Hilary Mason

Hilary Lavender Mason (4 September 1917 – 5 September 2006) was a distinguished English character actress whose career spanned nearly six decades, from the late 1940s to the early 2000s. Born in Birmingham, United Kingdom, she honed her craft at the London School of Dramatic Art before embarking on a demanding repertory theatre circuit that took her to stages across Britain. Her early stage work laid a solid foundation for a prolific television career, during which she became a familiar face on such landmark series as Z‑Cars, Dixon of Dock Green and Ripping Yarns. Mason gained international recognition for her haunting portrayal of the blind psychic Heather in Nicolas Roeg’s 1973 thriller Don’t Look Now, a role that showcased her ability to convey deep emotional nuance with subtlety. In 1972 she headlined the ten‑part BBC series Mistress of Hardwick, embodying the formidable Bess of Hardwick, although most episodes are now lost to history. She also delivered memorable performances in the pilot of ITV’s acclaimed drama Minder (“Gunfight at the O.K. Laundrette”) and in the BBC adaptation of The Moving Finger as Emily Barton. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Mason remained a versatile presence on British screens, appearing as Mrs Gummidge in the BBC’s David Copperfield (1986), as Mrs Unwin in Juliet Bravo, and as the matronly hostage in the Minder pilot. She found a new audience with younger viewers as Gladys in the children’s series Maid Marian and her Merry Men and later as a gentle figure in the educational programme Aquila. In her personal life she married fellow actor Roger Ostime in 1955, a partnership that endured until her death. Mason passed away on 5 September 2006 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, aged 89, leaving behind a legacy of diverse roles that illustrated the breadth of British television acting. Her dedication to her craft, combined with a distinctive screen presence, ensures that she is remembered as one of the most reliable and compelling supporting actresses of her generation.