Kenneth Gilbert More, CBE (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English film and stage actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy ''

Genevieve Genevieve (french: link=no, Sainte Geneviève; la, Sancta Genovefa, Genoveva; 419/422 AD – 502/512 AD) is the patroness saint of Paris in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Her feast is on 3 January. Genevieve was born in Nanterre and ...

'' (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. Films from this period include ''

Doctor in the House ''Doctor in the House'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box. The screenplay, by Nicholas Phipps, Richard Gordon and Ronald Wilkinson, is based on the 1952 novel by Gordon, and follows a group of s ...

'' (1954), '' Raising a Riot'' (1955), '' The Admirable Crichton'' (1957), '' The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw'' (1958) and '' Next to No Time'' (1958). He also played more serious roles as a leading man, beginning with '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1955), ''

Reach for the Sky ''Reach for the Sky'' is a 1956 British biographical film about aviator Douglas Bader, based on the 1954 biography of the same name by Paul Brickhill. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award for ...

'' (1956), '' A Night to Remember'' (1958), '' North West Frontier'' (1959), '' The 39 Steps'' (1959) and ''

Sink the Bismarck ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book ''The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H"M ...

'' (1960). Although his career declined in the early 1960s, two of his own favourite films date from this time – '' The Comedy Man'' (1964) and '' The Greengage Summer'' (1961) with

Susannah York Susannah Yolande Fletcher (9 January 1939 – 15 January 2011), known professionally as Susannah York, was an English actress. Her appearances in various films of the 1960s, including ''Tom Jones'' (1963) and '' They Shoot Horses, Don't They?'' ( ...

, "one of the happiest films on which I have ever worked."Kenneth More (1978) ''More or Less'', Hodder & Stoughton. He also enjoyed a revival in the much-acclaimed TV adaptation of ''

The Forsyte Saga ''The Forsyte Saga'', first published under that title in 1922, is a series of three novels and two interludes published between 1906 and 1921 by the English author John Galsworthy, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature. They chronicle the vici ...

'' (1967) and the ''

Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuiti ...

'' series (1974).

Early life

Kenneth More was born at 'Raeden', Vicarage Way,

Gerrards Cross Gerrards Cross is a town and civil parish in south Buckinghamshire, England, separated from the London Borough of Hillingdon at Harefield by Denham, south of Chalfont St Peter and north bordering villages of Fulmer, Hedgerley, Iver Heath a ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-eas ...

, the only son of Charles Gilbert More, a

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

pilot, and Edith Winifred Watkins, the daughter of a

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...

solicitor. He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey, having spent part of his childhood in the

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey ...

, where his father was general manager of the Jersey Eastern Railway. After he left school, he followed the family tradition by training as a

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing i ...

. He gave up his training and worked for a while in

Sainsbury's J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company w ...

on the Strand. When More was 17 his father died, and he applied to join the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

, but failed the medical test for equilibrium. He then travelled to Canada, intending to work as a

fur trapper Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...

, but was sent back because he lacked immigration papers.

Windmill Theatre

On his return from Canada, a business associate of his father, Vivian Van Damm, agreed to offer him work as a stagehand at the Windmill Theatre, where his job included shifting scenery, and helping to get the nude players off stage during its ''Revudeville'' variety shows. After a chance moment on stage helping out a comic, he realised he wanted to become an actor and was soon promoted to playing

straight man The straight man is a stock character in a comedy performance, especially a double act, sketch comedy, or farce. When a comedy partner behaves eccentrically, the straight man is expected to maintain composure. The direct contribution to the ...

in the ''Revudeville'' comedy routines, appearing in his first sketch in August 1935. He played there for a year, which then led to regular work in

repertory A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawi ...

, including Newcastle, performing in plays such as '' Burke and Hare'' and ''

Dracula's Daughter ''Dracula's Daughter'' is a 1936 American vampire horror film produced by Universal Pictures as a sequel to the 1931 film ''Dracula''. Directed by Lambert Hillyer from a screenplay by Garrett Fort, the film stars Otto Kruger, Gloria Holden ...

''. Other stage appearances included ''Do You Remember?'' (1937), ''Stage Hands Never Lie'' (1937) and ''Distinguished Gathering'' (1937). More continued his theatre work until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. He had the occasional bit part in films such as ''

Look Up and Laugh ''Look Up and Laugh'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Basil Dean and starring Gracie Fields, Alfred Drayton and Douglas Wakefield. The film is notable for featuring an appearance by Vivien Leigh in an early supporting role. Plot Gra ...

'' (1935).

Second World War

Before the war More was working as an actor in

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 United ...

at the Rep and living at 166 Waterloo Road. According to the 1939 register he was also ambulance driver number 207; no doubt in anticipation of hostilities reaching the town. More received a commission as a lieutenant in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

, and saw active service aboard the cruiser and the aircraft carrier .

Resumption of acting career

On demobilisation in 1946 he worked for the

repertory company, then appeared on stage in the

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

in ''And No Birds Sing'' (1946). More played Badger in a TV adaptation of '' Toad of Toad Hall'' (1946) and a bit part in the film '' School for Secrets'' (1946). He was seen by

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

playing a small role on stage in ''Power Without Glory'' (1947), which led to his being cast in Coward's '' Peace In Our Time'' (1948) on stage. More's earliest bit parts in films date from before the war, but around this time, he began to appear regularly on the big screen. For a small role in '' Scott of the Antarctic'' (1948) as Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, he was paid £500. He had minor parts in '' Man on the Run'' (1949), '' Now Barabbas'' (1949), and '' Stop Press Girl'' (1949).

Stardom

Rising reputation

More achieved a notable stage success in ''The Way Things Go'' (1950) with Ronald Squire, from whom More later claimed he learned his stage technique.Shipman 1972, p. 371. He was in demand for minor roles on screen such as ''

Morning Departure ''Morning Departure'' (released as ''Operation Disaster'' in the United StatesChance of a Lifetime'' (1950). More had a good part as a British agent in '' The Clouded Yellow'' (1950) for Ralph Thomas. He could also be seen in '' The Franchise Affair'' (1951) and '' The Galloping Major'' (1951). More's first Hollywood-financed film was '' No Highway in the Sky'' (1951) where he played a co-pilot. Thomas cast him in another strong support part in '' Appointment with Venus'' (1952). More achieved above the title billing for the first time with a low budget comedy, ''

Brandy for the Parson ''Brandy for the Parson'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Kenneth More, Charles Hawtrey, James Donald and Jean Lodge. It was based on a short story by Geoffrey Household from ''Tales of Adventurers'' (1 ...

'' (1952), playing a smuggler.

''The Deep Blue Sea''

Roland Culver recommended More audition for a part in a new play by

Terence Rattigan Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan (10 June 191130 November 1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. He was one of England's most popular mid-20th-century dramatists. His plays are typically set in an upper-middle-class background.Geoffrey Wa ...

, '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1952); he was successful and achieved tremendous critical acclaim in the role of Freddie. During the play's run he appeared as a worried parent in a thriller, '' The Yellow Balloon'' (1953). He was in another Hollywood-financed film, '' Never Let Me Go'' (1953), playing a colleague of

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

Film stardom: ''Genevieve'' and ''Doctor in the House''

Director Henry Cornelius approached More during the run of ''The Deep Blue Sea'' and offered him £3,500 to play one of the four leads in a comedy, ''

'' (1953) (a part turned down by

Guy Middleton Guy Middleton Powell (14 December 1906 – 30 July 1973), better known as Guy Middleton, was an English film character actor. Biography Guy Middleton was born in Hove, Sussex, and originally worked in the London Stock Exchange, before tu ...

). More said Cornelius never saw him in the play but cast him on the basis of his work in ''The Galloping Major''.Thompson, Harold. "From the 'Windmill' to the 'Sea'." ''The New York Times'', 29 May 1955, p. 53. More recalls "the shooting of the picture was hell. Everything went wrong, even the weather." The resulting film was a huge success at the British box office. More next made '' Our Girl Friday'' (1953) and ''

'' (1954), the latter for Ralph Thomas. Both films were made before the release of ''Genevieve'' so More's fee was relatively small; ''Our Girl Friday'' was a commercial disappointment but ''Doctor in the House'' was the biggest hit at the 1954 British box office and the most successful film in the history of Rank. More received a

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

as best newcomer. More appeared in a TV production of '' The Deep Blue Sea'' in 1954, which was seen by an audience of 11 million. More signed a five-year contract with Sir Alexander Korda at £10,000 a year. ' He was now established as one of Britain's biggest stars and Korda announced plans to feature him in two films based on true stories, one about the

Transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919. They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Dominion of Newfoundland, ...

in 1919 also featuring

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in '' Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in '' Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1 ...

, and the other

Clifton James George Clifton James (May 29, 1920 – April 15, 2017) was an American actor known for roles as a prison floorwalker in '' Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), Sheriff J.W. Pepper alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond films '' Live and Let Die'' ( ...

, the double for Field Marshal Montgomery. The first film was never made and the second ('' I Was Monty's Double'') with another actor. Korda also wanted More to star in a new version of ''

The Four Feathers ''The Four Feathers'' is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A. E. W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title. In December 1901, ''Cornhill Magazine'' announced the title as one of two new serial stories to be published in th ...

'', ''

Storm Over the Nile ''Storm Over the Nile'' is a 1955 British adventure film adaptation of the 1902 novel ''The Four Feathers'', directed by Terence Young and Zoltan Korda. The film not only extensively used footage of the action scenes from the 1939 film version ...

'' (1956) but he turned it down. However More did accept Korda's offer to appear in a film adaptation of '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1955) gaining the Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for his performance. The film was something of a critical and commercial disappointment (More felt

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967; born Vivian Mary Hartley), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O'Hara in ''Gon ...

was miscast in the lead) but still widely seen. He also did the narration for Korda's '' The Man Who Loved Redheads'' (1955). More starred in a comedy, '' Raising a Riot'' (1955), which was the eighth most popular movie at the British box office in 1955.

''Reach for the Sky''

He received an offer from

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics '' The Bridge on the Rive ...

to play the lead role in an adaptation of '' The Wind Cannot Read'' by Richard Mason. More was unsure about whether the public would accept him in the part and turned it down, a decision he later regarded as "the greatest mistake I ever made professionally". Lean dropped the project and was not involved in the eventual 1958 film version which starred

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Orga ...

and which was directed by Ralph Thomas. Instead, More played the

fighter ace,

Douglas Bader Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader, (; 21 February 1910 – 5 September 1982) was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared p ...

, in ''

'' (1956), a part turned down by

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable p ...

. It was the most popular British film of the year. By 1956, More's asking price was £25,000 a film. More received offers to go to Hollywood, but turned them down, unsure his persona would be effective there. However, he started working with American co-stars and directors more often. In February 1957, he signed a contract with

Daniel M. Angel Daniel Morris Angel (14 May 1911 – 13 December 1999) was a leading British film producer who was responsible for several notable British films during the 1950s, such as ''Another Man's Poison'' (1952), ''The Sea Shall Not Have Them'' (1954), '' ...

and was to make ten films over five years, seven which would be distributed by Rank and three by 20th Century Fox. In June of that year, he said:

Hollywood has been hitting two extremes – either a Biblical de Mille spectacular or a '' Baby Doll''. Britain does two other kinds of movie as well as anyone – a certain type of high comedy and a kind of semi-documentary. I believe we (the British film industry) should hit these hard.

His next film, '' The Admirable Crichton'' (1957), was a high comedy, based on the play by J. M. Barrie. It was released by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

. It was directed by

Lewis Gilbert Lewis Gilbert (6 March 1920 – 23 February 2018) was an English film director, producer and screenwriter who directed more than 40 films during six decades; among them such varied titles as '' Reach for the Sky'' (1956), '' Sink the Bismarck! ...

who also had made ''Reach for the Sky'' and who later said:

I was very fond of Kenny as an actor, although he wasn't particularly versatile. What he could do, he did very well. His strengths were his ability to portray charm; basically he was the officer returning from the war and he was superb in that kind of role. The minute that kind of role went out of existence, he began to go down as a box office star."MacFarlane 1997, p. 222.

Regarding his performance in this film, critic David Shipman wrote:

It was not just that he had superb comic timing: one could see absolutely why the family trusted their fates to him. No other British actor had come so close to that dependable, reliable quality of the great Hollywood stars – you would trust him through thick and thin. And he was more humorous than, say,
Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...
, more down-to-earth than, say,
Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...
.Shipman 1989, pp. 414–415.

''The Admirable Crichton'' was the third most popular movie at the British box office in 1957. In 1957, More had announced that he would play the lead role of a captain caught up in the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

in ''Night Runners of Bengal'' but the film was never made. More turned down an offer from Roy Ward Baker to play a German POW in '' The One That Got Away'' (1957), but agreed to play the lead part of

Charles Lightoller Charles Herbert Lightoller, (30 March 1874 – 8 December 1952) was a British mariner and naval officer. He was the second officer on board the and the most senior member of the crew to survive the ''Titanic'' disaster. As the officer in ch ...

in the

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, Unite ...

film for the same director, '' A Night to Remember'' (1958). This was the first of a seven-year contract with Rank at a fee of £40,000 a film. It was popular though failed to recoup its large cost; it was one of More's most critically acclaimed films. For his next film, More had an American co-star Betsy Drake, '' Next to No Time'' (1958) directed by Cornelius. It was a minor success at the box office. More then made a series of films for Rank that were distributed in the US by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film studio, film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm o ...

. The first was '' The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw'' (1958), a Western spoof originally written for

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, in ...

. He had an American director (

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent screen actor George Walsh. He w ...

) and co-star ( Jayne Mansfield), although the film was shot in Spain. It was the tenth most-popular movie at the British box office in 1958. He followed it for another with Ralph Thomas, a remake of '' The 39 Steps'' (1959), with a Hollywood co star ( Taina Elg). It was a hit in Britain. The third Fox-Rank film was an Imperial adventure set in India, '' North West Frontier'' (1959), co-starring

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary Aw ...

and directed by J. Lee Thompson. It was another success in Britain but not in the US. However '' Sink the Bismarck!'' (1960), directed by Gilbert, was a hit in Britain and the US. More was the subject of ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' in 1959 when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

at the Odeon Cinema,

Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Bush is a district of West London, England, within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham west of Charing Cross, and identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Although primarily residential in character, i ...

Later career

Decline in film popularity

In 1960, Rank's Managing Director John Davis gave permission for More to work outside his contract to appear in '' The Guns of Navarone'' (1961). More, however, made the mistake of heckling and swearing at Davis at a BAFTA dinner at the Dorchester, losing both the role (which went to

David Niven James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other role ...

) and his contract with Rank. More went on to make a comedy, '' ''Man In The Moon'''' (1960), which flopped at the box office, "his first real flop" since becoming a star, according to Shipman. He returned to the stage directing ''The Angry Deep'' in Brighton in 1960. More and Gilbert were reunited on '' The Greengage Summer'' (1961) which remains one of More's favourite films, although Gilbert felt the star was miscast. More says he accepted the lead in the low-budget youth film, '' Some People'' (1962), because he had no other offers at the time. The movie was profitable. He was one of many stars in '' The Longest Day'' (1962) and played the lead in a comedy '' We Joined the Navy'' (1962), which was poorly received. More tried to change his image with '' The Comedy Man'' (1963), which the public did not like, although it became his favourite role. Some felt More's popularity declined when he left his second wife to live with Angela Douglas. Film writer Andrew Spicer thought that "More's persona was so strongly associated with traditional middle class values that his stardom could not survive the shift towards working class iconoclasts" during that decade. Another writer, Christopher Sandford, felt that "as the sixties began and the star of the ironic, postmodernist school rose, More was derided as a ludicrous old fogey with crinkly hair and a tweed jacket." More went back to the stage, appearing in ''Out of the Crocodile'' (1963) and ''Our Man Crichton'' (1964–65), which ran for six months. He appeared in a 35-minute prologue to ''

The Collector ''The Collector'' is a 1963 thriller novel by English author John Fowles, in his literary debut. Its plot follows a lonely, psychotic young man who kidnaps a female art student in London and holds her captive in the cellar of his rural farmhous ...

'' (1965) at the special request of director

William Wyler William Wyler (; born Willi Wyler (); July 1, 1902 – July 27, 1981) was a Swiss-German-American film director and producer who won the Academy Award for Best Director three times, those being for '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942), '' The Best Years o ...

, but it ended up being removed entirely from the final film.

Revival

More's popularity recovered in the 1960s through West End stage performances and television roles, especially following his success in ''

'' (1967). Critic David Shipman said More's personal notices for his performance on stage in ''The Secretary Bird'' (1968) "must be among the best accorded any light comedian during this century". On screen More had a small role in '' Dark of the Sun'' (1968) and a bigger one in '' Fräulein Doktor'' (1969). He was one of many names in ''

Oh! What a Lovely War ''Oh! What a Lovely War'' is a 1969 British comedy musical war film directed by Richard Attenborough (in his directorial debut), with an ensemble cast, including Maggie Smith, Dirk Bogarde, John Gielgud, John Mills, Kenneth More, Laurence Oli ...

'' (1969) and ''

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended ...

'' (1969). He took the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present in '' Scrooge'' (1970) and had long stage runs with a revival of '' The Winslow Boy'' (1970) and '' Getting On'' by Alan Bennett (1971). He was appointed a Order of the British Empire, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1970 New Year Honours.

Later career

More's later stage appearances included ''Signs of the Times'' (1973) and ''On Approval'' (1977). He played the title character in ATV's ''

'' (1974) series. His later film roles included ''The Slipper and the Rose'' (1976), ''Where Time Began'' (1977), ''Leopard in the Snow'' (1978), ''An Englishman's Castle'' (1978) and ''Unidentified Flying Oddball'' (1979).

Personal life

More was married three times. His first marriage in 1940 to actress Mary Beryl Johnstone (one daughter, Susan Jane, born 1941) ended in divorce in 1946. He married Mabel Edith "Bill" Barkby in 1952 (one daughter, Sarah, born 1954) but left her in 1968 for Angela Douglas, an actress (born, like More, in Gerrards Cross) 26 years his junior, causing considerable estrangement from friends and family. He was married to Douglas (whom he nicknamed "Shrimp") from 17 March 1968 until his death in 1982. More wrote two autobiographies, ''Happy Go Lucky'' (1959) and ''More or Less'' (1978). In the second book, he related how he had since childhood, a recurrent dream of something akin to a huge wasp descending towards him. During the war, he had experienced a German Stuka dive-bomber descending in just such a manner. After that, he claimed never to have had that dream again. Producer

successfully sued More for libel in 1980, over comments made in his second autobiography."Why I'm living on Love."
''The Australian Women's Weekly'' (via National Library of Australia), 7 October 1981, p. 26. Retrieved: 6 May 2012.

Illness and death

More and Douglas separated for several years during the 1970s, but reunited when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This made it increasingly difficult for him to work, although his last role was a sizeable supporting part in a US TV adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities (1980 film), ''A Tale of Two Cities'' (1980). In 1980, when he was being sued by producer Daniel M. Angel, Danny Angel for comments in his memoirs, he told the court he was retired. In 1981, he wrote:

Doctors and friends ask me how I feel. How can you define "bloody awful?" My nerves are stretched like a wire; the simplest outing becomes a huge challenge – I have to have Angela's arm to support me most days... my balance or lack of it is probably my biggest problem. My blessings are my memories and we have a few very loyal friends who help us through the bad days... Financially all's well. Thank goodness my wife, who holds nothing of the past over my head, is constantly at my side. Real love never dies. We share a sense of humour which at times is vital. If I have a philosophy it is that life doesn't put everything your way. It takes a little back. I strive to remember the ups rather than the downs. I have a lot of time with my thoughts these days and sometimes they hurt so much I can hardly bear it. However, my friends always associate me with the song: "When You're Smiling..." lt isn't always easy but I'm trying to live up to it.

More died on 12 July 1982, aged 67. It is now believed that he had been suffering from multiple system atrophy (MSA), a belief due in part to the age of onset and the speed at which the condition progressed. He was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium and a plaque erected at the actors' church St Paul's, Covent Garden, following a memorial attended by family, friends and colleagues.

Legacy

The Kenneth More Theatre, named in honour of the actor, was founded in 1975, in Ilford, east London. A plaque commemorates More at 27 Rumbold Road, Fulham, his home at the time of his death. Another memorial plaque was installed at the Duchess Theatre in London's West End (where More gave his acclaimed performance as Freddie Page in a production of

's '' The Deep Blue Sea'').

Filmography

* ''

'' (1935) (bit part, uncredited) * ''Carry On London'' (1937) (bit part, uncredited) * ''The Silence of the Sea'' (1946, TV movie) as The German * '' School for Secrets'' (1946) as Bomb Aimer (uncredited) * ''Toad of Toad Hall (1947), Toad of Toad Hall'' (1946, TV movie) as Mr. Badger * ''Scott of the Antarctic (film), Scott of the Antarctic'' (1948) as Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, Lt. E.G.R.(Teddy) Evans R.N. * '' Man on the Run'' (1949) as Corp. Newman the Blackmailer * '' Now Barabbas'' (1949) as Spencer * '' Stop Press Girl'' (1949) as Police Sgt. 'Bonzo' * ''For Them That Trespass'' – (1949) – Prison Warder * ''

Morning Departure ''Morning Departure'' (released as ''Operation Disaster'' in the United StatesChance of a Lifetime'' (1950) as Adam * '' The Clouded Yellow'' (1951) as Willy Shepley * '' The Franchise Affair'' (1951) as Stanley Peters * '' The Galloping Major'' (1951) as Rosedale Film Studio Director * '' No Highway in the Sky'' (1951) Dobson, Co-Pilot (uncredited) * '' Appointment with Venus'' (1951) as Lionel Fallaize * ''

'' (1952) as Tony Rackhman * '' The Yellow Balloon'' (1953) as Ted * '' Never Let Me Go'' (1953) as Steve Quillan * ''

'' (1953) as Ambrose Claverhouse * '' Our Girl Friday'' (1953) as Pat Plunkett * ''

'' (1954) as Richard Grimsdyke * '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1954, BBC, TV movie) as Freddie Page * '' The Man Who Loved Redheads'' (1955) as Narrator * '' Raising a Riot'' (1955) as Tony Kent * '' The Deep Blue Sea'' (1955) as Freddie Page * ''

'' (1956) as

* '' The Admirable Crichton'' (1957) as Bill Crichton * '' A Night to Remember'' (1958) as Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller * '' Next to No Time'' (1958) as David Webb * '' The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw'' (1958) as Jonathan Tibbs * ''The 39 Steps (1959 film), The Thirty-Nine Steps'' (1959) as Richard Hannay * '' North West Frontier'' (1959) as Captain Scott * '' Sink the Bismarck!'' (1960) as Captain Shepard * ''Man in the Moon (film), Man in the Moon'' (1960) as William Blood * '' The Greengage Summer'' (1961) as Eliot * ''The Largest Theatre in the World: Heart to Heart, Heart to Heart'' (1962, TV movie) as David Mann * '' Some People'' (1962) as Mr. Smith * '' The Longest Day'' (1962) as Captain Colin Maud * '' We Joined the Navy'' (1962) as Lt. Cmdr. Robert Badger * '' The Comedy Man'' (1964) as Chick Byrd * ''

'' (1965) (uncredited) * ''Lord Raingo'' (1966, TV movie) as Sam Raingo * ''

'' (1967, TV series) as 'Young Jolyon' Forsyte * ''The White Rabbit (TV movie), The White Rabbit'' (1967, TV movie) as Wing Cmdr. Yeo-Thomas * '' Dark of the Sun'', also known as ''The Mercenaries'' (1968) as Doctor Wreid * '' Fräulein Doktor'' (1969) as Col. Foreman * ''

'' (1969) as Wilhelm II of Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II * ''

'' (1969) as Group Captain Barker * '' Scrooge'' (1970) as Ghost of Christmas Present * ''

'' (1974, TV series) as Father Brown * ''The Slipper and the Rose, The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella'' (1976) as Chamberlain * ''Viaje al centro de la Tierra, Where Time Began'' (1977) as Prof. Otto Linderbrock * ''Leopard in the Snow'' (1978) as Sir Philip James * ''An Englishman's Castle'' (1978, TV movie) as Peter Ingram * ''The Spaceman and King Arthur'' (1979) as King Arthur * ''A Tale of Two Cities (1980 film), A Tale of Two Cities'' (1980, TV movie) as Dr. Jarvis Lorry (final film role)

Unfilmed projects

* Adaptation of ''Nightrunners of Bengal'' (1957) * ''The Angry Silence'' (1960) – turned down role eventually played by Richard AttenboroughMcFarlane 1997, p. 36.

Selected theatre credits

* Windmill Theatre – 1935 * ''Do You Remember?'' – Barry O’Brien Touring Company, August–November 1937 * ''Stage Hands Never Lie'' by Olive Remple – November 1937 * ''Stage Distinguished Gathering'' by James Parish – Wimbledon Theatre, August 1937 * ''And No Birds Sing'' by Rev Arthur Platt – Aldwych Theatre, November 1946 * ''Power Without Glory'' – February–April 1947 * ''Peace In Our Time (play), Peace In Our Time'' by

– Lyric Theatre, July 1948 * ''The Way Things Go (play), The Way Things Go'' – Phoenix Theatre, May 1950 * '' The Deep Blue Sea'' by

– Duchess Theatre, March 1952 * ''The Angry Deep'' – Brighton, January 1960 – Brighton – director only * ''Out of the Crocodile'' – Phoenix Theatre, October 1963 * ''Our Man Crichton'' – Shaftesbury Theatre, December 1964 – ran six months * ''The Secretary Bird'' – Savoy Theatre, October 1968 * '' The Winslow Boy'' by

– New Theatre, November 1970 – ran nine months * ''Getting On'' by Alan Bennett – Queen's Theatre, October 1971 – ran nine months * ''Signs of the Times'' by Jeremy Kingston – Vaudeville Theatre, June 1973 * ''Kenneth More Requests the Pleasure of Your Company'' – Kenneth More Theatre, April 1977 – an evening of poetry, prose and music * ''On Approval'' – Vaudeville Theatre, June 1977

Writings

* ''Happy Go Lucky'' (1959) * ''Kindly Leave the Stage'' (1965) * ''More or Less'' (1978)

Awards

* 1953 Nominated as Best British Actor (BAFTA) for ''

'' * 1954 Won Best British Actor (BAFTA) for ''

'' * 1955 Won Best Actor at Venice Film Festival for '' The Deep Blue Sea'' * 1955 Won Most Promising International Star (Variety Club) * 1955 Nominated Best British Actor (BAFTA) for '' The Deep Blue Sea'' * 1956 Nominated Best British Actor (BAFT) for ''

'' * 1956 Won ''Picturegoer'' Magazine Best Actor Award for ''Reach for the Sky'' * 1970 appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE in the New Year's Honours * 1974 Won ''TV Times'' Best Actor Award for ''Father Brown'' * 1975 Recipient of silver heart for 40 Years in Showbusiness (Variety Club)

Box office ranking

British exhibitors regularly voted More one of the most popular stars at the local box office in an annual poll conducted by the ''Motion Picture Herald'': * 1954 – 5th most popular British star * 1955 – 5th most popular British star * 1956 – most popular international star * 1957 – 2nd most popular international star (NB another source said he was the most popular) * 1958 – 3rd most popular international star * 1959 – most popular British star * 1960 – most popular international star * 1961 – 3rd most popular international star * 1962 – 4th most popular international star

References

Notes

Bibliography

* McFarlane, Brian. ''An Autobiography of British Cinema''. London: Methuen, 1997. . * More, Kenneth. ''More or Less''. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1978. . Rights owned by the Kenneth More estate from 2019 * Pourgourides, Nick. ''More Please''. London: Amazon, 2020. . Authorized biography * Sheridan Morley
"More, Kenneth Gilbert (1914–1982)."
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004. * Shipman, David.''The Great Movie Stars: The International Years''. London: Angus & Robertson, 1989, 1st ed 1972. . * Sweet, Matthew.''Shepperton Babylon: The Lost Worlds of British Cinema''. London: Faber & Faber, 2005. .

External links

* *
Kenneth More
at Turner Classic Movies, TCM
Kenneth More Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:More, Kenneth 1914 births 1982 deaths 20th-century English male actors Best British Actor BAFTA Award winners British male comedy actors Burials at Putney Vale Cemetery Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Neurological disease deaths in England Deaths from Parkinson's disease English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English people of Welsh descent People educated at Victoria College, Jersey People from Gerrards Cross Royal Navy officers of World War II Volpi Cup for Best Actor winners

Early life

Windmill Theatre

Second World War

Resumption of acting career

Stardom

Rising reputation

''The Deep Blue Sea''

Film stardom: ''Genevieve'' and ''Doctor in the House''

''Reach for the Sky''

Later career

Decline in film popularity

Revival

Later career

Personal life

Illness and death

Legacy

Filmography

Unfilmed projects

Selected theatre credits

Writings

Awards

Box office ranking

See also

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links