The Late, Great Dame Maggie Smith’s Best Burns, Barbs and Comebacks on ‘Downton Abbey’

British theatre, film and television legend Dame Maggie Smith passed away this morning at the age of 89, but so many of her finest roasts are still searing.

With 72 years of acting experience, Smith had so many iconic performances that her millions of fans across the world can pick as their favorite to remember fondly on this solemn day. No doubt, Smith’s portrayal of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise is getting the most attention on Twitter from American fans who best knew the bold, technical and deeply intelligent thespian for her most commercial cultural export, but Smith’s artistic effort to educate us Yanks on her people’s culture was arguably at its best during her time in the TV and film franchise Downton Abbey, a towering period piece about the aristocracy and serving classes of early 20th century England that included some of the most brutal burns of any century.

On Downton Abbey, Smith played the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley, an imposing matriarch whose mastery of cutting quips and underhanded verbal attacks made her the most formidable noblewoman in all the gentry. 

To celebrate Smith’s immaculate and immortal performance in the series, here are her absolute best burns, barbs and flowery flamings throughout Downton Abbey…