Sir John Anthony Quayle (7 September 1913 – 20 October 1989) was a British actor. He was nominated for an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

and a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

for his supporting role as

Thomas Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( ; – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal (catholic), cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's Lord High Almoner, almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and ...

in the film '' Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969). He also played important roles in such major studio productions as '' The Guns of Navarone'' (1961), '' Lawrence of Arabia'' (1962), '' The Fall of the Roman Empire'' (1964), ''

Operation Crossbow ''Crossbow'' was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German V-weapons, long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. The primary V-weapons were the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket, which were launched agai ...

'' (1965), '' QB VII'' (1974) and '' The Eagle Has Landed'' (1976). Quayle was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in the 1985 New Years Honours List.

Early life

Quayle was born on 7 September 1913 at 2 Delamere Road, Ainsdale,Ainsdale became part of the County Borough of Southport in 1912

Southport Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

, to solicitor Arthur Quayle, of a Manx family, and Esther Kate Quayle ( Overton). He was educated at Abberley Hall School, a preparatory school in Abberley, Worcestershire, and at

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

, then an all-boys

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...

. He trained for one year at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

(RADA) in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. His first professional stage appearance was in '' The Ghost Train'' at the

Q Theatre The Q Theatre was a British theatre located near Kew Bridge in Brentford, west London, which operated between 1924 and 1958. It was built on the site of the former Kew Bridge Studios. The theatre, seating 490 in 25 rows with a central aisle, wa ...

, while on holiday from RADA. After appearing in

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

, he joined the

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

in 1932.

Second World War service

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he served in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

. Having joined as a gunner (i.e. private), he attended the 70th Coast Defence Training Regiment and was commissioned second lieutenant on 7 January 1940. He was made one of the area commanders of the

Auxiliary Units The Auxiliary Units, Home Guard Shock Squads or GHQ Auxiliary Units were specially trained, highly secret quasi military units created by the British government during the Second World War with the aim of using irregular warfare in response to ...

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

. The units were "stay-behind forces" in case of a German invasion.Auxiliary Units were the "stay-behind forces" put in place in UK in case of a German invasion Later Quayle joined the

Special Operations Executive Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British organisation formed in 1940 to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in German-occupied Europe and to aid local Resistance during World War II, resistance movements during World War II. ...

(SOE) and served as a liaison officer with the partisans in

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

. Reportedly, his service with the SOE seriously affected him and he never felt comfortable talking about it. He described his experiences in a fictional form in ''Eight Hours from England''. He was an aide to the Governor of

Gibraltar Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...

at the time of the air crash of General

Władysław Sikorski Władysław Eugeniusz Sikorski (; 20 May 18814 July 1943) was a Polish military and political leader. Before World War I, Sikorski established and participated in several underground organizations that promoted the cause of Polish independenc ...

's aircraft on 4 July 1943. He wrote of his Gibraltar experience in his second novel ''On Such a Night'', published by Heinemann. By the end of the war, he held the rank of temporary

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

. In May 1946, it was published that he had been

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

"in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Mediterranean Theatre".

Career

Theatre

From 1948 to 1956 Quayle directed at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, and laid the foundations for the creation of the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

. His own Shakespearian roles included Falstaff,

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

, Benedick in ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a Shakespearean comedy, 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. ...

,''

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

and Aaron in ''

Titus Andronicus ''The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus'', often shortened to ''Titus Andronicus'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first t ...

'' with

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

; he played Mosca in

Ben Jonson Benjamin Jonson ( 11 June 1572 – ) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence on English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for the satire, satirical ...

's ''

Volpone ''Volpone'' (, Italian for "sly fox") is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605–1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-perfo ...

''; and he also appeared in contemporary plays. He played the role of Moses in

Christopher Fry Christopher Fry (18 December 1907 – 30 June 2005) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his verse dramas, especially '' The Lady's Not for Burning'', which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s. Biograp ...

's play ''The Firstborn'', in a production starring opposite Katharine Cornell. He also made an LP with Cornell, in which he played the role of poet

Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian literature, Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentar ...

in '' The Barretts of Wimpole Street''. Quayle made his Broadway debut in ''

The Country Wife ''The Country Wife'' is a Restoration comedy written by William Wycherley and first performed in 1675. A product of the tolerant early Restoration period, the play reflects an aristocratic and anti-Puritan ideology, and was controversial fo ...

'' in 1936. Thirty-four years later, he won critical acclaim for his starring role in the highly successful Anthony Shaffer play '' Sleuth'', which earned him a

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

. Quayle played James Tyrone in the first UK production of Eugene O'Neill's ''Long Day's Journey Into Night'' (

Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a Theater (structure), theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 at Southwark, close to the south bank of the Thames, by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. It was ...

, London, 1958). Quayle was artist-in-residence at the University of Tennessee in the mid-70s. He came to Knoxville in spring 1974, through a partnership with the Kennedy Center, starring in Henry Denker's ''The Headhunters'', which rehearsed and opened at the Clarence Brown Theatre and then moved on to the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theatre. Quayle was appointed as professor in theatre in 1974. He taught classes as an artist in residence and served as artistic director of the Clarence Brown Company—a professional theatre company in residence at UT. He played in ''Everyman'' the same year. In 1984, he founded Compass Theatre Company, that he inaugurated with a tour of ''The Clandestine Marriage'', directing and playing the part of Lord Ogleby. This production had a run at the

Albery Theatre Albery is a name. It may refer to: Given name * Albery Allson Whitman (1851−1901), African American poet, minister and orator Surname * A. S. Albery, British politician * Bronson Albery (1881−1971), English theatre director and impresario * Do ...

, London. With the same company he subsequently toured with a number of other plays, including '' Saint Joan'', ''Dandy Dick'' and ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' with himself in the title role.

Film and Television

His first film role was an uncredited brief appearance as an Italian wigmaker in '' Pygmalion'' (1938) – later film roles included parts in

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. 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 featu ...

's '' The Wrong Man'',

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company Powell and Pressburger, The Archers, they together wrote, produced ...

and

Emeric Pressburger Emeric Pressburger (born Imre József Pressburger; 5 December 19025 February 1988) was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a collaborat ...

's '' The Battle of the River Plate'' (both 1956), '' Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958), '' Tarzan's Greatest Adventure'' (1959), '' The Guns of Navarone'' (1961), '' H.M.S. Defiant'',

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 of Cinema of the United Kingdom, British cinema. He directed the large-scale epi ...

's '' Lawrence of Arabia'' (both 1962) and '' The Fall of the Roman Empire'' (1964). He was nominated for an

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...

for his role as

Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( ; – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling f ...

in '' Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969). Often cast as the decent British officer, Quayle drew upon his wartime experiences, bringing a degree of authenticity to the parts absent from the performances of some non-combatant stars. But he memorably - and convincingly - played a German Panzer officer and spy in Ice Cold in Alex. One of his best friends from his days at the Old Vic was fellow actor

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...

, who appeared in several films with him. He was also a close friend of Jack Hawkins and Jack Gwillim; all four actors appeared in ''Lawrence of Arabia''. Television appearances include the '' Armchair Theatre'' episode "The Scent of Fear" (1959) for ITV, the title role in the drama series '' Strange Report'' ( ITC, 1969) and as French General Villers in the television film adaptation of '' The Bourne Identity'' (1988). He starred in the miniseries ''

Masada Masada ( ', 'fortress'; ) is a mountain-top fortress complex in the Judaean Desert, overlooking the western shore of the Dead Sea in southeastern Israel. The fort, built in the first century BCE, was constructed atop a natural plateau rising ov ...

'' (1981) as Rubrius Gallius. Also he narrated the BBC drama serial '' The Six Wives of Henry VIII'' (1970), and the acclaimed aviation documentary series '' Reaching for the Skies'' (1988). Quayle also starred in the 'Last Bottle in The World' episode of Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)

Personal life

Quayle married twice. His first wife was the actress Hermione Hannen (1913–1983), to whom he was married from 1935 to 1941. In 1947, he married American-born actress Dorothy Hyson (1914–1996), known as "Dot" to family and friends. He and Dorothy had two daughters, Jenny and Rosanna, and a son, Christopher. Quayle died at his home in Chelsea from

liver cancer Liver cancer, also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy, is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary in which the cancer starts in the liver, or it can be liver metastasis, or secondar ...

on 20 October 1989.

Awards and honours

;Awards (nominations) * 1959 –

BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Best Actor in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognise an actor who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in ...

, for: '' Ice Cold in Alex'' * 1970 –

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 for a performance in a motion picture released in the previ ...

, for: '' Anne of the Thousand Days'' * 1970 –

, for: ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' * 1981 – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special, for: ''

'' * 1989 – CableACE Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic or Theatrical Special, for: ''The Theban Plays by Sophocles'' ;Awards (won) * 1975 – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special, for: '' QB VII'' ;Honours Quayle was

during the Second World War. He 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 valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) in the 1952 Birthday Honours. He was appointed a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

in the

1985 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1985 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countries ...

for services to the Theatre, and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 5 March 1985.

Filmography

Film

Television

Books

Quayle authored two novels and an autobiography. * ''Eight Hours from England'' (novel) (1945, Heinemann) * ''On Such a Night'' (novel) (1947, Heinemann) *
A Time to Speak
' (autobiography) (1990, Barrie & Jenkins) The first novel is a semi-fictional account of his war service with the S.O.E. in Albania.

References

External links

* *
Performances listed in Theatre Archive University of Bristol

Anthony Quayle as director listed in Theatre Archive University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quayle, Anthony 1913 births 1989 deaths Actors awarded knighthoods Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art British Army personnel of World War II British Special Operations Executive personnel Caedmon Records artists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Deaths from liver cancer in England English male film actors English male Shakespearean actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors English people of Manx descent Male actors from Southport Knights Bachelor Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners People educated at Rugby School Royal Artillery officers Royal Shakespeare Company members 20th-century English male actors