Kate Harcourt

Dame Catherine Winifred Harcourt DNZM, known professionally as Kate Harcourt, over her long career had worked in comedy as well as drama in theatre, film, TV and radio. Harcourt was born and grew up on a sheep station in the rural area of Amberley, New Zealand. Her mother was Australian, Winifred Harriet (Austin) and her father was Gordon Fulton. From age nine she attended boarding school, first at Amberley House and then at Woodford House (Hawke's Bay). Music was important to Harcourt in her early years as it was to her mother too. She went to Christchurch to train as a kindergarten teacher partly so she could continue with her singing and piano. She also attended the Joan Cross Opera School in London. Harcourt is the mother of actress Miranda Harcourt and former Fair Go television presenter Gordon Harcourt, and grandmother of actress Thomasin McKenzie. She played a part in the movie adaptation of The Changeover. Harcourt met her husband Peter Harcourt (1923-1995) at Wellington Repertory Theatre. He was from the family that founded Harcourts International real estate. Peter Harcourt died on 6 March 1995 of cancer, two years after being appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order in the 1993 New Year Honours for service to the community as an actor, broadcaster and presenter for 54 years since 1941. The Nga Whakarakei O Whataitai / Wellington Theatre Awards annually has an award called The Peter Harcourt Outstanding New Playwright.