Judith Catherine Buxton (born 7 October 1949) is an English actress best known for playing Nurse Katy Shaw in General Hospital (1972–1973), Susan Protheroe in By the Sword Divided (1983–1985) and Ruth Carpenter in On the Up (1990–1992). She has also appeared in several films including Aces High (1976) and The Big Sleep (1978) as well as having an extensive stage career with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Judy Buxton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Judith Catherine Buxton (1949-10-07) 7 October 1949 (age 73) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1972–present |
| Spouse | Jeffrey Holland (m. 2004) |
| Website | https://www.judybuxton.co.uk/ |
Born in Croydon, Surrey, Buxton attended Croydon High School and graduated from the Rose Bruford College.
Making her screen debut in an episode of Dixon of Dock Green in 1972, Buxton then went on to have a regular role in the television series General Hospital playing nurse Katy Shaw in twenty six episodes. After this, Buxton had roles in several popular television series such as The Sweeney, Public Eye and Get Some In! before appearing in two episodes of Rising Damp as Caroline Armitage and played Inga, Roj Blake's cousin, in Blake's 7. Buxton made her film debut in the horror film I Don't Want to Be Born with Joan Collins in 1975 before she appeared in the comedy films The Likely Lads and The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones (both 1976). After starring in high-profile films such as Aces High (1976) and The Big Sleep (1978), Buxton joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1979, where she played principal roles until 1982. Her “memorable...and exceptional” performance of Iphigenia in The Greeks and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet were particularly notable.[3] Time magazine critic T.E. Kalem wrote of her “unforgettable” portrayal of Iphigenia: “...as Buxton reaches the heartbreaking conclusion that the one life she has to give for Hellas is the noblest life to have lived, she radiates a great and unforgettable purity of spirit.”
Returning to television in 1983, Buxton played the main role of Susan Protheroe in By The Sword Divided until the show's end in 1985 before having roles in Bergerac and Lovejoy and playing Ruth Carpenter, a main role, in the television comedy On the Up from 1990 to 1992 alongside Dennis Waterman and Joan Sims. In the late 1980s, Buxton went onto narrate a few My Little Pony book and tape sets from Tempo Talking Stories. In 1998, Buxton had a role in the romantic comedy film Get Real. In 2006 she was in the cast of a well-received UK touring production of Noël Coward's Star Quality.
Buxton is married to Jeffrey Holland, best known as Spike in Hi-de-Hi!.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | I Don't Want to Be Born | Sheila | |
| 1976 | The Likely Lads | Iris | |
| The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones | Lizzie | ||
| Aces High | French Girl | ||
| 1978 | The Big Sleep | Cheval Club Receptionist | |
| 1998 | Get Real | John's Mother | |
| 2012 | Run for Your Wife | Gym Class Lady | Cameo |
| 2015 | Art Ache | Stella Pullman | |
| 2016 | The National Union of Space People | Janet Darling |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Dixon of Dock Green | Anne | Episode: "The Specialist" |
| 1972–1973 | General Hospital | Student Nurse Katy Shaw | 26 episodes |
| 1974 | A Little Bit of Wisdom | Nurse Abbott | Episode: "And I Mean That Most Sincerely" |
| 1974 | Hunter's Walk | Claire Briggs | Episode: "Witness" |
| 1974 | Justice | Lennie Maxwell | Episode: "Point of Death" |
| 1975 | Public Eye | Janet Harper | Episode: "Nobody Wants to Know" |
| 1976 | Angels | Pam Baxter | Episode: "Round the Clock" |
| 1977 | Headmaster | Clerk of Court | Episode: "Stephen" |
| 1977 | Seven Faces of Woman | Maria | Episode: "She: A Girl in Gold Shoes" |
| 1977 | Rising Damp | Caroline Armitage | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | Get Some In! | Nurse | Episode: "Crash Exercise" |
| 1978 | Wilde Alliance | Camilla | Episode: "A Question of Research" |
| 1978 | The Sweeney | Salesgirl | Episode: "Bait" |
| 1978 | Wodehouse Playhouse | Lady Millicent Shipton-Bellinger | Episode: "The Smile That Wins" |
| 1979 | ITV Playhouse | Sandra | Episode: "The Quiz Kid" |
| 1979 | Blake's 7 | Inga | Episode: "Hostage" |
| 1979 | How's Your Father? | Mavis Wilcox | Episode: "Trouble with Shirley" |
| 1979 | Chalk and Cheese | Miss Foster | Episode: "Sit Vac" |
| 1979 | Diary of a Nobody | Daisy Mutlar | 2 episodes |
| 1983 | Storyboard | Margot | Episode: "Secrets" |
| 1983–1985 | By the Sword Divided | Susan Protheroe | 12 episodes |
| 1986 | Chance in a Million | Joanna | Episode: "Naming the Day" |
| 1987 | Bergerac | Lady Hamer | Episode: "S.P.A.R.T.A." |
| 1990–1992 | On the Up | Ruth Carpenter | 15 episodes |
| 1991 | Lovejoy | Deborah Wyler | Episode: "One Born Every Minute" |
| 1997 | Next of Kin | Angela | Episode: "The Club Mistress" |
| 1998 | Close Relations | Mrs. Wilson | Episode: #1.5 |
| 2021 | Barmy Dale | Mildred Wilkins | Episode: "Death of a Mailman" |
| 2021 | Simply Ken | Alice | TV pilot; Post-production |