Shoes

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Gender

Male

Birthday

1902-04-20

Place of Birth

New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

Donald Wolfit

Biography

Donald Wolfit (born Donald Woolfitt; 20 April 1902 – 17 February 1968) was an English actor-manager, best known for touring productions of Shakespeare and his performances as King Lear. Born in New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, he made his London stage debut in 1924 and later joined the companies at the Old Vic and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. After playing Hamlet at Stratford, he formed his own touring company in 1937, taking Shakespeare and other plays to audiences across Britain and abroad. His company continued performing during the Second World War, including lunchtime productions in London. Among the actors who worked with him were Harold Pinter and Brian Rix. Wolfit also appeared in films, including Svengali (1954), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Becket (1964). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1950 and knighted in 1957 for his services to the theatre.

Known for

BBC Play of the Month

BBC Play of the Month

A BBC television anthology series featuring productions of classic and contemporary stage plays usually broadcast on BBC1. Each production featured a different work, often using prominent British stage actors in the leading roles. The series was transmitted from October 1965 to September 1983.

Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

During World War I, English officer Thomas Edward 'T.E.' Lawrence sets out to unite and lead the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes to fight the Turks.

Folio

Folio

Folio, a precursor to CBC's renowned fine-arts series Festival, aired for four years starting in 1956. The series showcased original dramas, music compositions, and ballets, many originating from diverse regions across Canada. Notable episodes featured Barry Morse in a new staging of MacBeth, along with performances by Canadian talents like Robert Goulet and Sharon Acker. One of the highlights included a musical adaptation of the beloved Canadian classic, Anne of Green Gables. Airing without sponsorship, Folio thrived until its conclusion in the fall of 1960. Producers: Robert Allen, Harvey Hart, David Greene, Mario Prizek and Ronald Weyman.

Ghost Squad

Ghost Squad

Ghost Squad, known as G.S.5 for its third series, was a crime drama series about an elite division of Scotland Yard that ran between 1961 and 1964. Each episode the Ghost Squad would investigate cases that fell outside the scope of normal police work. Despite the show and characters being fictional, an actual division did exist within the Metropolitan Police Service at the time. Inspiration for the series was taken from a book of the same name, written by John Gosling — a retired police officer and former member of the team. Although the real-life squad only operated in London, the fictionalised team travelled internationally; however — as was typical of the time — most foreign locations were actually a combination of stock footage and sets at Independent Artists Studio at Beaconsfield and Elstree Studios. Music was by Philip Green. The show was produced by ITC Entertainment, along with Rank Organisation TV and ATV. It was the first ITC show filmed to fit the one hour time-slot — setting the trend for the majority of ITC's future output. Another common ITC trait was to feature an American, in this case Michael Quinn, in a leading role so as to increase the chances of international sales. At 6' 3", Quinn often towered over his co-workers. This was especially noticeable in the first series title sequence showing him walking through a crowd walking in the opposite direction. He frequently smoked in the show as did many others. The second series had a different title sequence and Neil Hallett sometimes replaced Quinn. Hallett looked more like a spy while Quinn looked a bit like a playboy. Quinn was replaced by Australian actor, Ray Barrett in the third series. Ray Austin played Billy Clay in and was also Stunt Director on all series bringing the action to life. Austin went on to become a renowned TV director in Hollywood and the UK.

Lilli Palmer Theatre

Lilli Palmer Theatre

A half-hour anthology series.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

The Charge of the Light Brigade

During the Crimean War between Britain and Russia in the 1850s, a British cavalry division, led by the overbearing Lord Cardigan, engages in an infamously reckless strategic debacle against a Russian artillery battery.

Armchair Theatre

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 Associated British Corporation, and later by Thames Television from mid-1968.

Room at the Top

Room at the Top

An ambitious young accountant schemes to wed a wealthy factory owner's daughter, despite falling in love with a married older woman.

Becket

Becket

Thomas Becket, Henry II's longtime advisor, finds his friendship with the debauched king corroding when he is unwillingly appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury in an attempt to gain absolute loyalty from the Church.

Inasmuch...

Inasmuch...

The film opens in a camp of Girl Guides where the leader reads from Scripture and then tells the story of St. Francis giving up his life of luxury to live for the poor, and founding the Brotherhood.

On Trial

On Trial

A series of real trials from British history, famous and notorious, dramatised from the court records.

Blood of the Vampire

Blood of the Vampire

A man and wife are terrorized by Mad Scientist Dr. Callistratus who was executed but has returned to life with a heart transplant. Along with his crippled assistant Carl, the 'anemic' Mad Scientist, believed to be a vampire, conducts blood deficiency research on the inmates of a prison hospital for the criminally insane to sustain his return to life.

The Angry Hills

The Angry Hills

In 1941 Greece, on the eve of German occupation, cynical American foreign correspondent Michael Morrison arrives in Athens, intending to depart for London the following day. While there he is tricked into smuggling a list of resistance leaders out of the country and is pursued by the Germans.

The Hands of Orlac

The Hands of Orlac

A famed concert pianist's hands are destroyed in a plane crash; when he receives transplants from a recently executed strangler, his murderous new mitts attract the attention of a sleazy illusionist turned blackmailer.

A Man on the Beach

A Man on the Beach

An old lady is driven to a Mediterranean casino by an un-named chauffeur in a Rolls-Royce. After briefly playing at the tables without success, the lady visits the manager, played by Alex Gallier. While toasting her loyalty to the casino with champagne, the manager is attacked by the old lady, and his takings are stolen.