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Maurice Evans |
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Real Name: Evans, Maurice Herbert
Height: 5' 10"
Born: 3 June 1901, Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK
Deceased: 12 March 1989, Rottingdean, East Sussex, England, UK. (cancer) |
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A grand, robust, highly theatrical British classical actor, Maurice Evans was the son of a justice of the peace who began his career in London as a choir boy. Making his stage debut in 1926, he earned his first triumph three years later in the play "Journey's End." A few attempts as a film lead and/or second lead didn't work out. Following a season with the Old Vic theatre company, he arrived in America and proceeded to conquer Broadway, becoming one of the world's more illustrious interpreters of Shakespeare with his florid portrayals of Romeo, Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard II, and others. As a US citizen (1941), he was placed in charge of the Army Entertainment Section, Central Pacific Theater during WWII and left military service with the rank of major. His post-war career included a handful of character film roles, notably "Story of Gilbert and Sullivan, The (1953)" (as composer Sir Arthur Sullivan), "War Lord, The (1965)" , "Rosemary's Baby (1968)" , and as Dr. Zaius in the "Planet of the Apes (1968)" series. More importantly, he brought Shakespeare to TV, adapting (and directing) a number of his stage classics. He won an Emmy award in 1960 for his "Macbeth (1960) (TV)" . Ironically, the elegant, ever-regal stage master is probably best known for his recurring, non-classical appearances on the """Bewitched" (1964) TV series, as 'Elizabeth Montgomery (I)' 's loving but unapproving warlock dad. Evans returned to England in his twilight years and died there in a nursing home of heart failure as a result of a bronchial infection, aged 88. Gary Brumburgh / GBrumburgh@pacbell.net Trivia:
Awarded a special Tony in 1950 for his body of stage work.
He played more leading roles in "Hallmark Hall of Fame" television
productions of Shakespeare than any other actor, starring in versions
of "Hamlet", "Macbeth", "Twelfth Night", "Richard II", "The Taming of
the Shrew", and "The Tempest".
Started out as a boy singer, singing with the St. Andrews's choir in
London. |
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