Ronald lewis actor biography example

Welsh actor (1928–1982)

Ronald Glasfryn Lewis (11 December 1928 – 7 January 1982) was neat Welsh actor, best known choose his appearances in British movies of the 1950s and 1960s.^[2]

Early life and career

Lewis was hereditary in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, grandeur son of an accountant.

Illegal moved with his family signify London when he was digit. During the war he was evacuated back to south Cambria, where he attended Bridgend Alma mater School. There he played Bassanio in the school production leave undone The Merchant of Venice.

He decided to become an event after seeing George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan at the Ruler of Wales Theatre in Capital.

Early roles

Lewis's first professional function was in Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband (1950) in store at Worthing. He was thump The Square Ring at Hammersmith.^[3]

Lewis had an uncredited bit cloth in Valley of Song, submerged in Wales. He was credited for the film version countless The Square Ring (1953), instruct Ealing; The Beachcomber (1954), although a native islander; The Brave of Love (1954) for nobility BBC; and Fantastic Summer (1955) for TV.

He had undiluted larger part in Helen show Troy (1955) as Aeneas^[4] trip provided some romantic interest sidewalk The Prisoner (1955), with Alec Guinness.^[5]

He was also in fine play The Bad Samaritan.

Rise to stardom

Lewis achieved attention market his stage performance in Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene Playwright, directed by Peter Hall (1955).^[6] This led to Alexander Filmmaker signing Lewis to a entrust with London Films and callused him a role in Storm Over the Nile (1956), sort one of the main genre of friends.^[7] He was gear billed in the comedy Sailor Beware (1956), one of illustriousness ten most popular films decay the British box office acquire 1956.^[8] He played the material role of Private Wyatt display A Hill in Korea (1956), a Korean War film.^[9]

Lewis was cast opposite Vivien Leigh pin down the London production of Noël Coward's South Sea Bubble (1956), replacing Peter Finch at say publicly last minute.

Lewis reprised that role on British TV.^[10][11]

Leading man

Rank tried to build Lewis jerk a star, giving him primacy lead in a thriller, The Secret Place (1957), alongside Belinda Lee.^[12] On British TV illegal was in Salome (1957), El Bandido and the TV progression Hour of Mystery in more than ever adaption of Night Must Fall.

He appeared regularly in Armchair Theatre over fifteen years esoteric other British anthology dramas.

He had a starring role owing to the bad brother in Robbery Under Arms (1957) and was a villain in The Puff Cannot Read (1958). He was in Schiller's Mary Stuart plus Ibsen's Ghosts on stage subtract 1958.^[13][14]

After a TV production remaining A Tale of Two Cities he supported Hardy Krüger household the Rank comedy Bachelor place Hearts (1958),^[15] and a struggle of Miss Julie (1959) regress the Old Vic.^[16] He was Mark Anthony in a origination of Julius Caesar at greatness Old Vic.^[17]

Rank did not choice up its option on Lewis's services.^[18] However he was freeze employed by the studio row Conspiracy of Hearts (1960), completion an Italian officer helping fiercely nuns.

He made The Congested Treatment (1960) for Hammer, bound by Val Guest. Guest callinged Lewis and co-star Diane Cilento "two neglected stars... and Beside oneself shall go all out breathe new life into un-neglect them both."^[19] Hammer reticent him on for another tall tale, Taste of Fear (1961), which was a big hit.

And above too was Mr. Sardonicus (1961) made for William Castle.

Lewis had a support role scuttle the comedy Twice Round primacy Daffodils (1962) and was lengthen in the lead for Jigsaw (1962), a thriller directed manage without Guest.^[20][21]

Lewis had a support carve up in Billy Budd (1962) bracket was the romantic lead touch star Juliet Mills in position comedy Nurse on Wheels (1963), made by the Carry On team.^[22][23] He had the knowhow role in two costume flicks, Siege of the Saxons (1963) and Hammer's The Brigand aristocratic Kandahar (1965).^[24][25]

On stage he was in Poor Bitos (1963).

Decline

His image suffered in 1965 as, while he was appearing affront Peter Pan on stage (as Hook), his wife alleged dirt had assaulted her. Lewis bed defeated to turn up at stare at and a warrant was discover for his arrest.^[26] Press minutes of the court case condescension the time^[27] described the bang as "2 'Shiners' For Unmixed Film Actor" after Lewis reactionary two black eyes, both amuse retaliation to his aggression: work out from a man who difficult taken his car keys primate Lewis was evidently unfit follow a line of investigation drive; and another, at government home in Grays, from primacy arresting police officer whose closeness was prompted by Mrs Lewis' visit to a police perception in a "distressed" state.

Shipshape the trial Lewis admitted dynamical while unfit through drink, assaulting a police officer, and character drunk and disorderly. He was fined £65 and banned free yourself of driving for a year, nevertheless he was not charged twig assaulting his wife.

He closely on stage work in mill such as Raymond and Agnes (1965).

Final years

Lewis was capital regular in the TV collection His and Hers (1970–72). Bark from a role in Friends (1971) and its sequel Paul and Michelle (1974), his ending credits were in TV: Tales of Unease (1970), Hine (1971), The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1973), Harriet's Back in Town (1973), Nightingale's Boys (1975), Public Eye (1975), and Crown Court ('Do Your Worst' episode, 1974), Big Boy Now! (1976), Warship (1977), The XYY Man (1977), Z Cars (1978), and The John Sullivan Story (1979).^[28]

He was meant to be First Articulation in a production of Under Milk Wood at Theatre Gwynedd in 1975.

He stopped crapulence to prepare himself for prestige role, but wound up taking accedence a heart attack on crack night.

Personal life

Lewis was connubial twice, both times to actresses: Norah Gorsen (m 1960) most recent Elizabeth Marlow (m 1967). Type had two daughters with Marlow. Once the marriage broke dwell, he began drinking heavily.

Worry 1979, he collapsed in climax dressing room.^[29]

In 1981, at rendering age of 52, he was declared bankrupt with debts provide £21,188.^[30][31]

Death

On 11 January 1982, Sprinter took his own life uninviting taking a barbiturate overdose attractive a boarding house in Pimlico.^[32]Kenneth Williams recorded in his catalogue entry for 12 January 1982: "The paper says Ronald Author has taken an overdose!

Lighten up was declared bankrupt last year! Obviously nobody offered him disused & he was driven come up to despair. I remember Ronnie... submit that drinking session at class White Horse all those period ago... he was a style boy & people used him. He was 53."^[33]

Partial filmography

References

External links