Clare Margaret Holman (born 12 January 1964) is an English actress. She portrayed forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson in the crime drama series Inspector Morse and its spin-off Lewis from 1995 to 2015.

Clare Holman
Born (1964-01-12) 12 January 1964 (age 60)
London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
(m. 2005; died 2016)

Career

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Holman started her acting career in the 1988 television film The Rainbow based on the novel by D.H. Lawrence, directed by Stuart Burge.

In 1989 she played the part of the school teacher Mary Llewellyn in an adaptation of The Fifteen Streets by Catherine Cookson.

In 1991, she played Iris Bentley, sister to Derek Bentley, played by Christopher Eccleston, in the film Let Him Have It, and in 1992, she voiced Juliet in the Shakespeare: The Animated Tales adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

She played Harper in the Royal National Theatre's production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America in November 1993. In 1995, Holman was cast as Dr Laura Hobson in the crime drama series Inspector Morse, where she continued to play that part until 2000 when the series ended.

Holman was nominated for a 1997 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1996 for her performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. She appeared in three episodes of Midsomer Murders as three different characters. The episodes are entitled Country Matters (2005), Ring Out Your Dead (2002), and The Miniature Murders (2019).

In 2006, Holman reprised her role of Dr Hobson in the series Lewis, which series ended in 2015. She appeared in all 33 episodes.

In 2007, Holman played Wendy the narrator and mother of Michael in the television series Fallen Angel, a story about Rosie Byfield, a clergyman's daughter who grows up to be a psychopathic killer, starring Emilia Fox.

She portrayed Anglo-Irish noblewoman Mabel Bagenal in Brian Friel's play Making History.[1]

In October 2013 she played the role of Liz in the Tricycle Theatre production of the Moira Buffini play Handbagged,[2] and in 2015, Holman appeared in the film Suite Francaise. From April to May 2015, she appeared as Myra Bolton in Doris Lessing's play, Each His Own Wilderness, at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond, London.

Holman has directed six episodes of Doctors in 2010 and two episodes of Holby City in 2012.

Personal life

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Holman was married to director Howard Davies. They married in April 2005 in Stratton, Cornwall, and were together until his death in October 2016. She has stepchildren and stepgrandchildren from her husband's previous marriage. She supports ending violence against girls, contributing to Plan UK, part of the world's biggest campaign for girls' rights.[3]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Rainbow Gudrun Brangwen
1989 The Fifteen Streets Mary Llewellyn
Shalom Salaam Jackie 5 Episodes
Boon Isobel Sheridan 1 Episode
The Woman in Black Stella Kidd
1990 Screen Two Clio / Jenny 2 Episodes
1991 Let Him Have It Iris Bentley
Afraid of the Dark Rose
1992 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales Juliet Voice
1993 Boiling Point Nikki
1994 Tom & Viv Louise Purdon
Paris Sister Annette
1995–2000 Inspector Morse Dr Laura Hobson
1996 Giving Tongue Jessie Fielding MP
The Bill Jane Laker 1 Espisode
Frontiers DI Louise Raynor 6 Episodes
Out of The Blue Barbara Garnham 1 Episode
Soldier Soldier DS Williams 1 Episode
1997–1999 The Lakes Simone Fisher 11 Episodes
1998 Big Women Zoe 3 Episodes
1999 Love in the 21st century Sarah Episode: "Toyboys"
Kid in the Corner Theresa Letts 1 Episode
David Copperfield Rosa Dartle 1 Episode
2000 Ruth Rendell Mysteries Fay Devenish 1 Episode
Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes Helena Petchey Episode: "The Photographer's Chair"
2001 The Innocent Alison Huntley
2002 Silent Witness Theresa Dalton 2 Episodes: "Closed Ranks" (Parts 1 & 2)
2002–2019 Midsomer Murders Fiona Beauvoisin / Rose Southerly / Sue Tutt "The Miniature Murders" (2019), "Country Matters" (2006), "Ring Out Your Dead" (2002)
2003 Island at War Felicity Dorr 6 Episodes
Henry VIII Catherine Parr 2 Episodes, part 2
Agatha Christie: Sparkling Cyanide Alexandra Farraday Episode: "Sparkling Cyanide"
Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness Elizabeth Lukic 1 Episode
2004 Messiah: The Promise Jaine Ellis 2 Episodes
2005 Digital Reaper Mary Daines
2006 Blood Diamond News Reporter #2
Agatha Christie's Marple Miss Packard Episode: "By The Pricking of My Thumbs"
2006–2015 Lewis Dr. Laura Hobson
2006 New Tricks Sgt Beth Coulthard
2007 Fallen Angel Wendy Ellis
2008 The Escort N/A Writer & Director; nominated at the International Film Festival of Wales [4]
2009 Heartbeat Sheena Buckley Episode: "Sweet Sorrow"
2011 Death in Paradise Molly Kerr Episode: "Predicting Murder"
2013 Scott & Bailey Sarah Gallagher 1 Episode
2015 Suite Francaise Marthe
2016 Silent Witness Claudia Baxter 2 Episodes: "River's Edge" (Parts 1 & 2)
Waiting for You Janet
2017 Rellik Rebecca Barker
The Crown Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent Episode: "Mystery Man"
2018 The Little Drummer Girl Miss Bach TV Series, 6 episodes [5]
Only the Lonely N/A Director; short film
2019 Dead Pixels Sylvia Episode: "Betrothal"
MotherFatherSon Colonel Reese TV Mini-Series, 3 Episodes
2019 Agatha Raisin Robin Barley Episode: "The Haunted House"
2020 Cursed Lady Cacher "Bring Us in Good Ale", "The Fey Queen"
2022 Sherwood Helen St. Clair 6 episodes
Treason Mary Angelis Netflix Series, 3 episodes
2023 Vera Annie Laidlore Episode: "The Rising Tide"
2023 The Diplomat (British TV Series) Paula Season 1 Episodes 5 and 6

References

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  1. ^ Morgan, Hiram (August 2007). "Theatre Eye: Playing the earl: Brian Friel's Making History". History Ireland. 15 (4).
  2. ^ Billington, Michael (2 October 2013). "Handbagged – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Who Is Supporting Our Work". planuk.org. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  4. ^ "The Film Festival Guild | IFFW 2010". Film Festival Guild. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  5. ^ Griffiths, Eleanor Bley. "Meet the cast of The Little Drummer Girl". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
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