Sarah Douglas
Encyclopedia
Sarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies (1978 and 1980), and for her role as Pamela Lynch in the 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest
(1983–85).
, Warwickshire
, the second daughter of Beryl (née
Smith), a physiotherapist who often worked upon RSC
actors, and of Edward Douglas, a career member of the Royal Air Force
. Having been educated locally at Alcester Grammar School
, she then trained with the National Youth Theatre
and the Rose Bruford College
, before turning professional by working on several productions alongside well-known British actors such as Roy Dotrice
and Jon Pertwee
.
, The Inheritors, Space: 1999
and Return of the Saint
, and appeared in the films The People That Time Forgot
(for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award
), and the controversial and rarely seen film The Brute, in which she played an abused wife.
Douglas' first major role was that of Ursa in Superman (1978
) and Superman II
(1980
) having beaten a staggering 600 actresses to the part. In 1984, she played another fantasy villainess in Conan the Destroyer
as the evil Queen Taramis. Douglas also continued to appear on television, and was a series regular in the short-lived British sitcom Thundercloud in 1979. Throughout the 1980s, she went on to appear in a variety of guest roles in UK and US series such as The Professionals
, Bergerac
, Hotel
, Sledge Hammer!
, and Remington Steele
. However, her most prominent television role is that of Pamela Lynch in the primetime soap opera
Falcon Crest
, which she played for two seasons from 1983–85. She also played another "Pamela" in the 1984 television miniseries V: The Final Battle.
In the 1990s, she returned to science fiction, guest-starring in the Babylon 5
first season episode "Deathwalker
" (1994), and in the Stargate SG-1
second season two-part episode "The Tok'ra". Douglas has also appeared in a variety of genre films, including Solarbabies
, The Return of Swamp Thing
, The Stepford Husbands
, Beastmaster 2
, and Return of the Living Dead 3
. She also voiced characters in episodes of several animated TV series, including Iron Man
, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
, Superman: The Animated Series
, and Batman of the Future
.
playing alongside actress Emily Lloyd
. The following year, she completed a run in London's West End in the play Roast Beef playing the role of Clytemnestra. Also in 2004, Douglas completed an audio commentary for the Special Edition DVD of Conan the Destroyer
.
In 2006, she performed in the audio drama Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour
alongside David Warner
. Also in 2006, she was reunited with many of her Superman
co-stars in Los Angeles as the new version of Superman II
(known as Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
) was released with previously unseen footage. At the same time, a new Superman
DVD boxset was released, featuring an interview with Douglas.
Douglas went on to appear in the 2007
Sci-Fi Pictures original film Gryphon
, playing the mother of Jonathan LaPaglia
's character.
In 2008, Douglas worked on further audio productions, and reunited with David Warner
for a new BBC Audio CD entitled The Brightonomicon
. She has also participated in the new audio recordings for Stargate Atlantis
. Another 2008 screen credit was as a cancer-stricken transsexual
in the BBC
daytime series Doctors.
In 2009, Douglas completed work on a series of radio plays for the BBC. The first to air on BBC Radio 4 was Cry Babies, in which she performed alongside Alex Jennings
. The play, written by film critic Kim Newman
, was aired on 9 March 2009. A second play, with Derek Jacobi
, aired on 13 March 2009 on Radio 4.
Douglas then appeared in the TV movie Witchville
which premiered on SyFy
on 22 May 2010.
In June 2010, Douglas voiced the character of Professor Meadows in the video game "Blood of The Cybermen", part of the Doctor Who: The Adventure Games
series which was made available for free download from the official Doctor Who website. She is also credited as the voice of 'The Entity' in the third game, simply named "TARDIS". She plays Jones, a class 14 super computer, in the latest adventure game, "Shadows of the Vashta Nerada".
Douglas has also voiced a recurring role on the upcoming animated series of Green Lantern
, due to air in 2012. She is also involved with a sci-fi audio series entitled The Flashback, which has been in production on both sides of the Atlantic. Douglas's latest genre movie, Strippers Vs Werewolves, is currently in production. The film co-stars Robert Englund
, Steven Berkoff
, Adele Silva
and Billy Murray
.
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
(1983–85).
Early life
Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-AvonStratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, the second daughter of Beryl (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Smith), a physiotherapist who often worked upon RSC
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
actors, and of Edward Douglas, a career member of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Having been educated locally at Alcester Grammar School
Alcester Grammar School
Alcester Grammar School is a selective entry state grammar school in England situated in Alcester, Warwickshire.-Admissions:The school is recognised as one of the top schools in the United Kingdom, getting consistently very high GCSE results...
, she then trained with the National Youth Theatre
National Youth Theatre
The National Youth Theatre is a registered charity in London, Great Britain, committed to creative, personal and social development of young people through the medium of creative arts....
and the Rose Bruford College
Rose Bruford College
Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance is a British drama school, offering university-level and professional vocational training for theatre and performance and the BA and MA degrees, based in Sidcup, Southeast London.-History:Founded in 1950, Rose Bruford "pioneered the first acting degree...
, before turning professional by working on several productions alongside well-known British actors such as Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice, OBE is a British actor known for his Tony Award-winning Broadway performance in the revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten.-Life and career:...
and Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
.
Career
Eventually, Douglas's career took her in front of the camera with a small appearance in the 1973 film The Final Programme (alternatively known as The Last Days of Man on Earth ). After this, Douglas became known to British television audiences in the 1970s by appearing in The Howerd ConfessionsThe Howerd Confessions
The Howerd Confessions was a British comedy television series which originally aired on ITV in 1976. It featured comedian Frankie Howerd in "confessing" various adventures during his life....
, The Inheritors, Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
and Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint
Return of the Saint was a British action-adventure television series that aired for one season in 1978 and 1979 in Britain on ITV, and was also broadcast on CBS in the United States...
, and appeared in the films The People That Time Forgot
The People That Time Forgot (film)
The People That Time Forgot is a 1977 fantasy/adventure film based on the novel The People That Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was produced by Britain's Amicus Productions, all directed by Kevin Connor...
(for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
), and the controversial and rarely seen film The Brute, in which she played an abused wife.
Douglas' first major role was that of Ursa in Superman (1978
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
) and Superman II
Superman II
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...
(1980
1980 in film
- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
) having beaten a staggering 600 actresses to the part. In 1984, she played another fantasy villainess in Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a 1984 American action fantasy film directed by Richard Fleischer, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako returning to resume their roles as Conan and Akiro the wizard, respectively. The cast also includes Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter and Olivia d'Abo. It is...
as the evil Queen Taramis. Douglas also continued to appear on television, and was a series regular in the short-lived British sitcom Thundercloud in 1979. Throughout the 1980s, she went on to appear in a variety of guest roles in UK and US series such as The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
, Bergerac
Bergerac (TV series)
Bergerac was a British television show set on Jersey. Produced by the BBC in association with the Seven Network, and screened on BBC1, it starred John Nettles as the title character Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in "Le Bureau des Étrangers" Bergerac was a British television show...
, Hotel
Hotel (TV series)
Hotel is an American prime time drama series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983 to May 5, 1988 in the timeslot following Dynasty....
, Sledge Hammer!
Sledge Hammer!
Sledge Hammer! is an American satirical police sitcom produced by New World Television that ran for two seasons on ABC from 1986 to 1988. The series was created by Alan Spencer and stars David Rasche as Inspector Sledge Hammer, a preposterous caricature of the standard "cop on the edge" character,...
, and Remington Steele
Remington Steele
Remington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
. However, her most prominent television role is that of Pamela Lynch in the primetime soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
, which she played for two seasons from 1983–85. She also played another "Pamela" in the 1984 television miniseries V: The Final Battle.
In the 1990s, she returned to science fiction, guest-starring in the Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
first season episode "Deathwalker
Deathwalker
"Deathwalker" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Synopsis:Na'Toth spots an alien Dilgar woman disembarking from a Minbari ship, and reacts violently, attacking the woman, whom she calls "Deathwalker". She goes wild shouting "Deathwalker" and...
" (1994), and in the Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
second season two-part episode "The Tok'ra". Douglas has also appeared in a variety of genre films, including Solarbabies
Solarbabies
Solarbabies is a 1986 science fiction film, made by Brooksfilms and directed by Alan Johnson. It was released on DVD on March 6, 2007....
, The Return of Swamp Thing
The Return of Swamp Thing
The Return of Swamp Thing is a sci-fi-comedy film released in 1989, and directed by Jim Wynorski. It is based on the DC Comics title Swamp Thing and is a sequel to the 1982 horror film Swamp Thing directed by Wes Craven; however, it had a lighter tone than the previous film...
, The Stepford Husbands
The Stepford Husbands
The Stepford Husbands is a 1996 made-for-television sci-fi/horror film inspired by the Ira Levin novel The Stepford Wives. It was directed by Fred Walton with a screenplay by brothers Ken Wheat and Jim Wheat. Donna Mills, Michael Ontkean, Cindy Williams, Sarah Douglas, and Louise Fletcher all...
, Beastmaster 2
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time
Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time is the 1991 sequel to the 1982 cult classic film The Beastmaster, starring Marc Singer.-Plot:...
, and Return of the Living Dead 3
Return of the Living Dead 3
Return of the Living Dead 3 is an American romantic-horror film released in 1993. It was directed by Brian Yuzna and was written by John Penney. The film stars Melinda Clarke as Julie Walker, J. Trevor Edmond as Curt Reynolds, Kent McCord as Col. John Reynolds and Basil Wallace as Riverman...
. She also voiced characters in episodes of several animated TV series, including Iron Man
Iron Man (TV series)
Iron Man, also known as Iron Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series based on Marvel Comics' superhero Iron Man...
, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is an animated action-adventure television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and broadcast on Cartoon Network from August 26, 1996 to April 16, 1997. A revival of the 1960s Jonny Quest franchise, it features teenage adventurers Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh,...
, Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
, and Batman of the Future
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
.
Recent appearances
In 2003, Douglas returned to the UK in order to accept an invitation to appear across a nationwide tour of HamletHamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
playing alongside actress Emily Lloyd
Emily Lloyd
-Early life:Emily Lloyd Pack was born in London, the daughter of Sheila , now known as , a theatrical agent who was a longtime secretary at Harold Pinter's stage agency, and Roger Lloyd-Pack, a stage actor, well-known as Trigger in the British hit sitcom Only Fools and Horses. Her grandfather,...
. The following year, she completed a run in London's West End in the play Roast Beef playing the role of Clytemnestra. Also in 2004, Douglas completed an audio commentary for the Special Edition DVD of Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer is a 1984 American action fantasy film directed by Richard Fleischer, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako returning to resume their roles as Conan and Akiro the wizard, respectively. The cast also includes Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter and Olivia d'Abo. It is...
.
In 2006, she performed in the audio drama Sapphire and Steel: The Mystery of the Missing Hour
The Mystery of the Missing Hour
The Mystery of the Missing Hour is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the popular British science fiction television series Sapphire & Steel.-Cast:*Steel — David Warner*Sapphire — Susannah Harker*Narrator — Colin Baker...
alongside David Warner
David Warner (actor)
David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
. Also in 2006, she was reunited with many of her Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
co-stars in Los Angeles as the new version of Superman II
Superman II
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...
(known as Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut is a 2006 re-edit of the 1980 superhero film, Superman II, by Richard Donner, who shot a large part of the original movie before being replaced as director by Richard Lester. It stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando...
) was released with previously unseen footage. At the same time, a new Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
DVD boxset was released, featuring an interview with Douglas.
Douglas went on to appear in the 2007
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
Sci-Fi Pictures original film Gryphon
Gryphon (film)
Gryphon also known as Attack of the Gryphon is a 2007 film directed by Andrew Prowse, starring Amber Benson, Jonathan LaPaglia, and Larry Drake...
, playing the mother of Jonathan LaPaglia
Jonathan LaPaglia
Dr. Jonathan LaPaglia, M.B.B.S. is an Australian actor known for his roles as Frank B. Parker in the television series Seven Days, Kevin Debreno in The District and Det...
's character.
In 2008, Douglas worked on further audio productions, and reunited with David Warner
David Warner (actor)
David Warner is an English actor who is known for playing both romantic leads and sinister or villainous characters, both in film and animation...
for a new BBC Audio CD entitled The Brightonomicon
The Brightonomicon
The Brightonomicon is a novel by British Fantasy author Robert Rankin, the title parodying that of the fictional grimoire the Necronomicon from the Cthulhu Mythos. The author lives in Brighton and the book is set in an accurate depiction of the city...
. She has also participated in the new audio recordings for Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis
Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
. Another 2008 screen credit was as a cancer-stricken transsexual
Transsexualism
Transsexualism is an individual's identification with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their biological sex. Simply put, it defines a person whose biological birth sex conflicts with their psychological gender...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
daytime series Doctors.
In 2009, Douglas completed work on a series of radio plays for the BBC. The first to air on BBC Radio 4 was Cry Babies, in which she performed alongside Alex Jennings
Alex Jennings
Alex Jennings is an English actor whose roles have included Charles, Prince of Wales in The Queen .-Early years:...
. The play, written by film critic Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Kim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...
, was aired on 9 March 2009. A second play, with Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
, aired on 13 March 2009 on Radio 4.
Douglas then appeared in the TV movie Witchville
Witchville (film)
Witchville is a 2010 made for television fantasy-adventure film based on witchcraft in a medieval feudal time period, written by John Werner and Amy Krell, and directed by Pearry Reginald Teo. The film was released and distributed by Syfy Network and it stars Luke Goss, Sarah Douglas, MyAnna Buring...
which premiered on SyFy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
on 22 May 2010.
In June 2010, Douglas voiced the character of Professor Meadows in the video game "Blood of The Cybermen", part of the Doctor Who: The Adventure Games
Doctor Who: The Adventure Games
Doctor Who: The Adventure Games is a series of episodic third-person adventure games, based on the BBC TV series Doctor Who and developed by Sumo Digital. Charles Cecil served as executive producer and worked with Sean Millard and Will Tarratt on the design...
series which was made available for free download from the official Doctor Who website. She is also credited as the voice of 'The Entity' in the third game, simply named "TARDIS". She plays Jones, a class 14 super computer, in the latest adventure game, "Shadows of the Vashta Nerada".
Douglas has also voiced a recurring role on the upcoming animated series of Green Lantern
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Green Lantern: The Animated Series is an American computer-animated television series based on the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern. The series is set to air on Cartoon Network, as part of their "DC Nation" television block. A one hour sneak peek aired on November 11, 2011 while the official...
, due to air in 2012. She is also involved with a sci-fi audio series entitled The Flashback, which has been in production on both sides of the Atlantic. Douglas's latest genre movie, Strippers Vs Werewolves, is currently in production. The film co-stars Robert Englund
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor, voice-actor and director, best known for playing the fictional serial killer Freddy Krueger, in the Nightmare on Elm Street film series. He received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors in...
, Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff
Steven Berkoff is an English actor, writer and director. Best known for his performance as General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy, he is typically cast in villanous roles, such as Lt...
, Adele Silva
Adele Silva
Adele Silva is an English actress and television personality who has been on stage and television since she was a young girl. She is best known for playing the role of Kelly Windsor in the television soap opera Emmerdale....
and Billy Murray
Billy Murray
Billy Murray may refer to:* Billy Murray , British actor* Billy Murray , American baseball manager* Billy Murray , Irish American singer* Billy Murray , American boxer-See also:...
.