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Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton: Born June 3, 1946 (Gemini)

Penelope Wilton was an accomplished stage actor before breaking into television and the big screen. She is best known to American audiences for films like The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Iris, Cry Freedom and Calendar Girls. Her most notable TV role (before Downton Abbey) was staring opposite Richard Briers in the BBC comedy Ever Decreasing Circles which ran for five years. She has also appeared in the famous TV show Dr. Who.

Wilton has been married to two distinguished British actors, Daniel Massey and Ian Holm. After Sir Ian Holm was knighted in 1998, Penelope Wilton became Lady Holm until she was divorced. Wilton comes from a family of show business. Her aunt and uncle were actors, Bill Travers and Linden Travers. Wilton’s grandparents owned theatres. Penelope has appeared as busybody Isobel Crawley on Downton Abbey since it started in 2010.

Downton Abbey costs an average of one million pounds per episode to produce.

As of 2013, Downton Abbey is the highest rated PBS "Masterpiece" drama series of all time, seen by an estimated 120 million viewers in 200 countries and regions.

Gillian Anderson reportedly turned down the part of Lady Cora Grantham.

The real estate that "plays" Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, has been the home of the Carnarvon family since 1679. In 1922, George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, co-discovered the Tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. On the show, the names of the Earl of Grantham's beloved dogs, Isis and Pharaoh, are nods to the real castle's connection to Egyptian history.

According to Julian Fellowes, the parts played by Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Coyle and Maggie Smith were written for the actors.

It was reported that Steven Waddington auditioned for the part of Bates.

When Downton Abbey first aired, Julian Fellowes (creator and producer) was annoyed at the media for pointing out anachronisms like TV aerials and the use of the word 'boyfriend'. (The word 'boyfriend appeared in print in 1889, long before the period setting of Downton). Fellowes said "they think to show how smart they are by picking holes in the program to promote their own poshness and to show that their knowledge is greater than your knowledge". In a later article coinciding with the start of the second season, Fellowes apologised and commented "I behaved rather badly by getting the hump."

Penelope Wilton

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