13.07.02: Dame Judi Dench is Honoured as Freeman
Dame Judi, who won a 1999 Oscar for her portrayal of Elizabeth I in the international hit Shakespeare in Love, was made an Honorary Freeman of the city in a 20 minute ceremony, followed by a celebration lunch.
Dame Judi, originally from Heworth, was voted York's 'living great' of the Millennium by the people of York in 1999. And in one recent national one poll she was voted as one of the country's most popular women - second only to the Queen.
Highly-accomplished Dame Judi, who was made an OBE in 1970 and then a DBE in 1988, has spent her career picking up British and international awards for her performances on stage, film and the small screen. She is also a highly-rated and narrator.
Dame Judi is one of the country's leading figures in the stage but the versatile actor also has a string of television and cinema hits to her credit including the films A Room With a View, Mrs Brown, Chocolat and this year's The Shipping News. She has also played the role of spy boss 'M' in the last three James Bond movies - her link to fellow Honorary Freeman of York, Dr John Barry, who has composed much of the Bond music over the 40-year series.
Dame Judi was joined by a group of family and friends from York and across the county at today's short ceremony. She was also joined by the city's civic party, led by Lord Mayor of York Councillor David Horton, senior council officials and members of City of York Council.
Dame Judi, has been honoured after being nominated by Peter Stanhope, himself a Freeman of the city. During today's ceremony, David Atkinson, town clerk for York and the council's chief executive, administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Freeman's Oath to Dame Judi.
Then Dame Judi was presented with a specially-designed vellum scroll by Lord Mayor Councillor Horton, confirming the actor's status as Honorary Freeman.
Dame Judi told her latest audience, "I'm delighted to be here today among so many friends for this very special occasion and I feel very honoured to have been given the Freedom of the City. I don't get to York as often as I would like, in spite of having family here, but it is very much my home.
"I would like to thank the Lord Mayor and the council and everyone involved in arranging this happy occasion - and I would also like to thank Peter Stanhope for instigating this honour for Dr. John Barry and for me, and for his perseverance." Lord Mayor of York Councillor David Horton said, "I am privileged on behalf of City of York Council to have been allowed to present to Dame Judi Dench the Honorary Freedom of the City of York.
"I know full well the high regard in which Dame Judi is held by the citizens of York. This is an honour richly deserved by an artist who commands both nationally and internationally the greatest respect for her talent." City of York Council agreed to honour Dame Judi Dench, Mr Barry and local Civic Trust activist John Shannon with Honorary Freemen status at a meeting of the full council in November.
Mr Shannon CBE, received his Honorary Freeman award in a special Mansion House ceremony on March 27 and Dr Barry received his award at the Assembly Rooms last month.
The rarely-made honours, given only to those who have served the city with distinction or to those with very notable links to York, are the first since The Duchess of Kent was admitted on April 22, 1989.
END
Judi Dench - A Biography
Judith Olivia Dench was born in York, on December 9, 1934 into a family of amateur actors including parents, Dr. Reginald and Olave Dench and brothers Peter and Jeffery.
Dame Judi was educated at the Mount School where she appeared in several school productions. Her professional debut came in York in 1957 as the Virgin Mary in the York Mystery Plays.
After a brief fling with theatre design she applied to London's Central School of Speech and Drama, leaving as a prize-winning student and embarking on a career of rare accomplishment spanning the theatre, cinema and small screen and including accolades as a producer and director as well as an actor.
Her stage work has encompassed most of Shakespeare's leading ladies - as well as many major roles in modern theatre - and she has toured the world with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
And on the small screen the multi-winning BAFTA actor famously teamed up with her late husband Michael Williams for the hit comedy A Fine Romance and has just begun a new series of the popular BBC comedy As Time Goes By. Her film career includes her Oscar-nominated portrayal of Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown" followed by the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love. Further nominations, for Chocolat and Iris - for which she BAFTA Best Actress - followed that.
Major Awards include: 1966 Bafta - Four in the Morning 1970 OBE 1977 Olivier - Macbeth 1980 Olivier - Juno and the Paycock 1983 Olivier - Pack of Lies 1985 Bafta - A Fine Romance 1985 Bafta (best supporting actress) A Room With A View 1987 Bafta (best supporting actress) - A Handful Of Dust 1988 DBE 1988 Olivier - Anthony and Cleopatra 1996 Olivier - Absolute Hell 1996 Olivier - A Little Night Music 1998 Scottish Bafta - Mrs Brown 1998 Golden Globe - Mrs Brown 1998 Bafta - Mrs Brown 1998 Oscar Nom - Mrs Brown 1999 Bafta - Shakespeare in Love 1999 Oscar - Shakespeare in Love 1999 Tony - Amy's View 1999 Variety UK Entertainment Person of Year 2000 York Millennium Person 2000 University of Anglia Honorary Degree 2001 Golden Globe Award - Last of the Blond Bombshells 2001 Oscar Nom - Chocolat 2001 Bafta TV - Last of the Blond Bombshells 2001 Bafta Fellowship Award 2002 Bafta - Iris 2002 Oscar Nom - Iris 2002 Variety Club's Best Actress Award 2002 London Film Critics' Circle - Best British Actress
Academic awards include: Oxford Univ Honorary Degree, Univ of Wales Honorary Degree, QMU Honorary Degree, Univ of Hull Honorary Degree, Honorary Doctor of Letters, Univ of York, Honorary Doctor of Letters, Warwick Univ
