He thought it like New York stages which, being wide and long, encouraged the actors to “play out front”, frightened that if they did not address the audience from the edge of the stage they would lose its attention. Archives ... Tag: Keith Michell ‘Robert and Elizabeth’ – An Appreciation. Actor and theatre director best known for his many portrayals of Henry VIII. He was a member of the Young Vic Theatre Company (1950-51), his roles including Bassanio in The Merchant of Venice. Other films included Dangerous Exile (1957), The Hellfire Club (1961), Seven Seas to Calais (1962) and The Executioner (1970). Watercolour with pen and ink, signed and dated. [3] He played the dual role of Miguel de Cervantes and his fictional creation Don Quixote in the musical Man of La Mancha, first starring in the original London production of the musical[4] and then on Broadway. [10], He married the actress Jeanette Sterke in 1956, and they had a son, Paul, and a daughter, Helena, who appeared in the films Prick Up Your Ears and Maurice. It was further amended on 22 November 2015: Michell died at the age of 88 rather than 89. Located on the eastern shore of the Spencer Gulf, Port Pirie is South Australia’s second largest port. For Jeremy Lloyd’s creation Captain Beaky and His Band, Michell illustrated the books and took part in performances once a recording of the songs had taken off in 1980. Theatre Aficionado at Large. He had always held an interest in art and design and before moving to Britain had been an art teacher. He remained an accomplished painter. Nov 30, 2017 - Explore Bella Donna's board "Keith Michell", followed by 1070 people on Pinterest. After that he was always hoping for a return: “I loved working there on the open stage. Digitized slides and mounted negatives. He has starred in several musicals, including the first London production of Man of La Mancha (1972). [1] He appeared in a series of Gilbert and Sullivan TV adaptations by Brent Walker. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in 1980. Appeared as Grand Inquisitor, The Gondoliers, PBS; Major General Stanley,The Pirates of Penzance, PBS; and The Story of the Marlboroughs, BBC. The Keith Michell Theatre, within the Northern Festival Centre, is named after the actor Keith Michell who grew up in Warnertown, 5 km from Port Pirie. He appeared extensively in Shakespeare and other classics and musicals in Britain, and was also in several Broadway productions. A thrust stage is … [5], On stage, in film and on television, he appeared several times as King Henry VIII, perhaps most memorably in the series The Six Wives of Henry VIII in 1970 and the similar film Henry VIII and his Six Wives (1972). Attract more customers by adding more content such as opening hours, logo and more - Yellow Pages® directory [1] Also on Broadway, he played the Count in The Rehearsal by Jean Anouilh (1963). Born 1 December 1926 in Adelaide, South Australia, he was brought up some 150 miles away, in Warnertown, on the Augusta Highway between Crystal Brook and Port Pirie. [1][8], The Julie Andrews Hour, aired Jan 10 1973 (dvd), Australian Dictionary of Biography – Ronald Erle Grainer, "Keith Michell, Star of 'Six Wives of Henry VIII,' Dies at 89", Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Keith_Michell&oldid=999656658, Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom, Best Actor BAFTA Award (television) winners, Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners, Use Australian English from September 2016, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with PLWABN identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 07:51. Martha Swope photographs. He studied at Adelaide Teachers’ College and Adelaide University and made his first stage appearance while still a teacher in Bill Daily’s comedy Lover’s Leap at Adelaide’s Playbox theatre in 1947. Later on came shows built around him as a personality – now a British celebrity – singing songs from the shows. Keith Joseph Michell, 1 December 1926, Adelaide, South Australia. For this he won an Emmy. But he also made a significant contribution to British theatre when he followed Laurence Olivier and John Clements to become artistic director of Chichester Festival Theatre. A change of gear came in 1958 when he worked in the stage musical Irma La Douce, which took him to the National theatre, Washington, and to Broadway. I should want to have overall direction of a company or festival at some stage.” The season opened in May and included many productions in which he appeared: as the Director in Pirandello’s Tonight We Improvise, as Sophocles’s Oedipus Tyrannus, and in Turgenev’s A Month in the Country and Vanbrugh’s The Confederacy. At 67, he was relieved to discover that the costumes for the rotund king weighed only a fraction of the 20 stone of those he had needed 20 years previously. He later sang in a series of television specials written for him. Keith Michell with Charlotte Rampling in Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972). In 1956, on television, he played Henry Higgins in Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw and, the same year, at the Royal Court Theatre, he starred in the title role in Ronald Duncan's Don Juan and in several Old Vic Company productions as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Antony in Antony and Cleopatra and Aaron in Titus Andronicus. Keith Michell, actor and director, born 1 December 1926; died 20 November 2015. Oedipus Tyrannus – Sophocles (version by Gail Rademacher). To plausibly play a role which spans a time from a handsome idealist youth to a 55 year old fat and limp tyrant is no small feat. Even his voice convincingly changes in … A distinguished, versatile actor and singer, who, in addition to his work in the classical and musical theatre, is also a talented painter. Address 106 Gertrude Street, Port Pirie, SA 5540 Event Schedule (0) The Northern Festival Centre is a fully equipped multi-purpose arts centre and can accommodate a diverse range of conferences, performing arts, film screenings, seminars and product launches. Keith Michell - Wikipedia Keith Joseph Michell (1926–2015) was an Australian actor who was best known for his television & film portrayals of King Henry VIII of England. He also illustrated a limited edition run of William Shakespeare's sonnets, for which he did the calligraphy; and wrote and illustrated a number of macrobiotic cookbooks. Keith Joseph Michell (1 December 1926 – 20 November 2015) was an Australian actor who worked primarily in the United Kingdom, and was best known for his television and film portrayals of King Henry VIII. He has a son, Paul Michell, and a daughter, Helena Michell. [4] The Captain Beaky character enjoyed success in the UK in the early 1980s, among both children and adults. He appeared extensively in Shakespeare and other classics and musicals in Britain, and was also in several Broadway productions. I was there at its birth.”. He also starred as Abelard in the Broadway play Abelard and Heloise with Diana Rigg by Ronald Millar (1971) and as Georges in La Cage aux Folles in the 1980s. Early on in his television career he had played Henry Higgins in Shaw’s Pygmalion (1956), Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights (1962) and Mark Antony in a series of Roman plays called The Spread of the Eagle (1963). Directions 1.43km (08) 8632 4122. Cinemas - Port Pirie, SA 5540. Keith Michell in Concert at Chichester (also known as Keith Michell at Chichester), 1974. Names Swope, Martha (Photographer) Collection. 3: Was considered for the role of "Captain Von Trapp" in The Sound of Music (1965). After doing work for the ABC radio network in the city, in 1949 he left for Britain and the Old Vic Theatre School. [1], In 1958, he played Nestor-Le-Fripe in the musical Irma La Douce, also starring in the role with the National Theatre in Washington, DC, and on Broadway in 1960–1961. 1975 Festival Theatre: Cyrano de Bergerac – Edmond Rostand (version by Christopher Fry). Directions Northern Festival Centre 106 Gertrude St, Port Pirie SA 5540. Within the Centre are the Keith Michell Theatre, The Ballroom … Was considered for the role of "Captain Von Trapp" in The Sound of Music (1965). Keith Joseph Michell (1 December 1926 – 20 November 2015) was an Australian actor who worked primarily in the United Kingdom, and was best known for his television and film portrayals of King Henry VIII. For BBC television, The Six Wives of Henry VIII devoted an episode to each of the monarch’s six consorts, while Henry VIII and his Six Wives (1972) adapted the same material into a single film, directed by Waris Hussein. The appointment in 1974 was Michell’s first of this kind, and came as a surprise to many, since contenders for control of the huge apron stage, and the chance to experiment in a kindlier atmosphere than that of the West End in London, had included Jonathan Miller, Peter Dews and Robin Phillips, all of whom had directing experience, including plays at Chichester. Backstage at Masterpiece Theatre: A 20th Anniversary Special, PBS, 1991. The song "Captain Beaky", sung by Michell, peaked at No. In 1964 in London, he starred as Robert Browning in the musical Robert and Elizabeth, opposite Australian soprano June Bronhill. Keith Joseph Michell, 1 December 1926, Adelaide, South Australia. He was present to see a one-off revival at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. Send to Send to mobile. Michell was born in Adelaide, and brought up in Warnertown, near Port Pirie. Starring Penelope Keith, who was widely recognised as next door neighbour Margot in the BBC sitcom The Good Life, this was an excellent example of Michell’s skill for getting big stars to perform at the Theatre. Series VI. Keith Michell obituary Actor and theatre director best known for his many portrayals of Henry VIII Keith Michell with Charlotte Rampling in Henry VIII … The actual Emmy was given to Julie Andrews, who presented him with it when he appeared on her show, for the 2nd time. This article was amended on 21 November 2015. Regally tall and strong-featured, the Australian-born actor Keith Michell, who has died aged 88, made his reputation in the 1960s and 70s in classical roles, and probably played the part of King Henry VIII more than any other performer. The theatre has an orchestral pit that can sit up to 35 musicians. I have a soft spot for depictions of romance between historical figures. Scrooge: The Musical is a 1992 stage musical with book, music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse.. Its score and book are closely adapted from the music and screenplay of the 1970 musical film Scrooge starring Albert Finney. Keith Michell, best known for his Emmy-winning portrayal of the 16th century King of England in the acclaimed 1970 miniseries Six Wives of Henry VIII, has died. As it was at the overture and shall be at the exit music, bliss without end. In 1956 he both played the title role in Ronald Duncan’s Don Juan at the Royal Court theatre and joined the Old Vic Company for more Shakespeare – Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Antony in Antony and Cleopatra and Aaron in Titus Andronicus. Within the Centre are the Keith Michell Theatre, The Ballroom and meeting rooms (Barbara Welch Room and Council Room). Chichester in 1974 was the first artistic directorship he had sought: “I knew I should want to do it if I was serious about the theatre. He was an artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre in the 1970s and later had a recurring role on Murder, She Wrote. What a remarkable production, and especially the astonishing acting of Keith Mitchell who began in British theater. Keith Michell (1 December 1926 – 20 November 2015) was an Australian actor. In 1996, he played Henry VIII again, in a television film, The Prince and the Pauper. Keith Michell 1974 Festival Theatre: Tonight We Improvise – Luigi Pirandello (version by Samuel Putnam). Menu and widgets. … A distinguished, versatile actor and singer, who, in addition to his work in the classical and musical theatre, is also a talented painter. Keith Michell as Captain Beaky on Top of the Pops, 1980, Commenting has been disabled at this time but you can still, a one-off revival at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. He was an artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre in the 1970s and later had a recurring role on Murder, She Wrote. His parents were Joseph, a cabinet-maker, and Alice (née Aslat). A native of Adelaide, Keith was the son of Joseph, a cabinet-maker, and Alice (nee Aslat), and studied at Port Pirie high school, Adelaide Teachers’ College and Adelaide University. 1.43km. His film appearances included various forms of historical derring-do in Dangerous Exile (1958), The Hell Fire Club (1961) and Seven Seas to Calais (1962), while The Executioner (1970) was a spy thriller directed by Sam Wanamaker. Michell was born in Adelaide, the son of a cabinet maker, and brought up in Warnertown, near Port Pirie. [9] He enjoyed a recording career as a soloist, with one of his singles, I'll Give You the Earth, which he co-wrote, reaching No. Keith Michell Bio, Photos, Theatre Credits, Stage History - learn all about their career on stage. He was best known for his television and movie roles as King Henry VIII of England.He was born in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.Michell made appearances on the mystery series Murder, She Wrote, playing Dennis Stanton.He was the artistic director of the Chichester Festival Theatre from 1974 to 1977. Actor Keith Michell in a scene from the Broadway production of the musical "La Cage Aux Folles." 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