Dudley Stuart John Moore CBE (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. Moore first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British

satire boom The satire boom was the output of a generation of British satirical writers, journalists and performers at the beginning of the 1960s. The satire boom is often regarded as having begun with the first performance of '' Beyond the Fringe'' on 22 Aug ...

of the 1960s. He was one of the four writer-performers in the comedy revue '' Beyond the Fringe'' from 1960 that created a boom in satiric comedy, and with a member of that team, Peter Cook, collaborated on the BBC television series '' Not Only... But Also''. As a popular double act, Moore’s buffoonery contrasted with Cook’s deadpan monologues. They jointly received the 1966 British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance. They worked together on other projects until the mid 1970s, by which time Moore had settled in Los Angeles to concentrate on his film acting. His career as a comedy film actor was marked by hit films, particularly '' Bedazzled'' (1967), set in Swinging Sixties London (in which he co-starred with Cook) and Hollywood productions '' Foul Play'' (1978), '' 10'' (1979) and '' Arthur'' (1981). For ''Arthur'', Moore was nominated for 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 role in a film released that year. The ...

and won a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

. He received a second Golden Globe for his performance in '' Micki & Maude'' (1984). Moore was awarded a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

in 1987, and was made a CBE by Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

on 16 November 2001 in what was his last public appearance.

Early life

Moore was born at the original Charing Cross Hospital in

central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...

, the son of Ada Francis (née Hughes), a secretary, and John Moore, a railway electrician from Glasgow. He had an older sister, Barbara. Moore was brought up in the

Becontree Becontree or Both pronunciations are given as Received Pronunciation in the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary, but the form is prioritised (). The dialectologist Peter Wright wrote in 1981 that is the traditional pronunciation in the cockney ...

estate in

Dagenham Dagenham () is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Dagenham is centred east of Charing Cross. It was historically a rural parish in the Becontree Hundred of Essex, stretching from Hainault Fore ...

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

. He was short at and had club feet that required extensive hospital treatment. This made him the butt of jokes from other children. His right foot responded well to corrective treatment by the time he was six, but his left foot was permanently twisted and his left leg below the knee was withered. He remained self-conscious about this throughout his life. Moore became a chorister at the age of six. At age 11 he earned a scholarship to the

Guildhall School of Music The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and ja ...

, where he took up harpsichord, organ, violin, musical theory and composition. He rapidly developed into a highly talented pianist and organist and was playing the organ at local church weddings by the age of 14. He attended Dagenham County High School where he received dedicated musical tuition from Peter Cork (1926–2012), who helped him towards his Oxford music scholarship. ( Norma Winstone was another student of Cork's at Dagenham). Cork was also a composer. Moore kept in touch until the mid-1990s and his letters to Cork were published in 2006.Cork, Peter (ed.). ''Letter From Dudley'' (2006) Moore won an organ scholarship to

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the ...

, where he was tutored by the composer Bernard Rose. While studying music and composition there, he also performed with

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...

in '' The Oxford Revue''. During his university years, Moore developed a love of

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

music and became an accomplished jazz pianist and composer. He began working with musicians such as

John Dankworth Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), also known as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinettist and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he ...

and

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Bullock; 28 October 1927)

John Bassett John White Hughes Bassett, (August 25, 1915 – April 27, 1998) was a Canadian media proprietor. Born in Ottawa, Ontario, he was the son of John Bassett (1886–1958), publisher of the ''Montreal Gazette'', and Marion Avery (née Wright) ...

, a graduate of

Wadham College, Oxford Wadham College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy ...

recommended Moore, his jazz bandmate and a rising cabaret talent, to producer Robert Ponsonby, who was putting together a comedy revue entitled '' Beyond the Fringe''. Bassett also chose Jonathan Miller. Moore then recommended

, who in turn suggested Peter Cook. ''Beyond the Fringe'' was at the forefront of the 1960s UK

, although the show's original runs in Edinburgh and the provinces in 1960 had had a lukewarm response. When the revue transferred to the Fortune Theatre in London, in a revised production by Donald Albery and

William Donaldson Charles William Donaldson (4 January 1935 – 22 June 2005) was a British satirist, writer, playboy and, under the pseudonym of Henry Root, author of '' The Henry Root Letters''. Life and career Son of Charles Glen Donaldson (1904–1956) a ...

, it became a sensation, thanks in some part to a favourable review by Kenneth Tynan. There were also a number of musical items in the show, using Dudley Moore's music, most famously an arrangement of the Colonel Bogey March in the style of Beethoven, which Moore appears unable to bring to an end. In 1962 the show transferred to the John Golden Theatre in New York, with its original cast. President John F. Kennedy attended a performance on 10 February 1963. The show continued in New York until 1964.

Partnership with Peter Cook

When Moore returned to the UK he was offered his own series on the BBC, '' Not Only... But Also'' (1965, 1966, 1970). It was commissioned specifically as a vehicle for Moore, but when he invited Peter Cook on as a guest, their comedy partnership was so notable that it became a permanent fixture of the series. Cook and Moore are most remembered for their sketches as two working-class men,

Pete and Dud Pete and Dud were characters played by the comedians and entertainers Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. The dialogue format originated in 1964 when Dudley Moore invited Peter Cook to appear in a television performance. Cook scripted a conversation bet ...

, in macs and cloth caps, commenting on politics and the arts, but they also fashioned a series of one-off characters, usually with Moore in the role of interviewer to one of Cook's upper-class eccentrics. The pair developed an unorthodox method for scripting the material, using a tape recorder to tape an ad-libbed routine that they would then have transcribed and edited. This would not leave enough time to fully rehearse the script, so they often had a set of cue cards. Moore was famous for " corpsing" so, as the programmes often went out live, Cook would deliberately make him laugh in order to get an even bigger reaction from the studio audience. The BBC

wiped Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect. Common reasons for loss A significant prop ...

much of the series, though some of the soundtracks (which were issued on LP record) have survived. In 1968 Cook and Moore briefly switched to ATV for four one-hour programmes entitled '' Goodbye Again''; however, they were not as critically well-received as the BBC shows. On film, Moore and Cook appeared in the 1966 British comedy film '' The Wrong Box'', before co-writing and co-starring in '' Bedazzled'' (1967) with

Eleanor Bron Eleanor Bron (born 14 March 1938) is an English stage, film and television actress, and an author. Her film roles include Ahme in the Beatles musical '' Help!'' (1965), the Doctor in '' Alfie'' (1966), Margaret Spencer in '' Bedazzled'' (1967), ...

. Set in

Swinging London The Swinging Sixties was a youth-driven cultural revolution that took place in the United Kingdom during the mid-to-late 1960s, emphasising modernity and fun-loving hedonism, with Swinging London as its centre. It saw a flourishing in art, mu ...

of the 1960s, ''Bedazzled'' was directed by Stanley Donen. The pair closed the decade with appearances in the ensemble caper film ''

Monte Carlo or Bust ''Monte Carlo or Bust!'' is a 1969 comedy film, also known by its American title, ''Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies''. A co-production of the United Kingdom, France and Italy, the story is based on the Monte Carlo Rally – firs ...

'' and

Richard Lester Richard Lester Liebman (born January 19, 1932) is an American retired film director based in the United Kingdom. He is best known for directing the Beatles' films '' A Hard Day's Night'' (1964) and '' Help!'' (1965), and the superhero films ' ...

's '' The Bed Sitting Room'', based on the play by Spike Milligan and John Antrobus. In 1968 and 1969 Moore embarked on two solo comedy ventures, firstly in the film ''

30 is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia ''30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'' is a 1968 British romantic comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Dudley Moore. Plot London jazz pianist and aspiring composer Rupert Street (Dudley Moore) is looking to have a 30th birthday to ...

'' and secondly, on stage, for an Anglicised adaptation of

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

's ''Play It Again, Sam'' at the

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and ...

in London's West End. Peter Cook Dudley Moore Kraft Music Hall1

In the 1970s, the relationship between Moore and Cook became increasingly strained as the latter's alcoholism began affecting his work. In 1971, however, Cook and Moore took sketches from ''Not Only....But Also'' and ''Goodbye Again'', together with new material, to create the stage revue ''Behind the Fridge''. This show toured Australia in 1972 before transferring to New York City in 1973, re-titled as ''Good Evening''. Cook frequently appeared on and off stage the worse for drink. Nonetheless, the show proved very popular and it won Tony and

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

s. When the Broadway run of ''Good Evening'' ended, Moore stayed on in the U.S. to pursue his film acting ambitions in Hollywood, but the pair reunited to host ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...

'' on 24 January 1976 during SNL's first season. They performed a number of their classic stage routines, including "

One Leg Too Few "One Leg Too Few" is a comedy sketch written by Peter Cook and most famously performed by Cook and Dudley Moore. It is a classic example of comedy arising from an absurd situation which the participants take entirely seriously ( comic irony), an ...

" and "Frog and Peach", among others, in addition to participating in some skits with the show's ensemble. It was during the Broadway run of ''Good Evening'' that Cook persuaded Moore to take the humour of Pete and Dud further on

long-playing records The LP (from "long playing" or "long play") is an analog sound storage medium, a phonograph record format characterized by: a speed of rpm; a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter; use of the "microgroove" groove specification; and ...

as Derek and Clive.

Chris Blackwell Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell (born 22 June 1937) is an English businessman and former record producer, and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll ...

circulated

bootleg Bootleg or bootlegging most often refers to: * Bootleg recording, an audio or video recording released unofficially * Rum-running, the illegal business of transporting and trading in alcoholic beverages, hence: ** Moonshine, or illicitly made a ...

copies to friends in the music business and the popularity of the recording convinced Cook to release it commercially as '' Derek and Clive (Live)'' (1976). Two further "Derek and Clive" albums, ''

Derek and Clive Come Again ''Derek and Clive Come Again'', subtitled on the CD reissue as ''"Further Ejaculations From......"'' is the second record released by Derek and Clive, a pair of characters created by comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Although the first al ...

'' (1977) and '' Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam'' (1978), were later released. The latter was also filmed for a documentary, '' Derek and Clive Get the Horn''. In the film it is clear tensions between the two men were at a breaking point, with Moore at one point walking out of the recording room singing, 'Breaking up is so easy to do.' In 2009, it came to light that, at the time, three separate British police forces had wanted them to be prosecuted under obscenity laws for their "Derek and Clive" comedy recordings. The last significant appearance for the partnership was in 1978's ''

The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set ...

'', where Moore played Dr. Watson to Cook's

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

, as well as three other roles: in drag; as a one-legged man; and at the start and end of the film as a flamboyant and mischievous pianist. He also wrote the film's score. Co-star

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of th ...

described it as "the most outrageous film I ever appeared in ... there was no magic ... it was bad!". The film was not a success, either critically or financially. Moore and Cook eventually reunited for the annual American benefit for the homeless, ''

Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic epis ...

'', in 1987, and again in 1989 for a British audience at the

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and s ...

benefit ''

The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball ''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' is a series of benefit shows staged initially in the United Kingdom to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The shows started in 1976 featuring popular British comedians but lat ...

''. Moore was deeply affected by the death of Cook in 1995, and for weeks would regularly telephone Cook's home in London, just to hear his friend's voice on the telephone answering machine. Moore attended Cook's memorial service in London and, at the time, many people who knew him noted that Moore was behaving strangely and attributed it to grief or drinking. In November 1995, Moore teamed up with friend and humorist Martin Lewis in organising a two-day salute to Cook in Los Angeles that Moore co-hosted with Lewis. In December 2004 the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

television station in the United Kingdom broadcast '' Not Only But Always'', a TV film dramatising the relationship between Moore and Cook, although the principal focus of the production was on Cook. Around the same time, the relationship between the two was also the subject of a stage play called '' Pete and Dud: Come Again'' by Chris Bartlett and Nick Awde. For this production Moore is the main subject. Set in a chat-show studio in the 1980s, it focuses on Moore's comic and personal relationship with Cook and the directions their careers took after the split of the partnership.

Music

During the 1960s he formed the Dudley Moore Trio, with drummer Chris Karan and bassist Pete McGurk. Following McGurk's suicide in June 1968, Peter Morgan joined the group as his replacement. Moore's admitted principal musical influences were

Oscar Peterson Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian virtuoso jazz pianist and composer. Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, ...

and

Erroll Garner Erroll Louis Garner (June 15, 1921 – January 2, 1977) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his swing playing and ballads. His instrumental ballad " Misty", his best-known composition, has become a jazz standard. It was first re ...

. In an interview he recalled the day he finally mastered Garner's unique left-hand strum and was so excited that he walked around for several days with his left hand constantly playing that cadence. His early recordings included " My Blue Heaven", "Lysie Does It", "Poova Nova", "Take Your Time", "

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

", "Sooz Blooz", " Baubles, Bangles & Beads", "Sad One for George" and " Autumn Leaves". The trio performed regularly on British television, made numerous recordings and had a long-running residency at Peter Cook's London nightclub, the Establishment. Amongst other albums, they recorded '' The Dudley Moore Trio'', ''Dudley Moore plays The Theme from Beyond the Fringe and All That Jazz'', ''The World of Dudley Moore'', ''The Other Side Of Dudley Moore'' and ''Genuine Dud''. Moore was a close friend of record producer

Chris Gunning Christopher Gunning (born 5 August 1944) is an English composer of concert works and music for films and television. Gunning was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where his tutors inc ...

and played piano (uncredited) on the 1969 single "Broken Hearted Pirates" which Gunning produced for Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. In 1976 he played piano on

Larry Norman Larry David Norman (April 8, 1947 – February 24, 2008) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Christian rock music and released more than 100 album ...

's album '' In Another Land'', in particular on the song ''The Sun Began to Rain''. In 1981 he recorded ''Smilin' Through'' with Cleo Laine. He composed the soundtracks for the films '' Bedazzled'' (1967), ''

'' (1968), '' Inadmissible Evidence'' (1968), '' Staircase'' (1969), ''

'' (1978) and ''

Six Weeks ''Six Weeks'' is a 1982 American drama film directed by Tony Bill and based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Fred Mustard Stewart. It stars Dudley Moore, Mary Tyler Moore, and Katherine Healy. Plot Charlotte Dreyfus, a wealthy cosmetic ty ...

'' (1982), among others.

Later career in film, television and music

In the late 1970s Moore moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

, where he had a supporting role in the hit film '' Foul Play'' (1978) with Goldie Hawn and

Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of '' Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...

. The following year saw his breakout role in

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...

's '' 10'', which became one of the biggest box-office hits of 1979 and gave him an unprecedented status as a romantic leading man. Moore followed up with the comedy film ''

Wholly Moses ''Wholly Moses!'' is a 1980 American Biblical spoof film written by Guy Thomas and directed by Gary Weis. Dudley Moore plays Old Testament-era idol maker Herschel, whose life and adventures seem to parallel that of the more famous Moses, all the ...

!'', which was not a major success. In 1981 Moore appeared in the title role of the comedy '' Arthur'', an even bigger hit than ''10''. Co-starring

Liza Minnelli Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...

and Sir John Gielgud, it was both commercially and critically successful, Moore receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, whilst Gielgud won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Arthur's stern but compassionate manservant. Moore lost to

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

(for '' On Golden Pond''). He did, however, win a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy. In the same year, on British television, Moore was the featured guest subject on '' An Audience With...''. His subsequent films, ''

'' (1982), '' Lovesick'' (1983), ''

Romantic Comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typic ...

'' (1983) and '' Unfaithfully Yours'' (1984) were only moderate successes. He won another Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy in 1984, starring in the

directed '' Micki & Maude'', co-starring

Amy Irving Amy Davis Irving (born September 10, 1953) is an American actress and singer, who worked in film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Obie Award, and nominations for two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award. Born in Palo Alto, Ca ...

. Later films, including '' Best Defense'' (1984), '' Santa Claus: The Movie'' (1985), '' Like Father Like Son'' (1987), '' Arthur 2: On the Rocks'' (1988), a sequel to the original, ''

Crazy People ''Crazy People'' is a 1990 American black comedy film starring Dudley Moore and Daryl Hannah, directed by Tony Bill, and music by Cliff Eidelman. Plot Emory Leeson is an advertising executive who experiences a nervous breakdown. He designs a s ...

'' (1990), ''

Blame It on the Bellboy ''Blame It on the Bellboy'' is a 1992 comedy film written and directed by Mark Herman and starring Dudley Moore, Bryan Brown, Patsy Kensit, Richard Griffiths, Andreas Katsulas, and Bronson Pinchot. The plot is about a case of mistaken identity ...

'' (1992) and an animated adaptation of ''King Kong'', were inconsistent in terms of both critical and commercial reception. Moore eventually disowned the ''Arthur'' sequel, but, in later years, Cook would tease him by claiming he preferred ''Arthur 2: On the Rocks'' to ''Arthur''. In 1986 he once again hosted ''Saturday Night Live'', albeit without Peter Cook this time. Moore was the subject of the British ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'', for a second time, in March 1987 when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

at his Venice Beach restaurant; he had previously been honoured by the programme in December 1972. In addition to acting, Moore continued to work as a composer and pianist, writing scores for a number of films and giving piano concerts, which were highlighted by his popular parodies of classical favourites. He also appeared as Ko-Ko in Jonathan Miller's production of ''

The Mikado ''The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. It opened on 14 March 1885, in London, where it ran at the ...

'' in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

in March 1988. He also appeared on

Kenny G Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...

's music video "Against Doctor's Orders" from the album Silhouette. In 1991 he released the album ''Songs Without Words'' and in 1992 ''Live From an Aircraft Hangar'', recorded at London's

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

. He collaborated with the conductor Sir Georg Solti in 1991 to create a Channel 4 television series, ''Orchestra!'', which was designed to introduce audiences to the symphony orchestra. He later worked with the American conductor Michael Tilson Thomas on a similar television series, ''Concerto!'' (1993), likewise designed to introduce audiences to classical music concertos. Moore appeared in two series for CBS, ''

Dudley Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...

'' (1993) and '' Daddy's Girls'' (1994); however, both were cancelled before the end of their run. Moore had been interviewed for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' in 1987 by the music critic Rena Fruchter, herself an accomplished pianist, and the two became close friends. By 1995 Moore's film career was on the wane and he was having trouble remembering his lines, a problem he had never previously encountered. It was for this reason he was sacked from

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

's film '' The Mirror Has Two Faces''. However, his difficulties were, in fact, due to the onset of the medical condition that eventually led to his death. Opting to concentrate on the piano, he enlisted Fruchter as an artistic partner. They performed as a duo in the US and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

. However, his disease soon started to make itself apparent there as well, as his fingers would not always do what he wanted them to do. Further symptoms such as slurred speech and loss of balance were misinterpreted by the public and the media as a sign of drunkenness. Moore himself was at a loss to explain this. He moved into Fruchter's family home in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

and stayed there for five years; however, this placed a great strain both on her marriage and her friendship with Moore, and she later set him up in the house next door.

Restaurant

Tony Bill Gerard Anthony Bill (born August 23, 1940) is an American actor, producer, and director. He produced the 1973 movie '' The Sting'', for which he shared the Academy Award for Best Picture with Michael Phillips and Julia Phillips. As an actor, ...

and Dudley Moore founded a restaurant in 1983 (closed in November 2000), '' 72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill'', in Venice, California.

Personal life

Moore was married and divorced four times: to actresses Suzy Kendall (15 June 1968 – 15 September 1972), Tuesday Weld (20 September 1975 – 18 July 1980; by whom he had a son Patrick on 26 February 1976), Brogan Lane (21 February 1988 – 1991), and Nicole Rothschild (16 April 1994 – 1998; one son, Nicholas, born on 28 June 1995). Moore dated Susan Anton in the early 1980s, with a lot of talk being made of their height difference: Moore at and Anton at . In 1994, Moore was arrested and charged with domestic assault after allegedly assaulting his then-girlfriend and soon-to-be wife, Nicole Rothschild. He maintained good relationships with Kendall, Weld and Lane. But he expressly prohibited Rothschild from attending his funeral since, at the time his illness became apparent, he was going through a difficult divorce with her while at the same time sharing a Los Angeles house with her and her previous husband.

Illness and death

In April 1997, after spending five days in a New York hospital, Moore was informed that he had calcium deposits in the

basal ganglia The basal ganglia (BG), or basal nuclei, are a group of subcortical nuclei, of varied origin, in the brains of vertebrates. In humans, and some primates, there are some differences, mainly in the division of the globus pallidus into an ext ...

of his brain and irreversible frontal lobe damage. In September 1997, he underwent quadruple

coronary artery bypass surgery Coronary artery bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG, pronounced "cabbage") is a surgical procedure to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), the buildup of plaques in the arteries of the heart. It can relieve chest pai ...

in London. He also suffered four strokes. On 30 September 1999, Moore announced that he was suffering from the terminal degenerative brain disorder progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a

Parkinson-plus syndrome Parkinson-plus syndromes (PPS) are a group of neurodegenerative diseases featuring the classical features of Parkinson's disease (tremor, rigidity, akinesia/bradykinesia, and postural instability) with additional features that distinguish them fr ...

, some of the early symptoms being so similar to intoxication that he had been reported as being drunk, and that the illness had been diagnosed earlier in the year. Moore died on the morning of 27 March 2002 as a result of

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severit ...

, secondary to immobility caused by his PSP, in Plainfield, New Jersey, at the age of 66. Rena Fruchter was holding his hand when he died; she reported his final words were "I can hear the music all around me." Moore was interred at Hillside Cemetery in

Scotch Plains, New Jersey Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. The township is located on a ridge in northern-central New Jersey, within the Raritan Valley and Rahway Valley regions in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 ...

. Fruchter later wrote a memoir of their relationship entitled ''Dudley Moore'' ( Ebury Press, 2004).

Honours and awards

In 1981, Moore won the Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role in ''Arthur'', for which he was also Oscar-nominated. In November 2001, Moore was appointed a

Commander of the Order of The British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE). Despite his deteriorating condition, he attended the ceremony at

on 16 November to collect his honour in a wheelchair. It was his last public appearance.

Filmography

Discography

UK chart singles

* "Goodbye-ee", 1965, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore * "The Ballad of Spotty Muldoon", 1965, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore

Jazz discography

* "Strictly for the Birds" b/w "Duddly Dell", 1961 (

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

R 4772) - The Dudley Moore Trio (Derek Hogg, drums; Hugo Boyd, double bass) * ''The Other Side of Dudley Moore'', 1965 (Decca LK 4732 Mono) The Dudley Moore Trio (Pete McGurk - double bass, Chris Karan - drums) * ''Genuine Dud'', 1966 (Decca LK 4788 Mono) The Dudley Moore Trio (Pete McGurk - double bass, Chris Karan - drums) eissued as ''The World of Dudley Moore'', vol 2, 1973* ''From Beyond The Fringe'', 1966 (

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...

Standard 2 017) * '' The Dudley Moore Trio'', 1969 (

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American Decca's president. ...

(UK) /

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

(US) PS558) * ''Dudley Moore plays the Theme from Beyond the Fringe and All That Jazz'', 1962 (Atlantic 1403) * ''The World of Dudley Moore'', (Decca SPA 106) * ''The Music of Dudley Moore'', ( EMI Australia (

Cube Records Cube Records was launched on 26 May 1972 by independent music publisher David Platz, and was based at his UK offices for Essex Music. History Platz had entered the arena of record production in the early 1960s, and having had a string of hits ...

) TOOFA.14-1/2) * ''Dudley Down Under'', (Cube ICS 13) * ''Dudley Moore at the Wavendon Festival'', (

Black Lion Records Black Lion Records was a British jazz record company and label based in London, England. Alan Bates founded Black Lion Records in 1968. The label had two series of releases, one for British jazz musicians and one for international musicians. I ...

BLP 12151) * ''Smilin' Through'' –

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Bullock; 28 October 1927)CBS A 2947) * ''The Theme from Beyond The Fringe and All That Jazz'', (Collectibles COL 6625) * ''Live from an Aircraft Hangar'' (Martine Avenue Productions MAPI 8486) * ''Songs Without Words'', 1991 (GRP/BMG LC 6713) * ''The First Orchestrations'' – Dudley Moore and Richard Rodney Bennett, played by John Bassett and his Band, (Harkit Records HRKCD 8054) * ''Jazz Jubilee'', (Martine Avenue Productions MAPI 1521) * ''The Dudley Moore Trio'' at Sydney Town Hall, 2 May 1978 (with Peter Morgan on bass and Chris Karan on drums). Produced by Peter Wall. * ''Today, The Dudley Moore Trio -'' again with Morgan and Karan (see above) recorded at United Sound, Sydney, in 1971, with some mono tracks added from a 1961 London session. No details.

Comedy discography

* ''Beyond The Fringe'' (West End recording) (1961) * ''Beyond The Fringe'' (Broadway recording) (1962) * ''Not Only Peter Cook But Also Dudley Moore'' (1965) * ''Once Moore with Cook'' (1966) * ''Peter Cook and Dudley Moore Cordially Invite You to Go to Hell!'' (1967) * ''Goodbye Again'' (1968) * ''Not Only But Also'' (1971) * ''Behind the Fridge'' (1971) AUS #35 * ''The World of Pete & Dud'' (1974) * ''Good Evening'' (1974) * '' Derek and Clive (Live)'' (1976) * ''

'' (1977) * '' Derek and Clive Ad Nauseam'' (1978)

Bibliography

* Dudley Moore (1966). ''Originals. Arranged as Piano Solos Transcribed from the Decca L.P. 'The Other Side of Dudley Moore. Essex Music.

References

External links

"The Films of Dudley Moore"
film clip compilation, 5 minutes * * *
Obituary at CNN.com

"Affectionately Dudley"
2006 Radio 4 programme {{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Dudley 1935 births 2002 deaths Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners English jazz pianists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Deaths from pneumonia in New Jersey Neurological disease deaths in New Jersey Deaths from progressive supranuclear palsy English classical organists British male organists English expatriates in the United States English male film actors English male comedians English satirists English male television actors Grammy Award winners People from Dagenham People from Hammersmith English people of Scottish descent 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Burials at Hillside Cemetery (Scotch Plains, New Jersey) 20th-century classical musicians 20th-century pianists 20th-century English musicians 20th-century English comedians British male comedy actors British male jazz musicians Black Lion Records artists 20th-century British male musicians Special Tony Award recipients Dudley Moore Trio members Male classical organists