Educated at the High School for Girls in Oxford, she started out in the theater as a prompt girl and understudy at the Oxford Repertory. She claims she never went on as no one ever fell ill.

Made her stage debut with the Oxford University Dramatic Society as Viola in Shakespare's "Twelfth Night." Bird-dogged by an American theatrical impresario, the part led to her being cast in her Broadway debut in "New Faces of 1956."

She and her first husband, Robert Stephens, appeared together in Much Ado About Nothing. In 1993, Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, who were also married at the time, played the same roles. Smith later worked with both Branagh and Thompson in the Harry Potter films.

Had to change her stage name to "Maggie Smith" as there already was an actress named "Margaret Smith" at the time she started in the profession.

She was nominated for a 1998 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for Best Actress of the 1997 season for her performance in A Delicate Balance at the Haymarket Theatre.

Appeared with Olivier in "Rhinoceros" in the English Stage Company's 1960 London production. Olivier pronounced her acting "Marvelous."

In 2003, she became the seventeenth performer to win the Triple Crown of acting. Oscars: Best Actress, 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' (1969) & Best Supporting Actress, 'California Suite' (1978), Tony: Best Actress-Play, 'Lettice and Lovage' (1990), and Emmy: Best Actress-Miniseries/Movie, 'My House in Umbria' (2003).

Worked with Laurence Olivier in the 1960s at the National Theatre.

Both her sons were born on a Monday

Has been in three movies that has the word "secret" in it: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Secret Garden, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

Mother of Toby Stephens.

Her twin brothers Ian and Alistair are six years older then she is. They are both architects.

She was awarded the 1981 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Is a vice-president of Chichester Cinema at New Park. Anita Roddick and Kenneth Branagh are also vice-presidents.

Is one of only a few actresses to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar after winning a Best Actress Oscar.

Created an honorary D.Litt of the Universities of St Andrews and Cambridge in 1971 and 1995 respectively.

Appointed a CBE in 1970 and a DBE (Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1990.

One of the first people to have a star on the Avenue of Stars - a British version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 7 other Harry Potter actors also have one

Portrayed by Ian McKellen on Saturday Night Live.

She was awarded the 1984 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Way of the World.

Won Broadway's 1990 Tony Award as Best Actress (Play) for "Lettice and Lovage." She was also nominated twice before in the same category: for a revival of Noel Coward's "Private Lives" in 1975, and for "Night and Day" in 1980.

Mother-in-law of actress Anna-Louise Plowman.

Director Agnieszka Holland admired Maggie Smith for years before making The Secret Garden (1993). She knew of Smith's talents and immediately offered her the role of Mrs. Medlock.

She was awarded the 1994 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in Three Tall Women.

She ranked tenth in the 2001 Orange Film Survey of greatest British film actresses.

Is a good friend of Judi Dench.

Her father Nathaniel was a Geordie and a pathologist. Her mother Margaret was a Glaswegian and a secretary.

She was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2000 (1999 season) for Best Actress for her performance in The Lady in The Van at the Queen's Theatre.

She was made a Fellow of the British Film Institute in recognition of her outstanding contribution to film culture.

While filming Death on the Nile (1978), aboard ship, no one was allowed his or her own dressing room, so she shared a dressing room with Bette Davis & Angela Lansbury.

Mother of actor Chris Larkin.

Was a member of the Old Vic Company from 1959 to 1963, when the company was dissolved. It served as the basis for the new National Theatre being organized by Sir Laurence Olivier, whom invited Maggie to join. She gave a memorable performance as Desdemona opposite Olivier's Othello at The National Theatre's temporary home at the Old Vic theater building in 1964. Repeating the performance in the 1965 film made of that production, she won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination, her first of six Oscar nods.

Was the first of 4 consecutive winners of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to have the initials 'M.S.', the others being: Meryl Streep - Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Mary Steenburgen - Melvin and Howard (1980), and Maureen Stapleton - Reds (1981).