Petronella Barker

Petronella Barker (born 12 October 1942) is a British actress.

Life The daughter of the comedy actor Eric Barker and the actress Pearl Hackney, she grew up in the village of Stalisfield, Kent, and was educated at Ashford School.

Barker trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1960 to 1963, In 1964 she joined the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre for three plays: Inadmissible Evidence (understudy), Julius Caesar (crowd and understudy), and Cuckoo in the Nest, in which she played Rawlins. During four seasons with the National Theatre Company at the Old Vic Theatre between 1964 and 1968 she appeared in: Hobson's Choice (as Ada Figgins), Mother Courage and Her Children (Yvette), A Flea in her Ear (Eugenie), The Storm (Glasha), The Dance of Death (Jenny), Othello (Crowd), Juno and the Paycock (Neighbour), The Crucible (Mercy Lewis), Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Courtier and Attendant), and Volpone (Androgyno). She played Miss Prue in William Congreve's play Love for Love at the Old Vic Theatre with Laurence Olivier, directed by Peter Wood.

On 2 September 1966, at St Mary's, Stalisfield, Barker married actor Anthony Hopkins. Together, they have one daughter, Abigail Hopkins (born 1968). The couple were divorced in the High Court, London, in 1972.

Selected filmography

1987: The Bretts (TV series) — "All Right on the Night" – Miss Brownlie 1983: Dramarama (TV series) — "Mighty Mum and the Petnappers" – Godmother 1981: Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore (TV series) — Episode #1.4 – Nanny 1981: Jackanory Playhouse (TV series) — "The Toy Princess" – Lady-in-waiting 1978: Armchair Thriller (TV series) — A Dog's Ransom: Part 5 – Gillian 1976: The Molly Wopsies (TV series) — "The Initiation" – Gypsy woman 1975: Moody and Pegg (TV series) — "Roland's Ladies" – Miss Thompkins 1975: Armchair Cinema (TV series) — "In Sickness and in Health" – The District Nurse 1975: Within These Walls (TV series) — "Playground" – Joan Dunn 1973: A Pin to See the Peepshow (TV series) — Anne Ackroyd (all episodes) 1972–1973: Z-Cars (TV series) — Angela (2 episodes) / Pat Mason (1 episode) 1972: The Fenn Street Gang (TV series) — "The Loneliest Night of the Week" – Waitress 1972: It's Murder But Is It Art? (TV series) — Fanny Templer 1971: The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (TV series) — Miss Parrot (2 episodes) 1971: Budgie (TV series) — "And in Again" – Traffic Warden 1971: The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (TV series) — "The Fatal Engagement" – Miss Trottington-Fox 1970: The Mating Machine (TV series) — "Ada's Last Chance" – Miss Jones 1970: Germinal (TV mini-series) — Cécile (2 episodes) 1967: A Flea in Her Ear (TV movie) — Eugénie 1965: Othello — Company 1964: Call the Gun Expert (TV series) — "The Green Bicycle Case – 1919" – Bella Wright 1964: Detective (TV series) – "Trent's Last Case" (1964) — Celestine