Deborah Makepeace (1 November 1957 – 2 February 1999) was a British television, theatre, and voiceover actress.

Deborah Makepeace
Portrait of Deborah Makepeace, circa 1975
Born(1957-11-01)1 November 1957
Died2 February 1999(1999-02-02) (aged 41–42)
Bromley, Kent, England
Resting placeHailsham Cemetery (Hailsham, England)
Other namesCynthia Meade
EducationElmhurst Ballet School
Occupations
  • Television actress
  • theater actress
  • voiceover actress
Years active
  • 1973-1995
Known for

Biography

edit

Prior to her acting career, she originally aspired to become a ballerina and trained at Elmhurst Ballet School in Surrey. Before to her breakout in 1973, she also auditioned for the film Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) as one of the Grand Duchesses, as well as the title role of Alice in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972).

At 14, Makepeace's debut role was as Sara Crewe in the BBC television remake of A Little Princess (1973). She was selected out of over 200 girls for this part, which was originally played by Shirley Temple in 1939. The following year she landed a minor role playing the younger Janet Suzman as Florence Nightingale in the television film Miss Nightingale (1974), which was followed by the leading role in the BBC six-part children's adventure series, The Chinese Puzzle (1974).

By 1975, she was starring in bit parts and reoccurring roles in various television productions. She played Nigel Davenport’s daughter on an adaptation of the 1928 play The Apple Cart for BBC Play of the Month, which also starred a young Helen Mirren. Makepeace also landed a reoccurring role as a student nurse on the hit BBC television series, Angels. She then appeared as Princess Helena of the United Kingdom in three episodes of the Emmy and BAFTA winning ATV costume drama series, Edward the Seventh (1975). Other television credits include Just William (1977), Penmarric (1979), Byron: A Personal Tour (1981), and Sorry (1987).

She appeared in rep at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in the 1978 season. [1] She had roles in The Tempest, While the Sun Shines and The Chalk Garden. In 1984, she received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Bianca in a stage production of The Taming of the Shrew.

Makepeace made her voice acting debut in 1993 for the English dub of the anime The Heroic Legend of Arislan as Elam. She would also provide voices for the English dub of Rumic World: Fire Tripper, where she provided the voice of Suzuko (credited as Cynthia Meade), and the English dub of Seiden RG Vega, which would ultimately be her final known credit.

She died from cancer on 2 February 1999. Her funeral services were held on Friday February 11, 1999 at South London Crematorium, and she was interred in Hailsham Cemetery in Hailsham, Wealden District, East Sussex, England.

Filmography

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1973 A Little Princess Sara Crewe 6 episodes
1974 Miss Nightingale Florence Nightingale (as a child) Television movie
1974 The Chinese Puzzle Allison Frazer 6 episodes
1975 BBC Play of the Month Princess Royal Alice Series 10, Episode 5: The Apple Cart
1975 Edward The King Princess Helena 4 episodes
1975-76 Angels Lynn Gale 3 episodes
1977 Just William Peggy Barton 1 episode
1978 Jackanory Playhouse Lilli-Tsee 1 episode
1979 Penmarric Isabella Clay 1 episode
1981 Byron: A Personal Tour Claire Clairmont Television movie
1986 Rumica World: Fire Tripper Suzuko English dub, credited as Cynthia Meade
1987 Sorry! Martha 1 episode
1990 Theater Night Chorus of women from Chalics 1 episode
1990 The Heroic Legend of Arislan Elam Manga UK Dub, 1 episode
1992 Seiden RG Veda Ashura English dub

Theatre roles

edit
Year Title Role Theater
1976 Peter Shaffer’s Equus Unknown West End National Theatre
1977 Murder Excluded Unknown Adeline Genne Theatre
1977 Peter Pan Wendy Darling West End National Theatre
1977 The Merchant of Venice Jessica St. George's Theatre
1978 While the Sun Shines Lady Elizabeth Randall Eden Court Theater/Pitlochry Festival Theatre
1978 Know Your Own Mind Lady Belle Pitlochry Festival Theatre
1978 The Tempest Goddess Pitlochry Festival Theatre
1979 The Chalk Garden Laurel West End National Theatre
1979 The Caucasian Chalk Circle Unknown Pitlochry Festival Theatre
1980 A Normal Man Unknown Traverse Theatre Company
1984 Taming of The Shrew Bianca St. George's Theatre
1985 Henry IV Lady Percy St. George's Theatre
1990-91 Twelfth Night First Gentlewoman The Peter Hall Company
1992-93 An Ideal Husband Lady Basildon Theatre Royal
edit