Roger Livesey - Revision history

Kurt at 01:18, 16 February 2023

2023-02-16T01:18:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:18, 15 February 2023
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	~~{{Short description\|British actor (1906–1976)}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=July 2012}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2021}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| image = Roger Livesey.webp		\| image = Roger Livesey.webp
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[w:Barry, Vale of Glamorgan\|Barry]], Wales		\| birth_place = [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan\|Barry]], Wales
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1976\|02\|04\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1976\|02\|04\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[~~w:Watford\|~~Watford]], England		\| death_place = [[Watford]], England
	\| occupation = Actor		\| occupation = Actor
	\| years_active = 1921–1975		\| years_active = 1921–1975
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[~~w:Ursula Jeans\|~~Ursula Jeans]]\|1937\|1973\|~~reason~~=d.}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Ursula Jeans]]\|1937\|1973\|end=d.}}
	}}		}}

Kurt: /* External links */

2023-01-14T05:39:26Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:39, 14 January 2023
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	* [http://www.celebri.co/biography/roger-livesey/profile/1705373/ Pages on Roger Livesey from Celebri]		* [http://www.celebri.co/biography/roger-livesey/profile/1705373/ Pages on Roger Livesey from Celebri]
	* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/film/pages/actors-roger-livesey.shtml BBC Wales Arts page. Top 10 Welsh actors: Roger Livesey]		* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/film/pages/actors-roger-livesey.shtml BBC Wales Arts page. Top 10 Welsh actors: Roger Livesey]
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131121083823/http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/personDetails/37686 Blockbuster page on Roger Livesey films]		* {{Playbill person\|roger-livesey-vault-0000109122}}
	* {{Playbill person\|roger-livesey-vault-0000109122~~}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130405093408/http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/109122/Roger-Livesey archive])~~

	~~{{Silver Shell for Best Actor}}~~

	~~{{Authority control~~}}

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Livesey, Roger}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Livesey, Roger}}
	[[Category:1906 births]]		[[Category:1906 births]]
	[[Category:1976 deaths]]		[[Category:1976 deaths]]
	~~[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]~~
	~~[[Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer]]~~
	[[Category:British male stage actors]]		[[Category:British male stage actors]]
	[[Category:British male film actors]]		[[Category:British male film actors]]

Kurt at 21:59, 13 October 2022

2022-10-13T21:59:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:59, 13 October 2022
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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2021}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=August 2021}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| ~~name~~ = Roger Livesey		\| image = Roger Livesey.webp
	~~\| image = Archers-Blimp-Duel-RogerLivesey~~.~~jpg~~		\| caption =
	\| caption = ~~Livesey in the 1943 film ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]''~~
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan\|Barry]], Wales		\| birth_place = [[w:Barry, Vale of Glamorgan\|Barry]], Wales
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1976\|02\|04\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1976\|02\|04\|1906\|06\|25\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Watford]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Watford\|Watford]], England
	~~\| nationality = British~~
	\| occupation = Actor		\| occupation = Actor
	\| years_active = 1921–1975		\| years_active = 1921–1975
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Ursula Jeans]]\|1937\|1973\|reason=d.}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[w:Ursula Jeans\|Ursula Jeans]]\|1937\|1973\|reason=d.}}
	}}		}}
	<!-- NOTE: Roger Livesey didn't regard himself as particularly Welsh or English, just British. He happened to be born in Wales because that's where his mother was, his actor parents used to tour the country (the whole of the UK) and he might just as well have been born in England, Wales or Scotland -->

	'''Roger Livesey''' (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three [[Powell and Pressburger\|Powell & Pressburger]] films in which he starred: ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]'', ''[[I Know Where I'm Going!]]'' and ''[[A Matter of Life and Death (film)\|A Matter of Life and Death]]''. Tall and broad with a mop of chestnut hair, Livesey used his highly distinctive husky voice, gentle manner and athletic physique to create many notable roles in his theatre and film work.		'''Roger Livesey''' (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three [[Powell and Pressburger\|Powell & Pressburger]] films in which he starred: ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]'', ''[[I Know Where I'm Going!]]'' and ''[[A Matter of Life and Death (film)\|A Matter of Life and Death]]''. Tall and broad with a mop of chestnut hair, Livesey used his highly distinctive husky voice, gentle manner and athletic physique to create many notable roles in his theatre and film work.

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-10-13T16:20:03Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 11:20, 13 October 2022
(No difference)

en>DuncanHill: /* Acting career */ Italia Conti

2022-09-14T19:05:31Z

Acting career: Italia Conti

New page

{{Short description|British actor (1906–1976)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Roger Livesey
| image = Archers-Blimp-Duel-RogerLivesey.jpg
| caption = Livesey in the 1943 film ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]''
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1906|06|25|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]], Wales
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|02|04|1906|06|25|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Watford]], England
| nationality = British
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1921–1975
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Ursula Jeans]]|1937|1973|reason=d.}}
}}


'''Roger Livesey''' (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three [[Powell and Pressburger|Powell & Pressburger]] films in which he starred: ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]'', ''[[I Know Where I'm Going!]]'' and ''[[A Matter of Life and Death (film)|A Matter of Life and Death]]''. Tall and broad with a mop of chestnut hair, Livesey used his highly distinctive husky voice, gentle manner and athletic physique to create many notable roles in his theatre and film work.

==Early life==
Livesey was born in [[Barry, Vale of Glamorgan|Barry]], Wales.<ref name="ODNB">{{Cite ODNB|id=60311|title=Livesey, Roger (1906–1976)}}</ref> Although most articles about him indicated that his parents were [[Sam Livesey|Samuel Livesey]] and Mary Catherine (''née'' Edwards), later research has shown that his father was actually Joseph Livesey. The confusion may have arisen because his mother Mary married Samuel (Joseph's brother) after Joseph's death and the death of Samuel's wife, Mary's sister. Samuel and Mary had a child of their own, Stella, who was both Roger's half sister and first cousin. Roger Livesey was educated at [[Westminster City School]], [[London]].<ref>''The Great Stage Stars'', by Sheridan Morley, Facts on File Publications, 1986, p. 235</ref> His two step-brothers (who were also his first cousins) were also actors.

==Acting career==
[[File:Roger-Livesey-Storm-Over-Patsy-Stage-1937.jpg|thumb|Roger Livesey and his canine co-star in the [[Theatre Guild]] production ''Storm Over Patsy'' (1937)]]
Livesey studied under [[Italia Conti]].<ref>Actor's bio, Theatre Program, "Oh Clarence", Grand Theatre, Leeds, Dec.1970.</ref> His first stage role was as the office boy in ''Loyalty'' at [[St. James's Theatre]] in 1917. He then appeared in a wide range of productions from [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] to modern comedies. He played various roles in the [[West End theatre|West End]] from 1920 to 1926, toured the [[West Indies]] and South Africa, and then returned to join the [[Old Vic]]/[[Sadler's Wells]] company from September 1932 until May 1934. In 1936 he appeared in [[New York City]] in [[William Wycherley|Wycherley]]'s comedy ''[[The Country Wife]]''. While in New York he married actress [[Ursula Jeans]], whom he had known previously in England<ref>''A Who's Who of British Film Actors'', by Scott Palmer, The Scarecrow Press 1981 p307</ref> (Livesey's sister Maggie was already married to Ursula Jeans' brother Desmond).

At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]] Livesey and Jeans were among the first volunteers to entertain the troops. He then applied for flying duties in the [[Royal Air Force]] but due to his age was rejected. Instead he worked in an aircraft factory at [[RAF Desford|Desford aerodrome]] near [[Leicester]] to "do his bit for the war effort".

Livesey was chosen by [[Michael Powell]] to play the lead in ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]'' (1943) after Powell was denied his original choice, [[Laurence Olivier]] ([[Winston Churchill]] had objected to the movie and the [[Fleet Air Arm]] refused to release Olivier, who had been a Hollywood movie star before returning to England to take a [[Royal Navy|Navy]] commission).<ref>{{cite web|last=Chapman|first=James|title='The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' reconsidered.|url=http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/43_Blimp/Blimp02.html|publisher=The Powell & Pressburger Pages|access-date=4 February 2012}}</ref> The movie was shown in New York and established Livesey's international reputation as a talented character actor. In 1945, he was the first choice for the male lead role in ''[[Brief Encounter]]'', which in the end went to [[Trevor Howard]].<ref>[http://home.clara.net/gw0hqd/brief/ A Brief Encounter with Carnforth Station] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009153954/http://home.clara.net/gw0hqd/brief/ |date=9 October 2007 }}</ref>

He toured Australia from 1956 to 1958 playing Jimmy Broadbent in ''[[The Reluctant Debutante (play)|The Reluctant Debutante]]'' and continued playing many theatrical roles during his film career until 1969. One of his last roles was as the Duke of St Bungay in ''[[The Pallisers]]'' television series. His final television appearance was in the series ''[[Benjamin Franklin (1974 miniseries)|Benjamin Franklin]]'' in 1975.

==Death==
[[File:Roger Livesey St Pauls Covent Garden.jpg|thumb|right|Memorial plaque in [[St Paul's, Covent Garden|St Paul's]] in [[Covent Garden]] to Livesey and his wife [[Ursula Jeans]]]]
Livesey died in [[Watford]] from [[colorectal cancer]] at the age of 69 on 4 February 1976. He shares a memorial plaque with his wife [[Ursula Jeans]] in the actors' church [[St Paul's, Covent Garden|St Paul's]] in [[Covent Garden]].

==Livesey family==
The Livesey family has a complicated structure. Brothers Joseph and Sam Livesey married the Edwards sisters. Sam married Margaret Ann in 1900 and Joseph married Mary Catherine in 1905. Sam and Margaret Ann had two sons, Jack (1901) and Barrie Livesey (1905). Joseph and Mary Catherine had two children, Roger (1906) and Maggie (1911).

After Joseph died in 1911 and Margaret Ann died in 1913, Sam married Mary Catherine in 1913.<ref>The marriage between Sam and Mary Catherine was legal (just only six years after the passing of the [[Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907]]). However they didn't advertise the fact due to traditionalists who questioned the morality. This led to the confusion that Roger was actually Sam Livesey's son.</ref> They then brought up the children as one large family, having another child of their own, Stella in 1915.

The family tree was further complicated when Roger Livesey married the actress [[Ursula Jeans]] whose brother Desmond Jeans was already married to Roger's sister Maggie.

Many of the family formed a touring company of actors, performing in regional theatres and from the back of an old wagon, one side of which could be dropped to form a stage. Because of their touring, they did not regard themselves as particularly Welsh, or English. They were just British because people happened to be born in the places where their mothers happened to be residing at the time.

{{Tree chart/start |summary=Brothers Joseph and Sam Livesey married sisters. Sam married Margaret Ann Edwards in 1900 and Joseph married Mary Catherine Edwards in 1905. Sam and Margaret Ann had two sons, Jack and Barrie Livesey. Joseph and Mary Catherine had two children, Roger and Maggie. Joseph died in 1911 and Margaret Ann died in 1913, so Sam married Mary Catherine later in 1913 and they brought up the children as one large family, having another child of their own, Stella in 1915.}}
{{Clear}}

{{Tree chart |RE|~|y|~|MD|||||||TC|~|y|~|MW||||TC=Thomas Carter Livesey|MW=Mary Wright|RE=Roger Edwards|MD=Mary David}}
{{Tree chart |||||!|||,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Tree chart ||,|-|-|^|-|-|*|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.||||||!|}}
{{Tree chart |MA|~|y|~|SL||||||||MC|~|y|~|JL|JL=Joseph Livesey|MC=Mary Catherine|SL=Sam Livesey|MA=Margaret Ann|}}
{{Tree chart |||||!|||L|~|~|~|y|~|~|~|~|~|J|||!|}}
{{Tree chart |||||!|||||||!|||||||||!|}}
{{Tree chart |||,|-|^|-|-|.||||!||||,|-|-|-|-|^|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|.}}
{{Tree chart ||Jack|||Barrie||Stella||Roger|~|Ursula|-|-|Desmond|~|~|Maggie|Jack=Jack Livesey|Barrie=Barrie Livesey|Roger='''Roger Livesey'''|Maggie=Maggie Livesey|Ursula=Ursula Jeans|Desmond=Desmond Jeans|Stella=Stella Livesey}}
{{Tree chart |||||||||||||||||||}}
{{Tree chart | }}
{{Tree chart/end}}

==Filmography==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[The Four Feathers (1921 film)|The Four Feathers]]'' (1921) - Harry Faversham - child
* ''[[Where the Rainbow Ends]]'' (1921) - Cubby the Lion Cub (uncredited)
* ''[[Married Love (film)|Married Love]]'' (1923) - Henry Burrows
* ''[[East Lynne on the Western Front]]'' (1931) - Sandy
* ''[[A Cuckoo in the Nest (film)|A Cuckoo in the Nest]]'' (1933) - Alfred
* ''[[The Veteran of Waterloo]]'' (1933) - Sergeant MacDonald
* ''[[Blind Justice (1934 film)|Blind Justice]]'' (1934) - Gilbert Jackson
* ''[[Lorna Doone (1934 film)|Lorna Doone]]'' (1934) - Tom Faggus
* ''[[The Price of Wisdom]]'' (1935) - Peter North
* ''[[Midshipman Easy]]'' (1935) - Captain Wilson
* ''[[Rembrandt (1936 film)|Rembrandt]]'' (1936) - Beggar Saul
* ''[[The Drum (1938 film)|The Drum]]'' (1938) - Capt. Carruthers
* ''[[The Rebel Son]]'' (1938) - Peter Bulba
* ''[[Keep Smiling (1938 film)|Keep Smiling]]'' (1938) - Bert Wattle
* ''[[Spies of the Air]]'' (1940) - Charles Houghton
* ''[[The Girl in the News]]'' (1940) - Bill Mather
* ''[[The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp]]'' (1943) - Clive Candy
* ''[[I Know Where I'm Going!]]'' (1945) - Torquil MacNeil
* ''[[A Matter of Life and Death (film)|A Matter of Life and Death]]'' (1946) - Doctor Frank Reeves
* ''[[Vice Versa (1948 film)|Vice Versa]]'' (1948) - Paul Bultitude / Dick Bultitude
* ''[[That Dangerous Age]]'' (1949) - Sir Brian Brooke
* ''[[Green Grow the Rushes (film)|Green Grow the Rushes]]'' (1951) - Capt. Cedric Biddle
* ''[[The Master of Ballantrae (1953 film)|The Master of Ballantrae]]'' (1953) - Col. Francis Burke
* ''[[The Intimate Stranger (1956 film)|The Intimate Stranger]]'' (1956) - Ben Case
* ''[[The Stowaway (1958 film)|The Stowaway]]'' (1958) - Major Owens
* ''[[It Happened in Broad Daylight]]'' (1958) - Professor Manz (English version, voice)
* ''[[The League of Gentlemen (film)|The League of Gentlemen]]'' (1960) - Mycroft
* ''Upgreen - And at Em'' (1960)
* ''[[The Entertainer (film)|The Entertainer]]'' (1960) - Billy Rice
* ''By Invitation Only'' (1961, TV Movie) - Phillip Gordon-Davies
* ''[[No My Darling Daughter]]'' (1961) - General Henry Barclay
* ''[[Of Human Bondage (1964 film)|Of Human Bondage]]'' (1964) - Thorpe Athelny
* ''[[The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders]]'' (1965) - Drunken Parson
* ''[[Oedipus Rex|Oedipus the King]]'' (1968) - Shepherd
* ''[[Hamlet (1969 film)|Hamlet]]'' (1969) - First Player / Gravedigger
* ''[[Futtocks End]]'' (1970) - The Artist
* ''[[Justice (1971 TV series)|Justice]]'' (1971) - To Help an Old School Friend - Uncle George
* ''[[The Pallisers]]'' (1974, BBC serial) - Duke of St Bungay
{{div col end}}

==Vocal Work==

In 1958, he, [[Judith Furse]], [[Terry-Thomas]], [[Rita Webb]], [[Avril Angers]], and [[Miles Malleson]], recorded 'Indian Summer of an Uncle', and 'Jeeves Takes Charge' for the ''[[Caedmon Audio]]'' record label, (Caedmon Audio TC-1137). It was re-released in stereo in 1964.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0515193|name=Roger Livesey}}
* {{IBDB name|49928}}
* {{Screenonline name|id=458411|name=Roger Livesey}}
* [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays_all?forename=Roger&surname=LIVESEY&job=Actor&pid=311&image_view=Yesamp;x=19amp;y=17 Performances in the University of Bristol Theatre Archive]
* [http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/Livesey/ Collection of biography & reviews of Livesey]
* [http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/Livesey/TheTruth2.html From the Powell & Pressburger pages - dynasty of Roger Livesey]
* [http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/Livesey/index.html other biographical notes from the same source]
* [http://www.celebri.co/biography/roger-livesey/profile/1705373/ Pages on Roger Livesey from Celebri]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/film/pages/actors-roger-livesey.shtml BBC Wales Arts page. Top 10 Welsh actors: Roger Livesey]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131121083823/http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/personDetails/37686 Blockbuster page on Roger Livesey films]
* {{Playbill person|roger-livesey-vault-0000109122}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130405093408/http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/109122/Roger-Livesey archive])

{{Silver Shell for Best Actor}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Livesey, Roger}}
[[Category:1906 births]]
[[Category:1976 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]
[[Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer]]
[[Category:British male stage actors]]
[[Category:British male film actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:People from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan]]
[[Category:20th-century British male actors]]
[[Category:People educated at Westminster City School]]