Actors Julie Walters, Simon Callow and Juliet Stevenson are among stars of stage, screen and music featured in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Julie Walters gets an OBE for her career, which has made her one of the UK's best-loved character actresses.

She was originally known for her comedy partnership with Victoria Wood 20 years ago.

But she came into her own in 1983 with an Oscar-nominated performance in Eductating Rita, Girls' Night, and Buster, and her current BBC One series Dinnerladies - which also stars Wood - has been a success with critics and viewers alike.

Walters, who has been described as "a living national treasure", is currently filming in Prague.

Juliet Stevenson, whose credits include the film Truly Madly Deeply and the BBC drama The Politician's Wife, gets a CBE. She once jokes most of her parts involved dressing in "old, mud-splattered rags".

'Better than a Tony'

Simon Callow appeared in hit film Shakespeare in Love

A Room With A View star Simon Callow also receives a CBE, the day before his 50th birthday on Sunday. His other credits include Shakespeare In Love, Four Weddings And A Funeral.

He said he was "deeply thrilled" with the honour.

He joked: "Being honoured by one's country is even better than winning a Tony Award.

"But since it comes from Downing Street, I suppose in a sense it is a 'Tony'."

Meanwhile, playwright Christopher Hampton, who translated from the French the West End hit Art, gets a CBE for his services to literature.

Dancer Deborah Bull becomes a CBE for her services to ballet. As well as being the principal dancer for the Royal Ballet, she also sits on the Arts Council of England.

The world of music is led by the internationally-renowned baritone Thomas Allen, who becomes a knight for services to opera. Sir Thomas has sung Don Giovanni for more than 20 years.

Bond composer honoured

Juliet Stevenson: Truly Madly Deeply star honoured

Composer John Barry, who wrote the theme music for 10 James Bond films, receives an OBE.

Speaking from his home in Long Island, New York, he said: "I'm very honoured. I really didn't expect it. My father recieved an MBE at the end of World War Two and I didn't believe I would be doing the same."

There is also an OBE for Don Black, who co-wrote the lyrics to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard.

Jazz and soul singer Kanya King - who created the Music Of Black Origin awards - gets an MBE for services to the music industry.

In broadcasting, Woman's Hour presenter Jenni Murray receives an OBE. She has also worked on Radio 4's Today and BBC Two's Newsnight before succeeding Sue MacGregor on the daily programme nearly 12 years ago.

She said: "I'm extremely excited - it's a wonderful honour, especially as it's for radio broadcasting, and so frequently it is forgotten in the maelstrom of showbiz.

"It will give my son a brief diversion from his GCSE revision, which is currently dragging the family down."

Fellow broadcaster and journalist Libby Purves receives an OBE, while Daily Telegraph radio critic Gillian Reynolds recieves an MBE.