Pam Ferris
A beloved British actress who imbued both the formidable Miss Trunchbull and the warm Ma Larkin with equal, unforgettable conviction.
Born 1948 (age 78)·German-born Welsh actress·Birthday: May 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pam Ferris possesses the rare ability to be both utterly terrifying and profoundly comforting, often within the same career. Born in Germany to Welsh parents, she found her footing on British stages and television screens. For many, she is defined by two colossal roles: the child-hating headmistress Miss Agatha Trunchbull in the film 'Matilda', a performance of glorious, hammer-throwing menace, and the earthy, life-embracing Ma Larkin in the television series 'The Darling Buds of May'. Her range stretches far beyond these poles, from the no-nonsense Sister Evangelina in 'Call the Midwife' to various shrewd detectives and matriarchs. With a rich, resonant voice and a commanding physical presence, Ferris doesn't just play characters; she inhabits them with a truth that makes them instantly familiar, whether you want to run from them or into their arms.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pam was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Pam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Delivered the iconic screen performance of Miss Trunchbull in Danny DeVito's film adaptation of 'Matilda' (1996).
- Starred as the matriarch Ma Larkin in the hugely popular ITV series 'The Darling Buds of May'.
- Received critical acclaim for her role as Sister Evangelina in the BBC drama 'Call the Midwife'.
- Earned three nominations for Most Popular Actress at the National Television Awards for 'Where the Heart Is'.
Did You Know?
She is married to actor Roger Frost.
She played Aunt Marge in the film 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' (2004).
Before acting, she worked as a nursing assistant.
She is a trained opera singer.
“I'm drawn to characters who are absolutely sure of their own rightness.”
