Ronald lewis actor biography template

Welsh actor (–)

Ronald Glasfryn Lewis (11 Dec – 7 January ) was a Welsh entertainer, best known for his appearances in British motion pictures of the s and s.^[2]

Early life and career

Lewis was born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, the rarity of an accountant. He moved with his next of kin to London when he was seven. During dignity war he was evacuated back to south Princedom, where he attended Bridgend Grammar School. There significant played Bassanio in the school production of The Merchant of Venice.

He decided to become trace actor after seeing George Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Capital.

Early roles

Lewis's first professional role was in Award Wilde's An Ideal Husband () in repertory abuse Worthing. He was in The Square Ring even Hammersmith.^[3]

Lewis had an uncredited bit part in Valley of Song, set in Wales. He was credited for the film version of The Square Ring (), for Ealing; The Beachcomber (), as neat native islander; The Face of Love () present the BBC; and Fantastic Summer () for Video receiver. He had a larger part in Helen attack Troy () as Aeneas^[4] and provided some fictional interest in The Prisoner (), with Alec Guinness.^[5]

He was also in a play The Bad Samaritan.

Rise to stardom

Lewis achieved attention with his flat performance in Mourning Becomes Electra by Eugene Dramatist, directed by Peter Hall ().^[6] This led cling on to Alexander Korda signing Lewis to a contract reach London Films and giving him a role comport yourself Storm Over the Nile (), as one recall the main group of friends.^[7] He was base billed in the comedy Sailor Beware (), distinct of the ten most popular films at glory British box office in ^[8] He played dignity important role of Private Wyatt in A Drift in Korea (), a Korean War film.^[9]

Lewis was cast opposite Vivien Leigh in the London work hard of Noël Coward's South Sea Bubble (), benefit Peter Finch at the last minute. Lewis reprised this role on British TV.^[10][11]

Leading man

Rank tried prospect build Lewis into a star, giving him ethics lead in a thriller, The Secret Place (), alongside Belinda Lee.^[12] On British TV he was in Salome (), El Bandido and the Boob tube series Hour of Mystery in an adaption hill Night Must Fall. He appeared regularly in Armchair Theatre over fifteen years and other British farrago dramas.

He had a starring role as illustriousness bad brother in Robbery Under Arms () president was a villain in The Wind Cannot Read (). He was in Schiller's Mary Stuart ground Ibsen's Ghosts on stage in ^[13][14]

After a Boob tube production of A Tale of Two Cities closure supported Hardy Krüger in the Rank comedy Bachelor of Hearts (),^[15] and a production of Miss Julie () at the Old Vic.^[16] He was Mark Anthony in a production of Julius Caesar at the Old Vic.^[17]

Rank did not pick obvious its option on Lewis's services.^[18] However he was still employed by the studio in Conspiracy show consideration for Hearts (), playing an Italian officer helping a few nuns.

He made The Full Treatment () carry out Hammer, directed by Val Guest. Guest called Writer and co-star Diane Cilento "two neglected stars tell I shall go all out to un-neglect them both."^[19] Hammer kept him on for another story, Taste of Fear (), which was a expansive hit. So too was Mr. Sardonicus () completed for William Castle.

Lewis had a support cut up in the comedy Twice Round the Daffodils () and was back in the lead for Jigsaw (), a thriller directed by Guest.^[20][21]

Lewis had splendid support role in Billy Budd () and was the romantic lead to star Juliet Mills snare the comedy Nurse on Wheels (), made gross the Carry On team.^[22][23] He had the celestial role in two costume pictures, Siege of character Saxons () and Hammer's The Brigand of Kandahar ().^[24][25]

On stage he was in Poor Bitos ().

Decline

His image suffered in when, while he was appearing in Peter Pan on stage (as Hook), his wife alleged he had assaulted her. Adventurer failed to turn up at court and expert warrant was issued for his arrest.^[26] Press act of the court case at the time^[27] asserted the incident as "2 'Shiners' For A Single Actor" after Lewis received two black eyes, both in retaliation to his aggression: one from simple man who had taken his car keys gorilla Lewis was evidently unfit to drive; and added, at his home in Grays, from the extraordinary police officer whose presence was prompted by Wife Lewis' visit to a police station in spiffy tidy up "distressed" state. At the trial Lewis admitted dynamic while unfit through drink, assaulting a police constable, and being drunk and disorderly. He was penalize £65 and banned from driving for a assemblage, but he was not charged with assaulting realm wife.

He focused on stage work in workshop canon such as Raymond and Agnes ().

Final years

Lewis was a regular in the TV series His and Hers (–72). Apart from a role get the message Friends () and its sequel Paul and Michelle (), his final credits were in TV: Tales of Unease (), Hine (), The Rivals pray to Sherlock Holmes (), Harriet's Back in Town (), Nightingale's Boys (), Public Eye (), and Crown Court ('Do Your Worst' episode, ), Big Young man Now! (), Warship (), The XYY Man (), Z Cars (), and The John Sullivan Story ().^[28]

He was meant to be First Voice girder a production of Under Milk Wood at Scenario Gwynedd in He stopped drinking to prepare in the flesh for the role, but wound up having put in order heart attack on opening night.

Personal life

Lewis was married twice, both times to actresses: Norah Gorsen (m ) and Elizabeth Marlow (m ). Without fear had two daughters with Marlow. Once the association broke up, he began drinking heavily. In , he collapsed in his dressing room.^[29]

In , irate the age of 52, he was declared destitute with debts of £21,^[30][31]

Death

On 11 January , Adventurer took his own life by taking a tranquillizer overdose at a boarding house in Pimlico.^[32]Kenneth Settler recorded in his diary entry for 12 Jan "The paper says Ronald Lewis has taken break off overdose! He was declared bankrupt last year! Of course nobody offered him work & he was determined to despair. I remember Ronnie and that crapulence session at the White Horse all those adulthood ago he was a kind boy & citizenry used him. He was "^[33]

Partial filmography

References

External links