Description:
British character actor with radio and stage experience from 1951. Studied at University College in London and learned acting at the Old Vic Theatre School. Toured South Africa in 1952 and subsequently appeared in many Shakespearean roles in Stratford-upon-Avon. Busy television actor from the late 1950's, popular as ruthless tycoon John Wilder in The Plane Makers (1963). Also noted for his voice-overs for Winston Churchill in two documentary features.
Birthday
July 11, 1926
Born In
Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Height
170 cm
Trivia
Died of a heart attack at the Sheraton Hotel three days before opening in an Australian run of Anthony Shaffer's "Sleuth", in which he was to play author Andrew Wyke, at Melbourne's Playbox Theatre in October 1970. His body was discovered by John Fraser when Patrick Wymark was to be collected for a promotional appearance on In Melbourne Tonight (1957), whose presenters were left to ad-lib around his absence, unaware of his death.
Quotes
[on how he views himself in his profession] It is very difficult for an actor to talk about himself as a good actor. No matter how successful, there is always the time one realises one has to be better. There is always a large percentage of people who cannot bear the sight of you on the stage or on television. I am always conscious of these people in an audience. They are a challenge to me as an actor. I work hard - as well as I can - hoping they will leave thinking I was not as bad as they thought I was. The knowledge that everyone doesn't like me gives me quite an impetus, stimulates my imagination to communicate, to get through to these people.
