Dennis Edward "Danny" Sewell (18 November 1930 – 18 May 2001) was a British professional heavyweight boxer and actor who created the role of
Bill Sikes
William Sikes is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists (alongside Monks) 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 o ...
in the 1960 stage musical ''
Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
''. He remained in the role for the original
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
production, which premiered in early 1963, and for several national tours.
[
]
Early life
Sewell was born in London, the son of a Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, England. It was Historic counties of England, historically in the county of Middlesex until 1889. Hoxton lies north-east of the City of London, is considered to be a part of London's East End ...
printer and bookmaker father and florist mother. He was the younger brother of the actor George Sewell
George Sewell (31 August 19242 April 2007) was an English actor, best known for his television roles, but also active on stage and in films.
Early life and early career
The son of a Hoxton printer and a florist, Sewell left school at the age o ...
.
A champion-boxer as a schoolboy,[Danny Sewell on the Ovrtur database]
/ref> in 1946 aged 16 Danny Sewell became a professional and undefeated light-heavyweight and heavyweight boxer, winning all 7 of his fights with 5 knockout
A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, ...
s.[ Regarded as a contender for the World Heavyweight title, he contracted ]polio
Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...
at age 18 during a worldwide epidemic and spent a year in an iron lung in a Spokane, Washington, hospital paid for by British sportsmen. He recovered and returned to boxing but, as Sewell once said, “It was never the same. I'd lost the old spark.” He gave up boxing and became a physical training instructor on the Queen Mary and other Cunard Line ships, before going on to manage a Bethnal Green pub and eventually try his hand at acting.” In 1953 he married Betty Frances Anderson with whom he had four children: Laura, Daniel, George and Andrew Sewell.[Death notice for Danny Sewell]
- ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' - 27 May 2001 The marriage was later dissolved and Sewell remarried. His National Service
National service is a system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act ...
was spent as a Physical Training Instructor in the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
, for whom he also boxed. Soon after Sewell turned to acting; his first stage role was in ''One More River'' (1959) at the Duke of York's Theatre
The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...
in London while his television and film roles included First Waterman in ''Nick of the River'' (1959), Sam in ''Where the Party Ended'' (1960), Soho layabout in ''No Hiding Place
''No Hiding Place'' is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV (TV network), ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967.
It was the sequel to the series ''Murder Bag'' ...
'' (1960), and Boxer in ''Armchair Theatre
''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968.
The Ca ...
'' (1960). He had uncredited roles in the films ''Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
''Saturday Night and Sunday Morning'' is the first novel by British author Alan Sillitoe and won the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award.
It was adapted by Sillitoe into the 1960 film of the same name starring Albert Finney, directed by ...
'' (1960) and '' The Criminal'' (1960).[
]
Sikes in ''Oliver!''
Sewell created the role of Bill Sikes
William Sikes is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists (alongside Monks) 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 o ...
in the 1960 stage musical ''Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
'' and remained in the role (including the original Broadway and US touring productions) for the best part of six years.[ Sewell's main competitor at audition for the role of Sikes was ]Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinct Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over Michael Caine filmography, a career that spanned eight decades an ...
, who later stated he "cried for a week" after failing to secure the part. Sewell sang on the UK and US cast albums of ''Oliver!''.[Broadway cast album for ''Oliver!'' - Music Theatre International]
/ref>
Sewell was disappointed not to be offered the role of Sikes in the 1968 film ''Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
'', which went to Oliver Reed
Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor, known for his upper-middle class, macho image and his heavy-drinking, "hellraiser" lifestyle. His screen career spanned over 40 years, between 1955 and 1999. At the ...
.
Later career
He played Avery in '' Partners in Crime'' (1961) in ''The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre
The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The ...
''; Sgt. Major Roughage in ''Bonehead'' (1962); Teddy Scammell in '' The Expert'' (1969) with George Sewell as Louis Scammell; Ryder in ''Dixon of Dock Green
''Dixon of Dock Green'' is a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 1955 ...
'' (1968); Billy McCance in ''Z-Cars
''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police and CID detectives in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by ...
'' (1968); Gideon the Gaoler in '' Rogues' Gallery'' (1968), and Weston in '' Man at the Top'' (1973).
Sewell played Chitterlow in the second national tour of '' Half a Sixpence'' (1966) and Luke in the original Off-Broadway production of ''Lady Audley's Secret
''Lady Audley's Secret'' is a sensation novel by Mary Elizabeth Braddon published on 1 October 1862. It was Braddon's most successful and well-known novel. Critic John Sutherland (author), John Sutherland (1989) described the work as "the most ...
'' (1972).[ On ]Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
in 1967 he took over the role of Joey in ''The Homecoming
''The Homecoming'' is a two-act play written in 1964 and published in 1965 by Harold Pinter. Its premières in London (1965) and New York (1967) were both directed by Sir Peter Hall. The original Broadway production won the 1967 Tony Award ...
'' and returned to the role in an Off-Broadway revival in 1971[ for which he won an ]Obie
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
in 1972,[Danny Sewell - Obie Award (1972) - Village Voice and American Theatre Wing]
/ref> while in 1974 he also took over the role of Harry Dalton in '' Equus''.[Danny Sewell]
- ''Playbill
''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for Audience, theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the ...
'' He appeared in the Broadway production of the play ''The Elephant Man
Joseph Carey Merrick (5 August 1862 – 11 April 1890) was an English man known for his severe physical deformities. He was first exhibited at a freak show under the stage name "The Elephant Man", and then went to live at the London Hospital, ...
'' in 1979.[Danny Sewell]
- Internet Broadway Database
The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade asso ...
Danny Sewell retired to Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Ba ...
, Florida, with his second wife, actress Donna Gerdes. He died in Sarasota in 2001.
References
External links
Sewell
on the Internet Movie Database
IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sewell, Danny
1930 births
2001 deaths
Actors from the London Borough of Hackney
Boxers from the London Borough of Hackney
English male musical theatre actors
English male television actors
English male film actors
English male stage actors
Obie Award recipients
20th-century English male actors
Male actors from London
English male boxers
Heavyweight boxers
20th-century British male singers
Polio survivors
People from Hoxton
20th-century English sportsmen