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Kate Harcourt

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Dame
Kate Harcourt
DNZM JP
Harcourt in 2018
Born
Catherine Winifred Fulton

(1927-06-16) 16 June 1927 (age 97)
Amberley, New Zealand
OccupationActress
Years active1960s–present
Spouse
Peter Millais Harcourt
​
​
(m. 1965; died 1995)​
Children2
Relatives

Dame Catherine Winifred Harcourt (née Fulton; born 16 June 1927), known professionally as Kate Harcourt, is a New Zealand actress. Over her long career she has worked in comedy as well as drama in theatre, film, TV and radio.

Personal life

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Harcourt was born and grew up on a sheep station in the rural area of Amberley, New Zealand.[1] Her Australian mother was Winifred Harriet (née Austin) and her father was Gordon Fulton. Harcourt was the youngest of three children, with an older brother, John Fulton, a prominent Canterbury farmer, and president of the Canterbury Jockey Club, as well as an older sister.[2] From age nine onward she attended boarding school, first at Amberley House and then at Woodford House (Hawke's Bay).[3]

Music was important to Harcourt in her early years as it was to her mother too. She went to Christchurch to train as a kindergarten teacher partly so she could continue with her singing and piano. She also attended the Joan Cross Opera School in London.[3]

Harcourt is the mother of actress Miranda Harcourt and former Fair Go television presenter Gordon Harcourt,[4][5] and grandmother of actresses Thomasin McKenzie, Davida McKenzie and journalist Peter McKenzie. She played a part in the movie adaptation of The Changeover.[6][7][8] Harcourt met her husband Peter Harcourt (1923–1995) at Wellington Repertory Theatre.[3] He was from the family that founded Harcourts International real estate. Peter Harcourt died on 6 March 1995 of cancer, two years after being appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order in the 1993 New Year Honours for service to the community as an actor, broadcaster and presenter for 54 years since 1941.[9] The Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai / Wellington Theatre Awards annually has an award called The Peter Harcourt Outstanding New Playwright.[10]

Career

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Harcourt returned to New Zealand from London and took up a teaching position at Woodfood House in Havelock North. After that she moved to Wellington initially teaching at Marsden College, before working at the department store Kirkaldie and Stains organising and MC'ing weekly fashion shows for seven years.[11][3]

Her entry into national entertainment came as a regular voice in the morning Listen with Mother which was a radio show for pre-schoolers on Radio New Zealand. She was later host of the children's TV show Junior Magazine.[12]

Harcourt has acted in numerous stage and screen works. Stage work includes comedy with Hens' Teeth, and acting in a version of Hedda Gabler. She had a long association with theatre company Downstage starting out putting up posters for them. She lists acting in New Zealand playwright Renée's Wednesday to Come as one of her career favourites. Harcourt played Mary in the world premiere at Downstage Theatre in 1984.[13][12]

In 1998 Harcourt performed on stage alongside her daughter Miranda Harcourt in the biographical Flowers from my Mother's Garden at the New Zealand Festival of the Arts. Written by Harcourt's daughter and son-in-law Stuart McKenzie, it was partly based on letters between mother and daughter.[14][1] A review stated that the play shared "the experiences of a mother, daughter and extended family with an ingenious simplicity that belies the depth of insight. It's a prime example of how universal the particular can be."[12]

Honours

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In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours, Harcourt was appointed as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the theatre.[15]

Theatre and screen work

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Film

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Year Production Role Production Company / Director Type
2017 The Changeover Winter Carlisle Changeover Films Ltd, dir. Stuart McKenzie, Miranda Harcourt Feature Film
2013 Hope & Wire Dotty GPP / Hope & Wire Productions Feature Film
2008 Separation City Mrs Simpson Separation City Limited, dir. Paul Middleditch Feature Film
2007 Apron Strings Nan (Core Cast) Dir. Sima Urale Feature Film
2007 Garage Sale Margie GS Productions Ltd, dir. Paul Murphy Feature Film
2003 Without a Paddle Old Woman Viacom Ltd Feature Film
2002 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 3'6" Ltd, dir. Peter Jackson Feature Film
1988 Send a Gorilla Dir. Melanie Read Feature Film
1984 Mr Wrong Dir. Gaylene Preston Feature Film
1982 Carry Me Back Mrs. Brewster Dir. John Reid Feature Film
1981 Trespasses Dir. Peter Sharp Feature Film
1980 Beyond Reasonable Doubt Dir. John Laing Feature Film

Television

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Year Production Role Production Company / Director Type
2015 Lumen Chambermaid Ninth Floor NZ Productions Drama
2008 The Table Plays – Jack in the box Nan First Hand Productions, dir. Keith Hunter Drama
2007 A Tall Long Faced Tale Sophie/ Pirate Mother voice Production Shed.TV Ltd Drama
2007 The Killian Curse 2 TVNZ Drama
2005 The Insider's Guide to Love Shaun Gibson Group Drama
2005 Shortland Street Mavis Miller South Pacific Pictures Drama
1997 William Tell Cloud 9 Entertainment Ltd Drama
1997 Mirror, Mirror Dir. Gibson Group Drama
1996 1997 Hercules Pacific Renaissance Drama
1995 Plain Tastes Montana Sunday Theatre, dir. Niki Caro Drama
1994 Fallout Margaret Thatcher South Pacific Pictures, Avalon Studios Drama
1991 Rodney and Juliet Dir. Fane Flaws Drama
1987 Gloss: Between the Lines (final ep) Drama
1986 Worzel Gummidge Drama
1986 Seekers Drama
1986 Open House TVNZ Drama
1985 Night of the Red Hunter Drama
1984 Inside Straight Drama
1983 Mark ll Dir. John Anderson Drama
1982 Gliding On Drama
1981 Open File Drama
1980 Cleaning Company Drama
1980 Country GP TVNZ Drama
1983 Hooks and Feelers Dir. Melanie Read Drama
1964–1965 Junior Magazine Presenter

Short film

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Year Production Role Production Company / Director Type
2017 The Pact Betty Happiness Ltd Short Film
2013 Pigeon Mo Fresh Productions Short Film
2012 The Silk Mrs Blackie Dir. Nathalie Boltt, Clare Burgess Short Film
2010 Pacific Dreams Grace Leahy Morepork Films Ltd / Inspire Films Ltd Short Film
2007 The Shoe Box Martha Wilson Dir. Chaz Harris Short Film
2005 The Plant Beryl Isola Productions Short Film
1994 The Dig Dir. Neil Pardington Short Film
2012 Rhode Island Film Festival Best Actress in a Short Film Pacific Dreams Short Film
2011 Rhode Island Film Festival Best Actress Pacific Dreams Short Film

Web series

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Year Production Role Production Company / Director
2017 Lucy Lewis Can't Lose s2 Librarian Redletter TV

Theatre

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Year Production Role Production Company / Director
2020 The Older the Better[16] Hens Teeth
2014 Destination Beehive Circa Theatre, dir. Jan Bolwell
2012 Flowers from my Mother's Garden Kate Harcourt Downstage Theatre, dir. Tim Spite
2010 Auntie & Me Auntie Wgtn Opera House / Tour, dir. Kevin Baddeley
2007 Babar The Elephant Narrator NZ Symphony Orchestra
2007 Uncle Vanya Nurse Circa Theatre, dir. Susan Wilson
2006 07 Music Hall core cast Centerstage, dir. Kevin Baddeley
2006 Truth About Love Expressions Theatre, Lower Hutt
2006 Mum's Choir Auntie (core cast) Downstage Theatre, dir. Cathy Downes
2003 My Fair Lady Mrs Higgins Dir. Stephen Robinson
2002 Halfmen of O Calico Theatre, Napier
2001 Musicians of Bremen Gypsy Capital E / Tour
1998 1999 Flowers From My Mothers Garden Harcourt/McKenzie Te Papa Soundings Theatre / Int. Fest of the Arts
1998 1999 Son's Mrs McFarlane Te Papa Soundings Theatre / Int. Fest of the arts
1998 1999 Weekends Iris Pollard Circa Theatre
1996 Hens Teeth Various NZIFA / Circa Theatre
1993 Ophelia Thinks Harder Gertrude Circa Theatre
1993 Joyful and Triumphant Lila Bishop Centrepoint Theatre
1992 The Importance of Being Earnest Lady Bracknell Centrepoint Theatre
1991 92 Hens Teeth Adelaide Festival, Auckland Festival
1990 Oracles and Miracles Mother National Tour
1990 Hedda Gabler Bertha Downstage / Edinburgh / Oslo / Sydney / Festival

References

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  1. ^ a b Manson, Bess (31 August 2016). "National Portrait – Kate Harcourt, a real dame and still thrilled by performing". Stuff. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  2. ^ Scholefield, Guy Hardy; Lambert, Max (1991). Who's who in New Zealand. Reed. ISBN 9780790001302.
  3. ^ a b c d Romanos, Joseph (25 June 2010). "The Wellingtonian interview: Dame Kate Harcourt". Stuff. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  4. ^ A lifetime walking the boards Capital Times, 12 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Harcourt siblings: The tables are turned", nz.lifestyle.yahoo.com, 23 October 2011.
  6. ^ "National Portrait – Kate Harcourt, a real dame and still thrilled by performing". Stuff.co.nz. 3 September 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  7. ^ Victoria Crocker (25 September 2017). "Dame Kate Harcourt on stage and screen this season | WOW". World of WearableArt. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Kate Harcourt in 'The Changeover' World Premiere – Arrivals". Zimbio. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Peter Harcourt". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Wellington Theatre Awards 2019". The Big Idea. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  11. ^ Harcourt, Catherine Winifred (Dame) (21 February 1994). "Interview with Kate Harcourt". Interview with Kate Harcourt | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  12. ^ a b c NZ On Screen. "Kate Harcourt | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  13. ^ Renée Taylor (2019). Wednesday to Come: Trilogy. Auckland. ISBN 978-1-7765-6213-8. Wikidata Q108043471.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ "Flowers From My Mother's Garden from Major Plays". RNZ. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  15. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 1996". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 1996. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  16. ^ "The Older the Better – Circa Theatre". Circa Theatre. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
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