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Kenneth Gilbert More C.B.E. (20 September 1914 - 12 July 1982) was one of Britain's most successful and highest paid actors of his generation, with a multi award-winning career in theatre, film and television spanning over 4 decades.
At the height of his fame during the 1950's More appeared in some of the most memorable feature films of the decade including Genevieve (1953), Doctor in the House (1954), The Deep Blue Sea (1955), Reach for the Sky (1956), Paradise Lagoon (1957), A Night to Remember (1958), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958), North West Frontier (1959) and The 39 Steps (1959).
Starting out as the lovable, happy-go-lucky gentleman with boyhood charm and cheerful optimism, he would later refine his acting style into a leading man who could articulate a whole range of emotions in serious dramatic performances. More managed to embody courage and a sense of moral certitude with a relaxed, informal manner that made audiences warm to him immediately.
From very early on in his career More was very conscious of his talents, what parts suited him as an actor and what did not. More would have been the first to admit there were other actors that could better perform the works of Shakespeare than he. More was probably being self-deprecating. He had more range than he sometimes gave himself credit for, but he knew how best to appeal to an audience.
Born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, Kenneth More was the son of a civil engineer, a profession he initially pursued but with little success. More was not a trained actor and had not gone into show business to tread the boards. He was merely looking for work and happened to walk past the Windmill Theatre in London's West End one day and saw a sign above the door 'General Manager - Vivian Van Damm'. More had remembered that a man called Van Damm had known his father and so he asked for a job. More was soon a stagehand earning two pounds and ten shillings a week, shifting scenery and helping to get the nude female performers off the stage during their risqué performances. One day he was called upon to help comic Ken Douglas on stage with a sketch, More playing the small part of a Policeman. It was this experience and the subsequent taste of the audience's laughter which made him want to pursue a career in acting. He was soon an actor in his own right appearing on stage as Ken More in comedy sketches. Following 2 years at the Windmill he moved into repertory theatre with seasons at Byker's, Grand Theatre in Newcastle, and the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton.
With the outbreak of war, and following a stint with the Merchant Navy, More joined Royal Navy cruiser HMS Aurora (R12) . It would end up having the greatest impact on his character and his acting style during wartime. As ship's Action Commentator he found an opportunity to hone his craft as an actor, keeping steady nerves when reporting action during conflict to the crew below decks. He also got on well with his shipmates by helping them to write wonderfully romantic love letters home to their ladies. Aurora would journey across the Atlantic and Mediterranean seeing its fair share of action. Wartime missions aboard Aurora, and later with aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (R38) would lead him to receive medals, including campaign stars for Africa, Italy, the Atlantic and Pacific.
After being demobbed from the Navy More returned to England and signed with agent Harry Dubens, who was seeking actors who had served in the forces. More went into 'The Crimson Harvest' (1946) at the Gateway Theatre in Notting Hill, and it was there that BBC producer Michael Barry saw him and offered him a contract to play in small television roles at the Alexandra Palace to help restart the BBC.
Jenny Laird and John Fernald's 'And No Birds Can Sing' (1946) marked More's West End debut at the Aldwych Theatre, playing the part of the Reverend Arthur Platt. Within a year he was back on stage in 'Power Without Glory' (1947) by Michael Clayton Hutton at the New Lindsey, Notting Hill Gate. It was so well received that it led to a live version being broadcast on the BBC. That same year Noël Coward cast More as a British Resistance Leader in 'Peace in Our Time' at the Lyric Theatre; a story of what might have happened if Britain had lost the Second World War. More and Coward got on well and stayed friends throughout their lives. 1950 saw More in 'The Way Things Go' by Frederick Lonsdale at the Phoenix Theatre, alongside a cast which included Michael Gough, Glynis Johns, Ronald Squire and Janet Burnell.
His first breakthrough came on stage at The Duchess Theatre in 1952 playing the role of Freddie Page alongside Peggy Ashcroft in Terence Rattigan's 'The Deep Blue Sea'. It was noted actor Roland Culver who had put More forward for the part having known Rattigan. The production was an enormous success and Kenneth More received great critical acclaim. He would often cite it as his favourite stage performance.
It was whilst More was performing in 'The Deep Blue Sea' that filmmaker Henry Cornelius came back stage to offer him a part which would change his career forever, the role of Ambrose Claverhouse in a film called Genevieve (1953). Cornelius had remembered More from a screen test he had directed him in for the part of Lt. E.G.R. (Teddy) Evans in Scott of the Antarctic (1948). This had been More's first attempt to break into cinema which had not come to fruition although plenty of film work followed. Cornelius was sure More was the Claverhouse he needed for 'Genevieve' and he was not disappointed. More's perfect comic timing was made for the part and he won the audience immediately making him a rising star overnight. 'Genevieve' was the second most popular movie that year and went onto become a British comedy classic, winning Best British Film at the British Film Academy Awards.
More channelled the same energy and zest for life he had shown as Claverhouse in his next performance as student Doctor Richard Grimsdake in the first of the much-loved Doctor in the House (1954) film series. It was a winning formula becoming the most popular film at the box office in 1954 securing More Best Actor at the British Film Academy Awards.
1955 saw More returning to the role of Freddie Page in a big screen version of Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea, playing alongside Vivien Leigh. Incidentally, he had brought the role back to life the previous year for BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) series. The screen adaptation was produced by Alexander Korda and directed by Anatole Litvak. More's performance was once again praised by audiences and critics alike, leading to being awarded the prestigious Volpi cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, as well as nominations for Best Actor at the British Film Academy Awards. Further honours were bestowed by the Variety Club of Great Britain as Most Promising International Star of 1955. He had finally made his mark.
It was a serious leading role initially turned down by Richard Burton which would make More a major star. Playing the legless, real-life fighter pilot Douglas Bader in Reach for the Sky (1956) was the role of a lifetime. He felt the part of Bader was one he was born to play as he mentioned in his autobiography, 'More or Less': "Bader's philosophy was my philosophy. His whole attitude to life was mine." More had met Bader at Gleneagles where they played a round of golf together, Bader winning each time. They got on well which was somewhat surprising in that Bader was not that keen on actors. Not wanting to caricature him More kept his distance whilst preparing for the role, only meeting him on a handful of occasions for dinner with his friend, actor Ronald Squire. 'Reach for the Sky' became a smash hit upon release and the most popular British film of 1956, winning a British Film Academy award for Best Film. Playing Bader also garnered a Best Actor award for More from popular cinema publication, Picturegoer magazine.
'Reach for the Sky' did something much greater for his career, it showed British audiences that Kenneth More was not just suited to comic roles, he had range as a leading man in dramatic performances. In later years More called several of his films 'favourites' in the press, but it is the belief that 'Reach for the Sky' remained his preferred choice and greatest accomplishment on screen.
Hugely popular films The Admirable Crichton (1957), A Night to Remember (1958), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958), North West Frontier (1959) and The 39 Steps (1959) galvanized his status as one of Britain's most sought-after actors of the decade. Once he was a £5 a week actor in rep, now he was commanding £50,000 a film.
At the height of his fame More was offered several opportunities to go to Hollywood but with the success he was enjoying at home he did not see the point, or even what he had to offer Tinseltown at this juncture.
The 1960s saw More continue as a leading man in Sink the Bismarck! (1960), Loss of Innocence (1961) and We Joined the Navy (1962). He would cite The Comedy Man (1964) as one of his most favourite roles playing down and out middle-aged actor Chick Byrd. This character resonated with him on two levels. The first was how it represented the experiences he had as a struggling young actor, the second was how he was coming to terms with the present, his own age and the shifting trends of the industry. It would be More's last leading role on the silver screen. Further successes on film came but in cameo or supporting roles, including The Longest Day (1962), Oh! What a Lovely War (1969), Battle of Britain (1969), Scrooge (1970) and The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella (1976).
More finally achieved worldwide fame as leading man on the small screen in a BBC adaptation of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga (1967). He had been working steadily on television throughout the 1960's in starring roles, but The Forsyte Saga caught the world's imagination and was a huge, phenomenal success. The series managed to achieve that rare cult-like status and helped introduce Kenneth More to a whole new audience, many who had not seen his earlier work. Several years late More took on another famous literary character playing the part of a Catholic priest who was adept at solving mysteries in G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown (1974). The TV Times awarded him Best Actor for his performance.
Kenneth More had returned to the theatre as early as 1963, playing the part of Peter Pounce alongside Celia Johnson in Giles Cooper's 'Out of the Crocodile' at the Phoenix Theatre. A year later he appeared in a musical version of 'The Admirable Crichton' co-starring with Millicent Martin in 'Our Man Crichton' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. By the end of the 1960s he had received great critical praise as Hugh in a production of 'The Secretary Bird' (1968) by William Douglas-Home at the Savoy Theatre. It turned out to be the biggest stage success of his career. Terence Rattigan's 'The Winslow Boy' (1970), Alan Bennett's award-winning 'Getting On' (1971), Jeremy Kingston's 'Sign of the Times' (1973) and Frederick Lonsdale's 'On Approval' (1977) followed, all of which reinforced More's popularity in his later years.
He was made a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's New Year's Honours list of 1970. The Kenneth More Theatre, a regional playhouse named in his honour opened in Redbridge in 1974. The Variety Club of Great Britain bestowed More with a special silver heart in 1975 for 40 years in show business. He had been a great supporter of the club over the years taking part in a great deal of charitable events. A special, televised ceremony was held in the Lancaster ballroom of the Savoy Hotel and was attended by many of the industry's best-known names, including Sir. Douglas Bader who More had remained friends with throughout the years.
1978 saw the release of his autobiography 'More or Less', reported to have sold 100,000 copies almost immediately upon release. It received widespread critical and public praise and showed that his appeal had not diminished after 4 decades in the business, despite how times had changed. More was considered an 'institution in British entertainment' according to presenter Michael Parkinson whilst introducing him on his chat show in 1978.
More announced his retirement in 1980 due to illness, at the time he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. It is now very likely that he was suffering from Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), due in part to the age of onset and the speed at which the condition progressed. Kenneth More passed away on July 12th, 1982. His wife Angela Douglas was by his side having nursed him in his final years.
Kenneth More's memorial service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 20 September 1982, which also marked his birthday. The service was packed with family and friends alike, including Lauren Bacall, Dame Anna Neagle and Lady Joan Bader, widow of Sir Douglas Bader who had passed away the same year. A plaque was erected at St. Paul's Church Covent Garden, known more commonly as the Actor's Church.
It is almost 40 years since his passing, yet Kenneth More's performances have endured, continuing to screen worldwide on television and home entertainment. What greater legacy can there be for an actor than to be able to continue to thrill audiences long after one has taken their final bow.- Jenny Hanley was born on 15 August 1947 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), Scars of Dracula (1970) and The Flesh and Blood Show (1972). She was previously married to Herbie Clark.
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Angela Douglas was born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire but has lived her whole life in South London.
Her first professional appearance was in the West End, aged just 14 years old.
Small roles in television along with teenage modelling and commercials followed. Aged twenty, Angela was taken to Rome for 3 months to work on CLEOPATRA starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Her twenty-first birthday was spent there.
On her return, Angela was cast as Fancy Smith (Brian Blessed's) girlfriend in the popular British TV series, Z CARS. Immediately after she went to Bristol to film SOME PEOPLE, directed by Clive Donner. The leading man was the British movie star Kenneth More. At forty-seven years old he was at the top of his career, following successes in classics such as "Genevieve", "Reach for the Sky", "A Night to Remember" and "Sink the Bismarck!" Older and married. Angela aged just twenty, they fell in love. Society, the press, all frowned upon their relationship, and they were ostracised by many.
Several very difficult years were to follow. Divorce laws eventually changed, and they were free to marry in 1968. In July 1969, she miscarried the longed-for baby with More. During those years Angela still worked for several leading directors including: Ted Kotcheff, Christopher Morahan, Bryan Forbes, and J.Lee Thompson in Hollywood for JOHN GOLDFARB: PLEASE COME HOME, with Shirley MacLaine and Peter Ustinov.
On stage, Angela travelled to Hong Kong to star in the musical SOMETHING'S AFOOT with Virginia McKenna and George Cole. Toronto followed with the play, THE SCENARIO with Trevor Howard. Next to London, in KILLING JESSICA alongside Patrick McNee. Angela also toured with Tony Britton in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH, and with Anna Neagle in THE FIRST MRS FRASIER. Feature film appearances continued in ITS ALL HAPPENING with Tommy Steele, THE COMEDY MAN with Kenneth More and MAROC SEVEN with Gene Barry.
Angela was then cast to play the female lead in four classic Carry On films - starring first as Annie Oakley in CARRY ON COWBOY. CARRY ON SCREAMING, CARRY ON FOLLOW THAT CAMEL, and CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER all followed.
T.V. Appearances in hit series included: GIDEON'S WAY, THE SAINT, THE AVENGERS, DOCTOR AT LARGE, JASON KING, THE PROTECTORS, FATHER BROWN, OIL STRIKE NORTH...and many more...
In 1979, her husband Kenneth More was diagnosed with a rare form of Parkinson's - MSA (Multiple System Atrophy). Angela nursed him for three years until his death in 1982. The entertainment industry was wonderfully supportive, rallying around to offer her work, but she chose to stay at home and spent eighteen months writing her autobiography: SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS. It was incredibly well received by critics and audience alike, with the Daily Mail purchasing the serial rights. The Mail on Sunday went on to give Angela a regular column in its Femail pages. The Daily Telegraph sent her to L.A to write a feature for them. Additional magazines followed suit with offers to write for them.
Angela dipped in and out of films and television during that time. Features included DIGBY THE BIGGEST DOG IN THE WORLD with Jim Dale, Kenneth Branagh's HAMLET, SHADOW RUN with Michael Caine, THIS YEAR'S LOVE, SOUTH KENSINGTON and FOUR FEATHERS with Heath Ledger. TV credits included THE GENTLE TOUCH, THIRD TIME LUCKY with Derek Nimmo, DOCTOR WHO as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's wife, STRATHBLAIR, FOUR SEASONS playing opposite Frank Finley and Tom Conti, as well as guest appearances in long-running series: CASUALTY, HEARTBEAT, PEAK PRACTICE and HOLBY CITY.
In 1989 she met and fell in love with acclaimed theatre director Bill Bryden. They were introduced to each other at a dinner party held by actress Marsha Hunt. In 2009 they married on her birthday in City Hall in New York, with agent Douglas Rae and actress Sally Ann Howes as their witnesses.
In 2018, Angela's first novel was published: JOSEPHINE: AN OPEN BOOK. A powerful and compelling story of a young woman's journey to stardom and the trials and tribulations of show business and celebrity. Set against the backdrop of London's 1960s, her paths cross with the likes of Kirk Douglas, Steve McQueen, and Neil Armstrong. Though a work of fiction, the novel draws extensively on Angela's own experiences.- He was born in the United Kingdom into a wealthy family; his mother was British and his father a Brazilian diplomat. He was educated in Switzerland where he learned to ski. His parents were friends of producer Michael Balcon who was looking for a boy who could ski for his 1954 film The Divided Heart (1954). Young Michel fitted the part perfectly and started a film career which culminated in the role of Faraj in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). This project took eighteen months, causing Michel to reflect on the impact his film work was having on his education. He decided to quit acting instead attending Harvard University. He graduated in business studies, and went on to take a Masters (MBA). In the meantime, he pursued his passion for winter sports, representing Britain in the Winter Olympics in Grenoble 1968 (ski), Sapporo 1972 (luge) and Innsbruck 1976 (luge). After university he joined merchant bankers White Weld & Co before moving on to NM Rothschild and Credit Suisse First Boston. In his London city career in investment banking he made his first millions. In 1995 he joined Nikko Securities and in 1998 became the first non-Japanese member of the main board. He had married a childhood friend Charlene, daughter of Alfred "Freddie" Heineken. Her mother was Lucille Cummins daughter of a Kentucky Bourbon maker. Her father Freddie died in January 2002 and left his controlling interest, 50.05%, in the Heineken brewing empire to the couple. With an estimated wealth of £3 billion or $4.2 billion, Michel's life story is more glamorous than many a Hollywood fiction.
