Famous Like Me > Actor > W > Timothy West
Profile of Timothy West
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Name: |
Timothy West |
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Also Know As: |
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Date of Birth: |
20th October 1934 |
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Place of Birth: |
Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK |
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Profession: |
Actor |
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From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia Timothy West (born October 20, 1934) is a British film, stage and television actor. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and is married to the actress Prunella Scales. They are prominent supporters of the British Labour Party.
West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of repertory theatre. He acted at the Piccadilly theatre in 1959 and was with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 at Stratford and the Aldwych theatre. He was Artistic Director of the Forum Theatre, Billingham from 1980-81 and was appointed Director-in-Residence at the University of Western Australia in 1982.
Having spent years as a familiar face who never quite became a household name, his big chance came with the major television series, Edward the Seventh (1975), in which he played the title role and his real-life sons played the sons of King Edward VII as children. Other major roles have included parts in the films, The Thirty-Nine Steps (1978) and Cry Freedom (1987). In 1997, he played Gloucester in the BBC television production of King Lear. He is the son of the actor (Harry) Lockwood West.
In 2001, West played the older Maurice in Iris, while his actor son, Samuel West, played young Maurice.
In 2004, he toured Australia with the Carl Rosa Company as Director of the production of HMS Pinafore, also singing the role of Sir Joseph Porter. He was replaced in the singing role by Dennis Olsen for the Perth performances.
He is president of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and a supporter of the charity Cancer Research UK.
Stage roles
- King Lear (2003) with English Touring Theatre Company, as Lear
- The External
etc.
TV roles
- Edward the Seventh (1975)
- Hedda (1975)
- Brass (TV series) (1982) as Bradley Hardacre
- Blore, MP (play)
- Framed (1993)
- Goodnight Sweetheart, comedy series as MI6 agent "MacDuff"
- King Lear (1997) as Gloucester
- Bedtime (series, 2001)
etc.
Film roles
- The Thirty-Nine Steps (1978)
- Cry Freedom (1987)
- Iris (2001) (as the older Maurice)
etc.
Autobiography
- A Moment Towards the End of the Play, 2001, ISBN 1854596195
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