Michael Charles Gauntlet Wilding (23 July 1912 – 8 July 1979) was an English stage, television, and film actor. He is best known for a series of films he made with

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema ...

; he also made two films with

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

, ''

Under Capricorn ''Under Capricorn'' is a 1949 British historical thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock about a couple in Australia who started out as lady and stable boy in Ireland, and who are now bound together by a horrible secret. The film is based on ...

'' (1949) and ''

Stage Fright Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, real or imagined, whether actually or potentially (for example, when perf ...

'' (1950); and he guest starred on Hitchcock's TV show in 1963. He was married four times, including to

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

, with whom he had two sons.

Biography

Early life

Born in

Leigh-on-Sea Leigh-on-Sea (), commonly referred to simply as Leigh, is a town and civil parish in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. In 2011, it had a population of 22,509. Geography Leigh-on-Sea is on the northern ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

, England, and educated at

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and received its first royal charter in 1553 ...

, Wilding left home at age 17 and trained as a commercial artist. He went to Europe when he was 20 and supported himself in Europe by doing sketches. He wanted to get into designing sets for films and approached a London film studio in 1933 looking for work. They invited him to come to work as an extra.

Acting career

Wilding appeared as an extra in British films such as '' Bitter Sweet'' (1933), ''

Heads We Go ''Heads We Go'' (U.S. title: ''The Charming Deceiver'') is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Constance Cummings, Frank Lawton and Binnie Barnes. It was made at Elstree Studios (Shenley Road), Elstree Studios by Briti ...

'' (1933), and '' Channel Crossing'' (1933). He caught the acting bug and decided to make it a career. He reportedly appeared in an Austrian film called ''Pastorale''. He made his stage debut in ''The Ringer'' in 1934 for the Watford Repertory Company and made his London stage debut in '' Chase the Ace'' the following year. He could be spotted in the films '' Late Extra'' (1935), '' When Knights Were Bold'' (1936), and ''

Wedding Group ''Wedding Group'' is a 1936 British drama film directed by Alex Bryce and Campbell Gullan and starring Fay Compton, Patric Knowles and Barbara Greene. It was made at Wembley Studios as a quota quickie. The film was released in the US under the t ...

'' (1936). He was in two musicals on stage, ''Spread It Abroad'' and ''Home and Beauty''. In 1937–38 he toured Australia and New Zealand with

Fay Compton Virginia Lilian Emmeline Compton-Mackenzie, (; 18 September 1894 – 12 December 1978), known professionally as Fay Compton, was an English actress. She appeared in several films, and made many broadcasts, but was best known for her stage per ...

's stage company. The plays included ''Personal Appearance'', ''Victoria Regina'', ''Tonight at Eight Thirty'' and ''George and Margaret''. While in Australia he filmed a prologue for ''Personal Appearance''. Back in England he appeared in the first Gate Revue, then followed this with another revue, ''Let's Face It'' and a pantomime, ''Who's Taking Liberty''. He had bigger film parts in ''

There Ain't No Justice ''There Ain't No Justice'' is a 1939 British sports drama film directed by Pen Tennyson and starring Jimmy Hanley, Edward Chapman and Edward Rigby. The film is based on the 1937 novel of the same name by James Curtis. Plot summary Tommy Mut ...

'' (1939), ''

Convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

'' (1940), and '' Tilly of Bloomsbury'' (1940). He had a good role in ''

Sailors Three ''Sailors Three'' (released in the US as ''Three Cockeyed Sailors'') is a 1940 British war comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Tommy Trinder, Claude Hulbert and Carla Lehmann. This was cockney music hall comedian Trinder's debut ...

'' (1940), and '' Sailors Don't Care'' (1940). Wilding had a leading role in ''

Spring Meeting ''Spring Meeting'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Walter C. Mycroft and Norman Lee and starring Enid Stamp-Taylor, Michael Wilding, Basil Sydney and Sarah Churchill. It was based on a 1938 play of the same title by M. J. Farrell ...

'' (1941) but was back to support parts in ''

The Farmer's Wife ''The Farmer's Wife'' is a 1928 British silent romantic comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Jameson Thomas, Lillian Hall-Davis and Gordon Harker. It is adapted from a 1916 play of the same name by British novelist, poet an ...

'' (1941). His films grew more prestigious: ''

Kipps ''Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul'' is a novel by H. G. Wells, first published in 1905. It was reportedly Wells's own favourite among his works, and it has been adapted for stage, cinema and television productions, including the musical ''H ...

'' (1941), ''

Cottage to Let ''Cottage to Let'' is a 1941 British spy thriller film directed by Anthony Asquith starring Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim and John Mills. Filmed during the Second World War and set in Scotland during the war, its plot concerns Nazi spies trying to ...

'' (1941), ''

Ships with Wings ''Ships with Wings'' is a 1941 British war film directed by Sergei Nolbandov and starring John Clements, Leslie Banks and Jane Baxter. The film is set during the Battle of Greece (1940-1941). It depicts military aviation. Plot During the S ...

'' (1941), ''

The Big Blockade ''The Big Blockade'' is a 1942 British black-and-white war propaganda film in the style of dramatised documentary. It is directed by Charles Frend and stars Will Hay, Leslie Banks, Michael Redgrave and John Mills. It was produced by Michael Bal ...

'' (1941), ''

In Which We Serve ''In Which We Serve'' is a 1942 British patriotic war film directed by Noël Coward and David Lean. It was made during the Second World War with the assistance of the Ministry of Information (United Kingdom), Ministry of Information. The scree ...

'' (1942), ''

Secret Mission ''Secret Mission'' is a 1942 British war film directed by Harold French and starring Hugh Williams, James Mason, Nancy Price, Carla Lehmann and Roland Culver. Plot During the Second World War, British Army Major Peter Garnett assembles a team ...

'' (1942), and ''

Undercover To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an indi ...

'' (1943). He played in ''

Quiet Weekend ''Quiet Weekend'' is a 1946 British comedy film directed by Harold French and starring Derek Farr, Frank Cellier, Marjorie Fielding, George Thorpe and Barbara White. A family try to relax during a weekend holiday in the country.

'' on stage for a year. In 1943 he performed for the troops in Gibraltar with

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud, (; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Briti ...

Stardom

Wilding finally became a film name with ''

Dear Octopus ''Dear Octopus'' is a comedy by the playwright and novelist Dodie Smith. It opened at the Queen's Theatre, London on 14 September 1938. On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 the run was halted after 373 performances; after ...

'' (1943). He followed it with ''

English Without Tears ''English Without Tears'' is a 1944 British romantic comedy film directed by Harold French and starring Michael Wilding, Penelope Dudley-Ward and Lilli Palmer. It was released in the U.S. under the title ''Her Man Gilbey'', as a reference to th ...

'' (1944).

Collaboration with Anna Neagle

What really made him a star was appearing opposite

in ''

Piccadilly Incident ''Piccadilly Incident'' is a 1946 British drama film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Coral Browne, Edward Rigby and Leslie Dwyer. Wilcox teamed his wife Anna Neagle with Michael Wilding for the first time, e ...

'' (1946). Director

Herbert Wilcox Herbert Sydney Wilcox Order of the British Empire, CBE (19 April 1890 – 15 May 1977) was a British film producer and film director, director. He was one of the most successful British filmmakers from the 1920s to the 1950s. He is best know ...

had wanted Rex Harrison or

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portra ...

and had only taken Wilding reluctantly. However, once he saw the rushes he signed Wilding to a long-term contract. ''Piccadilly Incident'' was the second most popular film at the British box office in 1946. After co-starring with

Sally Gray Constance Vera Browne, Baroness Oranmore and Browne (''née'' Stevens; 14 February 1915 – 24 September 2006), commonly known as Sally Gray, was an English film actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Her obituary in ''The Irish Times'' described he ...

in ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

'' (1946), Wilding was reunited with Neagle and Wilcox in ''

The Courtneys of Curzon Street ''The Courtneys of Curzon Street'' (also titled ''The Courtney Affair'' or Kathy's Love Affair, in the U.S.) is a 1947 British drama film starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding. It is a study of class division and snobbery in Britain in the la ...

'' (1947), the biggest hit at the 1947 British box office and one of the most-seen British films of all time.

Alexander Korda Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; hu, Korda Sándor; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956)Paulette Goddard Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy; June 3, 1910 – April 23, 1990) was an American actress notable for her film career in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Born in Manhattan and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Goddard initially began her career a ...

in '' An Ideal Husband'' (1947), another hit, but it failed to recoup its enormous cost. Wilding, Neagle and Wilcox reteamed for ''

Spring in Park Lane ''Spring in Park Lane'' is a 1948 British romantic comedy film produced and directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding and Tom Walls. It was part of a series of films partnering Neagle and Wilding. It was the top film a ...

'' (1948), another outstanding hit. It led to a sequel, ''

Maytime in Mayfair ''Maytime in Mayfair'' is a 1949 British musical comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Nicholas Phipps, and Tom Walls. It was a follow up to ''Spring in Park Lane''. The film was one of the most popula ...

'' (1949), which was also enormously popular. Wilding was now one of the biggest stars in Britain—indeed he was voted as such by the readers of ''

Kine Weekly ''Kinematograph Weekly'', popularly known as ''Kine Weekly'', was a trade paper catering to the British film industry between 1889 and 1971. History ''Kinematograph Weekly'' was founded in 1889 as the monthly publication ''Optical Magic Lantern a ...

''. Director

then cast him in two consecutive films that he produced through his own film production company

Transatlantic Pictures Transatlantic Pictures was founded by Alfred Hitchcock and longtime associate Sidney Bernstein at the end of World War II in preparation for the end of Hitchcock's contract with David O. Selznick in 1947. In 1945, Hitchcock and Bernstein were invo ...

(distributed through

Warner Brothers Pictures Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

). The first, ''

'' (released in 1949), in which he played opposite

Ingrid Bergman Ingrid Bergman (29 August 191529 August 1982) was a Swedish actress who starred in a variety of European and American films, television movies, and plays.Obituary ''Variety'', 1 September 1982. With a career spanning five decades, she is often ...

and

Joseph Cotten Joseph Cheshire Cotten Jr. (May 15, 1905 – February 6, 1994) was an American film, stage, radio and television actor. Cotten achieved prominence on Broadway, starring in the original stage productions of '' The Philadelphia Story'' and ''Sabr ...

, was shot mostly in London but had final retakes and overdubs filmed in Hollywood. It was one of Hitchcock's few flops. His second film for Hitchcock was the more popular ''

'' (released in 1950), also filmed in London, with

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

and

Jane Wyman Jane Wyman ( ; born Sarah Jane Mayfield; January 5, 1917 – September 10, 2007)"Actress, P ...

. Thirteen years later, in 1963, Wilding starred in an

Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...

episode titled "Last Seen Wearing Blue Jeans". Wilcox used him in a film without Neagle, '' Into the Blue'' (1950) and the public response was considerably less enthusiastic than for the films they made together. He put

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (born 27 April 1932), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, is a French film actress, who has appeared in 70 films since 1947, having begun her film career at age 14. In her early years, she studi ...

under personal contract and announced plans to make a movie together but none resulted.

Hollywood

MGM made an offer for Wilding to appear opposite

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the hom ...

in '' The Law and the Lady'' (1951); the film was not a success. He returned to Britain for ''

The Lady with a Lamp ''The Lady with a Lamp'' is a 1951 British historical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding and Felix Aylmer. The film depicts the life of Florence Nightingale and her work with wounded British soldiers duri ...

'' (1951), a biopic of

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during t ...

with Neagle and Wilcox. It was popular in Britain, though less so than their earlier collaborations. So too was '' Derby Day'' (1952), the last Neagle–Wilding collaboration. Wilcox tried Wilding with a new star,

Margaret Lockwood Margaret Mary Day Lockwood, Order of the British Empire, CBE (15 September 1916 – 15 July 1990), was an English actress. One of Britain's most popular film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, her film appearances included ''The Lady Vanishes (1938 ...

, in ''

Trent's Last Case ''Trent's Last Case'' is a detective novel written by E. C. Bentley and first published in 1913. Its central character, the artist and amateur detective Philip Trent, reappeared subsequently in the novel '' Trent's Own Case'' (1936), and the s ...

'' (1952), a minor hit. In 1952 British exhibitors voted him the fourth most popular star at the local box office. In May 1952 Wilding signed a long-term contract with MGM. He turned down a role in MGM's '' Latin Lovers'' and the studio put him under suspension. In Hollywood, Wilding supported Joan Crawford in MGM's ''

Torch Song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affecte ...

'' (1953). 20th Century Fox borrowed him to play a pharaoh in their big budget spectacular, ''

The Egyptian ''The Egyptian'' (''Sinuhe egyptiläinen'', Sinuhe the Egyptian) is a historical novel by Mika Waltari. It was first published in Finnish in 1945, and in an abridged English translation by Naomi Walford in 1949, from Swedish rather than Finnish ...

'' (1954), which was a box office disappointment. At MGM he was Prince Charming to

Leslie Caron Leslie Claire Margaret Caron (; born 1 July 1931) is a French-American actress and dancer. She is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award, two BAFTA Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards. She is one ...

's Cinderella in '' The Glass Slipper'' (1955), and Major

John André John André (2 May 1750/1751''Gravesite–Memorial''
Westmi ...

in ''

The Scarlet Coat ''The Scarlet Coat '' is a 1955 American historical drama and swashbuckler in Eastmancolor and CinemaScope released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced by Nicholas Nayfack, directed by John Sturges. It stars Cornel Wilde, Michael Wilding, George Sa ...

'' (1956).

Supporting actor

Wilding journeyed with Taylor to Africa to appear in ''

Zarak ''Zarak'' is a 1957 CinemaScope adventure film based on the 1949 book ''The Story of Zarak Khan'' by A.J. Bevan. It was directed by Terence Young with assistance from John Gilling and Yakima Canutt. Set in the Northwest Frontier (though film ...

'' (1956) for Warwick Films, after which his marriage to Taylor ended. He began appearing regularly on U.S. television, including the title role in the 1957 episode "The Trial of Colonel Blood" of

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...

'' The Joseph Cotten Show''. He had some roles in ''

Danger Within ''Danger Within'' (American title: ''Breakout'') is a 1959 British war film set in a prisoner of war camp in Northern Italy during the summer of 1943. A combination of POW escape drama and whodunit, the movie is based upon the 1952 novel '' Deat ...

'' (1959), a POW movie; ''

The World of Suzie Wong ''The World of Suzie Wong'' is a 1957 novel by British writer Richard Mason. The main characters are Robert Lomax, a young British artist living in Hong Kong, and Suzie Wong, the title character, a Chinese woman who works as a prostitute. ...

'' (1960); ''

The Naked Edge ''The Naked Edge'' is a 1961 thriller film starring Gary Cooper (in his final film role) and Deborah Kerr. The film was a British-American co-production distributed by United Artists, directed by Michael Anderson and produced by George Glass a ...

'' (1961); '' The Best of Enemies'' (1961); and ''

A Girl Named Tamiko ''A Girl Named Tamiko'' is a 1962 romantic drama film directed by John Sturges and starring Laurence Harvey and France Nuyen, with Martha Hyer, Gary Merrill, Michael Wilding, and Miyoshi Umeki. It is based on the novel of the same name by Ronald K ...

'' (1962).

Final films

His last roles included ''

The Sweet Ride ''The Sweet Ride'' is a 1968 American drama film with a few surfer/ biker exploitation film elements. It stars Tony Franciosa, Michael Sarrazin and Jacqueline Bisset in an early starring role. The film also features Bob Denver in the role of Choo ...

'' (1968) and '' Waterloo'' (1970). His last appearance in a feature was in a cameo in ''

Lady Caroline Lamb Lady Caroline Lamb (née Ponsonby; 13 November 1785 – 25 January 1828) was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and novelist, best known for ''Glenarvon'', a Gothic novel. In 1812 she had an affair with Lord Byron, whom she described as "mad, bad, and ...

'' (1972), which co-starred his last wife,

Margaret Leighton Margaret Leighton, CBE (26 February 1922 – 13 January 1976) was an English actress, active on stage and television, and in film. Her film appearances included (her first credited debut feature) in Anatole de Grunwald's ''The Winslow Boy'' ( ...

. His last role was in the TV movie '' Frankenstein: The True Story'' (1973).

Box-office ranking

At the peak of his career, British exhibitors voted him among the most popular stars in the country: * 1947—seventh most popular British star * 1948—fifth most popular star * 1949—second most popular star * 1950—sixth most popular British star * 1951—tenth most popular star * 1952 fourth most popular British star

Personal life

Wilding was married four times: to Kay Young (married August 1937, separated December 1945, divorced December 1951);

(married February 1952, separated July 1956, divorced January 1957); Susan Nell (married February 1958, divorced July 1962); and

(married from July 1964 until her death in January 1976). He and Taylor, who was 20 years his junior, had two sons, Michael Howard (born January 6, 1953) and Christopher Edward (born February 27, 1955). In 1957 he had a short-lived romance with actress

Marie McDonald Marie McDonald (born Cora Marie Frye, July 6, 1923 – October 21, 1965) was an American singer and actress known as "The Body Beautiful" and later nicknamed "The Body". Early life Born in Burgin, Kentucky, McDonald was the daughter of Evert ...

, who was nicknamed The Body. In the 1960s he was forced to cut back on his film appearances because of illness related to his lifelong

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrical ...

Death

Wilding died on 8 July 1979 in

Chichester Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ar ...

, as a result of head injuries from a fall down a flight of stairs during an epileptic seizure.Michael Wilding dead from fall
/ref> His body was

cremated Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...

and the ashes were scattered.

Filmography

Television

References

External links

* *
Photographs and literature
, - !colspan="3" style="background:#C1D8FF;", Husband of

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilding, Michael 1912 births 1979 deaths 20th-century English male actors Accidental deaths in England Deaths from epilepsy Male actors from Essex Male actors from Sussex English talent agents English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors People educated at Christ's Hospital People from Chichester People from Leigh-on-Sea Neurological disease deaths in England Accidental deaths from falls

Biography

Early life

Acting career

Stardom

Collaboration with Anna Neagle

Hollywood

Supporting actor

Final films

Box-office ranking

Personal life

Death

Filmography

Television

See also

References

External links