Glynis Barber is a legendary South african actress formerly known as Glynis van der Riet and born on 25th October 1955. At the age of five, her parents got divorced and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her mid-1980s role of Sgt. Harriet Makepeace in the British police drama Dempsey and Makepeace, where she met her future husband, Michael Brandon.
She studied at the Mount view Academy of Theatre Arts and then been acting since 1978. It was not until 1981 that she had her breakthrough with her role as Soolin in the BBC science fiction television series. She was formerly married to actor Paul Antony-Barber whom she met at drama school, in 1976 but they were divorced in 1979.
READ:Verity Price Biography
On 23 October 2009 it was announced she would play Glenda Mitchell the mother of Ronnie Mitchell, Roxy Mitchell and Danny Mitchell in East Enders after Jill Gascoine withdrew from the role during her first day on set. On 27 February 2011 it was announced that Barber was to leave EastEnders in March 2011.
In January 2017 Barber returned to EastEnders full time as a regular character
Since 1987, Barber has made frequent appearances in plays, films and television series. She also starred in the LWT drama series Night and Day as Fiona Brake. In 2006, she joined the cast of ITV soap, Emmerdale, playing the character of DCI Grace Barraclough, investigating the death of Tom King on Christmas Day. She exited the soap in September 2007, when her character was killed.
In September 2013 she appeared in the ITV dancing show Stepping Out with husband Michael Brandon.
If You Love Stories and Facts, Join this Whatsapp Channel
Her stage work has included Macbeth, Killing Time with Dennis Waterman, Grant, Make Me a Match and The Graduate to mention but a few.
Barber played Carole King’s mother, Genie Klein, in the West End production of ‘Beautiful – The Carole King Musical’ from opening at The Aldwych Theatre on 24 February 2015 until 28 November 2015
More recently Barber has appeared as Anthea Davis in “On the Nose”(2001) along with Dan Aykroyd and Robbie Coltrane.
Barber married her Dempsey and Makepeace co-star Michael Brandon on 18th November 1989 and they have a son together.
