Biography

Some more information about Mary Tamm...

Mary was born in Yorkshire. She trained at RADA, where she won the Emile Littler and Hannam Clarke awards. After leaving, she was privileged to join the New Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company, where she spent a year working alongside inspirational actors like Derek Jacobi, Joan Sims and Ronnie Barker.

TV and film work soon followed. She starred in The Donati Conspiracy alongside Richard Beckinsale for the BBC, and then played Kim Novak's daughter in the cult horror movie, Witness Madness. After this, she was contracted to Romulus films, who produced The Odessa File, Frederick Forsyth's best seller, where she played Sigi opposite Jon Voight.

Other highlights in her career include Selina in the TV version of The Girls of Slender Means, with Miriam Margoyles and Patricia Hodge; the big screen version of The Likely Lads; Cards on the Table, at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, with the late Gordon Jackson; Present Laughter at Windsor with Tom Conti; Not the Nine O’Clock News, and Romana in Doctor Who.

Most recently, Mary has appeared in Brookside, where she spent 18 months playing Penny Crosbie. She appeared in the British film Sorted, with Jason Donovan, and has also played numerous meaty theatre roles, including the hostess from hell, Beverly, in Abigail's Party, Marie Hoff in Little Voice, Eleonor in Dead Funny, Farrah Delamitri in Popcorn and Maria Helliwell in When We Are Married, JB Priestly's classic. She also starred opposite Dennis Waterman in I'll be Back Before Midnight at Windsor.

On TV, she has most recently starred in Headless, a 10-part thriller for Channel 5, Doctors, Coronation Street, The Bill. She most enjoyed playing Vivien Brodie in a Christmas special of Jonathan Creek, and Yvonne Edwards in the 6 part BBC series Paradise Heights, where she loved playing Neil Morrissey's mistress!

This year, Mary has just finished a new Eric Chappel play called Mixed Feelings, opposite Paul Nicholas, which is hopefully transferring to the West End of London next year. She will also be appearing as Mrs Templeman in a new BBC thriller series called Spine Chillers in 2005, and for Doctor Who fans, she has recently finished an audio CD for the Big Finish Audio, on which she appears as Romana in a plot with unexpected twists and turns! Watch out for this one!

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