MT
Margaret Thatcher
Actor
Born October 13, 1925Died April 8, 2013 (87 years)
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, DStJ, PC, FRS, HonFRSC (née Roberts; 13 October 1925 – 8 April 2013) was a British stateswoman and Conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century and the first woman to hold the position. As prime minister, she implemented economic policies known as Thatcherism. A Soviet journalist dubbed her the "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style.
Thatcher studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and worked briefly as a research chemist before becoming a barrister. She was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959. Edward Heath appointed her secretary of state for education and science in his 1970–1974 government. In 1975, she defeated Heath in the Conservative Party leadership election to become leader of the opposition, the first woman to lead a major political party in the UK.
On becoming prime minister after winning the 1979 general election, Thatcher introduced a series of economic policies intended to reverse high inflation and Britain's struggles in the wake of the Winter of Discontent and an oncoming recession. Her political philosophy and economic policies emphasised greater individual liberty, the privatisation of state-owned companies, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. Her popularity in her first years in office waned amid recession and rising unemployment. Victory in the 1982 Falklands War and the recovering economy brought a resurgence of support, resulting in her landslide re-election in 1983. She survived an assassination attempt by the Provisional IRA in the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing and achieved a political victory against the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1984–85 miners' strike. In 1986, Thatcher oversaw the deregulation of UK financial markets, leading to an economic boom, in what came to be known as the Big Bang.
Thatcher was re-elected for a third term with another landslide in 1987, but her subsequent support for the Community Charge (also known as the "poll tax") was widely unpopular, and her increasingly Eurosceptic views on the European Community were not shared by others in her cabinet. She resigned as prime minister and party leader in 1990, after a challenge was launched to her leadership, and was succeeded by John Major, her chancellor of the Exchequer. After retiring from the Commons in 1992, she was given a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher (of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire) which entitled her to sit in the House of Lords. In 2013, she died of a stroke at the Ritz Hotel, London, at the age of 87.
A polarising figure in British politics, Thatcher is nonetheless viewed favourably in historical rankings and public opinion of British prime ministers. Her tenure constituted a realignment towards neoliberal policies in Britain; the complex legacy attributed to this shift continues to be debated into the 21st century.
Thatcher studied chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, and worked briefly as a research chemist before becoming a barrister. She was elected Member of Parliament for Finchley in 1959. Edward Heath appointed her secretary of state for education and science in his 1970–1974 government. In 1975, she defeated Heath in the Conservative Party leadership election to become leader of the opposition, the first woman to lead a major political party in the UK.
On becoming prime minister after winning the 1979 general election, Thatcher introduced a series of economic policies intended to reverse high inflation and Britain's struggles in the wake of the Winter of Discontent and an oncoming recession. Her political philosophy and economic policies emphasised greater individual liberty, the privatisation of state-owned companies, and reducing the power and influence of trade unions. Her popularity in her first years in office waned amid recession and rising unemployment. Victory in the 1982 Falklands War and the recovering economy brought a resurgence of support, resulting in her landslide re-election in 1983. She survived an assassination attempt by the Provisional IRA in the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing and achieved a political victory against the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1984–85 miners' strike. In 1986, Thatcher oversaw the deregulation of UK financial markets, leading to an economic boom, in what came to be known as the Big Bang.
Thatcher was re-elected for a third term with another landslide in 1987, but her subsequent support for the Community Charge (also known as the "poll tax") was widely unpopular, and her increasingly Eurosceptic views on the European Community were not shared by others in her cabinet. She resigned as prime minister and party leader in 1990, after a challenge was launched to her leadership, and was succeeded by John Major, her chancellor of the Exchequer. After retiring from the Commons in 1992, she was given a life peerage as Baroness Thatcher (of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire) which entitled her to sit in the House of Lords. In 2013, she died of a stroke at the Ritz Hotel, London, at the age of 87.
A polarising figure in British politics, Thatcher is nonetheless viewed favourably in historical rankings and public opinion of British prime ministers. Her tenure constituted a realignment towards neoliberal policies in Britain; the complex legacy attributed to this shift continues to be debated into the 21st century.
Featured Videos
Filmography
| 2025 | I Hate Immigrants: A Film About The New Right · as Margaret Thatcher |
| 2024 | Bombing Brighton: The Plot to Kill Thatcher · as Self - Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom |
| 2024 | Reagan: Portrait of a Presidency · as Self - Uk Prime Minister |
| 2024 | Secrets & Spies: A Nuclear Game (TV Series) · as Self (archive) |
| 2024 | Miners' Strike: A Frontline Story · as Self |
| 2024 | |
| 2023 | Finding the Money · as Self - Uk Prime Minister 1979 - 1990 |
| 2023 | Lockerbie (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | Mike Yarwood: Thank You for the Laughs · as Self |
| 2023 | Augusto Pinochet: The Coup, the Torture & the West · as Self - Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom |
| 2023 | Margaret Thatcher, l'inoxydable · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | Helen Mirren - A Sassy Royal Actress · as Self |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2022 | The Real Spies Among Friends · as Self |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Nothing Compares · as Self |
| 2022 | Margaret Thatcher: Serving the Crown · as Self |
| 2022 | The Queen's Speeches · as Self |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Prelúdio · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2022 | McEnroe · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Thatcher & Reagan: A Very Special Relationship (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | Strangeways Riot: 25 Days of Mayhem · as Self |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2021 | Freddie Mercury - The Final Act · as Self - Former Prime Minister England |
| 2021 | Im Maschinenraum der Klimapolitik · as Self |
| 2021 | Mothers of the Revolution · as Self - Former Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom |
| 2021 | Rise of the Footsoldier: Origins · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | |
| 2021 | Mrs Thatcher vs the Miners · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | 50 Years of Mr Men with Matt Lucas · as Self |
| 2021 | Delorean: Back from the Future · as Self |
| 2020 | Finding Jack Charlton · as Self |
| 2020 | Blitzed! · as Self |
| 2020 | History 101 (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2020 | The Campaign Against the Climate · as Self |
| 2020 | Influence · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | 1979 Big Bang of the Present · as Self - Politician (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | VHS Nasty · as Self |
| 2019 | Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | Capital in the Twenty-First Century · as Self |
| 2019 | Blinded by the Light · as Self |
| 2019 | L'homme a mangé la terre · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | Framing John DeLorean · as Self - Prime Minister Of Great Britain |
| 2019 | Thatcher: A Very British Revolution (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | ReMastered: The Miami Showband Massacre · as Self |
| 2019 | Brexit · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2019 | Icons (2019) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Mother's Day · as Self |
| 2018 | Meeting Gorbachev · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | McKellen: Playing the Part · as Self |
| 2017 | George Michael: Freedom · as Self |
| 2017 | 6 Days · as Herself (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2017 | The Reagan Show · as Self |
| 2017 | The Young Karl Marx · as Self |
| 2016 | The Social · as Self |
| 2016 | Shadow World · as Self - Politician (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | Bobby Sands: 66 Days · as Self |
| 2016 | How to Win the US Presidency · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | The Killing$ of Tony Blair · as Self |
| 2016 | Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2016 | Team Foxcatcher · as Self - Former Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom |
| 2016 | Hillsborough · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | The Lady in the Van · as Self |
| 2015 | The Emperor's New Clothes · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2014 | Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule · as Self |
| 2014 | The Forecaster · as Self |
| 2014 | Soul Boys of the Western World · as Self |
| 2014 | Pride · as Self |
| 2014 | New World Order: Communism by Backdoor · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2013 | How Video Games Changed the World · as Self |
| 2013 | The Death and Resurrection Show · as Self |
| 2013 | Speeches That Shook the World · as Self |
| 2012 | London: The Modern Babylon · as Self |
| 2012 | Propaganda · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2012 | The Queen and Her Prime Ministers · as Self |
| 2012 | Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady · as Herself |
| 2012 | Frost on Interviews · as Self - Former Prime Minister 1979-90 |
| 2011 | The Secret History of Eurovision · as Self |
| 2011 | Reagan · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2011 | |
| 2010 | Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2010 | |
| 2010 | The Special Relationship · as Self |
| 2010 | Royal Wedding · as Self |
| 2010 | One Night in Turin · as Self |
| 2009 | The Shock Doctrine · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2009 | A Call to Arms · as Self |
| 2008 | Hunger · as Self - Prime Minister Of The United Kingdom |
| 2008 | Secrets of Body Language · as Self |
| 2008 | Truly, Madly, Cheaply!: British B Movies · as Self |
| 2008 | Derek · as Self |
| 2008 | The Depths · as Self |
| 2008 | What Lies Beneath · as Self |
| 2007 | Soviet War Scare 1983 · as Self |
| 2007 | Larry King Live: The Greatest Interviews · as Self |
| 2007 | The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2006 | Phantom of the Opera: Behind the Mask · as Self |
| 2006 | This Is England · as Self |
| 2006 | Best Ever Spitting Image · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2006 | Joy Division: Under Review · as Self |
| 2005 | Iluminados por el fuego · as Self |
| 2005 | Ban the Sadist Videos! · as Self |
| 2005 | How Art Made the World (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Ultimate Gretzky · as Self |
| 2003 | The Deal · as Self |
| 2003 | Strike: When Britain Went to War · as Self |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | The Falklands Play Row · as Self - Prime Minister |
| 2002 | The Century of the Self (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | The Falklands War · as Self |
| 2001 | Blood of the Vikings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | The Pinochet Case · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2001 | There's Only One Madonna · as Self |
| 2001 | The Secret Rulers of the World (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2001 | Endgame in Ireland · as Self (prime Minister Of Great Britain) |
| 1999 | Blackadder Back & Forth · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 1998 | The Real .... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | World War Three · as Self |
| 1997 | The Story of Bean · as Self |
| 1996 | Some Mother's Son · as Self |
| 1996 | Whoever That Fails (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Gulf War (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | Empire of the Censors · as Self |
| 1995 | Underground · as Self (at Funeral Of Tito) |
| 1994 | Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy · as Self (sits With Suharto) |
| 1994 | |
| 1993 | Thatcher: The Downing Street Years (TV Series) · as Herself |
| 1992 | Elizabeth R · as Self |
| 1991 | November Days · as Self |
| 1988 | American Experience (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | The Falklands War: The Untold Story · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 1985 | Fashion Aid · as Self |
| 1983 | The Ploughman's Lunch · as Self |
| 1982 | Channel 4 News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Saturday Superstore (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | The Royal Wedding · as Self - British Prime Minister |
| 1980 | Rude Boy · as Self |
| 1979 | 60 Minutes Australia (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | Blacks Britannica · as Self |
| 1975 | Arena (1975) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Hennessy · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | A-studio (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1968 | 60 Minutes (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1966 | Firing Line (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1964 | Horizon (TV Series) · as Self - Prime Minister |
| 1963 | World in Action (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | Panorama (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self - British Prime Minister |