George Walter Rose (19 February 1920 – 5 May 1988) was an English actor and singer in theatre and film. He won the

Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did n ...

for roles in ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' and ''

The Mystery of Edwin Drood ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870. Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...

''.

Early life

Born in

Bicester, Oxfordshire Bicester ( ) is a historical market towngarden town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in Southern England that also comprises an eco town at North-East Bicester and self-build village aGraven Hill Its local ...

, the son of a butcher, Rose studied at the

Central School of Speech and Drama The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama was founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a ...

. After graduation, he was briefly a farmer and secretary. After wartime service and studies at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, he made his

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Ma ...

stage debut in 1946.

Career

Rose spent four years with the Old Vic company and made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in a 1946 production of '' Henry IV, Part I'' and continued to play in New York City and London's West End for the remainder of the decade. He spent most of the 1950s appearing in broad comedy roles in the UK, later joining the

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and produces around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, St ...

. He returned to Broadway to portray Dogberry in ''

Much Ado About Nothing ''Much Ado About Nothing'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599.See textual notes to ''Much Ado About Nothing'' in ''The Norton Shakespeare'' ( W. W. Norton & Company, 1997 ) p. 1387 The play ...

'' in 1959. Two years later, he co-starred to much acclaim in

Robert Bolt Robert Oxton Bolt (15 August 1924 – 20 February 1995) was an English playwright and a two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter, known for writing the screenplays for ''Lawrence of Arabia'', ''Doctor Zhivago'', and '' A Man for All Seasons'', ...

's '' A Man for All Seasons'', first in London and then in New York. This included ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' naming him best supporting actor for his portrayal of the Common Man. From then on he appeared primarily in American plays and films. Rose made his screen debut in ''Midnight Frolics'' in 1949 and went on to make more than 30 films. Notable film credits include ''

The Pickwick Papers ''The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club'' (also known as ''The Pickwick Papers'') was Charles Dickens's first novel. Because of his success with '' Sketches by Boz'' published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to ...

'' (1952), '' Track the Man Down'' (1955), '' A Night to Remember'' (1958), ''

The Flesh and the Fiends ''The Flesh and the Fiends'' (US title ''Mania'') is a 1960 British horror film directed by John Gilling. It stars Peter Cushing as 19th-century medical doctor Robert Knox, who purchases human corpses for research from a murderous pair named Bu ...

'' (1959), ''

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

'' (1966), and '' A New Leaf'' (1971). Rose starred in the 1975 television series ''

Beacon Hill Beacon Hill may refer to: Places Canada * Beacon Hill, Ottawa, Ontario, a neighbourhood * Beacon Hill Park, a park in Victoria, British Columbia * Beacon Hill, Saskatchewan * Beacon Hill, Montreal, a neighbourhood in Beaconsfield, Quebec United ...

'', an Americanised version of '' Upstairs, Downstairs''. Other television credits include '' Naked City'', ''Trials of O'Brien'', the mini-series ''

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...

'' (1978), and several appearances on the ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in ...

''. On Broadway, among other roles, he played the First Gravedigger in

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 Brit ...

's 1964 production of ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

'' starring

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 pe ...

, a suspicious storekeeper in

William Hanley William Hanley (October 22, 1931 – May 25, 2012) was an American playwright, novelist, and scriptwriter, born in Lorain, Ohio. Hanley wrote plays for the theatre, radio and television and published three novels in the 1970s. He was related to ...

's ''Slow Dance on the Killing Ground'' (1964), a bitter soldier in

Peter Shaffer Sir Peter Levin Shaffer (; 15 May 1926 – 6 June 2016) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He wrote numerous award-winning plays, of which several were adapted into films. Early life Shaffer was born to a Jewish family in L ...

's '' Royal Hunt of the Sun'' (1965), and the detective in

Joe Orton John Kingsley Orton (1 January 1933 – 9 August 1967), known by the pen name of Joe Orton, was an English playwright, author, and diarist. His public career, from 1964 until his death in 1967, was short but highly influential. During this brie ...

's ''Loot'' (1968). His first

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

nomination was for his portrayal of Louis Greff,

Coco Chanel Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel ( , ; 19 August 1883 – 10 January 1971) was a French fashion designer and businesswoman. The founder and namesake of the Chanel brand, she was credited in the post-World War I era with popularizing a sporty, c ...

's friend, in the musical '' Coco'' in 1969. In the 1974 comedy ''

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 exercise ...

'', opposite

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was an English actress. She won two Golden Globe Awards throughout her career. A member of the Redgrave family of actors, Lynn trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962. B ...

, he won a

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...

and received another Tony nomination. In 1976, he finally won a Tony as Alfred P. Doolittle in the 20th anniversary Broadway revival of ''

''. He received further acclaim in the role of General Burgoyne in '' The Devil's Disciple'', as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in ''Peter Pan'' and as one of

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey "Rex" Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French Without Tears'', in wh ...

's co-stars in ''The Kingfisher''; he won a 1979 Drama Desk Award for the last. In 1980, he appeared as Major General Stanley in the hit

Joe Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a ...

adaptation of ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...

'', co-starring

Kevin Kline Kevin Delaney Kline (born October 24, 1947) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award and three Tony Awards. In addition, he has received nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five ...

and

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

, being nominated for another Tony award. He also starred in the film adaptation of the production, released in 1983. Rose won his second Tony in 1986, for Rupert Holmes' musical adaptation of ''

''. Rose was appearing in a national tour of ''Drood'' at the time of his death in 1988. His last film role was ''

Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw ''Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw'' is a 1988 American animated musical adventure film based on the Tonka toy line and the Hanna-Barbera television series of the same name, which aired around the same time. It was directed by Pierre De ...

'', in which he voiced the villain Marvin McNasty (and also sang one of the film's songs).

Personal life and death

Rose owned a pet

lynx A lynx is a type of wild cat. Lynx may also refer to: Astronomy * Lynx (constellation) * Lynx (Chinese astronomy) * Lynx X-ray Observatory, a NASA-funded mission concept for a next-generation X-ray space observatory Places Canada * Lynx, ...

, birds and other exotic creatures. He had a music collection numbering around 17,000 records. In 1984, he purchased a holiday home in

Sosúa Sosúa is a beach town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic. Located approximately from the Gregorio Luperón International Airport in San Felipe de Puerto Plata. The town is divided into three sectors: ''El Batey'', which i ...

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

where he spent much of his time between his performances. Rose was

homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to pe ...

and had no immediate family or permanent partner. He reportedly longed to have an heir. Shortly after moving, he took in a 14 year old boy whom he supported financially and to whom he planned to leave his estate. He officially adopted the boy in January 1988. On 5 May 1988, during a two-week hiatus from the national tour of ''Drood'', Rose was tortured and beaten to death by his adopted son, the boy's biological father, an uncle and a friend of the father. The assailants tried to make the death look like a car accident, but soon confessed. Though all four were charged and spent time in prison, no trial was ever held, and eventually all were released. Rose is buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery near his Sosúa home.

Awards and nominations

Stage productions

* ''

A Penny for a Song ''A Penny for a Song'' is a 1951 historical comedy play by the British writer John Whiting. In 1967 it was adapted into an opera of the same title by Richard Rodney Bennett, performed at Sadler's Wells. It premiered at Wimbledon Theatre before ...

'' (1951) * '' A Man For All Seasons'' (1962) * '' Richard Burton's Hamlet'' (1964) * ''Slow Dance on the Killing Ground'' (1964) * '' The Royal Hunt of the Sun'' (1965) * '' Walking Happy'' (1966) * ''

Loot Loot may refer to: Film *''Loot'' (1919 film), a film by William C. Dowlan * ''Loot'' (1970 film), a British film by Silvio Narizzano * ''Loot'' (2008 film), a documentary * ''Loot'' (2011 film), an Indian film * ''Loot'' (2012 film), a Nepali fi ...

'' (1968) * ''

Canterbury Tales ''The Canterbury Tales'' ( enm, Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's '' magnum opu ...

'' (1969) * '' Coco'' (1969) * ''

Sleuth Sleuth may refer to: *Detective *Sleuth, collective noun for a group of bears Computing * The Sleuth Kit, a collection of forensic analysis software *SLEUTH assembler language for the UNIVAC 1107 Entertainment and media *Cloo Cloo (stylized ...

'' (1970) * ''

Wise Child ''Wise Child'' is a 1967 play by English playwright Simon Gray. Plot The play concerns orphaned Jerry Artminster, who blackmails a criminal named Jock Masters by promising he will not reveal his identity if Jock agrees to impersonate the boy's m ...

'' (1972) * ''

'' (1974) * ''

'' (1976) * ''The Kingfisher'' (1978) * ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythi ...

'' (1979) * ''

'' (1981) * '' You Can't Take It with You'' (1983) * ''

Dance a Little Closer ''Dance a Little Closer'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Charles Strouse. The story is an updated version of Robert E. Sherwood's 1936 antiwar comedy '' Idiot's Delight''. Plot overview The musical is set on N ...

'' (1983) * ''

Aren't We All? ''Aren't We All?'' is a comic play by Frederick Lonsdale. At the core of the drawing room comedy's slim plot is the Hon. William Tatham who, having been consigned to the proverbial doghouse for a romantic indiscretion, is determined to catch hi ...

'' (1985) * ''

'' (1985)

Filmography

References

External links

* *
George Rose
at Internet Off-Broadway Database {{DEFAULTSORT:Rose, George 1920 births 1988 deaths 1988 crimes in the Dominican Republic 1988 murders in North America 1980s murders in the Dominican Republic 20th-century English male actors Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Drama Desk Award winners Deaths by beating English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English people murdered abroad English gay actors Male actors from Oxfordshire Murder in the Dominican Republic People from Bicester Royal Shakespeare Company members Tony Award winners English torture victims British Army personnel of World War II