Summary

While most recent movies have focused onAgatha Christie ’s other detective , Hercule Poirot , there are still plenty of Miss Marple adaptation out there for fans of his early detective . Over the past 60 age , Miss Marple has been portrayed by some telling actresses from all over the world . Due to the role ’s age , she iscommonly played by veteran actresses with decades of experiencebehind them , allowing for some really fantastic public presentation . When it comes to every Miss Marple actress , they rove from the most obscure to the most influential and acclaim , but all are keen for unlike reasons .

Agatha Christie make iconic characters like Hercule Poirot , Miss Marple , and more . Her novels made for keen film adjustment - here are the best !

11Inge Langen Was The First Non-English Language Miss Marple

Murder At The Vicarage (1970)

Having starred as Miss Marple in a single German production ofMurder at the Vicaragein 1970,Inge Langen is the most obscure actress to toy the legendary role . Langen , a journeywoman actress who appeared in German picture show and TV such asDer Zinker , was only 46 when she played the typically senior role .

Langen may not be the best - call back Miss Marple , but she was the first to depict the character in non - English - speech medium

send by Hans Quest , the motion picture finds Marple investigating the mysterious murder of a local functionary who has draw out two false confessions from innocent suspects . Once Marple realize the married couplet who confessed , she works her style through a throng of motivated suspects to correct the murder . Langen may not be the well - remembered Miss Marple because so many of the English - language versions of the character are better known , but she was the first to portray the character in non - English - language spiritualist .

Agatha Christie movie montage

10Julia McKenzie Starred In The Series Marple

Marple (2008-2013) & Masterpiece Mystery (2014)

In 2004 , ITVcreated its own Agatha Christie adaptationwith a series titledAgatha Christie ’s Marple , which ran for six season and a sum of 23 episode . In 11 of those episode , Miss Marple was play by British actress Julia McKenzie with a much soft and self - deprecating side . McKenzie is an acclaimed theatrical actress , having win a Tony Award and two Olivier Awards for her work in musicals .

Unfortunately for McKenzie , Geraldine McEwan , who played Marple in the first three season and 12 episode , was a fan favorite in the role . Ratings declined for McKenzie ’s three season of the show , though she brings her earmark lead index to the role in such exciting chapters asThey Do it With MirrorsandMurder is Easy .

Of course , the larger problem that Christie fans have with this series is n’t the depiction of the titulary quality , but that the feature - length episodes stray so far from the reference material . Miss Marple is often placed into the stories from books she did n’t feature rather of using the same stories Agatha Christie wrote using the fibre .

Hercule Poirot in front of the Sphinx in Death on the Nile and an older book cover of Murder in Mesopotamia

9Yunjin Kim Was In The Series Ms. Ma, Nemesis

Ms. Ma, Nemesis (2018)

Korean actress Yunjin Kim brings a fresh line to the character of Miss Marple in the Agatha Christie mash - up serial , Ms. Ma , Nemesis . The serial ran for 32 episode and covered several Christie mysteries , reimagining the leadas a young South Korean mystery writer .

Kim is otherwise considerably known for playing Sun in the American hitLost . In add-on to Christie ’s novelNemesis , the show pull various storyline from such other work asThe physical structure in the Library , A Murder is Announced , The Moving FingerandThe Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side . Kim plays Ms. Ma , a younger version of the character .

While sports fan of Christie ’s works usually balk at swan too far from the source material , this variation work out well because it immersed the part into Korean culture alternatively of simply rank the British Miss Marple in South Korea . The serial provide a wise take with a able striking doer in the lead .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

With the release of Death on the Nile , it ’s time to take a look at other Agatha Christie books that should meet the same lush movie handling .

8Ita Ever Played Miss Marple In Movies And On The Stage

Secret Of The Blackbirds (1983) & Miss Marple Stories (1990)

Estonian screen and stage actress Ita Ever became the third person to depict Miss Marple in a feature film . She first star in the persona in the Russian adaptation ofA Pocket Full of Ryein 1983 , which went by a dissimilar name . A legend of Estonian theater , Ever has also starred in adaptations of works by Shakespeare , Steinbeck , Ibsen , and more .

Ever acquitted herself well enough to be demand toreprise the persona in a 1990 TV adaptation calledMiss Marple Stories . In 2005 , Ever roleplay Marple for the net time on level in the rendering ofThe Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side . Despite playing the eccentric so many times , she ’s often overlooked by many New Christie fans simply because other adjustment of Miss Marple ’s stories eclipse hers , especially when other actors played the role for prospicient reaching .

7Kaoru Yachigusa Was An Animated Miss Marple

Agatha Christie’s Great Detectives Poirot And Marple (2004-2005)

In 39 episodes bring forth between 2004 and 2005 , Japanese actress Kaoru Yachigusa sound the role of Miss Marple inthe animated TV seriesAgatha Christie ’s Great Detectives Marple and Poirot , and was one of the most alone out of every Miss Marple actress . Yachigusa excels with her experience and power to take a breather fresh life into the persona . The serial publication convey Christie ’s two greatest detectives together by introducing the character of Miss Marple ’s great - niece Maybelle West , who becomes Poirot ’s assistant .

Among the various novels and short stories adapted in the serial includeStrange Jest , Sleeping Murder , The Blue Geranium , Ingots of Gold , The tapeline Measure Murder , and several others . Yachigusa was a veteran and award - winning Nipponese actress , having protrude in the thwartwise - cut back Takarazuka Revue in the 1950s , and this was her only Zanzibar copal role .

6Helen Hayes Was Miss Marple In The 1980s

A Caribbean Mystery (1983) & Agatha Christie’s Murder with Mirrors (1985)

American actress Helen Hayes play Marple twice in a pair of made - for - television Christie adjustment . The first fall in the 1983 telling ofA Caribbean Mysteryand the 2d come in a 1985 redo ofMurder with Mirrors . Hayes was nicknamed " the First Lady of American Theatre " and wasthe first woman to get ahead the fabled " EGOT,“meaning her Miss Marple role came at the end of a fabled career .

Hayes ’s performance as Marple was noted for being cheery and anodyne , rather than the snarky and sarcastic crank some of the others before her played the lineament with . In 1982 , Hayes also appear inMurder is Easy , a non - Marple mystery in which she play Lavinia Fullerton . The two serial were broadcast on CBS and were Hayes ' last TV roles .

While she might not be debate the definitive Miss Marple , she has a legion of devotee who lover her adaptations .

A collage of Miss Marple actors

Custom image by SR Image Editor

5June Whitfield Starred In The BBC Series Miss Marple

Miss Marple (1993-2001)

One of the more overlooked adaptations of the Miss Marple story was the BBC radio series produced from 1993 to 2001 . The radio series cover all eight novels and a handful of short narration as part of the seriesThe Saturday Play .

The radio receiver series star June Whitfield , a famed British actress who is best known for her comedic support role in theAbsolutely Fabulousseries . With only her voice , Whitfield brought Christie ’s famed graphic symbol to lifespan for almost a 10 . Whitfield returned for three more short stories in a 2015 serial publication billed asMiss Marple ’s Final Cases , make her arguably the most prolific of all Miss Marple actress .

Interestingly , Whitfield also wreak Margaret Rutherford in another receiving set playing period , A Monstrous Vitality . Rutherford is one of the best known actresses to take on the role of Miss Marple . The connection between the two has made many liken their performance as two side of the same coin , just in dissimilar mediums .

Yunjin Kim as Miss Marple, having a series discussion with someone off-camera in the South Korean adaptation Miss Ma Nemesis

4Geraldine McEwan Was Miss Marple In The 2000s

Marple (2004-2007)

Cast

Marple ( 2004 ) is a British television series that adjust the classic Miss Marple mysteries by Agatha Christie . Geraldine McEwan and later Julia McKenzie maven as the nominal recreational sleuth , applying keen intuition and needlelike observation to solve complex crimes in picturesque English preferences . The series faithfully bring to life the beloved character and features an array of celebrated guest stars in each self - check episode .

Geraldine McEwan brought a caustic bite to her delineation of Marple in three seasons and 12 episodes of ITV’sAgatha Christie ’s Marplefrom 2005 to 2009 . McEwan was a seasoned British actress known for her comedic power who also glow in striking function , winning two Olivier Awards and a BAFTA Award for her part over the age .

In summation to being given a racy backstory , McEwan ’s Marple is celebrated for how stern , sterile , and unfunny she is . In making a concert effort to move away from the most memorable of screen performance of the theatrical role , the deficiency of camp and kitsch makes McEwan one of the practiced Miss Marple actresses . For many modern fans of the character , McEwan is the in effect interpretation of Miss Marple , but there are still a few that are even more darling .

Cast Placeholder Image

Marple (2004) is a British television series that adapts the classic Miss Marple mysteries by Agatha Christie. Geraldine McEwan and later Julia McKenzie star as the titular amateur sleuth, applying keen intuition and sharp observation to solve complex crimes in picturesque English settings. The series faithfully brings to life the beloved character and features an array of celebrated guest stars in each self-contained episode.

3Joan Hickson Played Miss Marple 12 Times

Hickson Portrayed The Detective For The BBC Between 1984 And 1992

Miss Marple : The consistence in the Library is a 1984 mystery film featuring amateur detective Miss Jane Marple as she investigates the execution of a young woman discovered in the library of Gossington Hall , the residence of Colonel and Mrs. Arthur Bantry .

The BBC ’s deep drama historyincludes adaptations of all 12 Christie novel about the character reference in a series simply titledMiss Marple . Joan Hickson , who first play the purpose on point in 1940 , act as Marple in all of them . Her functioning was even reportedly praise by Queen Elizabeth II when Hickson received an OBE in 1987 . Hickson play Miss Marple a amount of 12 clip :

Given the vapourous breadth of herperformance over eight age and 12 feature - length episodes , Hickson branded the character as her very own . As a resolution , Hickson scored back - to - back BAFTA nod in 1987 and 1988 for Best Actress as Miss Marple . Hickson also win a 1987 UK Royal Television Award for Best Performance in theMarpleseries . She is well one of the most iconic of all Miss Marple actresses to date .

Headshot Of Angela Lansbury

The Mirror Crack’d is a mystery film featuring Angela Lansbury as detective Jane Marple. Released in 1980, it follows Marple as she investigates a poisoning in a small English village, unravelling secrets involving a visiting movie star, played by Elizabeth Taylor, who may have been the intended victim.

queerly enough , Hickson did n’t ab initio see herself in the role . Christie is rumour to have get off Hickson a note after assure her in the stage play , revealing she hoped to see her make for the role on silver screen . Hickson became the oldest worker to play the role when she was cast as Miss Marple at 78 years sure-enough . Christie had already passed away eight eld earlier .

2Angela Lansbury Also Starred In Murder, She Wrote

The Mirror Crack’d (1980)

The Mirror Crack’d is a mystery film have Angela Lansbury as detective Jane Marple . Released in 1980 , it follows Marple as she enquire a poisoning in a belittled English village , unravelling secrets involving a confabulate movie star , play by Elizabeth Taylor , who may have been the intended victim .

Although Angela Lansbury only played Jane Marple once via the sensation - studded 1980Christie movie adaptationofThe Mirror Crack’d , her behave choices set her far aside from the clique . Lansbury was already a caption for her microscope stage performances and coming into court in definitive films ranging fromGaslighttoThe Manchurian Candidate , but she brought her all to the part of Christie ’s detective .

Rather than a doddery elderly woman , Lansbury plays Marple with sharp - minded intelligencewho does n’t hurt fools easily . She has a different take on the graphic symbol that makes her version of Marple one of the most memorable , and makes the consultation wish well she ’d appeared in more Christie adaptation .

Movies

Of course , her 264 episodes ofMurder , She Wroteas the iconic Marple - same Jessica Fletcher only bolsters her silver medal status .