Phyllis Logan

Whether playing a young woman who enters a disastrous wartime love affair or a strict disciplinarian in-charge of an entire household, Phyllis Logan always imbued her characters with authenticity and verve. After launching her career on stage, the Scottish actress made the jump to British television with feature roles in made-for-TV movies and on drama series like "Play for Today" (BBC, 1970-1984) and "Shoestring" (BBC, 1979-1980). Logan finally broke out in the war drama "Another Time, Another Place" (1983), as a young housewife who falls in love with a prisoner of war; a role that earned her accolades, a string of guest roles, and provided her with the perceived gravitas to land parts on popular series like "Holby City" (BBC, 1999- ), "Hope & Glory" (BBC, 1999-2000), and "Lovejoy" (BBC, 1986-1994), as an aristocrat who helps out a rogue but loveable antiques dealer. But it was the actress' compelling portrayal of the resolute but compassionate housekeeper Mrs. Hughes on the critically-acclaimed "Downton Abbey" (ITV; PBS, 2011-16), a period drama series that highlighted the class divide between the upper-class and their servants, that made Logan a household name and gained her a slew of fans around the world.