History Characters / GosfordPark

'''Miss Mary Maceachren''' (Creator/KellyMacdonald): Lady Constance's NaiveNewcomer Scottish ladies-maid. Is, arguably, the main character and acts as AudienceSurrogate. [[spoiler:Finds out both Parks and Mrs. Wilson]]. Is also Lady Constance's gossip collector.

* {{Patricide}}: It turns out that [[spoiler:Parks wanted to murder Sir William for abandoning him all those years ago, and had it planned out at least as far out as starting work for Lord Stockbridge; he even took the job because it allowed him to close to Sir William.]]

[[/folder]]

'''Isobel [=McCordle=]''' (Camilla Rutherford): Daughter of Lady Sylvia and Sir William. Apparently has "done something" with Mr Nesbitt. Gigglesome friends with her maid, Elsie.

'''Barnes''' (Adrian Scarborough): Commander Meredith's valet. Overhears Commander Meredith saying that he was glad that Sir William died because his investment in now secure. He then proceeds to rat him out.

* SayingTooMuch: [[spoiler:Accidentally lets slip that she's having an affair with Sir William.]]

'''Robert Parks''' (Creator/CliveOwen): Lord Stockbridge's valet. Raised in an orphanage outside of London. [[spoiler:Is the illegitimate child of Sir William and Mrs Wilson. Takes the opportunity to stab Sir William, but isn't actually the murderer, if you can get your head around that]].

* GetOut: [[spoiler:Fired after her affair with Sir William is revealed; she's kept on only because the cops are there and don't anyone to leave.]]

'''Mrs. Wilson''' (Creator/HelenMirren): Gosford Park Housekeeper. [[spoiler:Murders Sir William. She realises that Parks had discovered Sir William was his father, and that he probably wanted to kill him. So she poisons Sir William first, thereby stopping Parks from committing murder - you can't murder a corpse]].

'''Elsie''' (Creator/EmilyWatson): Head housemaid. [[spoiler:Is one of Sir William's lovers, an indiscretion she lets slip while waiting table at dinner one night]]. Friends with Isobel.

!!Characters

!!Upstairs

!!!Creator/MichaelGambon

'''Constance, Countess of Trentham''' (Creator/MaggieSmith): A snobby, useless old lady who is at least partially financially reliant on Sir William, her niece's husband. She attends the hunting weekend because she worries that Sir William is going to cut off her allowance, but he is murdered before that happens.

[[folder:Downstairs]]

'''Robert Parks''' (Creator/CliveOwen): Lord Stockbridge's valet. Raised in an orphanage outside of London. [[spoiler:Is the illegitimate child of Sir William and Mrs Wilson. Takes the opportunity to stab Sir William, but isn't actually the murderer, if you can get your head around that]].

'''Henry Denton''' (Creator/RyanPhillippe): [[spoiler:An actor posing somewhat unconvincingly as]] the manservant to Mr Weissman [[spoiler:in order to research a role. Becomes the servants' ButtMonkey upon revealing his identity]]. Sleeps with Lady Sylvia, though she loses interest when he [[spoiler:reveals himself as an 'upstairs']], and is likely sleeping with Weissman too.

'''Mrs. Wilson''' (Creator/HelenMirren): Gosford Park Housekeeper. [[spoiler:Murders Sir William. She realises that Parks had discovered Sir William was his father, and that he probably wanted to kill him. So she poisons Sir William first, thereby stopping Parks from committing murder - you can't murder a corpse]].

'''Miss Mary Maceachren''' (Creator/KellyMacdonald): Lady Constance's NaiveNewcomer Scottish ladies-maid. Is, arguably, the main character and acts as AudienceSurrogate. [[spoiler:Finds out both Parks and Mrs. Wilson]]. Is also Lady Constance's gossip collector.

'''Barnes''' (Adrian Scarborough): Commander Meredith's valet. Overhears Commander Meredith saying that he was glad that Sir William died because his investment in now secure. He then proceeds to rat him out.

[[folder:Upstairs]]

'''Sir William [=McCordle=]''' (Creator/MichaelGambon): The rich asshole who gets murdered. We don't blame whoever did it. Husband to Lady Silvia.

'''Constance, Countess of Trentham''' (Creator/MaggieSmith): A snobby, useless old lady who is at least partially financially reliant on Sir William. She attends the hunting weekend because she worries that Sir William is going to cut off her allowance, but he is murdered before that happens.

'''Lady Sylvia [=McCordle=]''' (Creator/KristinScottThomas): Sir William's wife. Very haughty and icy, even to her own daughter. Became married to Sir William by "cutting cards" with her sister Louisa for the right to marry him. It becomes very obvious that they weren't meant for each other. Ends up owning Gosford Park.

'''Miss Mary Maceachren''' (Creator/KellyMacdonald): Lady Constance's NaiveNewcomer ladies-maid. Is, arguably, the main character and acts as AudienceSurrogate. [[spoiler:Finds out both Parks and Mrs. Wilson]]. Is also Lady Constance's gossip collector.

'''Morris Weissman''' (Creator/BobBalaban): A Hollywood producer researching British contry living for his new film, which is also a whodunnit set in a large country house.

'''Ivor Novello''' (Creator/JeremyNortham): An actor who arrives with Weissman and Denton. He takes it upon himself to entertain the rest of the guests by playing the piano and singing in the drawing room after dinner.

'''Ivor Novello''' (Jeremy Northam): An actor who arrives with Weissman and Denton. He takes it upon himself to entertain the rest of the guests by playing the piano and singing in the drawing room after dinner.

'''Lady Sylvia [=McCordle=]''' (Kristin Scott Thomas): Sir William's wife. Very haughty and icy, even to her own daughter. Became married to Sir William by "cutting cards" with her sister Louisa for the right to marry him. It becomes very obvious that they weren't meant for each other. Ends up owning Gosford Park.

'''Constable Dexter''' (Ron Webster): Assistant to Thompson. Clearly [[HypercompetentSidekick much more competent.]] It's a wonder why he's not the Inspector.
* Except it isn't, because the Constable is working-class and the Inspector is rather more middle-class.

'''Morris Weissman''' (Bob Balaban): A Hollywood producer researching British contry living for his new film, which is also a whodunnit set in a large country house.

'''Lieutenant-Commander Anthony Meredith''' (Tom Hollander): Husband to Lady Lavinia. Is in financial ruin, and hopes to save himself through encouraging Sir William's investment in his Army supply business, an arrangement Sir William [[spoiler:wants to back out of]]. Is responsible for [[spoiler:a graze shot at Sir William the day of the hunting trip.]]

'''Henry Denton''' (Ryan Phillippe): [[spoiler:An actor posing somewhat unconvincingly as]] the manservant to Mr Weissman [[spoiler:in order to research a role. Becomes the servants' ButtMonkey upon revealing his identity]]. Sleeps with Lady Sylvia, though she loses interest when he [[spoiler:reveals himself as an 'upstairs']], and is likely sleeping with Weissman too.

'''Sir William [=McCordle=]''' (Michael Gambon): The rich asshole who gets murdered. We don't blame whoever did it. Husband to Lady Silvia.

'''Constance, Countess of Trentham''' (Maggie Smith): A snobby, useless old lady who is at least partially financially reliant on Sir William. She attends the hunting weekend because she worries that Sir William is going to cut off her allowance, but he is murdered before that happens.

'''Raymond, Lord Stockbridge''' (Charles Dance): Louisa's hard of hearing husband. Sylvia makes a few passes at him, but he's too indifferent to her to accept.

'''Robert Parks''' (Clive Owen): Lord Stockbridge's valet. Raised in an orphanage outside of London. [[spoiler:Is the illegitimate child of Sir William and Mrs Wilson. Takes the opportunity to stab Sir William, but isn't actually the murderer, if you can get your head around that]].

'''Inspector Thompson''' (StephenFry): The bumbling detective who comes to investigate the murder. [[spoiler:Discounts the possibility that anyone below stairs may be the murderer: he's interested only in those upstairs as they might "have a real connection" with the victim.]]

'''Elsie''' (EmilyWatson): Head housemaid. [[spoiler:Is one of Sir William's lovers, an indiscretion she lets slip while waiting table at dinner one night]]. Friends with Isobel.

'''George''' (RichardEGrant): A footman. [[DeadpanSnarker Snide and somewhat sleazy.]] Accidentally-on-purpose spills hot coffee on Denton as part of Denton [[spoiler:becoming the ButtMonkey]].

'''Miss Mary Maceachren''' (KellyMacdonald): Lady Constance's NaiveNewcomer ladies-maid. Is, arguably, the main character and acts as AudienceSurrogate. [[spoiler:Finds out both Parks and Mrs. Wilson]]. Is also Lady Constance's gossip collector.

'''Jennings''' (Alan Bates): Sir William's butler. Was a WW1 deserter and conscientious objector. [[spoiler:Is an alcoholic.]]

'''Constance, Countess of Trentham''' (Maggie Smith): A snobby, useless old lady who is at least partially financially reliant on Sir William. She worries that Sir William is going to cut off her allowance, but he is murdered before that happens.

'''Louisa, Lady Stockbridge''' (Geraldine Somerville): Wife to Lord Stockbridge and sister to Sylvia and Lavinia. Lost the privilage to marry Sir William to Sylvia, but it's pretty obvious that [[spoiler:they're having an affair]].

'''Raymond, Lord Stockbridge''' (Charles Dance): Louisa's husband. Sylvia makes a few passes at him, but he's too indifferent to her to accept.

'''Mrs. Elizabeth Croft''' (Eileen Atkins): Gosford Park Head Cook. Bitter rivals with Mrs. Wilson [[spoiler:and is also her sister. She had an affair with Sir William when she was young and working in his factory, along with her sister. She became pregnant but lost the baby. Mrs. Wilson gave Parks up, which is the source of the tension between her and Mrs. Croft.]].

'''Probert''' (DerekJacobi): Sir William's valet. Is devastated by his master's death.

'''Mrs. Wilson''' (HelenMirren): Gosford Park Housekeeper. [[spoiler:Murders Sir William. She realises that Parks had discovered Sir William was his father, and that he probably wanted to kill him. So she poisons Sir William first, thereby stopping Parks from committing murder - you can't murder a corpse]].

'''Mabel Nesbitt''' (Claudie Blakely): Wife to Mr. Nesbitt. ButtMonkey to everyone else.