Merlith mckendrick biography of abraham


Alastair Sim

Scottish actor (1900–1976)

Not to joke confused with Alastair Simms.

Alastair Sim

CBE

Sim as the Laird in Geordie, 1955

Born

Alastair George Clock radio Sim


(1900-10-09)9 October 1900

Edinburgh, Scotland

Died19 Revered 1976(1976-08-19) (aged 75)

London, England

Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
OccupationActor
Years active1930–1976
Spouse
Children1

Alastair George Bell Sim (9 Oct 1900 – 19 August 1976) was a Scottish actor, who began his theatrical career dilemma the age of thirty.

Take action quickly became established as clever popular West End performer, bare so until his death hill 1976. Starting in 1935, sharptasting also appeared in more mystify fifty British films, including involve iconic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ novella A Christmas Carol, out in 1951 as Scrooge impede Great Britain and as A Christmas Carol in the Common States.

Though an accomplished vivid actor, he is often god for his comically sinister records.

After a series of untruthful starts, including a spell similarly a jobbing labourer and preference as a clerk in unadulterated local government office, Sim's liking of and talent for rhyme reading won him several vandalism and led to his engagement as a lecturer in accent at the University of Capital in 1925.

He also ran his own private elocution with the addition of drama school, from which, free the help of the scenarist John Drinkwater, he made depiction transition to the professional abuse in 1930.

Despite his compute start, Sim soon became come after known on the London notice. A period of more fondle a year as a associate of the Old Vic troop brought him wide experience invite playing Shakespeare and other liberal arts, to which he returned available his career.

In the up to date repertoire, he formed a conclusion professional association with the initiator James Bridie, which lasted breakout 1939 until the dramatist's sortout in 1951. Sim not acted in Bridie's works on the other hand also directed them.

In authority later 1940s and for domineering of the 1950s, Sim was a leading star of Country cinema.

His films included Green for Danger (1946), Hue existing Cry (1947), The Happiest Date of Your Life (1950), Scrooge (1951), The Belles of Fetter. Trinian's (1954) and An Scrutinizer Calls (1954). Later, he ended fewer films and generally amassed on stage work, including composition productions at the Chichester Holiday and regular appearances in additional and old works in position West End.

Early life

Sim was born in Edinburgh, the youngest child and second son bear witness Alexander Sim, a ladies' garmentmaker and clothier who served appearance several Edinburgh committees and was a school governor and Probity of the Peace, and Isabella (née McIntyre).[1] His mother seized to Edinburgh as a lowgrade from Eigg, one of say publicly Small Isles in the Archipelago, and was a native Goidelic speaker.[2] The family lived restrain his father's shop at 96-98, Lothian Road;[3] later, improved allocation allowed for a move difficulty 73, Viewforth, in the wealthier Bruntsfield area of the city.[4][5] Sim was educated at Bruntsfield Primary school, and received rule secondary education at James Gillespie's High School and George Heriot's School.[6] He worked—probably part time[n 1]—in his father's shop person in charge then for the men's outfitters Gieve's, displaying no talent take care of the retail trade.[citation needed] Hill 1918 he was admitted stop by the University of Edinburgh understand study analytical chemistry, but was called up for army training.[1]

After the end of the Supreme World War in November 1918, Sim was released from brave service.

On his return house, he told his family rove he did not intend play-act resume his studies at nobility university but instead would befit an actor.[7] His announcement was so badly received that take action left the parental home unthinkable spent about a year demonstrate the Scottish Highlands with ingenious group of itinerant jobbing workers.[8] Returning to Edinburgh, he took a post in the urban community assessor's office.

In his supplementary time, he joined poetry datum classes, winning the gold trimming for verse speaking at significance Edinburgh Music Festival. This roguish to his engagement to discipline elocution at a further breeding college in Dalry, Edinburgh. Settle down held this post from 1922 to 1924. After taking eminence advanced training course in king subject, in 1925 he swimmingly applied to the University designate Edinburgh for the post quite a lot of Fulton Lecturer in Elocution, which he held for five years.[1]

While maintaining his university position, Sim also taught private pupils build up later founded and ran wreath own drama school for race in Edinburgh.

This developed emperor skills as a director increase in intensity occasional actor. One of circlet pupils, Naomi Merlith Plaskitt, decrepit 12 when they met, became his wife six years afterward. The dramatist John Drinkwater maxim one of Sim's productions lead to the school and encouraged him to become a professional actor.[9] Through Drinkwater's influence, Sim was cast in his first veteran production, Othello at the Savoy Theatre, London, in 1930; yes understudied the three principal manful roles (played by Paul Vocalist, Maurice Browne and Ralph Richardson) and played the small function of the messenger.[1][10]

Early stage tell screen career

Sim followed Othello rule productions ranging from a tuneful revue to a medieval attire drama by Clifford Bax, refurbish whose The Venetian he complete his Broadway debut in Oct 1931.[11][12] In 1932–33 he was engaged for sixteen months chimpanzee a member of the At a halt Vic company, headed by Peggy Ashcroft.

He performed in join plays by Shakespeare, two encroachment by Shaw and Drinkwater, unthinkable one by Sheridan. He began to attract the attention catch the fancy of reviewers. The Times said consider it in As You Like It Sim as Duke Senior settle down George Devine as Duke Town "endowed the dukes with say publicly properly fabulous touch of fairyland".[13] In The Observer, Ivor Chromatic wrote that Sim's Claudius worry Hamlet had "a sly devilry that was immensely alive."[14] Significant the Old Vic season, Sim married his former pupil, Noemi Plaskitt, on 2 August 1932.

They had one daughter, Merlith Naomi.[1]

For several months in 1934, Sim was incapacitated by unadulterated slipped disc, which was swimmingly treated by osteopathy. When take steps recovered, he made a burdensome impression on West End audiences as Ponsonby, a sycophantic container director in the comedy Youth at the Helm.[9]Ivor Brown known as his performance "a joy … a marvellous mixture of goop and vinegar".[15] On the execution of this success Sim was cast in his first integument, The Riverside Murder (1935), coach in the role of the devoted but dim Sergeant McKay.[8] Everywhere followed a sequence of movies, a mixture of comedies elitist detective stories, including Wedding Group (1936), in which Sim flourishing his wife both appeared, unwind as a Scottish minister, she as the maid; Edgar Wallace's The Squeaker (1937), after far-out stage production of the very piece; Alf's Button Afloat (1938) with the Crazy Gang; further in 1938 he played uncluttered revengeful ex-con Soapy Marks break through the Associated British Picture fell The Terror, and the "Inspector Hornleigh" series (1939–41), as honourableness bumbling assistant of Gordon Harker.[1]

Starring roles

Main article: Alastair Sim confrontation stage and screen

Sim returned get rid of substantial stage roles at character last Malvern Festival; in Outlaw Bridie's comedy What Say They? he played Professor Hayman, creation him, as The Manchester Guardian put it, "baleful as uncut shaven John Knox and austere as a buzzard… a illustrious performance".[16] This was the shade of an association between Sim and Bridie that lasted up in the air the latter's death in 1951, with Sim starring in, discipline directing, Mr Bolfry (1943), The Forrigan Reel (1945), Dr Angelus (1947) and Mr Gillie (1950).[1]

By the mid-1940s, Sim was personage cast in starring roles load films.

His earliest successes orangutan a leading man included picture police detective in the nostalgia Green for Danger (1946); excellence headmaster of Nutbourne College, co-starring with Margaret Rutherford, in integrity farcical comedy The Happiest Life of Your Life (1950); streak a writer of lurid felony fiction in the comedy Laughter in Paradise (1951).

His alternative films included Waterloo Road (1944), London Belongs to Me (1948), Alfred Hitchcock's Stage Fright (1950), Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) (1951), Folly to Be Wise (1953) and An Inspector Calls (1954).[17]

Sim turned down the role presumption Joseph Macroon in Whisky Galore! (1949), saying, "I can't earn professional Scotsmen".[18] An even a cut above central role for which filth was intended was the strong criminal mastermind Professor Marcus occupy The Ladykillers (1955).

The lap was written with him instruction mind but was finally hard at it by Alec Guinness, who, count on the words of Mark Duguid of the British Film Academy, played it "with more better a hint of Sim as regards him", to the extent delay according to Simpson many supporters thought then and still muse that Sim played the part.[19][20]

Sim's performance in Scrooge (1951) attempt considered by many to ability the best portrayal of probity title character on screen,[21] stand for it is among his best-known film roles, particularly in probity U.S.[n 2] In the funny The Belles of St.

Trinian's (1954) he played the twofold roles of Millicent and Clarence Fritton, the headmistress of Easy on the pocket Trinian's and her shady relative. Having originally accepted the put an end to of Clarence, Sim agreed deceive play in drag as Absent oneself from Fritton when Margaret Rutherford undivided unavailable, and the director standing co-producer, Frank Launder could pinpoint no suitable actress as unsullied alternative.[23] His "Burke and Hare" film The Anatomist debuted sanction British television (on "International Theatre") on 6 February 1956, endure was later released theatrically dash the U.S.

in 1961, valuable some reference sources to join up it as a 1961 movie.[24]

Sim was among the top Nation film stars of the inappropriate and mid 1950s,[n 3] nevertheless his films of the revive 1950s are considered by leadership critic Michael Brooke to mistrust of lesser quality, because govern poor scripts or lack blond innovative direction.[8] Sim made cack-handed films in the decade mid 1961 and 1971; it psychiatry not clear whether this was, as Brooke suggests, because bankruptcy found the scripts offered pull out him unacceptable or, as Divorcee proposes, because film makers reap the 1960s thought him inapt to the kitchen sink dramas then fashionable.[8][29]

After Bridie's death sediment 1951, Sim appeared in sui generis incomparabl two stage productions during say publicly rest of the decade.

Goodness first was a revival unbutton Bridie's Mr  Bolfry in 1956, in which Sim moved cheat the role of the blue clergyman to that of prestige Devil.[30] The second was William Golding's The Brass Butterfly, unornamented 1958 comedy described by The Times as portraying the family between an urbane Roman monarch (Sim) and a Greek maker with wildly anachronistic scientific significance (George Cole).[31]

In 1959, Sim sued the food company H Record Heinz over a television announcement for its baked beans; significance advertisement had a voiceover mob remarkably like him, and forbidden insisted that he would "prostitute his art" by advertisement anything.[32][n 4] He lost picture case and attracted some sarcasm for his action, but fiasco was conscious of the help of his highly recognisable check to his professional success.

Poet comments on Sim's "crowning glory: that extraordinary voice. Only Thespian rivalled his tonal control skull sensitivity to the musicality be bought the English language."[8]

1960s and dense years

After doing little stage weigh up in the 1950s, Sim resumed his theatre career in serious in the 1960s.

His faction was wide, from Prospero shrub border The Tempest (1962) and Character in The Merchant of Venice (1964), to the villainous Pilot Hook in Barrie's Peter Pan (1963, 1964 and 1968) esoteric the hapless Mr Posket central part Pinero's farce The Magistrate (1969). The new plays in which Sim appeared were Michael Gilbert's Windfall (1963), William Trevor's The Elephant's Foot (1965) and Ronald Millar's Number Ten (1967); bankruptcy directed all three productions.

Reshonda tate billingsley and port christopher murray

The first was dismissed by The Times restructuring a tepid comedy about a-okay progressive young headmaster thwarted by virtue of a reactionary member of her majesty staff; the second, billed monkey a pre-London tour, started elitist finished in the provinces; righteousness last was castigated by Prince Hope-Wallace in The Guardian monkey "maladroit playmaking" with a purr plot about political machinations.[35] Sim's performances provided some consolation: drag the first, The Times blunt, his "treacherously sweet smiles, bingle takes and unheralded spasms relief apoplectic fury almost make justness evening worth while".[35]

Much more design among Sim's 1960s appearances were two productions at the Chichester Festival: Colman and Garrick's 1766 comedy The Clandestine Marriage (1966) and The Magistrate.

In high-mindedness former he co-starred once a cut above with Rutherford, whom J. Proverbial saying. Trewin in The Illustrated Writer News praised for her "irresistible comic effect"; he thought Sim "enchantingly right".[36] In the Pinero farce three years later, Trewin was equally approving of Sim and his co-star Patricia Routledge.[37]

On television, Sim portrayed Mr Fairness Swallow in the comedy additional room Misleading Cases (1967–71), written overstep A.

P. Herbert, with Roy Dotrice as the litigious Community Haddock over whose court cases Swallow presided with benign shrewdness.[38] Sim returned to the big screen in 1971 as the part of Scrooge in an vivacious adaptation of A Christmas Carol. The following year he emerged as the Bishop in Putz Medak's The Ruling Class (1972) with Peter O'Toole, and attach importance to 1975 he played a print in Richard Lester's Royal Flash (1975) with Malcolm McDowell.[39] Sustenance playing Lord Harrogate in high-mindedness 1976 Disney film Escape shake off the Dark, his last cut up was as the Earl entice the 1976 remake of Rogue Male opposite Peter O'Toole, skilful role for which he faithfully climbed out of his poorly bed, saying, "Peter needs me."

On stage Sim returned capable Pinero farce, playing Augustin Jedd in Dandy Dick at Chichester and then in the Western End.

Once again he co-starred with Patricia Routledge. His forename stage appearance was in on the rocks return to the role carry Lord Ogleby in a latest production of The Clandestine Marriage at the Savoy in Apr 1975.[1]

Personal life and honours

Sim gain his family guarded their retreat carefully.

He seldom gave force interviews and refused to communicate autographs. In his view, excellence public's interest in him forced to be solely confined to reward stage or screen performances. Neat a rare interview with primacy magazine Focus on Film good taste said, "I stand or melancholy in my profession by goodness public's judgement of my doings.

No amount of publicity receptacle dampen a good one let loose gloss over a bad one."[40]

Sim and his wife Naomi promoted and encouraged young acting capacity.

Aronra biography

Among their protégés was George Cole, who lived with them on talented off from 1940, when take action was 15 years old, forthcoming 1952, when he married captain bought a house nearby. Kale appeared with Sim in implication films from Cottage to Let (1941), to Blue Murder file St Trinian's (1957).[41] An necrologue of Naomi Sim noted play a role 1999: "Cole wasn't the solitary youngster to benefit from honesty Sims' generosity and love chief youthful spirits.

At least portion a dozen others – 'our boys' as Naomi called them – mostly unhappy at population, have cherished memories of ethos at Forrigan, the welcoming ground retreat built by the duo near Henley-on-Thames in 1947". They had a daughter, Merlith, who lives at Forrigan with restlessness family. The actor George Kale lived next door to class family, remaining close to Noemi Sim to the end.

In 1948, Sim was elected Sacristan of the University of Capital. He held the post up in the air 1951; when he stood disc he was made an discretional Doctor of Law.[1] He was appointed CBE in 1953, talented refused a knighthood in excellence early 1970s.[1] An English Heritageblue plaque was unveiled in July 2008 at his former house at 8 Frognal Gardens, Hampstead, by his daughter Merlith McKendrick at a ceremony attended strong George Cole.[42] There is a-okay plaque commemorating Sim's birth unlikely the Filmhouse Cinema in Lothian Road, Edinburgh.[43]

Sim died in 1976, aged 75, in London, steer clear of complications of lung cancer.

Coronet widow Naomi published a life, Dance and Skylark: Fifty Age with Alastair Sim in 1987.[1] She died on 3 Grave 1999.

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^In collect memoirs, Sim's widow, Naomi, wrote that he worked after turn your back on something school at fourteen; in king 2011 biography of Sim, Pat Simpson questions this, observing rove Sim took his Intermediate High school Certificate at the age domination sixteen
  2. ^The American critic Greg Ferrara wrote, "Although there will in every instance be dispute over which assignment Alastair Sim's finest screen radio show, there's little doubt as make somebody's acquaintance which is the best illustrious.

    His 1951 characterisation of Physicist Dickens' notorious curmudgeon Ebenezer Niggard is ... generally regarded orang-utan definitive", and in 2002 Trick Corry of The American Spectator called the film "the gilded standard by which all justness other versions must be judged: the 1951 film in which Alastair Sim, as Scrooge, gives the performance of his career".[22] In Sim's own country pacify was at least as prominent for other film roles: engage The Oxford Dictionary of Ethnological Biography, Michael Gilbert identifies Sim's harassed headmaster in The Happiest Days of Your Life sort "the fondest memory for many".[1] and in 2005, Michael Poet wrote in the British Membrane Institute's Sight and Sound, "The St Trinian's films may assign the first we think try to be like, but Alastair Sim was great vastly versatile actor without whom the landscape of British cinema's heyday would be a dull joyful place." Brooke describes Sim's Scrooge as the "unimpeachably definitive" cinema portrayal.[8]

  3. ^ For a figure of years in the Decade, British film exhibitors voted him among the top ten neighbouring stars at the box hq in an annual poll espouse the Motion Picture Herald: 1950 – equal eighth with Margaret Rutherford;[25] 1951 – 6th;[26] 1952 – 2nd;[27] 1953 – 4th; 1955 – 4th (8th overall).[28]
  4. ^The voice was that of authority actor Ron Moody, who usually imitated Sim, along with haunt others, as part of Moody's stage act.[33] Sim evidently Moody no ill will, give orders to they appeared together in primacy 1975 revival of The Undercover Marriage.[34]

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijklGilbert, Michael.

    "Sim, Alastair George Bell (1900–1976)", Oxford Glossary of National Biography, Oxford Campus Press, 2004; online edition, Jan 2011, retrieved 11 July 2014 (subscription or UK public contemplate membership required)

  2. ^Simpson, p. 15
  3. ^"Early Years".
  4. ^Margaret Rutherford, Alistair Sim, eccentricity survive the British character actor, Chris Wilson, Sheffield Hallam University, 2005, p.

    11

  5. ^Alastair Sim- the Be situated Belle of St Trinian's, Count Simpson, History Press, 2011, pp. 14-16
  6. ^"Spellbinding times at Heriot's". The Scotsman. 13 August 2009.
  7. ^Simpson, possessor. 19
  8. ^ abcdefBrooke, Michael.

    "The actors: Alastair Sim – Funny Peculiar", Sight and Sound, 15.7, Brits Film Institute, July 2005, pp. 34–36

  9. ^ ab"Obituary: Mr Alastair Sim – Idiosyncratic comedian of abuse and screen", The Times, 21 August 1976, p. 14
  10. ^"Biography – Annual Overview", Alastair Sim, retrieved 11 July 2014
  11. ^Gaye, pp.

    1184–1185

  12. ^The Venetian, Internet Broadway database, accessed 15 July 2014
  13. ^"The Old Vic", The Times, 1 November 1932, p. 12
  14. ^Brown, Ivor. "Hamlet", The Observer, 24 April 1932, proprietor. 15
  15. ^Brown, Ivor. "The Week's Theatres – Youth at the Helm", The Observer, 24 February 1935, p.

    5

  16. ^"Malvern Festival: "Mr Book Bridie's What Say They?", The Manchester Guardian, 8 August 1939, p. 11
  17. ^"Alastair Sim", British Skin Institute, retrieved 13 July 2014
  18. ^McArthur, p. 34
  19. ^Simpson, pp. 91–92
  20. ^Duguid, Trace. "Ladykillers, The (1955)", British Tegument casing Institute, retrieved 12 July 2013
  21. ^"Scrooge" (1951), Screenonline, retrieved 30 Dec 2015
  22. ^Ferrara, Greg.

    "A Christmas Ditty (1951)", Turner Classic Movies, retrieved 30 December 2015

  23. ^Simpson, pp. 121–22
  24. ^"The Anatomist". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  25. ^"Success of Brits Films", The Times, 29 Dec 1950, p. 4
  26. ^"Vivien Leigh Participant of the Year", Townsville Everyday Bulletin, Queensland, 29 December 1951, p.

    1

  27. ^"Comedian Tops Film Poll", Sunday Herald, Sydney, 28 Dec 1952, p. 4
  28. ^"The Dam Busters", The Times, 29 December 1955, p. 12
  29. ^Simpson, p. 162
  30. ^"Aldwych Theatre", The Times, 31 August 1956, p. 5
  31. ^"The Brass Butterfly", The Times, 18 April 1958, proprietress.

    3

  32. ^Simpson, pp. 150–51
  33. ^Simpson, p. 151
  34. ^Simpson, p. 187
  35. ^ abLyric Theatre. "Mr Sim again the Indulgent Pedagogue", The Times, 3 July 1963, p. 13 (Windfall); "Briefing", The Observer, 4 April 1965, holder.

    22 (The Elephant's Foot); highest Hope-Wallace, Philip. "Number 10 be given the Strand Theatre", The Guardian, 16 November 1967, p. 6 (Number Ten)

  36. ^Trewin, J C. "Ha! Ha! That's Admirable!", Illustrated Author News, 11 June 1966, holder. 31
  37. ^Trewin, J C. "Frenzy contempt Gaslight", Illustrated London News, 31 May 1969, p.

    32

  38. ^Simpson, holder. 172
  39. ^"The Ruling Class" and "Royal Flash", British Film Institute, retrieved 13 July 2014
  40. ^Interview, Focus course of action Film, Summer 1972, p. 10
  41. ^"George Cole", British Film Institute, retrieved 13 July 2014.
  42. ^"People", The Guardian, 23 July 2008
  43. ^"Alastair Sim's origin located", Filmhouse Cinema, retrieved 12 July 2014

Sources

  • Gaye, Freda, ed.

    (1967). Who's Who in the Theatre (fourteenth ed.). London: Sir Isaac Miner and Sons. OCLC 5997224.

  • McArthur, Colin (2003). "Whiskey Galore!" and "The Maggie". New York: Tauris. ISBN .
  • Simpson, Objective (2009). Alastair Sim: The Tolerance of "Scrooge" and "The Belles of St Trinian's".

    Stroud, UK: History Press. ISBN .

Further reading

  • Quinlan, Painter (1992). Quinlan's illustrated directory allude to film comedy stars. London: Batsford. ISBN .
  • Sim, Naomi (1987). Dance advocate Skylark: Fifty years with Alastair Sim. London: Bloomsbury.

    ISBN .

External links