Marcus Andrew Sinden (born 9 May 1954) is an English actor and film & theatre director and producer. Sinden has worked in film and theatre (mainly in London's West End) as both actor and producer and directed the documentary series ''

Great West End Theatres ''Great West End Theatres'' is a documentary series detailing the history, architecture and theatrical anecdotes of the 40 West End Theatres of London (as covered by the monthly Society of London Theatre list), released individually as All-Regi ...

'', detailing the history of the 40 major playhouses in London. He was

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

of the

Mermaid Theatre The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre encompassing the site of Puddle Dock and Curriers' Alley at Blackfriars in the City of London, and the first built in the City since the time of Shakespeare. It was, importantly, also one of the first new thea ...

and inaugurated the British Theatre Season in

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...

, which was awarded a

Royal Warrant A royal warrant is a document issued by a monarch which confers rights or privileges on the recipient, or has the effect of law. Royal warrant may refer to: * Royal warrant of appointment, warrant to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a r ...

Prince Albert of Monaco Albert II – Website of the Palace of Monaco (Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi; born 14 March 1958) is Prince of Monaco, since 2005. Albert was born at the Prince's Palace of Monaco, and he is the second child and only son of Prince Rai ...

. His first West End production was nominated for a

Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Family Show is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976 ...

and another won the Stage Award for Best Ensemble work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He is also the director and co-author of the touring anthology ''

Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners ''Seven Deadly Sins Four Deadly Sinners'' is an anthology-style play compiled and written by '' Carry On...'' writer Norman Hudis and producer Marc Sinden, who is also the director. It was originally devised by Sinden as a female rival to the ...

'' and was nominated for a Sony Award for his voice-overs for the

Apple Computers Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...

TV advertisements. In 1968 he and his older brother, actor

Jeremy Sinden Jeremy Mahony Sinden (14 June 1950 – 29 May 1996) was an English actor who specialised in playing eccentric military men and overgrown schoolboys.Times Obituary 31 May 1996 Early life Sinden was born in London into a theatrical family; ...

, were part of the "Na-Na" chorus on "

Hey Jude "Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in August 1968. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The single was the Beatles' first release o ...

" by the

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

. His father was the actor Donald Sinden.

As producer

Theatre

In 1993 Sinden became the artistic director at

Bernard Miles Bernard James Miles, Baron Miles, CBE (27 September 190714 June 1991) was an English character actor, writer and director. He opened the Mermaid Theatre in London in 1959, the first new theatre that opened in the City of London since the 17th ce ...

in Blackfriars, London where he created the Bernard Miles Studio, but left after a year. He then formed his own theatrical production company, presenting in 1996 the première of

N.J. Crisp Norman James Crisp (11 December 1923 – 14 June 2005), known as a writer only by his initials and surname, N. J. Crisp, was a prolific British television writer, dramatist and novelist. In the sixties after writing some single dramas, Crisp mov ...

's '' That Good Night'' on a national tour starring Donald Sinden, Patrick Ryecart and Nigel Davenport and directing his first commercial tour, Edward Hall. During this period he also produced a series of audio tapes (re-released as CDs in 2010) including '' The Ballad of Reading Gaol'' read by Donald Sinden and '' The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde'', with readings by

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

, Jeremy Irons,

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. He has appeared in various stage productions of William Shakespeare such as ''Hamlet'', ''Much Ado About Nothing'', ''Macbeth'', ''Twelfth Night'', ''The Tempest'', ''King ...

, Joanna Lumley,

Geoffrey Palmer Geoffrey Palmer may refer to: Politicians *Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1st Baronet (1598–1670), English lawyer and politician *Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 3rd Baronet (1655–1732), English politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicestershire *Geoffrey Pal ...

and Elaine Stritch. In 1997 Sinden was appointed associate producer for

Bill Kenwright William Kenwright, CBE (born 4 September 1945) is an English West End theatre producer and film producer. He has also been the chairman of Everton Football Club since 2004. Kenwright was born in Liverpool and attended Booker Avenue County Prima ...

Ltd. As associate producer his West End credits are '' Lady Windermere's Fan'' (

Haymarket Haymarket may refer to: Places Australia * Haymarket, New South Wales, area of Sydney, Australia Germany * Heumarkt (KVB), transport interchange in Cologne on the site of the Heumarkt (literally: hay market) Russia * Sennaya Square (''Hay Squ ...

); ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' (

and Gielgud) and ''

Pygmalion Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to: Mythology * Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue Stage * ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau * ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...

'' ( Albery), which he cast and co-directed. Marc was responsible for some of the output of the

Theatre Royal, Windsor The Theatre Royal is an Edwardian era, Edwardian theatre on Thames Street in Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in Berkshire. The present building is the second theatre to stand on this site and opened on 13 December 1910. Built for Sir Wiliam Shipley an ...

. He also cast and produced such shows and subsequent tours as '' Catch Me If You Can''; ''

Canaries Sometimes Sing ''Canaries Sometimes Sing'' is a 1931 British romantic comedy film, directed by Tom Walls. The film is a four-hander, starring Walls, Cathleen Nesbitt, Athole Stewart and Yvonne Arnaud. It is a screen version of the witty and sophisticated come ...

''; ''

My Fat Friend ''My Fat Friend'' is a play by Charles Laurence. Plot The comedy is an ugly duckling tale about an overweight young woman who attracts the attention of a potential suitor. With the help of her friends/roommates, she undergoes a diet and exercis ...

''; ''Dangerous To Know''; ''Huckleberry Finn''; ''

Aladdin Aladdin ( ; ar, علاء الدين, ', , ATU 561, ‘Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of ...

''; ''

'' (tour); '' Lady Windermere's Fan'' (a co-production tour with the

Royal Exchange, Manchester The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...

); '' Noël and Gertie''; '' Passion'' (in concert at the Golders Green Hippodrome for CD recording); ''

Fallen Angels A fallen angel is an angel that has been exiled or banished from Heaven. Fallen Angels may also refer to: Film and television * ''Fallen Angels'' (1948 film), a Greek film by Nikos Tsiforos * Fallen Angels (1985 documentary film) by Gregory Dark * ...

''; ''

The Woman in Black ''The Woman in Black'' is a 1983 gothic horror novel by English writer Susan Hill. The plot concerns a mysterious spectre that haunts a small English town. A television film based on the story, also called '' The Woman in Black'', was produced ...

''; '' Move Over Mrs Markham'' and ''Time's Up''.Bill Kenwright Ltd He liaised between Bill Kenwright and the Peter Hall Company, for which he cast and was associate producer on the tour of the première of ''

Just The Three of Us ''Just the 3 of Us'' is a 2016 Philippine romantic comedy-drama film directed by Cathy Garcia Molina with a script developed and written by the collaboration of Kiko Abrillo, Gillian Ebreo, Katherine Labayen, and Vanessa R. Valdez, and was produce ...

'' by

Simon Gray Simon James Holliday Gray (21 October 1936 – 7 August 2008) was an English playwright and memoirist who also had a career as a university lecturer in English literature at Queen Mary, University of London, for 20 years. While teaching at Que ...

and helped organise the Australian co-production tour of ''

''.Bill Kenwright Ltd Love Letters poster

In 1998 he resumed his independent career as

Marc Sinden Productions Marcus Andrew Sinden (born 9 May 1954) is an English actor and film & theatre director and producer. Sinden has worked in film and theatre (mainly in London's West End Theatre, West End) as both actor and producer and directed the documentary ...

and produced and co-directed ''

Shakespeare's Villains ''Shakespeare's Villains'' is a one-man play, created and performed by Steven Berkoff. Following its first run at London's Theatre Royal, Haymarket (7 July – 8 August 1998) where it was produced by Berkoff's East Productions and Marc Sinden (wh ...

'' (

) with

Steven Berkoff Steven Berkoff (born Leslie Steven Berks; 3 August 1937) is an English actor, author, playwright, theatre practitioner and theatre director. As a theatre maker he is recognised for staging work with a heightened performance style eponymously k ...

, which was nominated for a Society of London Theatre

.Society of London Theatre In 2000 the production won the LA Weekly Theater Award for Solo Performance. He also produced the 25th anniversary revival of '' East'', directed by the plays author Steven Berkoff, winning the Stage Award for Best Ensemble work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, ( Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh; Le Théâtre Silvia Monfort, Paris &

Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

). Sinden is also the producer of Berkoff's '' An Actors Lament'', Berkoff's first verse-play since '' Decadence'' in 1981. Other productions include '' The Glee Club'' ( Duchess) following its transfer from the

Bush Theatre The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers. The Bush Theatre strives to create a spa ...

; ''

'', which he directed and also co-wrote with '' Carry On...'' writer

Norman Hudis Norman Hudis (27 July 1922 – 8 February 2016) was an English writer for film, theatre and television, and is most closely associated with the first six of the ''Carry On (series), Carry On...'' film series, for which he wrote the screenplays un ...

, which is still touring internationally; ''Asking For Trouble'' with Sheridan Morley; ''Sex Wars'' with

Louise Jameson Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...

and ''

Straker Straker is a surname. The surname of Straker was derived from the Old English word 'stracian' an occupational name 'the striker'. Occupational surnames refer directly to the particular trade or occupation followed by the first bearer of the name. ...

Sings Brel'' directed by

Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. S ...

. He inaugurated the British Theatre Season, Monaco, bringing English-language theatrical shows to the Théâtre Princesse Grace in

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...

. On 17 October 2007, Prince Albert II of Monaco awarded the British Theatre Season his High Patronage. World War I - Vimy sector tunnel

Film and documentaries

Sinden is co-producing the new thriller ''

Cold Sun Jason Figgis is an Irish film director. Early life, family and education Jason was born in Ranelagh, Dublin and attended St. Mary’s College in Rathmines. He attended Ballyfermot Senior College in Dublin to study art and was soon working for ...

'', currently in pre-production at

Elstree Film Studios Elstree Studios on Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire is a British film and television production centre operated by Elstree Film Studios Limited. One of several facilities historically referred to as Elstree Studios, the Shenley Road st ...

, filming in 2023 with release due at the end of that year.
He is a producer, with his former wife Jo Gilbert, and director of the 40-part documentary series ''

'' and was the producer of the DVD release ''An Evening with... Sir Donald Sinden'', filmed at

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to te ...

and

's '' East'', filmed in front of a live audience at the

Vaudeville Theatre The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on the Strand in the City of Westminster. As the name suggests, the theatre held mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. It opened in 1870 and was rebuilt twice, although each ...

, London in 1999. He is co-producer of the film version of

's '' That Good Night'' filmed in Portugal starring

John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in ...

and Charles Dance and released in 2017. In August 1998 Sinden was producing a documentary at

Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was part of the Battle of Arras, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the First Army, against three divisions of ...

Arras Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...

, northern France about the First World War underground mines (as mentioned in the

Sebastian Faulks Sebastian Charles Faulks (born 20 April 1953) is a British novelist, journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his historical novels set in France – '' The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', ''Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray''. He has also pub ...

novel '' Birdsong'') when Lt-Col Mike Watkins, the Head of Explosive Ordnance Disposal and the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

's leading bomb disposal expert who was in charge of the decommissioning of the huge bombs (including one of 6,500 lb) in the 20-mile subterranean complex, was killed in an accident underground. Sinden said that Lt-Col Watkins was "A hero who had saved countless lives through his bomb disposal work. His work was often secretive and undercover and it would have put him in danger to publicise his action while he was alive, but now he is dead it does not matter. I admired him more than anyone I have ever met."

As director

Theatre

Sinden co-directed ''

'' (

) with

, which was nominated for a Society of London Theatre

and ''

'', which he directed and also co-wrote with '' Carry On...'' writer

, which is still touring.

Film and documentaries

Charles Spencer, the drama critic for the ''

Daily Telegraph Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...

'', reported that Sinden is "currently directing the 40-part documentary series ''

'', in which Donald Sinden tells the history and stories associated with each of the main London theatres." In their review of the first 10 episodes of the series, the ''British Theatre Guide'' said "This film is as close as one can get to standing on the stage taking an ovation. This series is beautifully filmed and gets the balance exactly right between classy camera work, history, reminiscence and gossip." The ''

'' review stated that the "lovely documentary series is made by the director Marc Sinden. Its star, and – it transpires – the best documentary frontman of all time, is his actor-father: Sir Donald Sinden. Sir Donald has been let loose, offering anecdotes and memories apparently as they occur to him and the effect is enchanting beyond belief. It is also, at times, incredibly funny. It seems to me rather important that the series should be completed: this is popular history at its best." The first 10 episodes were broadcast from 3 August 2013 in the UK by the

BSkyB Sky UK Limited is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services, fixed line and mobile telephone services to consumers and businesses in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of ...

digital satellite channel Sky Arts 2. He is a

Professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and skil ...

member of the

Directors Guild of Great Britain The Directors Guild of Great Britain (DGGB) was a professional organization that represented directors across all media, including film, television, theatre, radio, opera, commercials, music videos, corporate film/video and training, documentaries, ...

and

Directors UK Directors UK (previously DPRS) is the professional association for British directors working in the audiovisual sector, with over 4,500 members. The organisation is both a collective management organisation for the distribution of secondary rights ...

and a Director member of

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five A ...

's Zoetrope Virtual Studio, where he has a private office.

As actor

Theatre

Sinden's acting work in the theatre includes over 40 regional tours or West End productions to his credit, including ‘Charles Surface’ in ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sna ...

'' ( Duke of York's) with his father Donald Sinden and directed by John Barton. This was chosen as the British Council's 50th anniversary tour, playing in 21 cities in 10 countries. He also starred in '' Her Royal Highness?'' (

Palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

) and ''

Two into One ''Two Into One'' is a 1984 farce written by English playwright Ray Cooney. It had a long run at the Shaftesbury Theatre starring Donald Sinden Sir Donald Alfred Sinden (9 October 1923 – 12 September 2014) was a British actor. Sinden fe ...

'' ( Shaftesbury), both written and directed by

Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 ...

; 'Squire Sullen' in ''

The Beaux' Stratagem ''The Beaux' Stratagem'' is a comedy by George Farquhar, first produced at the Theatre Royal, now the site of Her Majesty's Theatre, in the Haymarket, London, on March 8, 1707. In the play, Archer and Aimwell, two young gentlemen who have falle ...

'' ( Lyttelton, Royal National Theatre) opposite

Brenda Blethyn Brenda Blethyn (''née'' Bottle; 20 February 1946) is an English actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and two Academy Award nominations. Blethyn ...

and Stephen Dillane; '' Over My Dead Body'' (

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savo ...

) with

June Whitfield Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress. Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy ''Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...

; ''

Underground Underground most commonly refers to: * Subterranea (geography), the regions beneath the surface of the Earth Underground may also refer to: Places * The Underground (Boston), a music club in the Allston neighborhood of Boston * The Underground (S ...

'' with

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

(

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...

and Royal Alexandra, Toronto); ''

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

'' with

Simon Ward Simon Anthony Fox Ward (16 October 194120 July 2012) was a British stage and film actor. He was known chiefly for his performance as Winston Churchill in the 1972 film ''Young Winston''. He played many other screen roles, including those of Sir ...

( Old Vic and Royal Alexandra, Toronto); Ray Davies' first musical ''

Chorus Girls ''Chorus Girls'' was a 1981 musical written by The Kinks lead singer and songwriter Ray Davies, who collaborated with ''The Long Good Friday'' screenwriter Barrie Keeffe. It opened at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London starring Marc Sinde ...

'' (

Theatre Royal, Stratford East The Theatre Royal Stratford East is a 460 seat Victorian producing theatre in Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. Since 1953, it has been the home of the Theatre Workshop company, famously associated with director Joan Littlewood, whose s ...

) written by

Barrie Keeffe __NOTOC__ Barrie Colin Keeffe (31 October 1945 – 10 December 2019) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Best known for his screenplay for the gangster classic, ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980), starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, Keeff ...

and the première of Alan Bennett's '' Enjoy'' (

) with Joan Plowright, directed by

Ronald Eyre Ronald Eyre (13 April 1929 – 8 April 1992) was an English theatre director, actor and writer. Biography Eyre was born at Mapplewell, near Barnsley, Yorkshire and he taught at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn and Giggleswick Sch ...

. A season at the Chichester Festival Theatre included 'Stephen Undershaft' in

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

's '' Major Barbara'' with Donald Sinden, directed by Christopher Morahan and as assistant director,

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honour ...

; at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, 'Broadbent' in Shaw's rarely seen '' John Bull's Other Island'' with Cyril Cusack, directed by

Joe Dowling Joe Dowling (born 27 September 1948) is an artistic director. He was artistic director for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. He is known for his work as artistic director of the Abbey Theatre in Ireland and his productio ...

; 'Cassius' in a national tour of ''

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

'' for the New Shakespeare Company and a 12-month national tour of

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 called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

's '' Private Lives'' with Gemma Craven.

Film

In 1962, aged 8, Sinden was originally offered the lead title role in the film ''

Sammy Going South ''Sammy Going South'' (retitled ''A Boy Ten Feet Tall'' for its later US release) is a 1963 British adventure film directed by Alexander Mackendrick, photographed by Erwin Hillier and starring Edward G. Robinson, Fergus McClelland and Constance ...

'' by its director, Alexander Mackendrick, but his father turned the offer down on his son's behalf, saying that "only a handful of child actors ever make it as adult actors and if Marc wants to be an actor, he should wait until he is old enough to make the decision himself." He appeared as 'Surveyor White' in the film version of

Spike Milligan Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (16 April 1918 – 27 February 2002) was an Irish actor, comedian, writer, musician, poet, and playwright. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British Raj, British Colonial India, where h ...

's novel '' Puckoon'' with

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough, (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Academy of Film and Televisio ...

, filmed at the Paint Hall Studios in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

; 'Senior Allied Officer White' in the comedy '' The Brylcreem Boys'' with Gabriel Byrne,

Billy Campbell William Oliver Campbell (born July 7, 1959) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series ''Dynasty''. Then he became known for playing Rick Sammler on '' Once and A ...

and

Jean Butler Jean Butler (born March 14, 1971) is an American stepdancer, a master of Irish Dance, choreographer, and actress. She is best known for originating the principal female role in the Irish dance theatrical production ''Riverdance''. In January 202 ...

filmed in the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

; 'Fr. Dennis' in ''Property of the State'', the first film made at the Shackleton Studios in

County Londonderry County Londonderry ( Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry ( ga, Contae Dhoire), is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. B ...

; 'Captain Dawson' in ''

Clash of Loyalties ''Clash of Loyalties'' ( ar, المسألة الكبرى, al-masʿāla al-kubrā, aka ''The Great Question'') is a 1983 Iraqi film focusing on the formation of Iraq out of Mesopotamia in the aftermath of the First World War. The film was financed ...

'' with

Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed (13 February 1938 – 2 May 1999) was an English actor known for his well-to-do, macho image and "hellraiser" lifestyle. After making his first significant screen appearances in Hammer Horror films in the early 1960s, his ...

, filmed in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

Jack Hildyard Jack Hildyard, B.S.C. (17 March 1908, London – September 1990, London) was a British cinematographer who worked on more than 80 films during his career. Career He made several films with David Lean including ''The Sound Barrier'' (1952) ...

; the French film '' Mangeuses d'Hommes'' filmed in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

; '' Decadence (film), Decadence'' with

and

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...

filmed in

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

; the Italian film ''

Piccolo Grande Amore ''Pretty Princess'' ( it, Piccolo grande amore, lit, Little big love) is a 1993 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Carlo Vanzina. Plot Liechtenhaus (a fictional tiny European principality) is ruled by Prince Max, but the little country is ne ...

'' 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?'' ...

and

David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to: Sports * Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor * David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier * David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer Oth ...

filmed in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

; 'Lord Dolman' in Michael Winner's '' The Wicked Lady'' with Faye Dunaway,

Alan Bates Sir Alan Arthur Bates (17 February 1934 – 27 December 2003) was an English actor who came to prominence in the 1960s, when he appeared in films ranging from the popular children's story '' Whistle Down the Wind'' to the " kitchen sink" dram ...

and John Gielgud with cinematography by

Jack Cardiff Jack Cardiff, (18 September 1914 – 22 April 2009) was a British cinematographer, film and television director, and photographer. His career spanned the development of cinema, from silent film, through early experiments in Technicolor, to fi ...

; '' White Nights'' with

Mikhail Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; lv, Mihails Barišņikovs; born January 28, 1948) is a Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Latvian-born R ...

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (born Helen Lydia Mironoff; born 26 July 1945) is an English actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, she is the only performer to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting in both the United States and the United Kingdom. ...

and Isabella Rossellini (which was the Royal Film Performance of 1986); 'Captain Perez' in '' Carry On Columbus'' directed by Gerald Thomas, filmed by

Alan Hume Alan Hume, (16 October 1924 – 13 July 2010) was an English cinematographer. Life and career Hume arrived at Denham Film Studios in 1942, and worked for Cineguild Productions during the late 1940s. His early credits, prior to being called up t ...

and produced by Sinden's godfather Peter Rogers and was 'Mr. Honeythunder' in

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

' '' The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' with Robert Powell.

Television

He is probably best known for playing Inspector Stokesay in ''

Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...

'' with

Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations f ...

and as Martyn Price in the BAFTA and

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

award-winning ''

The Politician's Wife ''The Politician's Wife'' is a British television political drama broadcast on Channel 4 in 1995, written by Paula Milne, and starring Trevor Eve and Juliet Stevenson. Milne returned to the same themes in her BBC 2 drama miniseries, ''The Pol ...

'' with Trevor Eve and

Juliet Stevenson Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson, (born 30 October 1956) is an English actor of stage and screen. She is known for her role in the film ''Truly, Madly, Deeply'' (1991), for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leadin ...

. He has appeared in ''

Judge John Deed ''Judge John Deed'' is a British legal drama television series produced by the BBC in association with One-Eyed Dog for BBC One. It was created by G.F. Newman and stars Martin Shaw as Mr Justice Deed, a High Court of Justice, High Court judge wh ...

''; the series ''Island'' set on

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

and has also had roles in the BBC TV drama series' ''

Century Falls ''Century Falls'' is a British cross-genre series broadcast in six twenty-five-minute episodes on BBC1 in early 1993. Written by Russell T Davies, it tells the story of teenager Tess Hunter and her mother, who move to the seemingly idyllic rura ...

'' and ''Country Boy''; ''Against All Odds – The Promise'' with Roy Marsden; '' Never the Twain''; '' Bergerac'';

Peter Tinniswood Peter Tinniswood (21 December 1936 – 9 January 2003) was an English radio and TV comedy scriptwriter, and author of a series of popular novels. He was born in Liverpool, but grew up above a dry cleaner's on Eastway in Sale, Cheshire. Early ca ...

's ''Home Front'' with Brenda Bruce; '' Barry Morse presents Strange But True''; ''

Rumpole of the Bailey ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, o ...

'' with Leo McKern; '' Emmerdale''; ''

If You Go Down in the Woods Today ''If You Go Down in the Woods Today'' is a British TV film comedy released in 1981, written, directed and starring Eric Sykes, also featuring Fulton Mackay and Roy Kinnear amongst a cast of dozens. The film, produced by Thames TV, was described ...

'' with Eric Sykes; Desmond Elliott in the original series of ''

Crossroads Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to: * Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet Film and television Films * ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa * ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...

''; Joss Melford, opposite Lindsay Duncan in the episode ''Deadlier Than the Male'', in ''

Dick Turpin Richard Turpin (bapt. 21 September 1705 – 7 April 1739) was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's trade as a butcher ear ...

'' with Richard O'Sullivan; ''

All at No 20 ''All at No 20'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV (TV network), ITV from 10 February 1986 to 1 December 1987. Starring Maureen Lipman, it was written by Richard Ommanney, Ian Davidson (scriptwriter), Ian Davidson, Peter Vincent and Alex Shea ...

'' with

Maureen Lipman Dame Maureen Diane Lipman (born 10 May 1946) is an English actress, writer and comedian. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and her stage work has included appearances with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakesp ...

; ''

Shoestring Shoelaces, also called shoestrings (US English) or bootlaces (UK English), are a system commonly used to secure shoes, boots, and other footwear. They typically consist of a pair of strings or cords, one for each shoe, finished off at both ends ...

'' with Trevor Eve and ''

Wolf to the Slaughter ''Wolf to the Slaughter'' is a novel by British crime-writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1967. It is the third book in the popular Inspector Wexford series. A mini-series adapted from the novel was produced by Television South Televi ...

'' (the first of the

Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...

Inspector Wexford Chief Inspector Reginald "Reg" Wexford is a recurring character in a series of detective novels by English crime writer Ruth Rendell. He made his first appearance in the author's 1964 debut ''From Doon With Death'', and has since been the protag ...

TV adaptations). He was also nominated in 1981 for a Sony Award for his

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non-Diegetic#Film sound and music, diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, th ...

s for the

TV advertisements.

"Hey Jude" film recording

On 4 September 1968, Sinden and his brother Jeremy were part of the "Na-Na" chorus on "

", recording and filming the song with

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

at Twickenham Film Studios.Pinchabout, Emma (6 March 2009). . ''

Liverpool Daily Post The ''Liverpool Post'' was a newspaper published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The newspaper and its website ceased publication on 19 December 2013. Until 13 January 2012 it was a daily morning newspaper, with the tit ...

''.

Personal life

Sinden is divorced from the film producer Jo Gilbert and has two children from that marriage: Hal Sinden (born 1980), video director and cinematographer and Bridie Sinden (born 1990) who is a film production coordinator. He is the son of actor Donald Sinden and his wife, actress Diana Mahony and the brother of actor

. After leaving

Stanbridge Earls Stanbridge Earls School was a coeducational independent special school located near Romsey, Hampshire, England. Students ranged in age from 10–19. The school catered for both boarding and day pupils. The school specialized in teaching and help ...

school in 1971 aged 17, Sinden studied on the acting course at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School from 1971–73 alongside fellow student Pete Postlethwaite. Following this, he became a jeweller at H. Knowles Brown in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, London for five years. Marrying in 1977, he returned to acting in 1978, starting as an acting/ASM in weekly-repertory. Investigative journalist James Montague, writing in the July 2014 issue of ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...

'' magazine, claimed that Sinden spied for the British Government's

Secret Intelligence Service The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...

(

MI6 The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 ( Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligenc ...

) during the filming of ''

'' in Iraq, after being made "an offer he couldn't refuse, appealing to his duty and his pride in Queen and Country." In the article Sinden admitted that it was true. He is an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

and

secularist Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on secular, naturalistic considerations. Secularism is most commonly defined as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state, and may be broadened to a sim ...

, a Fellow of the Zoological Society, a Liveryman of the

Worshipful Company of Innholders The Worshipful Company of Innholders is one of the 110 livery companies of the City of London. The innholders were originally known as hostellers, but their name had changed by the time it was incorporated under a royal charter in 1514. The c ...

and was awarded the Freedom of the City of London by the Lord Mayor Sir Kenneth Cork. He is an active supporter of Europeanism and the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

. In '' Debrett's People of Today'' he lists his recreations as "exploring

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

clay pigeon shooting Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, is a shooting sport involving shooting a firearm at special flying targets known as clay pigeons, or clay targets. The terminology commonly used by clay shooters often relates to time ...

and cigars" and is a member of the

Noël Coward Society The Noël Coward Society is an international society founded with the agreement of Coward's literary agent and estate to celebrate the life and work of Sir Noël Coward. The Noël Coward Society was founded in 1999 to study, promote, and enjoy th ...

, the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association,

Guards Polo Club The Guards Polo Club is an English polo club in Windsor, Berkshire. It was most closely associated with the British Royal Family. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was President of the club from its formation on 25 January 1955 until his death i ...

and The Club at The Ivy. Sinden was nominated for the Cigar Smoker of the Year Award at the inaugural gala award ceremony in 2013, sponsored by ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' magazine and again in 2015.

References

External links

* Sinden (wearing grey jacket and tie and horn-rim spectacles) identified (starting at 3' 43") as standing next to

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

during recording of "

" by

at Twickenham Film Studios on 4 September 196

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sinden, Marc 1954 births Living people People from Hampstead People educated at Edgeborough School People educated at The Hall School, Hampstead People educated at Stanbridge Earls School Alumni of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School English male stage actors English male soap opera actors English male film actors English theatre managers and producers English documentary filmmakers English film directors Film directors from London Fellows of the Zoological Society of London Secret Intelligence Service personnel English humanists English atheists

Marc Marc or MARC may refer to: People * Marc (given name), people with the first name * Marc (surname), people with the family name Acronyms * MARC standards, a data format used for library cataloging, * MARC Train, a regional commuter rail system of ...