Q&A With Jan Harvey

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photo Credit by Rocco Redondo

Jan Harvey is a British actress. She is known for her roles as jan Howard in “Howards’ Way”, Jan in “Bugs” and Babs Woods in “Family Affairs”. She played the role of Annie in “Calendar Girls” and toured The UK for more than two years. Jan Harvey appeared as Margaret Midhurst in “EastEnders” and guest-starred in “A Touch of Frost”, “Inspector Morse”, “New Tricks” and “Lovejoy”.

KB: Did you always want to be an actress growing up?

Did I always want to be an actress? Not at all. I was brought up in Penzance which is in the south-west tip of Cornwall, not far from Land’s End. It was a wonderful place to spend my childhood by the sea, but the nearest professional theatre was 120 miles away. However, my parents were both enthusiastic amateurs and performed locally in both plays and opera, so I was very used to seeing them in full make up and dressed up as someone else. I guess I caught the bug to perform from them.

KB: What was your first real acting role in front of an audience or camera?

My first real acting role was at the Minack Theatre which is a magical amphitheatre hewn into the rocks at Porthcurno with the ocean as its backdrop. I danced in two Shakespearean production there before taking on the role of Loreleen in Sean O’Casey’s “Cock O’ Doodle Dandy”. I was 17, very naive and totally ill equipped to play this very sexy siren!!!

For my three years in Cambridge, I spent most of my time working on student productions playing Desdemona and Ophelia amongst many. And then, with my teaching qualification, for the next two years I appeased my Mother’s fear that I would starve as an actor, before beginning my career first in Theatre in Education and then with various stints in rep.

My first television role was in ‘Sam’ the hard hitting Granada production about life in a Yorkshire mining town. I joined for the third series which was set in the 1960’s playing a first generation graduate with ideas that rocked the status quo. It had a wonderful cast of brilliant and generous actors who helped me enormously and to whom I shall always be grateful.

KB: Jan Howard in “Howards’ Way”: How did you get this part and what is your fondest memory of being part of the show?

I love working in television series – the cast & crew become your family, and this was certainly true of “Howards’ Way”. I had just finished working on another series for BBC 2 and Jonathan Powell, the producer of that, suggested me to Gerry Glaister. The interview was very short and sweet – I left with the first two episodes under my arm. There followed six happy years and it was a joy to work on something so loved by the public. Even today I am stopped by people who remember HW with great affection as do I .

KB: Annie in “Calendar Girls”: How did you get this part and what attracted you to it?

Work in the theatre has always been important to me as I believe this is where you have a chance to experiment and grow. I was extremely fortunate to have been offered the role of Annie in “Calendar Girls” in my twilight years. Lynda Bellingham and I had been friends since we both started acting and it was a great experience to work with her, building the relationship between our characters. The play has an extraordinary power to communicate and unlock the emotions of everyone who sees it. It was a very real and different journey that the cast and audience went on every night. Touring “Calendar Girls” was my life for over two years and I started every performance with excitement and anticipation of what the night would bring. It is a rare thing.

KB: Are there people you would love to collaborate with or you wished you had?

There are so many people I would have loved to have worked with. We are blessed in the UK to have so many brilliant writers actors, directors, musicians, camera and lighting, make up & wardrobe, technicians – thankfully the list is long and deep. I have been very lucky in my career to have worked with some of them, and it seems extraordinary that over fifty years in this business has gone by in a flash.

KB: What are you currently up to?

I am grateful to have been able to pursue a profession that I adore, and I can honestly say that I have never worked a day in my life.

For more information about Jan, check her out on IMDB: HERE

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