Lauderdale Carl Douglas Beckett (14 December 1896 – 5 August 1973) was an English stage and film actor.

Early life

Lauderdale Beckett (also known as Guy Lauderdale Beckett) was born on 14 December 1896 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, the son of Ada Beckett (Lauderdale) and Alfred George Stanley Pratt. He served in

World War 1 World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, as did his brothers Henry and Alfred.

Family history

Lauderdale Beckett came from a long-standing theatrical family. His grandmother, Lizzie Linington (known professionally as Mrs Fred Beckett) ran a theatre company, Miss Linington’s Dramatic Company, with her husband Frederick Lorton Loncrain. Their children Paul, Ruby, Georgie and Ada acted in the company. Linington died in 1902. Linington’s daughter Ada Loncrain married Alfred George Stanley Pratt in 1889; Ada was known professionally as Ada Beckett or Ada Lauderdale and Pratt was known as George Sylvester or Harry Ansell. They had three sons: Henry, Alfred and Lauderdale. Henry Beckett and Alfred Beckett (d. 1961) also became actors. Alfred Pratt (Harry Ansell) died in 1902. Ada Lauderdale, as she was then known, married another actor Charles Preece in 1903. Preece was also known as Carl Sisto and Carl Lauderdale. Ada died in 1935 in Brighton and Carl in 1848. Ada and Carl toured their own theatre company for over 30 years. Their son Earl Armstrong took over the company after Ada’s death and continued to tour with his wife Catherine and their children. He died in 1987.

Career

Beckett toured with many repertory theatre companies and fit-up companies, including with

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in a production of ''

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'' in 1944. In 1939 he toured with the Frank H. Fortescue Players in ''Geoffrey Langton's Wife'' and ''Ashes of Love.'' He appeared in a number of films and TV series: ''Spy in Black,'' ''Land without Music,'' BBC ''Sunday Night Theatre, The Adventures of Annabel, A Woman of Property, The Avengers, and Emergency-Ward 10.'' His appearances in the West End theatres include '' Warn that Man!'' with

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, and as a member of the jury in

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'' from 1953–1955''.'' He died in London on 5 August 1973.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckett, Lauderdale 1896 births 1973 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors 20th-century English male actors