Penelope Keith – a life in pictures

Penelope Anne Constance Hatfield was born in Sutton, Surrey on 2 April 1940. She adopted her stepfather’s surname, started in repertory theatre and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963Photograph: PAShare

Penelope Keith’s first work in television was in the army conscripts comedy series The Army Game in 1961, pictured here with Dick Emery who played Private Chubby’ Catchpole

Keith’s first work in television was in the army conscripts comedy The Army Game in 1961. She is pictured here with Dick Emery, who played Private Chubby CatchpolePhotograph: ITV/REX/ShutterstockShare

Nyree Dawn Porter and Penelope Keith in The Liars in 1966

With Nyree Dawn Porter in The Liars, 1966Photograph: ITV/REX/ShutterstockShare

Felicity Kendal, Richard Briers, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington in The Good Life.

With Felicity Kendal, Richard Briers and Paul Eddington in The Good Life. The hugely popular television show ran from 1975-78Photograph: Yorkshire Television/AllstarShare

Penelope Keith after being named Show Business Personality of 1976 by the Variety Club of Great Britain with John Inman who was chosen as joint BBC TV Personality for the series Are You Being Served on 8 February 1977

Keith after being named Show Business Personality of 1976 by the Variety Club of Great Britain with John Inman who was chosen as joint BBC TV Personality for the series Are You Being Served? Photograph: PAShare

Penelope Keith as Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life in an episode broadcast in 1977. Her performances as the snobbish social climber earned Keith the Bafta for best light entertainment performance

Keith as Margo Leadbetter in The Good Life, 1977. Her performances as the snobbish social climber earned her the Bafta for best light entertainment performancePhotograph: BBCShare

Penelope Keith and Tom Conti in the 1977 television mini-series The Norman Conquest

Keith with Tom Conti in the 1977 television miniseries The Norman Conquests. Keith won her second Bafta award, this time for best actressPhotograph: Fremantle Media/REX/ShutterstockShare

Penelope Keith appears with Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise in the Cyrano De Bergerac sketch on The Morecambe and Wise Show on 5 December 1977

Keith with Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise in the Cyrano de Bergerac sketch on The Morecambe and Wise Show in 1977Photograph: Mirrorpix/AlamyShare

Penelope Keith photographed on 30 December 1977

Keith in December 1977Photograph: Mike Hollist/ANL/REX/ShutterstockShare

Queen Elizabeth II chats with Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith on a visit to the set of The Good Life on set on 8 June 1978

Queen Elizabeth II chats with Keith and Paul Eddington on a visit to the set of The Good Life on 8 June 1978Photograph: Mirrorpix/AlamyShare

Penelope Keith with her new husband Detective Constable Rodney Timpson at Heathrow Airport. As they were about to leave for New York, after their wedding at Wandsworth Town Hall, the newlyweds had their flight cancelled because of snow at New York airport, 6th February 1978

Keith with her husband Detective Constable Rodney Timpson at Heathrow Airport in February 1978. As they were about to leave for their honeymoon in New York, the newlyweds had their flight cancelled because of snowPhotograph: Crawshaw/Mirrorpix/Getty ImagesShare

Penelope Keith and Ian Ogilvy during the dress rehearsal for Shaw’s, The Millionairess at the Haymarket Theatre, London, in November 1978

Keith and Ian Ogilvy during the dress rehearsal for Shaw’s The Millionairess at the Haymarket Theatre, London, in November 1978Photograph: Steve Burton/Keystone/Getty ImagesShare

Penelope Keith played aristocratic Audrey fforbes-Hamilton alongside Peter Bowles’ nouveau riche supermarket owner Richard De Vere in To the Manor Born.

Keith played aristocratic Audrey fforbes-Hamilton alongside Peter Bowles’ nouveau riche supermarket owner Richard De Vere in To the Manor Born. The comedy show ran from 1979-1981 then was rebooted for one series in 2007Photograph: Rex FeaturesShare

Penelope Keith and Geoffrey Palmer in the television comedy series Executive Stress, 1986-88

With Geoffrey Palmer in the comedy series Executive Stress, 1986-88Photograph: Fremantle Media/REX/ShutterstockShare

Penelope Keith and David Yelland in The Deep Blue Sea at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, on 24 May 1988

With David Yelland in The Deep Blue Sea at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, on 24 May 1988Photograph: Jenny Goodall/ANL/REX/ShutterstockShare

Penelope Keith as newly-elected Labour Party Member of Parliament, Jean Price, in No Job For a Lady.

Keith as newly-elected Labour MP Jean Price in No Job for a Lady. The television series ran from 1990-92Photograph: Fremantle Media/REX/ShutterstockShare

Penelope Keith photographed in December 1993

Keith photographed in December 1993Photograph: Jane Bown/The ObserverShare

Penelope Keith with Joanna Lumley in the 1998 wartime romantic drama, Coming Home

With Joanna Lumley in the 1998 wartime romantic drama, Coming HomePhotograph: ITV/REX/ShutterstockShare

Penelope Keith and June Brown in the 2003 TV movie Margery and Gladys

With June Brown in the 2003 TV movie Margery and GladysPhotograph: ITV/REX/ShutterstockShare

Keith as Madame Arcati with Amanda Drew as Elvira Condomine in Blithe Spirit at the Savoy Theatre, London, November 2004Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The GuardianShare

Keith with Harry Haden-Paton and Daisy Haggard in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Vaudeville Theatre in London on 25 January 2008Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PAShare

Penelope Keith as Mrs Malaprop and Peter Bowles as Sir Anthony Absolute in The Rivals at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, directed by Peter Hall in November 2010

As Mrs Malaprop with Peter Bowles as Sir Anthony Absolute in The Rivals at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, directed by Peter Hall, in November 2010Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The GuardianShare

Dame Penelope Keith after she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to the Arts and to charity during an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on 7 March 2014

Keith after she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to the arts and to charity at Windsor Castle on 7 March 2014Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Archive/PA ImagesShare

Penelope Keith as Mrs St Maugham and Emma Curtis as Laurel in Enid Bagnold’s The Chalk Garden at Chichester Festival Theatre on 30 May 2018

Keith as Mrs St Maugham and Emma Curtis as Laurel in Enid Bagnold’s The Chalk Garden at Chichester Festival Theatre on 30 May 2018Photograph: Robbie Jack/Corbis/Getty ImagesShare