Sidney Frederick Livingstone (born 29 March 1945) is an English stage, television, and film

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

. He has sometimes been credited as Sydney Livingstone.

Early life

Born in

Rochdale Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...

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 ...

, Livingstone was an apprentice chef, a salesman, and a plumber's merchant, before gaining a place at the

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

and training as an actor. He graduated in 1969.

Career

Livingstone's acting career began on stage, and by 1973 he was working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He appeared in several productions directed by

Trevor Nunn Sir Trevor Robert Nunn (born 14 January 1940) is an English theatre director and lyricist. He has been the artistic director for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and, currently, the Theatre Royal Haymarket. He has dir ...

, including ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...

'', ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'', ''

Timon of Athens ''The Life of Tymon of Athens'', often shortened to ''Timon of Athens'', is a play written by William Shakespeare and likely also Thomas Middleton in about 1606. It was published in the ''First Folio'' in 1623. Timon of Athens (person), Timon ...

'' and ''

The Blue Angel ''The Blue Angel'' () is a 1930 German musical comedy-drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings and Kurt Gerron. Written by Carl Zuckmayer, Karl Vollmöller and Robert Liebmann, with uncredite ...

''. An early film role came in '' The Ragman's Daughter'' (1972). In 1974, he played Mardian in the television film ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed around 1607, by the King's Men at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre. Its first appearance in print was in the First Folio published ...

''. His many other television credits include ''

Jeeves and Wooster ''Jeeves and Wooster'' is a British comedy television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a British Aca ...

'' in which he played the role of Constable Oats, ''

Crown Court The Crown Court is the criminal trial court, court of first instance in England and Wales responsible for hearing all indictable offences, some Hybrid offence, either way offences and appeals of the decisions of magistrates' courts. It is ...

, Shine on Harvey Moon,

Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...

'', and '' Boon''. In 2016, he starred as Brian Reader in the British film '' Hatton Garden: the Heist''.

Theatre

*''

Coriolanus ''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same ...

'' (

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 ...

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 ...

, 1973) as OfficerRSC Performances Coriolanus 1973
shakespeare.org.uk, accessed 22 May 2022 *'' Hindle Wakes'' as Sir Timothy Farrar *'' Inherit the Wind'' (

The Old Vic The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat, nonprofit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, England. It was established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal ...

, directed

) as Bannister *'' A Chorus of Disapproval'' (1985) as Jarvis *''

'' (Old Vic Theatre, directed Trevor Nunn) as Bishop of Carlisle *''

'' (Old Vic Theatre, directed Trevor Nunn) as Voltimand * ''

'' (Young Vic, directed Trevor Nunn) as Lucullus *''Sitting Pretty'' as Max *''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'' (

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

) as Andrew Carnes *'' Arcadia'' (Royal National Theatre, 1993) as Richard Noakes *''

Measure for Measure ''Measure for Measure'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604 and first performed in 1604. It was published in the First Folio of 1623. The play centers on the despotic and puritan Angelo (Measure for ...

'' (

) as Provost *''

'' (Royal Shakespeare Company, directed Trevor Nunn) as Bombler *'' Acorn Antiques: The Musical!'' (

Theatre Royal Haymarket The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

, 2005) as Ken *'' Crazy for You'' (West End, 2011) as Everett Baker

Films

* '' The Ragman's Daughter'' (1972) as Borstal Instructor *''

'' (1974) as Mardian *''

The Body in the Library ''The Body in the Library'' is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in February 1942 and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in May of the same year. The US edition retailed at ...

'' (1984) as Brogan *'' Lifeforce'' (1985) as Ned Price * '' Passion Killers'' (1999) as Fred *''

'' (1999) as Andrew Carnes *'' Hatton Garden: the Heist'' (2016) as Brian Reader

Television

*''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' (1976) as Roy Thornley *'' Happy Since I Met You'' (television play, 1981) as Dennis *''

Miss Marple Miss Jane Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Miss Marple lives in the village of St Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterised as an elderly spinster, she is one ...

'' (1984) as Brogan *''

The Crucifer of Blood ''The Crucifer of Blood'' is a play by Paul Giovanni that is adapted from the Arthur Conan Doyle novel ''The Sign of the Four.'' It depicts the character Irene St. Claire hiring the detective Sherlock Holmes to investigate the travails that her ...

'' (1991) as Roly Lamas Dir *''

: Trouble at Totleigh Towers'' and '' The Ties that Bind'' (1993) as Constable Oates *''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British Mystery fiction, mystery television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the ''Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series created by Caroline Graham (writer), Caroline Graham. ...

: Days of Misrule'' (2008) as Don MitchinsonChris Perry, ''The Kaleidoscope British Christmas Television Guide 1937-2013'' (2016), p. 374 *''

The Devil's Hour ''The Devil's Hour'' is a British drama thriller television series created by Tom Moran, and executive produced by Sue Vertue and Steven Moffat through their production company Hartswood Films. The first series consists of six episodes, and ...

'' (2022) as Gerald Bell

Notes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Livingstone, Sidney English male soap opera actors English male film actors English male musical theatre actors English male television actors Living people Male actors from Rochdale 1945 births