiosity ShopMrs. Nubbles4 episodes (TV mini-series)1980A Little Silver TrumpetMrs. Cleaver5 episodes1980–1984The SetbacksLily Setback17 episodes1982Britannia HospitalNurseEducating MarmaladeMP's NannyEpisode: "Nanny" The Return of the Soldier Mrs. Plummer Tales of the Unexpected Jean "The Absence of Emily"1983–1984Miracles Take LongerBetty Hackforth 36 episodes1984Danger, Marmalade at WorkMiss PeachEpisode: "Social Worker"1985Bleak HouseMrs. Blinder1 episode (TV mini-series)1986Blackadder IINursie6 episodes Mr. Love Mrs. Lunt Screen Two Mrs. Dempster "Hotel du Lac"1987A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery: "Strong Poison"Mrs. Pettican2 episodes (TV mini-series)1987–1993 Watching Mrs. Stoneway 50 episodes1988A Taste for DeathMillicent Gentle2 episodes (TV mini-series) Hanna's War Rosie Stealing Heaven Agnes Blackadder's Christmas Carol Nursie, Bernard TV special1988–1997PlaydaysBetty the TealadySeries regular1989 Inspector Morse Mrs. Maltby Episode: "The Ghost in the Machine"1990The Silver ChairGiant Nanny 2 episodes (TV mini-series)19922point4 ChildrenPeggyEpisode: "Thank You Lucky Stars"In Sickness and in HealthMrs. Jones1 episode Emily's Ghost Mrs. Crabtree Screen OneSarah Stone"Adam's Bede"1993 The Higher Mortals Matron Maid Marian and Her Merry MenMarian's MumEpisode: "Keeping Mum"1994Hard TimesOld Woman1 episode (TV mini-series)The Inspector Alleyn MysteriesMrs. MitchellEpisode: "Hand in Glove"1995CasualtyGrace KentEpisode: "Halfway House"1996 The Treasure Seekers Mrs. Nesbit TV movie1997BramwellMrs. Mills1 episodePeak PracticeMrs. BurnsEpisode: "Lost Feelings"1998HeartbeatMartha CouttsEpisode: "Appearances" Les Misérables Toussaint The Ruth Rendell MysteriesDaisy PanickEpisode: "Road Rage – Part Two"1999 Blackadder: Back & Forth Nursie David CopperfieldMrs. Gummidge2 episodes (TV mini-series)2000 Kevin & Perry Go Large Old lady 2006Holby CityEsme TaylorEpisode: "Into Your Own Hands"
References
External links
Obituary, independent.co.uk; accessed 25 June 2014.