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Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''
Goodbye, Mr. Chips ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...
'' (1939), winning for the latter the
Academy Award for Best Actor The Academy Award for Best Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a Leading actor, leading role in a film released t ...
. In his book, ''The Age of the Dream Palace'', Jeffrey Richards wrote that Donat was "British cinema's one undisputed romantic leading man in the 1930s". "The image he projected was that of the romantic idealist, often with a dash of the gentleman adventurer." Donat suffered from chronic
asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...
, which affected his career and limited him to appearing in only 20 films.


Early life

Friedrich Robert Donat was born and baptised in Withington, Manchester, the fourth and youngest son of Ernst Emil Donat, a civil engineer of German origin from Prussian Poland, and his wife, Rose Alice Green. He was of English, Polish, German and French descent and was educated at Manchester Central Grammar School for Boys. His older brother was Philip Donat, father of actors Richard and Peter Donat. He took elocution lessons with James Bernard, a leading teacher of 'dramatic interpretation.' He left school at 15, working as Bernard's secretary to fund his continued lessons.


Stage career

Donat made his first stage appearance in 1921 at the age of 16 with
Henry Baynton Henry Baynton (23 September 1892 in Moseley in Warwickshire, England – 2 January 1951 in London) was a British Shakespearean actor and actor-manager of the early 20th century who in a stage career lasting 40 years is credited with playi ...
's company at the Prince of Wales Theatre,
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
, playing Lucius in '' Julius Caesar''. His break came in 1924 when he joined the company of Shakespearean actor Sir Frank Benson, where he stayed for four years. He also worked in provincial repertory theatre. In 1928, he began a year at the Liverpool Playhouse, starring in plays by
John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include ''The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize i ...
,
George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
and Harold Brighouse, among others. In 1929, he played at the Festival Theatre in Cambridge under the direction of
Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at ...
. He appeared in a number of plays, some with Flora Robson, and also directed. In 1929, Donat married Ella Annesley Voysey (1903 West Bromwich, Staffordshire – 1994), daughter of Rev. Ellison Annesley Voysey and Rachel Voysey née Enthoven. Ellison was the youngest son of the theist Rev. Charles Voysey. The couple had two sons and a daughter together, but divorced in 1946. In 1930, Donat and his wife moved to London, where he eventually made his debut in ''Knave and Quean'' at the Ambassadors Theatre. He received acclaim for a performance in a revival of '' Saint Joan''. In 1931, he achieved notice as Gideon Sarn in a dramatisation of the
Mary Webb Mary Gladys Webb (25 March 1881 – 8 October 1927) was an English romance novelist and poet of the early 20th century, whose work is set chiefly in the Shropshire countryside and among Shropshire characters and people whom she knew. Her ...
novel, '' Precious Bane'', and he played various roles at the 1931 Malvern Festival. In the early 1930s, he was known in the industry as "screen test Donat" because of his many unsuccessful auditions for various film producers.
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
producer
Irving Thalberg Irving Grant Thalberg (May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and ability to select scripts, choose actors, gather productio ...
spotted him on the London stage in ''Precious Bane'', and offered him a part in the 1932 film '' Smilin' Through'', which he declined.Richards, p. 226


Film appearances

Donat made his film debut in a
quota quickie The Cinematograph Films Act of 1927 ('' 17 & 18 Geo. V'') was an act of the United Kingdom Parliament designed to stimulate the declining British film industry. It received Royal Assent on 20 December 1927 and came into force on 1 April 1928. D ...
'' Men of Tomorrow'' (1932) for
Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)London Films. An abysmal screen test for Korda had ended with Donat's laughter. Reputedly, Korda reacted by exclaiming: "That's the most natural laugh I have ever heard in my life. What acting! Put him under contract immediately." Korda cast Donat in the lead in ''
That Night in London ''That Night in London'' is a 1932 British crime film directed by Rowland V. Lee, produced by Alexander Korda, and written by Dorothy Greenhill and Arthur Wimperis. It stars Robert Donat, Pearl Argyle, Miles Mander and Roy Emerton. It was rele ...
'' (1932), directed by
Rowland V. Lee Rowland Vance Lee (September 6, 1891 – December 21, 1975) was an American film director, actor, writer, and producer. Biography Early life Born in Findlay, Ohio, Lee was the son of a suffragette who founded a newspaper. He studied at Columb ...
. He had a key role in ''
Cash In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins. In bookkeeping and financial accounting, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-imm ...
'' (1933), directed by Zoltan Korda, co-starring
Edmund Gwenn Edmund Gwenn (born Edmund John Kellaway; 26 September 1877 – 6 September 1959) was an English actor. On film, he is best remembered for his role as Kris Kringle in the Christmas film ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947), for which he won th ...
. Donat's first great screen success came in his fourth film, playing
Thomas Culpeper Thomas Culpeper ( – 10 December 1541) was an English courtier and close friend of Henry VIII, and related to two of his queens, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. He is known to have had many private meetings with Catherine after her mar ...
in ''
The Private Life of Henry VIII ''The Private Life of Henry VIII'' is a 1933 British film directed and co-produced by Alexander Korda and starring Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon and Elsa Lanchester. It was written by Lajos Bíró and Arthur Wimperis for London ...
'' (1933) for the same producer. The film, starring
Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future w ...
in the title role, was an enormous success around the world, including Hollywood. Donat started receiving Hollywood offers. At the 1933 Malvern Festival, Donat received good reviews for his performance in ''
A Sleeping Clergyman ''A Sleeping Clergyman'' is a 1933 play in Two Acts by James Bridie. Directed by H. K. Ayliff, it opened at Malvern's Festival Theatre in July 1933, before moving to London's Piccadilly Theatre in September, where it ran for 230 performances. ...
'', which transferred to the West End. He was also in ''Saint Joan''. Korda loaned Donat to
Edward Small Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891, Brooklyn, New York – January 25, 1977, Los Angeles) was a film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movi ...
for the only film Donat made in Hollywood, '' The Count of Monte Cristo'' (1934). (In exchange,
Leslie Howard Leslie Howard Steiner (3 April 18931 June 1943) was an English actor, director and producer.Obituary ''Variety'', 9 June 1943. He wrote many stories and articles for ''The New York Times'', ''The New Yorker'', and '' Vanity Fair'' and was one ...
was sent to Korda to make ''
The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...
''.) The film was successful and Donat was offered the lead role in a number of films for Warners, including ''
Anthony Adverse ''Anthony Adverse'' is a 1936 American epic historical drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Fredric March and Olivia de Havilland. The screenplay by Sheridan Gibney draws elements of its plot from eight of the nine books in Herve ...
'' (1935) and another swashbuckler, '' Captain Blood'' (1935). However, he did not like America and returned to Britain. In 1934, he appeared in the West End stage production of ''
Mary Read Mary Read (1685 – 28 April 1721), also known as Mark Read, was an English pirate. She and Anne Bonny were two famous female pirates from the 18th century, and among the few women known to have been convicted of piracy at the height of the " ...
'', opposite Flora Robson. In England, Donat had the star role in
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) opposite Madeleine Carroll.Nixon, Rob
"The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)"
TCM Film Article
His performance was well-received: "Mr. Donat, who has never been very well served in the cinema until now, suddenly blossoms out into a romantic comedian of no mean order", wrote the film critic
C. A. Lejeune Caroline Alice Lejeune (27 March 1897 – 31 March 1973) was a British writer, best known for serving as the film critic for ''The Observer'' from 1928 to 1960. She was among the earliest newspaper film critics in Britain, and one of the first B ...
in '' The Observer'' at the time of the film's release. Lejeune observed that he possessed "an easy confident humour that has always been regarded as the perquisite of the American male star. For the first time on our screen we have the British equivalent of a
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...
or a Ronald Colman, playing in a purely national idiom. Mr. Donat, himself, I fancy, is hardly conscious of it, which is all to the good." Hitchcock wanted Donat for the role of Edgar Brodie in '' Secret Agent'' (1936) and Detective Ted Spencer in '' Sabotage'' (1936), but this time Korda refused to release him.
John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...
replaced him in ''Secret Agent'', while John Loder took the role in ''Sabotage''. MGM wanted him for ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...
'' but he turned them down. Sam Goldwyn made several offers which were turned down, as was an offer from
David O. Selznick David O. Selznick (May 10, 1902June 22, 1965) was an American film producer, screenwriter and film studio executive who produced '' Gone with the Wind'' (1939) and ''Rebecca'' (1940), both of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Picture. ...
to appear in '' The Garden of Allah'' and from Small to make ''
The Son of Monte Cristo ''The Son of Monte Cristo'' is a 1940 American black-and-white swashbuckling adventure film from United Artists, produced by Edward Small, directed by Rowland V. Lee, that stars Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, and George Sanders. The Small producti ...
''. Donat's next film was for Korda, ''
The Ghost Goes West ''The Ghost Goes West'' is a 1935 British romantic comedy/fantasy film starring Robert Donat, Jean Parker, and Eugene Pallette, and directed by René Clair, his first English-language film. The film shows an Old World ghost dealing with American ...
'' (1935), a comedy directed by René Clair. In 1936 Donat took on the management of the Queen's Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, where he produced ''Red Night'' by J. L. Hodson. Korda wanted Donat to make ''Hamlet''. Instead, the actor appeared in Korda's ''
Knight Without Armour ''Knight Without Armour'' (styled as ''Knight Without Armor'' in some releases) is a 1937 British historical drama film starring Marlene Dietrich and Robert Donat. It was directed by Jacques Feyder and produced by Alexander Korda from a screenpl ...
'' (1937). Korda became committed to the latter project because of Donat's indecision. Madeleine Carroll had read the James Hilton novel while shooting ''The 39 Steps'', and had persuaded Donat that it could be a good second film for them to star in together. Donat acquired the rights and passed them on to Korda, although by now Carroll was unavailable.Drazin, pp. 170–71 His eventual co-star, Marlene Dietrich, was the source of much attention when she arrived in Britain. Donat was caught up in the furor, and the stress was so great that he suffered a nervous collapse a few days into the shooting; Donat entered a nursing home. The production delay caused by Donat's asthma led to talk of replacing him. Dietrich, whose contract with Korda was for $450,000, threatened to leave the project if that happened, and production was halted for two months, until Donat was able to return to work. He planned to return to the U.S. in 1937 to make ''Clementine'' for Small at RKO but changed his mind, fearing legal reprisals from Warners. In 1938, Donat signed a contract with
MGM British MGM-British was a subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer initially established (as MGM London Films Denham) at Denham Film Studios in 1936. It was in limbo during the Second World War; however, following the end of hostilities, a facility was acquired ...
for £150,000 with a six-film commitment. In ''
The Citadel The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, commonly known simply as The Citadel, is a public senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina. Established in 1842, it is one of six senior military colleges in the United States. ...
'' (1938), he played Andrew Manson, a newly qualified Scottish doctor, a role for which he received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination. He played in
Shaw Shaw may refer to: Places Australia *Shaw, Queensland Canada * Shaw Street, a street in Toronto England * Shaw, Berkshire, a village * Shaw, Greater Manchester, a location in the parish of Shaw and Crompton * Shaw, Swindon, a suburb of Swindon ...
's '' The Devil's Disciple'' (1938) on stage at the Piccadilly Theatre in London and the Old Vic. Donat is best remembered for his role as the school master in ''
Goodbye, Mr. Chips ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' is a novella about the life of a school teacher, Mr. Chipping, written by English writer James Hilton and first published by Hodder & Stoughton in October 1934. It has been adapted into two feature films and two televi ...
'' (1939). Australian film critic Brian McFarlane writes: "Class-ridden and sentimental perhaps, it remains extraordinarily touching in his Oscar-winning performance, and it ushers in the Donat of the postwar years." His rivals for the Best Actor Award were
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...
for ''
Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind may also refer to: Music * ''Gone with the Wind'' ...
'',
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage ...
for '' Wuthering Heights'', James Stewart for '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' and Mickey Rooney for ''
Babes in Arms ''Babes in Arms'' is a 1937 coming-of-age musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a group of small-town Long Island teenagers who put on a show to avoid being sent to a work f ...
''.


The Second World War

MGM wanted Donat to star in a movie about
Beau Brummell George Bryan "Beau" Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an important figure in Regency England and, for many years, the arbiter of men's fashion. At one time, he was a close friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, but ...
and a new version of '' Pride and Prejudice'' but the war delayed this. During the early days of the Second World War Donat focused on the stage. He played three roles at the 1939
Buxton Festival The Buxton Festival is an annual summer festival of opera, music and (since 2000) a literary series, held in Buxton, Derbyshire, England since its beginnings in July 1979. The 2020 festival would have run but was cancelled due to the Covid-19 cri ...
, including a part in '' The Good-Natur’d Man''. He had the title role in the film ''
The Young Mr. Pitt ''The Young Mr. Pitt'' is a 1942 British biographical film of the life of William Pitt the Younger and in particular his struggle against revolutionary France and Napoleon. It was directed by Carol Reed and stars Robert Donat, Robert Morley, Ph ...
'' (1942) for
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Disn ...
and played Captain Shotover in a new staging of ''
Heartbreak House ''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in November 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cu ...
'' at the
Cambridge Theatre The Cambridge Theatre is a West End theatre, on a corner site in Earlham Street facing Seven Dials, in the London Borough of Camden, built in 1929–30 for Bertie Meyer on an "irregular triangular site". Design and construction It was de ...
in London from 1942 to 1943. For MGM British he starred in the film ''
The Adventures of Tartu ''The Adventures of Tartu'' (alternate British title and American release title: ''Sabotage Agent'', also known as ''Tartu'') is a 1943 British Second World War spy film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Robert Donat. It was a morale b ...
'' (1943), with Valerie Hobson. Donat wanted to play the Chorus in Olivier's ''
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
'', but the role went to Leslie Banks. In 1943 he took over the lease of the Westminster Theatre, staging a number of plays there until 1945, including ''
An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...
'' (1943–44), '' The Glass Slipper'' (1944) and ''
The Cure for Love ''The Cure for Love'' is a 1949 British comedy film starring and directed by Robert Donat. The cast also includes Renee Asherson and Dora Bryan. The film was based on a hit play of the same name by Walter Greenwood about a mild-mannered soldier ...
'' (1945) by Walter Greenwood. With the latter, which he directed, he began his professional association with
Renée Asherson Dorothy Renée Ascherson (19 May 1915 – 30 October 2014), known professionally as Renée Asherson, was an English actress. Much of her theatrical career was spent in Shakespearean plays, appearing at such venues as the Old Vic, the Liverpool ...
, later his second wife. Donat was reunited with Korda for the film '' Perfect Strangers'' (1945), known in the United States as ''Vacation from Marriage'', with
Deborah Kerr Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE (30 September 192116 October 2007), known professionally as Deborah Kerr (), was a British actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress. During her international film career, Kerr won a ...
. This was the last film he did for MGM British.


Later career

In 1946, Donat and Asherson appeared at the
Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...
in a production of ''
Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...
'', directed by Donat. He also directed ''The Man Behind the Statue'' by Peter Ustinov. Both lost money. Donat had a small but crucial scene as Irish leader
Charles Stewart Parnell Charles Stewart Parnell (27 June 1846 – 6 October 1891) was an Irish nationalist politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1875 to 1891, also acting as Leader of the Home Rule League from 1880 to 1882 and then Leader of the ...
in '' Captain Boycott'' (1947) with
Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...
. He appeared on stage in a revival of ''
A Sleeping Clergyman ''A Sleeping Clergyman'' is a 1933 play in Two Acts by James Bridie. Directed by H. K. Ayliff, it opened at Malvern's Festival Theatre in July 1933, before moving to London's Piccadilly Theatre in September, where it ran for 230 performances. ...
'' in 1947. He auditioned as
Bill Sikes William "Bill" Sikes is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. Sikes is a malicious criminal in Fagin's gang, and a vicious robber and murderer. Throughout much of the novel Sikes is s ...
in
David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics '' The Bridge on the River ...
's '' Oliver Twist'' (1948), but Lean thought him wrong for the part and cast
Robert Newton Robert Guy Newton (1 June 1905 – 25 March 1956) was an English actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the more popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys. Known for hi ...
instead. Donat played the male lead in ''
The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict ...
'' (1948), a popular adaptation of the Terence Rattigan play. Donat and Asherson reprised their stage roles in the film version of ''
The Cure for Love ''The Cure for Love'' is a 1949 British comedy film starring and directed by Robert Donat. The cast also includes Renee Asherson and Dora Bryan. The film was based on a hit play of the same name by Walter Greenwood about a mild-mannered soldier ...
'' (1949). His only film as director, its production was affected by his ill health. The film's soundtrack had to be re-recorded after shooting was completed because Donat's asthma had severely affected his voice. Modestly received by a reviewer in ''
The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...
'', and described as "pedestrian" by
Philip French Philip Neville French OBE (28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015) was an English film critic and radio producer. French began his career in journalism in the late 1950s, before eventually becoming a BBC Radio producer, and later a film critic ...
in 2009, it was a hit in the North. In this film, Donat used his natural Mancunian accent, which his early elocution lessons had attempted to suppress completely. Donat appeared on radio. In 1949 he did a performance of ''Justify'' by
John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. Notable works include ''The Forsyte Saga'' (1906–1921) and its sequels, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of the Chapter''. He won the Nobel Prize i ...
on ''
Theatre Guild on the Air ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...
'' for America. Donat and Asherson also appeared in '' The Magic Box'' (1951), in which Donat played
William Friese-Greene William Friese-Greene (born William Edward Green, 7 September 1855 – 5 May 1921) was a prolific English inventor and professional photographer. He was known as a pioneer in the field of motion pictures, having devised a series of cameras in 1 ...
. However, his asthma continued to affect his ability to perform. He was cast as
Thomas Becket Thomas Becket (), also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later Thomas à Becket (21 December 1119 or 1120 – 29 December 1170), was an English nobleman who served as Lord Chancellor from 1155 to 1162, and then ...
in T. S. Eliot's ''
Murder in the Cathedral ''Murder in the Cathedral'' is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935, that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the writin ...
'' in
Robert Helpmann Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE ( Helpman, 9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986) was an Australian ballet dancer, actor, director, and choreographer. After early work in Australia he moved to Britain in 1932, where he joined the Vic-Wells Ballet ...
's production at The Old Vic theatre in 1952 but, although his return to stage was well received, his illness forced him to withdraw during the run. For the same reason, he dropped out of the film '' Hobson's Choice'' (1954). Scheduled to play Willy Mossop, he was replaced by
John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...
. Author David Shipman speculates that Donat's asthma may have been psychosomatic: "His tragedy was that the promise of his early years was never fulfilled and that he was haunted by agonies of doubt and disappointment (which probably were the cause of his chronic asthma)." David Thomson also suggested this explanation, and Donat himself thought that his illness had a 90% basis in his psychology. In a 1980 interview with
Barry Norman Barry Leslie Norman (21 August 1933 – 30 June 2017) was a British film critic, television presenter and journalist. He presented the BBC's cinema review programme, '' Film...'', from 1972 to 1998. Early life Born at St Thomas’s Hospita ...
, his first wife, Ella Annesley Voysey (by then known as Ella Hall), said that Donat had an asthma attack as a psychosomatic response to the birth of their daughter. According to her: "Robert was full of fear." ''
Lease of Life ''Lease of Life'' is a 1954 British drama film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend. The film was designed as a star-vehicle for Robert Donat, representing his return to the screen after an absence of over three years during whi ...
'' (1954), made by
Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever ...
, was his penultimate film. In it, Donat plays a vicar who discovers that he has a terminal illness. Donat's final role was the Mandarin of Yang Cheng in '' The Inn of the Sixth Happiness'' (1958). His last spoken words in the film, an emotional soliloquy in which the Mandarin confesses his conversion to Christianity, reducing
Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary ''Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is often ...
as the missionary
Gladys Aylward Gladys May Aylward (24 February 1902 – 3 January 1970) was a British-born evangelical Christian missionary to China, whose story was told in the book ''The Small Woman'', by Alan Burgess, published in 1957, and made into the film ''The Inn o ...
to tears, were the prophetic, "We shall not see each other again, I think. Farewell." He had collapsed with a stroke during filming but managed to recover enough to complete the film.


Personal life

Donat married in 1929 to Ella Annesley Voysey, niece of architect Charles Voysey. They had one daughter, Joanna Donat (born 1931) and two sons, John Donat (born 1933) and Brian Donat (born 1936), but divorced in 1946. Their son, John Annesley Donat, became an architectural photographer and was an actor and writer. Donat secondly married on 4 May 1953 to actress
Renée Asherson Dorothy Renée Ascherson (19 May 1915 – 30 October 2014), known professionally as Renée Asherson, was an English actress. Much of her theatrical career was spent in Shakespearean plays, appearing at such venues as the Old Vic, the Liverpool ...
, born Dorothy Renee Ascherson, daughter of Charles Ascherson and Dorothy Lilian Wiseman. They lived at 8 The Grove, Highgate until their separation three years later, partly due to the severity of his asthma. They may have been close to a reconciliation when he died. She never remarried.


Death

Donat died at the West End Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryTrewin, J.C. (1968). ''Robert Donat''. London: Heinemann. p. 238. in Soho, London on 9 June 1958 at age 53. His biographer Kenneth Barrow said he had "... a brain tumour the size of a duck egg and
cerebral thrombosis A thrombus (plural thrombi), colloquially called a blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. There are two components to a thrombus: aggregated platelets and red blood cells that form a plug, and a mesh of cr ...
was certified as the primary cause of death". His body was cremated privately in Marylebone three days after his death. He left an estate worth £25,236.


Legacy

Donat has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6420 Hollywood Blvd. A
blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...
also commemorates his life at 8 Meadway in Hampstead Garden Suburb. His place of birth at 42 Everett Road in Withington is also commemorated by a similar plaque.


Filmography


Further reading

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References


External links

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Robert Donat archive at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection
University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a Red brick university, red brick Russell Group research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Society of Merchant Venturers, Merchant Venturers' sc ...

Robert Donat Papers
John Rylands Library, University of Manchester
Photographs and literatureRobert Donat Blog''The Sire de Maletroit's Door'' starring Robert Donat
on Theatre Royal: 1 November 1953. {{DEFAULTSORT:Donat, Robert 1905 births 1958 deaths 20th-century English male actors Best Actor Academy Award winners English male film actors English male stage actors English people of French descent English people of German descent English people of Polish descent Male actors from Manchester English male Shakespearean actors People from Withington Deaths from cerebral thrombosis Deaths from brain cancer in England