Michael Aldridge - Revision history

Kurt at 03:25, 23 November 2022

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	{{short description\|English actor}}		{{short description\|English actor}}
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2018}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Michael Aldridge		\| name = Michael Aldridge

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External links

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	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716141319/http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/stoutheartedmen/michaelaldridge.html Stout-hearted Men]		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716141319/http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/stoutheartedmen/michaelaldridge.html Stout-hearted Men]
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040827172553/http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/0500summerwine/0200characters/page.cfm?objectid=67688&method=full&siteid=50060 icHuddersfield Obituary]		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040827172553/http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/0500summerwine/0200characters/page.cfm?objectid=67688&method=full&siteid=50060 icHuddersfield Obituary]

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldridge, Michael}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldridge, Michael}}

Kurt at 19:30, 6 October 2022

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← Older revision		Revision as of 14:30, 6 October 2022
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	{{short description\|English actor}}		{{short description\|English actor}}
	~~{{about\|\|the American actor with similar sounding name\|Michael Alldredge\|the Australian rugby union player\|Michael Aldridge (rugby union)}}~~

	{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2018}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2018}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Michael Aldridge		\| name = Michael Aldridge
	\| image = ~~Seymour6519~~.jpg		\| image = Michael Aldridge.jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption = ~~As Seymour in ''Last of the Summer Wine''~~		\| caption =
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1920\|09\|09\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1920\|09\|09\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[Glastonbury]], [[Somerset]], England		\| birth_place = [[w:Glastonbury\|Glastonbury]], [[w:Somerset\|Somerset]], England
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1994\|01\|10\|1920\|09\|09\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1994\|01\|10\|1920\|09\|09\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Greenwich]], [[London]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Greenwich\|Greenwich]], [[w:London\|London]], England
	\| years_active = 1939–1994		\| years_active = 1939–1994
	\| occupation = Actor		\| occupation = Actor
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	}}		}}

	'''Michael William ffolliott <!--ffolliott is correct: see linked reference -->Aldridge'''<ref>{{cite news \|last1=Bendick \|first1=Adam \|title=Obituary: Michael Aldridge \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html \|archive-date=12 May 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=7 August 2018 \|work=Independent \|date=15 January 1994}}</ref> (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a [[character actor]] on stage and screen dating back to the 1930s.		'''Michael William ffolliott <!--ffolliott is correct: see linked reference -->Aldridge'''<ref>{{cite news \|last1=Bendick \|first1=Adam \|title=Obituary: Michael Aldridge \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html \|archive-date=12 May 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=7 August 2018 \|work=Independent \|date=15 January 1994}}</ref> (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a [[w:character actor\|character actor]] on stage and screen dating back to the 1930s.

	==Early life==		==Early life==
	The son of Dr Frederick James Aldridge and his wife Kathleen Michaela Marietta White, Aldridge was born in [[Glastonbury]], [[Somerset]], England, on 9 September 1920. He was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Holt, Norfolk]], where he acted in school plays.<ref name=ex>[http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ Seymour: Michael Aldridge] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909061916/http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ \|date=9 September 2011 }} at examiner.co.uk (accessed 12 April 2008)</ref><ref name=TheatreWW>''Aldridge, Michael, actor'', in ''Who's Who in the Theatre: a Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage'' (11th edition, 1952) ([https://archive.org/stream/whoswhointhethea008058mbp/whoswhointhethea008058mbp_djvu.txt text online])</ref> In his last year at school he played the title role in a production of ''[[Othello]]'', a report in ''[[The Times]]'' noting "M. W. ff. Aldridge (aged 17½ years) was masterly and dignified as Othello and well worthy of the formal designation 'a noble Moor'".<ref>''The Times'', Monday, 27 June 1938; pg. 20; Issue 48031; col A</ref>		The son of Dr Frederick James Aldridge and his wife Kathleen Michaela Marietta White, Aldridge was born in [[w:Glastonbury\|Glastonbury]], [[w:Somerset\|Somerset]], England, on 9 September 1920. He was educated at [[w:Gresham's School\|Gresham's School]], [[w:Holt, Norfolk\|Holt]], where he acted in school plays.<ref name=ex>[http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ Seymour: Michael Aldridge] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909061916/http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ \|date=9 September 2011 }} at examiner.co.uk (accessed 12 April 2008)</ref><ref name=TheatreWW>''Aldridge, Michael, actor'', in ''Who's Who in the Theatre: a Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage'' (11th edition, 1952) ([https://archive.org/stream/whoswhointhethea008058mbp/whoswhointhethea008058mbp_djvu.txt text online])</ref> In his last year at school he played the title role in a production of ''[[w:Othello\|Othello]]'', a report in ''[[w:The Times\|The Times]]'' noting "M. W. ff. Aldridge (aged 17½ years) was masterly and dignified as Othello and well worthy of the formal designation 'a noble Moor'".<ref>''The Times'', Monday, 27 June 1938; pg. 20; Issue 48031; col A</ref>

	==Career==		==Career==

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{{short description|English actor}}
{{about||the American actor with similar sounding name|Michael Alldredge|the Australian rugby union player|Michael Aldridge (rugby union)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Aldridge
| image = Seymour6519.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = As Seymour in ''Last of the Summer Wine''
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1920|09|09|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Glastonbury]], [[Somerset]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1994|01|10|1920|09|09|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Greenwich]], [[London]], England
| years_active = 1939–1994
| occupation = Actor
| spouse = {{marriage|Kirsteen Rowntree|1947}}
| children = 3
}}

'''Michael William ffolliott Aldridge'''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bendick |first1=Adam |title=Obituary: Michael Aldridge |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-michael-aldridge-1400089.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=7 August 2018 |work=Independent |date=15 January 1994}}</ref> (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a [[character actor]] on stage and screen dating back to the 1930s.

==Early life==
The son of Dr Frederick James Aldridge and his wife Kathleen Michaela Marietta White, Aldridge was born in [[Glastonbury]], [[Somerset]], England, on 9 September 1920. He was educated at [[Gresham's School]], [[Holt, Norfolk]], where he acted in school plays.<ref name=ex>[http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ Seymour: Michael Aldridge] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909061916/http://www.examiner.co.uk/travel-news/last-of-summer-wine/2000/01/01/seymour-michael-aldridge-86081-67688/ |date=9 September 2011 }} at examiner.co.uk (accessed 12 April 2008)</ref><ref name=TheatreWW>''Aldridge, Michael, actor'', in ''Who's Who in the Theatre: a Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage'' (11th edition, 1952) ([https://archive.org/stream/whoswhointhethea008058mbp/whoswhointhethea008058mbp_djvu.txt text online])</ref> In his last year at school he played the title role in a production of ''[[Othello]]'', a report in ''[[The Times]]'' noting "M. W. ff. Aldridge (aged 17½ years) was masterly and dignified as Othello and well worthy of the formal designation 'a noble Moor'".<ref>''The Times'', Monday, 27 June 1938; pg. 20; Issue 48031; col A</ref>

==Career==
He started his acting career in August 1939 at the [[Watford Palace Theatre|Palace Theatre, Watford]] appearing in [[Terence Rattigan]]'s play ''[[French Without Tears (play)|French Without Tears]]''. A few days later, World War II broke out. From 1939 to 1940, he was in [[repertory theatre|rep]] at [[Bristol]], [[Blackpool]], [[Sunderland, Tyne and Wear|Sunderland]], [[Sheffield]], [[Bradford, West Yorkshire|Bradford]] and [[Amersham]]. In 1940, he joined the [[Royal Air Force]] and served in Africa, the United States, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, leaving the service in 1945 as a [[Flight Lieutenant]].

After the war, Aldridge returned to acting, and toured with the Arts Council Midland Theatre Company from 1946 to 1948, but it was not until 1954 that his career started to gain him recognition, when he took a role in ''[[Salad Days (musical)|Salad Days]]'' at the [[Vaudeville Theatre]], where he remained until 1957. He played many roles in musicals throughout his career, usually in supporting roles in which he was highly reliable and professional.

===Theatre===
Aldridge's first professional appearance was in the part of Kenneth in ''French without Tears'', at the Palace Theatre, Watford, in August 1939. He was in rep until 1940. His first [[West End theatre|West End]] appearance was in ''This Way to the Tomb'', playing the Prologue and the Mechanic, at the [[Garrick Theatre]], 1946; toured with the Arts Council Midland Theatre Company from November 1946 to July 1948; appeared in Nottingham Theatre Trust productions from November 1948 to March 1949, playing Othello in ''[[Othello]]'' at Nottingham, 1948, and at the [[Embassy Theatre (London)|Embassy Theatre]], 1949; with [[Birmingham rep]], 1949; Old Vic Company at New Theatre, 1949-1950: ''[[Love's Labour's Lost]]'', ''[[She Stoops to Conquer]]'', ''[[The Miser]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]''; returned to Arts Council Midland Theatre Company, 1950; [[Bristol Old Vic]], 1951-1952: played Macbeth in ''[[Macbeth]]'', ''[[Two Gentlemen of Verona]]'', ''[[Of Mice and Men (play)|Of Mice and Men]]''; ''[[Escapade (play)|Escapade]]'', at [[St James's Theatre]], Strand, London, 1953–1954; ''[[Salad Days (musical)|Salad Days]]'', [[Vaudeville Theatre]], 1954;'' [[Free as Air]]'', [[Savoy Theatre]], 1957; ''[[Moon for the Misbegotten]]'', Arts Theatre, 1960; ''Vanity Fair'', Queen's Theatre, 1962; ''[[The Fighting Cock]]'', [[Duke of York's Theatre]], 1966; at [[Chichester Festival]], 1966–1969, and 1971–1972. ''[[Heartbreak House]]'', [[Lyric Theatre (London)|Lyric Theatre]], 1967; ''[[The Cocktail Party]]'', [[Wyndham's Theatre]], Haymarket, 1968; ''[[The Magistrate (play)|The Magistrate]]'', [[Cambridge]], 1969; ''[[A Bequest to the Nation]]'', Haymarket, 1970; ''[[Reunion in Vienna]]'', Piccadilly, 1972; ''[[Absurd Person Singular]]'', [[Criterion Theatre]], 1973; ''[[The Tempest]]'', [[Royal Shakespeare Company]] at [[The Other Place (theatre)|The Other Place]], 1974; ''[[Jeeves (musical)|Jeeves]]'', [[Her Majesty's Theatre]], 1975; ''Lies'', [[Albery Theatre]], 1975; ''[[The Bed before Yesterday]]'', [[Lyric Theatre (London)|Lyric Theatre]], 1976; [[Rosmersholm]], Haymarket, 1977;''[[The Old Country]]'', Queen's Theatre, 1978; [[Bedroom Farce]], [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] at The Prince of Wales, 1978; ''[[The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (play)|The Last of Mrs Cheyney]]'', Cambridge, 1980; [[Noises Off]], Lyric, Hammersmith and Savoy, 1982; ''[[The Biko Inquest]]'', Riverside, 1984; ''[[Relatively Speaking (play)|Relatively Speaking]]'', [[Greenwich]], 1986.<ref name=TheatreWW/>

===Television===

On television, an early significant role was as criminologist Ian Dimmock in the [[Granada television|Granada TV]] series ''[[The Man In Room 17 / The Fellows (Late of Room 17)|The Man in Room 17]]'' and its sequel ''[[The Man In Room 17 / The Fellows (Late of Room 17)|The Fellows]]'' (1965–67). His screen work included playing Pistol in [[Orson Welles]]' movie ''Chimes at Midnight'' in 1967.

In 1975 Aldridge appeared in the title role of [[Andrew Lloyd Webber]] and [[Alan Ayckbourn]]'s musical ''[[Jeeves (musical)|Jeeves]]'', based on the stories by [[P. G. Wodehouse]]. The show was a rare flop for Webber, and the negative critical reaction led to Aldridge giving up his stage career to concentrate on television and film roles.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/stoutheartedmen/michaelaldridge.html | title=Michael Aldridge | publisher=Musical Theatre.com | access-date=21 November 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716141319/http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/stoutheartedmen/michaelaldridge.html | archive-date=16 July 2011 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

He played the part of Rollo in the 1977 serial ''[[Love for Lydia (TV series)|Love for Lydia]]'', produced by [[London Weekend Television]].

He played Percy Alleline in ''[[Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV miniseries)|Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy]]'' on BBC TV in 1979, and appeared in the [[sitcom]] ''[[Yes Minister|Yes, Prime Minister]]''.

In 1980 he played the role of Matthew Radlett, Lord Alconleigh, in the TV miniseries ''[[Love in a Cold Climate (TV serial, 1980)|Love in a Cold Climate]]'' - [[Simon Raven]]'s adaptation of the [[Nancy Mitford]] novels ''[[Love in a Cold Climate]]'' and the ''[[Pursuit of Love]]'' for Thames Television.

Between 1986 and 1990, he starred as Seymour Utterthwaite in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''. The character was an ex-headmaster and inventor, designed to replace the [[Last of the Summer Wine#Walter .22Foggy.22 Dewhurst|Foggy Dewhurst]] character played by [[Brian Wilde]], who had left the series. However, Aldridge wanted to retire to nurse his sick wife, and this coincided with Wilde deciding to return to the show, so Aldridge's character was written out.

One of his most memorable later roles was as the elderly professor [[Digory Kirke]] in the television version of ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia (TV serial)|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe]]'' (1988).

When Aldridge died in 1994, his obituary in ''[[The Times]]'' said of him: {{cquote|If Aldridge joined the cast of a show, it invariably meant the injection of an extra dimension of dramatic interest, however modest his role in it. In everything he did, if never a big name, he was a professional to his fingertips.<ref name=ex/>}}

==Private life==
Aldridge married Kirsteen Rowntree, and they had three daughters: Charlotte L. Aldridge (born 1948), Harriet K. Aldridge (born 1952) and Emma R. Aldridge (born 1954). He stated his main interests as sailing, market gardening, watching cricket and playing tennis, and also liked to make his own bread and jam.<ref name=ex/><ref name=TheatreWW/>
At the time of his death, he was living in [[Greenwich]], London.<ref name=NYT>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EED91F31F934A25752C0A962958260 Michael Aldridge, 73, Versatile British Actor] in ''New York Times'' (online text) for 17 January 1994</ref> He left his role in ''Last of the Summer Wine'' to be a full-time carer for his wife.

==Selected filmography==
*''[[Nothing Venture]]'' (1948) - Michael Garrod
*''[[Murder in the Cathedral (1951 film)|Murder in the Cathedral]]'' (1951) - Second Knight
*''[[Life for Ruth]]'' (1962) - Dr. Richard Harvard
*''[[Chimes at Midnight]]'' (1965) - Pistol
*''[[Follow Me! (film)|Follow Me!]]'' (1972) - Sir Philip Crouch
*''[[Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (TV miniseries)|Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy]]'' (1979) - Percy Alleline
*''[[Reilly, Ace of Spies]]'' (1983) - Orlov
*''[[Bullshot (film)|Bullshot]]'' (1983) - Prof. Rupert Fenton
*''[[A Voyage Round My Father]]'' (1984) (TV) - Headmaster
*''[[Hallelujah! (TV series)|Hallelujah!]]'' (1983–1984) (TV)
*''[[Charters and Caldicott (TV series)|Charters and Caldicott]]'' (1985) (TV) - Caldicott
*''[[Turtle Diary]]'' (1985) - Mr. Meager, Bookstore Owner
*''[[Mussolini: The Untold Story]]'' (1985) - Matteotti
*''[[Yes Minister|Yes Prime Minister]]'' (1986) (TV) - Geoffrey - Director General MI5
*''[[Clockwise (film)|Clockwise]]'' (1986) - Prior
*''[[Shanghai Surprise]]'' (1986) - Mr. Burns
*''[[Murder by the Book (TV film)|Murder by the Book]]'' (1986) - Edmond Cork
*''[[The Chronicles of Narnia (TV serial)|The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe]]'' (1988) - Professor Digory Kirke
*''[[Countdown to War]]'' (1989) - Neville Chamberlain
*''[[Inspector Morse (TV series)|Inspector Morse]]'' episode - The Last Enemy (1989) - Arthur Drysdale
*''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' (1986–1990) (TV) - Seymour
*''[[Stanley and the Women]]'' (1991) (TV) - Dr. Alfred Nash

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}}

;Bibliography
*''Who's Who 1993'' (A. & C. Black, London, 1993) page 19

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0017739}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110716141319/http://www.musical-theatre.net/html/stoutheartedmen/michaelaldridge.html Stout-hearted Men]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040827172553/http://ichuddersfield.icnetwork.co.uk/0500summerwine/0200characters/page.cfm?objectid=67688&method=full&siteid=50060 icHuddersfield Obituary]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldridge, Michael}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:People educated at Gresham's School]]
[[Category:People from Glastonbury]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]