Maggie Smith Biography

Breathes there a theatergoer or film fan on Earth who has not, at one time or another, fallen in love with the sublimely brilliant British comedic actress Dame Maggie Smith? The daughter of an Oxford University pathologist, Smith received her earliest acting training at the Oxford Playhouse School. In 1952, she made her professional stage bow as Viola in Twelfth Night. Four years later she was on Broadway, performing comedy routines in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1956; that same year, she made her first, extremely brief screen appearance in Child in the House (she usually refers to 1959's Nowhere to Go as her screen debut).In 1959, Smith joined the Old Vic, and in 1962 won the first of several performing honors, the London Evening Standard Award, for her work in the West End production The Private Ear/The Public Eye. Her subsequent theatrical prizes include the 1963 and 1972 Variety Club awards for Mary Mary and Private Lives, respectively, and the 1990 Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway play Lettice and Lovage. In addition, Smith has won Oscars for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and California Suite (1978), and British Film Academy awards for A Private Function (1985), A Room With a View (1986), and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987).These accolades notwithstanding, Smith has had no qualms about accepting such "lightweight" roles as lady sleuth Dora Charleston (a delicious Myrna Loy takeoff) in Murder By Death (1976), the aging Wendy in Steven Spielberg's Peter Pan derivation Hook (1991), and the Mother Superior in Whoopi Goldberg's Sister Act films of the early '90s. During the same decade, she also took more serious roles in Richard III (1995), Washington Square (1997), and Tea With Mussolini (1999). On a lighter note, her role in director Robert Altman's Gosford Park earned Smith her sixth Oscar nomination. Made a Dame Commander in 1989, Smith was elected to the Theatre Hall of Fame in 1994. Previously married to the late actor Sir Robert Stephens, she is the wife of screenwriter Beverly Cross and the mother of actors Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

• 1. Professor Horace Slughorn: [actually Filius Flitwick but there is no choice] You do realize of course, that we can't keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely?
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: That doesn't mean we can't delay him. And his name is Voldemort, Filius, so you might as well use it. He's going to try and kill you either way.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Garner M (8 days ago)

• 1. Mrs. Medlock: It's that child, my lord. She's created absolute havoc here. I've tried to control her. She must be sent away. She'll kill Master Colin.
  From The Secret Garden. Submitted by Sara T (2 months ago)

• 1. Constance Countess of Trentham: What was funny?
  From Gosford Park. Submitted by Helen B (2 months ago)

• 1. Mother Superior: I guarantee you she is no broad! She is Sister Mary Clarence of St. Katherine's Convent. She's a model of generosity, virtue, and love! You have my word for it, gentlemen, she is a nun!
  From Sister Act. Submitted by Ceara R (2 months ago)

• 1. Charlotte Bartlet: I shall never forgive myself.
  2. Lucy Honeychurch: You always say that, Charlotte. And then you always do forgive yourself.
  From A Room With A View. Submitted by Hannah L (2 months ago)

• 1. Dora Charleston: Where's my Dickie? ...Sorry. Where's my husband?
  From Murder by Death. Submitted by Tracy K (2 months ago)

• 1. Daphne Castle: The 'Arlena Stewarts' of this world do not count; their domination is of the moment. Really to count, a woman must have either goodness or brains.
  From Evil under the Sun. Submitted by Matthew J (3 months ago)

• 1. Daphne Castle: Arlena and I were in the chorus of a show together, not that I could ever compete. Even in those days, she could always throw her legs up in the air higher than any of us... and wider.
  From Evil under the Sun. Submitted by Matthew J (3 months ago)

• 1. Neville Longbottom: Let me get this straight, Professor. You want us to blow it up? Boom.
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: BOOM!
  3. Neville Longbottom: Brilliant.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Alise S (4 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Piertotum Locomotor! Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duties to our school! I've always wanted to use that spell!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Nhia T (5 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Potter, is good to see you.
  2. Harry Potter: Is good to see you too professor.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Ícaro S (5 months ago)

• 1. Neville Longbottom: Let me get this straight professor, you're actually giving us permission to do this?!
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: That is correct Longbottom.
  3. Neville Longbottom: To blow it up!? Boom!?
  4. Professor Minerva McGonagall: BOOM!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by James H (7 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Hogwarts is threatened. Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Andrew A (9 months ago)

• 1. Argus Filch: Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: They are supposed to be, you blithering idiot!
  3. Argus Filch: Oh. Sorry, ma'am.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Andrew A (9 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizarding world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you, in one night, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons!
  From Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Submitted by Asad C (9 months ago)

• 1. Neville Longbottom: Professor, you're actually giving us permission to do this? To blow it up? Boom?
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Boom!
  3. Neville Longbottom: Wicked. Um, and how exactly do you propose we do this, Professor?
  4. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnegan? As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics.
  5. Seamus Finnigan: I can bring her down.
  6. Professor Minerva McGonagall: That's the spirit. Off you go.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Alexander D (9 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: And Potter... it's good to see you.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Asad C (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: And his name is Voldemort, so you might as well use it, he's going to try and kill you either way.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Jaqui M (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: BOOM!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Jonny H (10 months ago)

• 1. Argus Filch: Students out of bed! Students out of bed! Students out of bed!
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: They are supposed to be out of bed you blithering idiot.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Sirius B (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: That's the spirit, now away you go.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Asif K (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries! Protect us! Do your duty to our school!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Philip M (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnegan? As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics.
  2. Seamus Finnigan: I can bring her down.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Jessica R (10 months ago)

• 1. Neville Longbottom: Are you really giving us permission to do this?
  2. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Yes, Longbottom.
  3. Neville Longbottom: Blow it up? Boom?
  4. Professor Minerva McGonagall: BOOM!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Andrea K (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: I've always wanted to use that spell.
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Jessica J (10 months ago)

• 1. Professor Minerva McGonagall: Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries protect us, do your duty to our school!
  From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Submitted by Andrew C (10 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: Professor Moody! What are you doing?
  2. Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody: Teaching.
  3. Minerva McGonagall: Is that a student?!
  4. Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody: Technically, it's a ferret.
  From Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Submitted by Andrew O (10 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: One Two Three, Fera Verto.
  From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Submitted by Steven P (11 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: Today we will be turning animals into water goblets.
  From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Submitted by Steven P (11 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: Today we will be turning animals into water goblets.
  From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Submitted by Steven P (11 months ago)

• 1. Minerva McGonagall: Is that a student?
  2. Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody: Technically, it's a ferret.
  From Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Submitted by Steven P (11 months ago)

• 1. Mrs. Docherty: You seem to have forgotten the way she works. When you need her but do not want her, then she must stay. When you want her, but no longer need her, then she has to go. I know from personal experience.
  From Nanny McPhee Returns. Submitted by Chris P (13 months ago)