Patricia Quinn
Quinn in 2016
Born (1944-05-28) 28 May 1944
NationalityBritish
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1971–present
Known for
Spouses
Don Hawkins
(m. 1963; div. 1975)
    (m. 1995; died 1995)
    Children1
    FamilyJonny and Bradley Quinn (nephews)
    Websitepatriciaquinn.co.uk

    Patricia Quinn, Lady Stephens (born 28 May 1944) is a British actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Magenta in the 1975 musical comedy horror film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the original stage play from which it was adapted. She appeared as Dr. Nation McKinley in the 1981 musical film Shock Treatment. In 2012, Quinn played the role of Megan in the horror film The Lords of Salem.

    Early life

    Quinn was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to James Connolly Quinn, a bookmaker, and his wife Rebecca.[1] She attended the Princess Gardens Grammar School, where she developed an early talent for acting. Following stints at Belfast's Arts Theatre and British Drama League, she left for London aged 17. In 1969, she trained at the Drama Centre London while simultaneously working as a blackjack-dealing Bunny at the Playboy Club in Mayfair. In 1971, she was in repertory for six months with the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow.

    Career

    Quinn is known primarily for her role as Magenta in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). In the film's opening title sequence, the movements of her disembodied lips are synchronised with the lyrics of the title song, "Science Fiction/Double Feature" (the singing voice is that of scriptwriter and actor Richard O'Brien).

    She played Elizabeth Siddal in the 1975 mini series The Love School. In I, Claudius (1976), she took the role of the Emperor Claudius' sister Livilla. She also played Isla in The Professionals episode "Look After Annie" in 1978. Her other film and TV roles include the semi-sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Shock Treatment. She played "Woman" in Hawk the Slayer (1980). She appeared in the Hammer House of Horror episode "Witching Time" as Lucinda Jessop (1981), Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983), and the 1987 Doctor Who serial Dragonfire. Her latest film credit is Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem (2012).

    In 2000, Quinn recorded the song "Guts To Dream" with London-based band The Grand. The song was due to form part of an EP titled Open Displays of Affection, but the group had disbanded before it was released. Quinn gave a copy of the unreleased CD to the winner of a Magenta costume contest at the Rocky Horror Picture Show 25th Anniversary Convention in Las Vegas.

    In 2002, she returned to Doctor Who, playing an alien queen in the audio play Bang-Bang-a-Boom!. In September 2006, she relaunched her career as a DJ and club kitten, hosting the monthly "Club Myra" night at various venues in Central London. In April 2007, she joined Patrick Wolf at a concert in London, singing "Accident and Emergency".

    In October 2008, Quinn made a guest appearance in a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in New York City, participating in a question-and-answer session as well as unexpectedly performing "Science Fiction/Double Feature". She attended a Rocky Horror Picture Show convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey in July 2011, answering questions as well as introducing a performance of the show, staged at the House of Blues.

    In May 2013, she served as the honorary Master of Ceremonies for a Rocky Horror Picture Show performance at the Dallas based Texas Frightmare Weekend horror convention.[2] That same month, she was the guest of honour at a "40th Anniversary Tribute Concert" to the original Rocky Horror Show stage production, hosted at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco, California by local drag celebrity Peaches Christ. During the tribute conference, Quinn performed "Science Fiction/Double Feature", answered questions on stage with Christ, and signed autographs for the audience.

    Personal life

    Quinn has a son, Quinn Hawkins, from her first marriage, to Don Hawkins. Her nephews are Jonny Quinn and Bradley Quinn, Jonny is the drummer of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol, and Bradley the photographer.[3]

    In January 1995, Quinn married the actor Sir Robert Stephens, who died in November that year. Quinn thus became the stepmother of Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, Stephens' two actor sons from his previous marriage to Maggie Smith. Quinn had previously appeared alongside Sir Robert in the BBC TV adaptation of The Box of Delights (1984) in the role of Sylvia Daisy Pouncer, and had played his on-screen wife in the serial Fortunes of War (1987). The elder Stephens had been knighted prior to his death, giving Quinn the title of Lady Stephens.

    Filmography

    Film

    Year Film Role Notes
    1972 Up the Front Magda
    1972 Rentadick Chauffeuse
    1972 The Alf Garnett Saga Jim's girlfriend
    1974 Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall Second girl at dance
    1975 The Rocky Horror Picture Show Magenta
    1976 Sebastiane Emperor's guest Uncredited
    1977 A Christmas Carol Ghost of Christmas Past Television film
    1978 Clouds of Glory: William and Dorothy Annette Vallo Television film
    1980 The Outsider Siobhan
    1981 Hawk the Slayer Woman, Sorceress
    1981 Shock Treatment Dr. Nation McKinley
    1983 Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Mrs. Williams
    1995 England, My England Elizabeth Purcell
    2010 Your Number's Up Short film
    2010 Tamara Drewe Posh hippy
    2011 Mary Horror Madam Ruth
    2012 The Lords of Salem Megan
    2013 Yurei No Henka Godmother Short film

    Television

    Year Title Role Notes
    1969 Parkin's Patch Sylvia Episode: "Dead or Alive?"
    1972 Van der Valk Yvonne Episode: "Destroying Angel"
    1972 Villains Dorothy Episode: "Grass"
    1972 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Cynthia Episode: "Ted"
    1972 The Fenn Street Gang Rona Episode: "The Left Hand Path"
    1973 Armchair Theatre Maggie Episode: "That Sinking Feeling"
    1974 Shoulder to Shoulder Christabel Pankhurst 6 episodes
    1975 The Love School Lizzie Siddall 3 episodes
    1976 I, Claudius Livilla 4 episodes
    1977 Leap in the Dark Rosalind Toynbee Episode: "Parlour Games"
    1978 The Professionals Isla Episode: "Look After Annie"
    1978 ITV Sunday Night Drama Annette Vallo Episode: "Clouds of Glory: William and Dorothy"
    1980 Tales of the Unexpected Phyl Tinker Episode: "The Stinker"
    1980 Fox Liz 2 episodes
    1980 Hammer House of Horror Lucinda Jessop Episode: "Witching Time"
    1982 Minder Monica Episode: "Rembrandt Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
    1983 Good Behaviour Rose 2 episodes
    1984 The Box of Delights Sylvia Daisy Pouncer 4 episodes
    1986 Lost Empires Doris Tingley 2 episodes
    1987 Fortunes of War Mona Castlebar 2 episodes
    1987 Doctor Who Belazs 2 episodes: "Dragonfire"
    1988 Bergerac Dolly Hayward Episode: "Crossed Swords"
    1991 The Bill Susan White Episode: "Downtime"
    1992 Screenplay Margot Episode: "The Countess Alice"

    References

    1. "Biography - Patricia Quinn". patriciaquinn.co.uk.
    2. Video on YouTube
    3. "News—August 7, 2006". patriciaquinn.co.uk. 7 August 2006. Archived from the original on 17 June 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
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