| Ralph Richardson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ralph David Richardson 19 December 1902 Tivoli Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
| Died | 10 October 1983 (aged 80) Marylebone, London, England |
| Years active | 1921 - 1983 |
| Spouse(s) | Muriel Hewitt (1924-1942) Meriel Forbes (1944-1983) |
Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, did their best to make the transition to film. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Education History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Marylebone (sometimes written St Marylebone or Mary-le-bone, or in archaic use Marybone) is an area of central London, England in London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works The twentieth century of the Common Era began on
Contents |
Early life
Richardson was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, the son of Lydia (née Russell) and Arthur Richardson. Education History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland [1] When he was a baby, his mother left his father and took him with her to Gloucester, where he was raised in the Roman Catholic faith of his mother (his father and brothers were Quakers). Gloucester (ˈɡlɒstɚ) is a city, district and County town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. [2] His father supported them with a small allowance. Lydia Richardson wished Ralph to become a priest. Ralph was an altar boy in Brighton, England and was educated by the Xaverian Brothers, but was never particularly religious. Brighton ( is a town on the south coast of England and with its neighbour Hove, forms the city of Brighton and Hove. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland
Career
Stage
Richardson made his West End début in 1926. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" Thereafter he became one of the Old Vic Theatre's major stars, one of his early big roles being Caliban to the Prospero of John Gielgud, a professional association that lasted for four decades. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Prospero is the Protagonist in The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare. Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Richardson scored additional Old Vic triumphs as Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra, Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Antony and Cleopatra is a Tragedy by William Shakespeare. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623 Twelfth Night Or What You Will is a Comedy by William Shakespeare, based on the Short story "Of Apolonius and Silla" by Nick Bottom is a character in Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream who provides Comic relief throughout the play and is famously known A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from
At Malvern in 1932, he played Face in Ben Jonson's The Alchemist. Malvern is a Town and Civil parish in Worcestershire, England. Benjamin Jonson ( c 11 June 1572 &ndash 6 August 1637) was an English Renaissance Dramatist The Alchemist is a Comedy by English playwright Ben Jonson. First performed in 1610 by the King's Men, it is generally In 1933 he played the title role in W. Somerset Maugham's final play Sheppey at Wyndham's Theatre, and became an undisputed West End star in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1936). William Somerset Maugham, CH ( January 25 1874 &ndash December 16 1965) was an English Playwright, Sheppey ( 1933) was William Somerset Maugham 's last play, written at the age of 59 and after he had reached distinction as a novelist and playwright Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham (cp Criterion Theatre) West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse is a Warner Bros Crime film starring Edward G Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
After active service in World War II serving as a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Richardson joined Laurence Olivier and the director John Burrell as co-director of the Old Vic Theatre, where his notable roles included Falstaff (to Olivier's Hotspur), Bluntschli in Arms and the Man (Olivier as Sergius), Cyrano in Cyrano de Bergerac, and Peer Gynt, in which Olivier took the cameo role of the Button Moulder. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Lieutenant Commander ( Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a Commissioned officer rank in many navies Superior Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Sir John Falstaff is a Fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare as a companion to Prince Hal the future King Henry V. Arms and the Man is a Comedy by George Bernard Shaw. Its title comes from the opening words of Virgil 's Aeneid: "Arma virumque Cyrano de Bergerac is a play written in 1897 by Edmond Rostand based on the life of the real Cyrano de Bergerac. Peer Gynt (per gʏnt is a play by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Richardson also directed Alec Guinness in Richard II, taking on the role of John of Gaunt in the production when the Old Vic governors insisted that either Richardson or Olivier were contractually obligated to act in all the productions. Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE (2 April 1914 &ndash 5 August 2000 was an English Actor. King Richard the Second is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to be written in approximately 1595 The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron After he was dismissed at the Old Vic, Richardson appeared with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon but had mixed results, with his 1952 performance as Macbeth being the greatest failure of his career. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC is a British Theatre company Stratford-upon-Avon (ˌstrætfɚd əpɒn ˈɛɪvən is a Market town and Civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between He fared better at the Bristol Old Vic in his appearance as Volpone to Anthony Quayle's Mosca in Ben Jonson's Volpone, in the title role of Timon of Athens in his 1952 return to the Old Vic, and on Broadway in his Tony-nominated role in The Waltz of the Toreadors (1957). The Bristol Old Vic is a Theatre complex and theatrical company in the centre of Bristol, England. Sir John Anthony Quayle, CBE ( 7 September 1913 &ndash 20 October 1989) was an English Actor and director Benjamin Jonson ( c 11 June 1572 &ndash 6 August 1637) was an English Renaissance Dramatist Volpone, or The Fox (in Italian: "Big Fox" is a Comedy by Ben Jonson first produced in 1606 drawing on elements The Life of Timon of Athens is a play by William Shakespeare about the legendary Athenian misanthrope Timon (and probably influenced Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Old Vic is a Theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented The Waltz of the Toreadors is a play by Jean Anouilh. Written in 1952 the farcial Comedy is set in 1910 France and centres on Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) He made a misstep in turning down the English language premiere of Waiting for Godot, a decision that he regretted for the remainder of his life. Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters wait for someone named Godot who never arrives
With his friends Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud, he appeared in Olivier's film of Richard III (1955) and in several scenes of the mini-series Wagner (1983), which was released shortly after Richardson's death. Laurence Kerr Olivier Baron Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Sadly he is the least remembered of the trio, as people often quote 'Olivier and Gielgud', but forget Richardson. This may be due to the fact he did less film work than Olivier and Gielgud, despite being the same calibre of actor as they were.
In 1960s he appeared successfully as Sir Peter Teazle in John Gielgud's production of School for Scandal, as the Father in Six Characters in Search of an Author in London (1963), a return to Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1964) and the original production of Joe Orton's controversial farce What The Butler Saw in the West End at the Queen's Theatre in 1969 with Stanley Baxter, Coral Browne, and Hayward Morse. Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an The School for Scandal is a Comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Six Characters in Search of an Author ( Sei personaggi in cerca d'autore) is the most famous and celebrated play by the Italian writer Luigi Pirandello. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Nick Bottom is a character in Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream who provides Comic relief throughout the play and is famously known A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Joe Orton ( 1 January, 1933, Leicester, England - 9 August, 1967, Islington, London) born John West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" Stanley Baxter, (born 24 May 1926 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a comic actor and impressionist, best known for his UK Coral Browne (23 July 1913 - 29 May 1991 was an Australian stage and screen actress Hayward Morse (born September 9, 1947) is a British stage and voice actor
In the 1970s he appeared in the West End (for example in William Douglas-Home's play Lloyd George Knew My Father with Peggy Ashcroft), and with the National Theatre under Peter Hall's direction, where among the classics he played Firs in The Cherry Orchard and the title role in Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman along with Wendy Hiller and Peggy Ashcroft. William Douglas-Home ( 3 June 1912 &ndash 28 September 1992) was a tank officer in World War II who was imprisoned for refusing to obey orders Dame Peggy Ashcroft DBE ( 22 December, 1907 &ndash 14 June, 1991) was an acclaimed Academy Award -winning English The Cherry Orchard (Вишнëвый сад or Vishniovy sad in Russian) is Russian Playwright Anton Chekhov 's last "Ibsen" redirects here For other people named Ibsen see Ibsen (disambiguation. John Gabriel Borkman is the Penultimate composition of the Norwegian Playwright, Henrik Ibsen, written in 1896 Dame Wendy Margaret Hiller DBE ( 15 August 1912 – 14 May 2003) was a distinguished English Film and stage Dame Peggy Ashcroft DBE ( 22 December, 1907 &ndash 14 June, 1991) was an acclaimed Academy Award -winning English He continued his long stage association with John Gielgud, appearing together in two new works, David Storey's Home and Harold Pinter's No Man's Land. David Malcolm Storey (born 13 July 1933) the son of a miner is an English Playwright, Screenwriter, award winning Novelist Home is a play by David Storey. Written in a quasi- absurdist style heavily influenced by Samuel Becket, it is set in a mental asylum No man's land is a term for land that is not occupied or more specifically land that is under dispute between countries or areas that will not occupy it because of fear or uncertainty
Radio and Television
From 1954 – 1955 he played the character of Dr. John Watson (mistakenly called 'James' by the announcer) in an American/BBC radio co-production of canonical Sherlock Holmes stories, which starred Sir John Gielgud as the famous consulting detective and featured Orson Welles as the villainous Professor Moriarty. Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH ( 14 April, 1904 – 21 May 2000) known as Sir John Gielgud, was an George Orson Welles (May 6 1915 – October 10 1985 was an Academy Award -winning director, writer actor and producer for film stage radio and television In the 1960s he played Lord Emsworth on BBC television in dramatisations of P.G.Wodehouse's Blandings Castle stories, with his real-life wife Meriel Forbes playing his domineering sister Connie, and Stanley Holloway as his butler Beach. Clarence Threepwood 9th Earl of Emsworth Viscount Bosham or Lord Emsworth is a recurring Fictional character in the Blandings stories by British comic Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE (15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975 (ˈwʊdhaʊs was an English Comic novelist who enjoyed enormous popular success Stanley Augustus Holloway ( October 1, 1890 - January 30, 1982) was an English actor and entertainer famous for his comic and character
Recordings
Richardson made several spoken word recordings for the Caedmon Audio label in the 1960s. Spoken word is a form of literary Art or artistic performance in which Lyrics, Poetry, or stories are spoken rather than sung Caedmon Audio is a recording label specializing in audio books and other literary content He re-created his role as Cyrano de Bergerac opposite Anna Massey as Roxane, and played the title role in a complete recording of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (play), with a cast that included Anthony Quayle as Brutus, John Mills as Cassius, and Alan Bates as Marc Antony. Anna Raymond Massey, CBE (born 11 August 1937) is a British actress. William Shakespeare ( baptised Julius Caesar is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599 Sir John Mills CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 1908 &ndash 23 April 2005) was an English Sir Alan Arthur Bates CBE (17 February 1934 – 27 December 2003 was a British Actor. He also recorded some English Romantic poetry, such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, for the label. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (original The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere) is the longest major Poem by the English Poet
Film
His film appearances included The Citadel, The Heiress (his first nomination for an Academy Award), Richard III (playing Buckingham to Olivier's Richard), Our Man in Havana (with Alec Guinness and Noel Coward), O Lucky Man!, Oh! What a Lovely War, Dragonslayer, Tales from the Crypt (as the Crypt Keeper himself) and Time Bandits. The Citadel is a 1938 film based on the novel by A J Cronin, first published in 1937. The Heiress is a 1949 American Drama film directed by William Wyler. Richard III is a 1955 British film adaptation of William Shakespeare 's historical play Richard III Our Man in Havana is a 1959 Film directed by Carol Reed and starring Alec Guinness, Burl Ives, Maureen O'Hara Sir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE (2 April 1914 &ndash 5 August 2000 was an English Actor. Sir Noël Peirce Coward ( 16 December 1899 26 March 1973) was an English Actor, Playwright O Lucky Man! ( 1973) is a surreal British Film, intended as an allegory on life in a capitalist society Oh! What a Lovely War is Stage musical and 1969 Musical film. Dragonslayer is a 1981 Live action Fantasy movie set in a fictional medieval country similar to Britain. Tales from the Crypt is a British Horror movie, made in 1972 by Amicus Productions. Time Bandits is a 1981 Fantasy film, produced and directed by Terry Gilliam. He played the sixth Earl of Greystoke in the 1983 movie Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, for which he was again nominated for an Academy Award. Greystoke The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes is a 1984 British film directed by Hugh Hudson and based on Edgar Rice Burroughs "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. His last film appearance was in Give My Regards to Broad Street starring Paul McCartney. Give My Regards to Broad Street is the name of a film and soundtrack album masterminded by Paul McCartney. Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942 is an English rock Singer, Bass guitarist songwriter Composer,
Music
Richardson recorded the narration for Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, and the superscriptions for Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antartica - both with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Prokofiev conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent and the Vaughan Williams by André Previn. Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev (Серге́й Серге́евич Проко́фьев Sergéj Sergéjevič Prokófjev) ( - 5 March 1953 was a Russian composer who Peter and the Wolf is a composition by Sergei Prokofiev written in 1936 after his return to the Soviet Union. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music Sinfonia Antarctica (" Antarctic Symphony" is the Italian title given by the English Composer Ralph Vaughan Williams The London Symphony Orchestra ( LSO) is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom. WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes -->Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent (29 April 1895 &ndash 3 October 1967 WikipediaWikiProject Classical music#Biographical_infoboxes --> André Previn ( Andreas Ludwig Priwin) KBE (b
Awards and honours
Richardson was knighted by King George VI in 1947. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. In 1963, he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Long Day's Journey Into Night. The Best Actor Award ( French: Prix d'interprétation masculine) is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. The Cannes Film Festival (le Festival de Cannes founded in 1946 is one of the world's oldest most influential and prestigious Film festivals alongside Venice, Long Day's Journey Into Night is a 1962 film adaptation of the Eugene O'Neill play He won the BAFTA Award for Best British Actor for The Sound Barrier (1952), and was nominated on another three occasions. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation The Sound Barrier is a British 1952 film directed by David Lean. He was also nominated for three Tony Awards for his work on the New York stage, for his performances in The Waltz of the Toreadors, Home, and No Man's Land. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous No Man's Land is a play by 2005 Nobel in Literature Laureate Harold Pinter written in 1974 and first produced and published in 1975 He received Oscar nominations for The Heiress and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, and the New York Film Critics Circle Awards for The Sound Barrier and Greystoke. The Heiress is a 1949 American Drama film directed by William Wyler. Greystoke The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes is a 1984 British film directed by Hugh Hudson and based on Edgar Rice Burroughs New York Film Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor excellence in cinema worldwide by an organization of film reviewers from New York City -based publications The Sound Barrier is a British 1952 film directed by David Lean. Greystoke The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes is a 1984 British film directed by Hugh Hudson and based on Edgar Rice Burroughs
Personal life
Richardson was a nephew of the mathematician Lewis Fry Richardson. He was married to the actress Meriel Forbes (a member of the theatrical Forbes-Robertson family).
Richardson habitually rode a motorbike even in his seventies. He rode a Norton Dominator and in his later years changed to a BMW. BMW Motorrad, a division of BMW, is a German Motorcycle manufacturer
Richardson died of a stroke, aged 80, and was interred at Highgate Cemetery. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain Highgate Cemetery is a Cemetery located in Highgate, London, England.
Filmography
- The Ghoul (1933)
- Things to Come (1936)
- The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1936)
- The Divorce of Lady X (1938)
- South Riding (1938)
- The Citadel (1938)
- Q Planes (1939)
- The Four Feathers (1939)
- The Silver Fleet (1943)
- Anna Karenina (1948)
- The Fallen Idol (1948)
- The Heiress (1949)
- Home at Seven (1952)
- The Sound Barrier (1952)
- The Holly and the Ivy (1952)
- Richard III (1955)
- Our Man in Havana (1959)
- Oscar Wilde (1960)
- Exodus (1960)
- Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)
- The 300 Spartans (1962)
- Woman of Straw (1964)
- Dr Zhivago (1965)
- The Wrong Box (1966)
- Khartoum (1966)
- Oh! What a Lovely War (1969)
- Battle of Britain (1969)
- The Bed-Sitting Room (1969)
- Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971)
- Lady Caroline Lamb (1972)
- Tales from the Crypt (1972)
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)
- A Doll's House (1973)
- O Lucky Man! (1973)
- Rollerball (1975)
- The Man in the Iron Mask (1977 film) (1977)
- Jesus of Nazareth (Zeffirelli version) (1977)
- Watership Down (1978) (voice)
- Dragonslayer (1981)
- Time Bandits (1981)
- Greystoke - The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984)
- Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Arthur Kennedy for Bright Victory | NYFCC Award for Best Actor 1952 for The Sound Barrier | Succeeded by Burt Lancaster for From Here to Eternity |
References
External links
- Ralph Richardson at the Internet Broadway Database
- Ralph Richardson at the Internet Movie Database
- bfi Screenonline: Ralph Richardson
- Richardson Archive in the British Library Manuscripts Collections
- University of Bristol Theatre Collection, University of Bristol
- Ralph Richardson at Find A Grave
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Richardson, Ralph |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Richardson, Ralph David |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1902-12-19 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Tivoli Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1983-10-10 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Marylebone, London, England |
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