Warren Mitchell
Warren Mitchell | |
---|---|
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1951–2015 |
Notable work | See below |
Spouse |
Constance Wake (m. 1951) |
Children | 3 |
Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell;
In the 1950s, Mitchell appeared on the radio programmes
His other film appearances include Three Crooked Men (1958), Carry On Cleo (1964), The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), The Assassination Bureau (1969) and Norman Loves Rose (1982). He held both British and Australian citizenship[2] and enjoyed considerable success in stage performances in both countries, winning Olivier Awards in 1979 for Death of a Salesman and in 2004 for The Price.
Early life
Mitchell was born and raised in
He was interested in acting from an early age and attended Gladys Gordon's Academy of Dramatic Arts in Walthamstow from the age of seven. He did well at Southgate County School (became Minchenden School a different school to Southgate School ),[5] a state grammar school at Palmers Green, North London. He then studied physical chemistry at University College, Oxford, as a Royal Air Force cadet student[6] on a six-month university short course which the armed services sponsored for potential officers.[7] There he met his contemporary, Richard Burton, and together they joined the RAF in October 1944.[8] He completed his navigator training in Canada just as the Second World War ended.[9]
His wife, Constance Wake (1928–2017) was a film and TV actress in Behind the Headlines (1956 film), Maigret (1960 TV series) and others.
Career
Richard Burton's description of the acting profession had convinced him that it would be better than completing his chemistry degree and so Mitchell attended
By the late 1950s, he regularly appeared on television: as
His cinema début was in Guy Hamilton's Manuela (1957), and he began a career of minor roles as sinister foreign agents, assisted by his premature baldness and facility with Eastern European accents. He appeared in The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), the Hammer horror The Curse of the Werewolf (1961), Carry On Cleo (1964), Where Has Poor Mickey Gone? (Gerry Levy, 1964), and Help! (Richard Lester, 1965) and played leads in All the Way Up (James MacTaggart, 1970), The Chain (Jack Gold, 1984), The Dunera Boys (Ben Lewin, 1985) and Foreign Body (Ronald Neame, 1986).[9]
In 1965, Mitchell was cast in the role for which he became best known, as the
Mitchell reprised the role of Alf Garnett in the films Till Death Us Do Part (1969) and The Alf Garnett Saga (1972), in the ATV series Till Death... (1981), and in the BBC series In Sickness and in Health (1985–92). He also reprised his role as Alf Garnett in 1983 in the television series The Main Attraction where comedians recreated their famous acts from their past in front of a live and television audience (similar to An Audience with... that began in 1976). In 1997 he played the role in An Audience with Alf Garnett. The same year, ITV aired a series of mini-episodes called A Word With Alf, featuring Alf and his friends. All the TV shows and both films were written by Johnny Speight. When Speight died in 1998, the character of Alf Garnett was retired at Mitchell's request.
Mitchell had a long and distinguished career on stage and television. Other small screen roles included a 13-episode series,
In 2001, he appeared in a Christmas Special episode of Last of the Summer Wine, "Potts in Pole Position".[citation needed]
He was a subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in 1972 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews.
On stage he received extensive critical acclaim for his performances as
Mitchell had a number of musical roles in his lengthy career, beginning with the role of Theophile in the original London production of Can-Can and the small role of Crookfinger Jake in The Threepenny Opera. He also sang briefly in the film Till Death Do Us Part and played Alfred Doolittle on the studio album of My Fair Lady, Music Hall Songs, songs of the
In 2008, at the age of 82, Mitchell was performing alongside
Awards
In 1976, his one-man show The Thoughts of Chairman Alf won the
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | BAFTA TV Award
|
Best Actor | Till Death Us Do Part | Won |
1979 | Olivier Award
|
Actor of the Year in a Revival | Death of a Salesman | Won |
Evening Standard Theatre Awards[24] | Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor | Won | ||
1982 | AACTA Award (AFI)
|
Best Supporting Actor | Norman Loves Rose | Won |
2004 | Olivier Award | Best Supporting Performance | The Price | Won |
Personal life and death
Mitchell described himself in an interview as an
For over 20 years, Mitchell suffered pain from nerve damage, caused by
In sharp contrast to his signature Alf Garnett character (who was a staunch Conservative), Mitchell was a socialist and Labour Party supporter, who believed that the 2010 Labour Party leadership election had a lack of firebrands.[33]
Mitchell died at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London, on 14 November 2015, two months short of his 90th birthday after a long illness.[1][29]
Selected filmography
Films
- Five Days (1954) as Laughing Man in Bar (uncredited)
- The Passing Stranger (1954) (uncredited)
- Manuela (1957) as Moss
- Barnacle Bill (1957) as Artie White
- Girls at Sea (1958) as Arthur
- The Trollenberg Terror (1958) as Prof. Crevett
- Three Crooked Men (1959) as Walter Prinn
- The Stranglers of Bombay (1959) as Merchant (uncredited)
- Tommy the Toreador (1959) as Waiter
- Two-Way Stretch (1960) as Tailor
- Hell Is a City (1960) as Commercial Traveller
- Doctor in Love (1960) as Haystack Club Manager (uncredited)
- The Boy Who Stole a Million (1960) as Pedro
- Surprise Package (1960) as Klimatis
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) as Tailor
- The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) as Pepe Valiente
- Don't Bother to Knock (1961) as Waiter
- The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961) as Giorgio
- The Silent Invasion (1962) as Robert
- Postman's Knock (1962) as Rupert
- Operation Snatch (1962) as Contact Man
- Village of Daughters (1962) as Puccelli (A Father)
- The Main Attraction (1962) as Cafe Proprietor (uncredited)
- We Joined the Navy (1962) as 'Honest' Marcel
- The King's Breakfast (1963) as The Gym Instructor (short)
- Edgar Wallace Mysteries episode: Incident at Midnight (1963) as Chemist
- The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963) as Lou Leeman
- Unearthly Stranger (1963) as Prof. Geoffrey D. Munro
- Calculated Risk (1963) as Simmie
- The Sicilians (1964) as O'Leary
- Seventy Deadly Pills (1964) as Lofty
- Carry On Cleo (1964) as Spencius
- Where Has Poor Mickey Gone? (1964) as Emilio Dinelli, the Magician (with Ottilie Patterson)
- The Intelligence Men (1965) as Prozoroff
- The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965) as Mr. Zanfrello
- San Ferry Ann (1965) as Maitre d'Hotel
- Help! (1965) as Abdul
- Promise Her Anything (1965) as Frank Focus / Panel Moderator
- Night Caller from Outer Space (1965) as Reg Lilburn
- The Sandwich Man (1966) as Gypsy Sid
- Drop Dead Darling (1966) as Conte de Rienz / Maximillian
- The Jokers (1967) as Lennie
- Dying for a Smoke (1967) as Old Nick O'Teen (voice)
- Diamonds for Breakfast (1968) as Popov
- Till Death Us Do Part (1969) as Alf Garnett
- The Assassination Bureau (1969) as Herr Weiss
- The Best House in London (1969) as Count Pandolfo
- Moon Zero Two (1969) as Hubbard
- All the Way Up (1970) as Fred Midway
- Innocent Bystanders (1972) as Omar
- The Alf Garnett Saga (1972) as Alf Garnett
- What Changed Charley Farthing? (1975) as MacGregor
- Jabberwocky (1977) as Mr. Fishfinger
- Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers (1977) as Morris Morris
- Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979) as Gurdjieff's Father
- Norman Loves Rose (1982) as Morris
- The Plague Dogs (1982) as Tyson / Wag (voice)
- The Chain (1984) as Bamber
- Foreign Body (1986) as I.Q. Patel
- Knights and Emeralds (1986) as Mr. Kirkpatrick
- Kokoda Crescent (1988) as Stan
- Brahms and the Little Singing Girls (1996) as Brahms
- Crackers (1998) as Albert Hall
- The 10th Man (2006) as Coleman (short)
Television
- The Children of the New Forest (1955) as Oliver Cromwell
- Hancock's Half Hour (1956–9) as Various characters (5 episodes)
- No Shepherds Watched (1957) as Boxer Baxter (TV Movie)
- The Man Who Was Two (1957) as Vickery (1 episode)
- Requiem for a Heavyweight (1957) as Army
- Nicholas Nickleby (1957) as Gentleman in small clothes (1 episode)
- Big Guns (1958) as Kegworthy (5 episodes)
- Dick and the Duchess (1958) as Charlie Burrows (1 episode)
- Starr and Company (1958) as Charlie Rogers (3 episodes)
- The Larkins (1958) as Maxie Green (1 episode)
- The Vise (1958) as Ben Chou (1 episode, uncredited)
- Underground(1958) as Stan
- William Tell (1959) as Carlo
- Interpol Calling (1959) as Willi (1 episode)
- The Four Just Men (1959) as George Rudley (1 episode)
- No Hiding Place (1960–2) as Miles Webber, Bembo (2 episodes)
- Knight Errant Limited (1960) as P-lice Chief (1 episode
- Man from Interpol (1960) as Pilice Chief (1 episode
- Danger Man (1960–6) as Various characters (5 episodes)
- Bootsie and Snudge (1961–3) as Various characters (5 episodes)
- Colonel Trumper’s Private War (1961) as Prof. Pan Malcov (5 episodes)
- Deadline Midnight (1961) as Andre Gudenian (1 episode)
- Sir Francis Drake (1961) as Roberto (1 episode)
- Maigret (1961) as Aristide (1 episode)
- Comedy Playhouse: Cliquot et Fils (1961) as Alphonse Lagillarde
- Comedy Playhouse: The Channel Swimmer (1962) as Austin
- Suspense (1962) as Mullen (1 episode)
- Brothers in Law (1962) as George Coles (1 episode)
- Man of the World (1962) as Alex (1 episode)
- Ghost Squad (1962–3) as Mahmoud, Alfiat (2 episodes)
- The Saint (1962–3) as Marco Di Cesari (3 episodes)
- Z-Cars (1962) as Morrie Morris (1 episode)
- Crane (1963) as Julius Dorfmann (1 episode)
- The Human Jungle (1963) as Deacon Hobbs (1 episode)
- Mauspassant (1963) as Monsieur Dubois (1 episode)
- Zero One (1963) as Suleman Bey, Captain Awad (2 episodes)
- Harry's Girls (1963) as The Director (1 episode)
- Our Man at St. Mark's (1963) as Joe Meyer (1 episode)
- The Sentimental Agent (1963) as Pugh (1 episode)
- The Avengers (1963–7) as Various characters (3 episodes)
- Sergeant. Cork (1964) as Kendrick (1 episode)
- Detective (1964) as Roscovitch (1 episode)
- The Graham Stark Show (1964) as Various characters (1 episode)
- The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1964) as Dina Da (1 episode)
- The Big Noise (1964) as Willy Lyman (1 episode)
- Redcap (1964) as Inspector Grigoriou (1 episode)
- A Little Big Business (1965) as Dr. Froehling (1 episode)
- Comedy Playhouse: Till Death Us Do Part (1965) as Alf Ramsey
- Gaslight Theatre (1965) as Various characters (5 episodes)
- Out of the Unknown: The Fox and the Forest (1965) as Kendrick
- The Wednesday Play: Calf Love (1966) as Herr Westermann
- Court Martial (1966) as Guido Orsini (1 episode)
- Frankie Howerd(1966) as Francis' Agent (1 episode)
- Lee Oswald Assassin(1966) as Spas T.Raikin
- Pardon the Expression (1966) as Harvey Clawson (1 episode)
- The Man in Room 17 (1966) as Petropolous (1 episode)
- Till Death Us Do Part (1966–75) as Alf Garnett (All 53 episodes)
- Intrigue (1966) as Schumminge (1 episode)
- Life with Cooper (1967) as Various characters (1 episode)
- Misleading Cases (1967) as Professor Lindquist (1 episode)
- Marriage and Henry Sunday (1967) as Henry Sunday
- Comedy Playhouse: Tooth and Claw (1969) as Reuben Tooth
- The Frankie Howerd Show (1969) as Various characters (1 episode)
- Comedy Playhouse: No Peace on the Western Front (1972) as Fritz Van Scharganau Clausewitz
- Black and Blue: Secrets (1973) as Rose
- Men of Affairs (1973–4) as Sir William Mainwaring-Brown MP (All 15 episodes)
- The Sweeney (1975) as William Wardle (1 episode)
- Play For Today: Moss (1975) as Moss (1 episode)
- Big Deal in New York City (1977) as Albert Cakebread
- The Mechant of Venice (1980) as Shylock
- The Caretaker (1981) as Davies
- Till Death... (1981) as Alf Garnett (All 6 episodes)
- Lady Is a Tramp (1984) as Tramp (1 episode)
- Waterfront (1984) as Laughing Les (Mini Series)
- Men of Letters (1984) as Sir Dorton Serry (TV Movie)
- Franklin D Roosevelt(Mini Series)
- The Dunera Boys (1985) as Mr Baum (Mini Series)
- In Sickness and in Health (1985–92) as Alf Garnett (All 47 episodes)
- Tickets for the Titanic (1988) as George (1 episode)
- Acropolis Now (1989) as Kostas Stephanidis (1 episode)
- Jackaroo (1990) as Ambrose Barberton (1 episode)
- So You Think You've Got Troubles? (1991) as Ivan Fox (4 episodes)
- Lovejoy (1993) as Uncle Jack (1 episode)
- Screen One: Wall of Silence (1993) as Samuel Singer (1 episode)
- Death of a Salesman (1996) as Willy Loman (TV Movie)
- Gobble (1997) as Waterboard Chairman (TV Movie)
- Kavanagh QC (1997) as Avran Rypin (1 episode)
- Ain't Misbehavin' (1997) as Ray Smiles (Mini Series)
- A Word with Alf (1997) as Alf Garnett
- The Thoughts of Chairman Alf(1998) as Alf Garnett (All 6 episodes)
- Gormenghast (2000) as Barquentine (4 episodes)
- Monsignor Renard (2000) as Marshall Petain (1 episode, voice)
- A Christmas Carol (2000) as James Scrooge (Eddie's Dad)
- Last of the Summer Wine (2001) as Potts (1 episode)
- Waking the Dead (2003) as Edgar Truelove (2 episodes)
- The Shark Net (2003) as Ralph Wheatley (2 episodes)
References
- ^ doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.110888. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ a b Warren Mitchell is a winner ABC TV 7.30 Report interview with Kerry O'Brien, 24 February 2004
- ^ "Variety Club – Jewish Chronicle colour supplement "350 years"". The Jewish Chronicle. 15 December 2006. pp. 28–29.
- ^ Davis, Barry. "From the BBC with Love", The International Jerusalem Post, 2–8 January 2015, pg. 10.
- ^ Southgate School notable pupils: Warren Misell Retrieved 14 November 2015
- ^ "RIP Warren Mitchell". University College Oxford.
- ^ "Warren Mitchell obituary". the Guardian. 14 November 2015.
- ^ "Log In". facebook.com.
- ^ a b c d BFI screen online biography accessed 27 June 2007
- ^ Sweet, Matthew. "Do Not Adjust Your Set By Kate Dunn"[dead link], The Independent, 20 July 2003
- ^ Moncrieff, Chris (16 November 2015). "Alf Garnett star Warren Mitchell dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Clark, Anthony. Till Death Us Do Part (1966–75) accessed 11 April 2016
- ^ Play for Today: Moss at IMDb
- ^ "Kavanagh QC" Ancient History (1997) at IMDb website. Retrieved 13 June 2012
- ^ "So You Think You've Got Troubles, 1991". British Classic Comedy. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ "A man of many cantankerous parts", The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 February 2004. Accessed 11 April 2016.
- ^ Lawson, Mark (14 November 2015). "Warren Mitchell: there was more to him than Cockney foghorn Chairman Alf". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Brockes, Emma (10 September 2003). "Emma Brockes talks to Warren Mitchell". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Fisher, Philip. "Theatre review: The Price at Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue". Britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Warren Mitchell obituary: Alf Garnett and much more". BBC News. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ a b Bowie-Sell, Daisy (14 November 2015). "Actor Warren Mitchell dies". WhatsOnStage.com. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ Keenan, Catherine "What's it all about, Alfie?", Sydney Morning Herald, 21 January 2005
- ^ Awards for Norman Loves Rose (1982) at The Internet Movie Database
- ^ a b "Evening Standard theatre awards: 1955–1979". standard.co.uk. 10 April 2012.
- ^ Deveney, Catherine (10 October 2007). "The pride of prejudice". Scotland on Sunday. Archived from the original on 11 March 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
- ^ "Warren Mitchell", British Humanist Association website
- ^ BMD Register – General Register Office. Warren Missel / Constance M Wake 2nd quarter 1951, St Pancras Middlesex. Volume 2 Page 776.
- ^ "Warren Mitchell, Alf Garnett actor, dies aged 89". The Daily Telegraph. 14 November 2015. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ a b Thorpe, Vanessa (14 November 2015). "Warren Mitchell dies aged 89". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
- ^ Curtis, Keryn (4 March 2016). "Learning from the death of 'Alf Garnett'". agedcare101. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ Neuropathy Trust accessed 27 June 2007 Archived 29 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Keenan, Catherine "What's it all about, Alfie?", The Sydney Morning Herald, Arts section, 21 January 2005.
- ^ "Debating Warren Mitchell's film". BBC News. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
External links
- Warren Mitchell at IMDb
- Screenonline: Warren Mitchell
- TimeOut: Warren Mitchell Archived 29 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine