Jeremy Clyde

Michael Jeremy Thomas Clyde (born 22 March 1941) is an English actor and musician. During the 1960s, he was one-half of the folk duo Chad & Jeremy (with Chad Stuart), who had little success in the UK, but were an object of interest to American audiences. He has enjoyed a long television acting career and continues to appear regularly, usually playing upper-middle class or aristocratic characters.

Early life

Clyde was born in the village of Dorney in the English county of Buckinghamshire and is the son of Lady Elizabeth Wellesley.

Through his maternal line, Clyde is the great-great-great-grandson of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, and is a cousin of the current Duke of Wellington.

In 1953, he participated in the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as a Page of Honour for his grandfather and carried his grandfather's coronet during the ceremony.

Clyde was educated at two independent schools: at Ludgrove School in the civil parish of Wokingham Without, adjoining the market town of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire, and at Eton College, followed by the University of Grenoble in France.

Career

In 1965, Clyde appeared in a stage production of ''The Passion Flower Hotel'', a musical adaptation written by John Barry and Trevor Peacock, at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. It also featured Jane Birkin, Francesca Annis, Pauline Collins, Nicky Henson and Bill Kenwright.

In 1969, he appeared in ''Conduct Unbecoming'' as part of the original cast, which included Paul Jones. He also travelled to the US as part of the original Broadway cast.

Clyde once guest-starred in an episode of the American sitcom '' My Three Sons'', when Chip Douglas, is introduced to their neighbors cousin “Paul Drayton” in this episode, #7, Season 8, Titled “ Liverpool Saga” as a well known Folk Guitarist, in Britain; and is excited that someone, from Liverpool was coming to visit, and expected him to be a talented musician, implying the success of the Beatles. (The episode aired during the height of Beatlemania.) He appeared in the BBC TV adaptation of ''Moll Flanders'' in 1975, and in 1979 he played Godfried Schalcken in the BBC's television horror story '' Schalcken the Painter''. In the late 1970s he appeared alongside Lorraine Chase in a series of television advertisements for Campari. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of villainous Austrian Imperial Governor Hermann Gessler in the 1980s action series ''Crossbow'', which incorporated Clyde's ability to convey evil in a distinctly aristocratic way. His other notable acting role was as Dick Spackman in the ITV sitcom ''Is it Legal?''. Clyde also portrayed King Charles I in the BBC series '' By the Sword Divided'' (1983–85), which focused on the English Civil War (the beheading of the king is featured in the second episode of Season 2). Clyde also starred as Algernon Moncrieff in 1985 in the '' Great Performances'' production of Oscar Wilde's ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' opposite Gary Bond as Jack Worthing and Dame Wendy Hiller as Lady Bracknell. In the same year, he played the civil servant Densher in ''Blott on the Landscape''.

In 2002, Clyde appeared in '' The Falklands Play'' (a BBC dramatisation of the Falklands War) as Sir Nicholas Henderson, the British ambassador to the United States at the time. In 2004, he appeared in the BBC drama series '' The Alan Clark Diaries'' as British Conservative politician Jonathan Aitken, and also appeared in the BBC drama series '' Ashes To Ashes'' as the Superintendent which was aired in 2008.

His film career has included roles in ''The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966), ''Silver Bears'' (1977), ''North Sea Hijack'' (1980), '' Invitation to the Wedding'' (1983), '' Wilt'' (1990), ''Splitting Heirs'' (1993), ''The Musketeer'' (2001) and '' The Iron Lady'' (2011).

He has also acted on the radio. He portrayed the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles in the BBC radio series '' Raffles'' (1985–1993). He has also portrayed Ngaio Marsh's fictional detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn.

In 2017 he played Dennis in '' The Girls'' at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End.

Since 2018, Clyde has been performing with Peter Asher of Peter & Gordon fame.

Personal life

Clyde is the oldest of three sons born to Lady Elizabeth Clyde and Captain Thomas Clyde. His brothers are:

* Robin Clyde (19 April 1943 – 13 February 1950)
* William Jonathan Clyde (born 27 May 1949)

Clyde is divorced from Vanessa Field, whom he married in 1970 at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. They have two children, Lucy and Matthew.

Partial filmography

*''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' ("The Redcoats Are Coming") (1965) – Freddy
*'' The Patty Duke Show'' ("Patty Pits Wits, Two Brits Hits") (1965) – Nigel
*''Batman'' ("The Bat's Kow Tow") (1966) – himself
*''The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery'' (1966) – Monty
*'' Laredo'' (“That’s Noway, Thataway“) (1966) – Newton Weeks
*'' My Three Sons'' ("Liverpool Saga") (1967) – Paul Drayton
*''Doctor Watson and the Darkwater Hall Mystery'' (1974) – Miles
*'' The Pallisers'' (1974) – Gerard Maule
*''Silver Bears'' (1977) – Nick Topping
*'' Raffles'' (1977) – Alick Carruthers
*''The Duchess of Duke Street'' ("The Patriots") (1977) – Mr Appleby
*''North Sea Hijack'' (1979) – Tipping
*'' Charles & Diana: A Royal Love Story'' (1982) – Andrew Parker Bowles
*'' Invitation to the Wedding'' (1983) – Teddy Barrington
*'' Bergerac'' (1986) Series 5, Episode 1: “Memory Man” – Smythe
*'' Wilt'' (1990) – Hugh
*''Splitting Heirs'' (1993) – 14th Duke
*''Kaspar Hauser'' (1993) – Lord Stanhope
*''Is It Legal'' (1995-1996) 14 episodes - Dick Spackman Midsomer Murders