Dermot Walsh

Early life

Born in Dublin, Walsh was the son of a journalist and a civil servant. He attended St Mary's College, Rathmines, and on the wishes of his parents, read Law at University College Dublin. Walsh studied acting at the Abbey Theatre School and spent three years with Lord Longford's repertory company at the Gate Theatre, working as an assistant stage hand.

Career

In 1945 Walsh moved to Britain and briefly joined the Croydon Repertory. Upon his return to Dublin he was spotted by a talent scout from the Rank Organisation. This led to parts in Bedelia, Hungry Hill and The Mark of Cain, and the beginning of Walsh's career in film. He appeared in seven films as a leading man, before returning to the theatre. Walsh later resumed his film career in a series of B movies. He appeared in over forty films made for film and a hundred for television, making his final film appearance in 1983.

Walsh made his first London stage appearance in George Bernard Shaw's Buoyant Billions at the Prince's Theatre in 1949. A prolific theatre actor, Walsh's many theatre credits included Reluctant Heroes, The Man Most Likely To, Laburnum Grove and The Mousetrap. He also turned his hand to writing and producing, writing the play The Murder Line in 1967 and producing later productions, including Blithe Spirit and Stage Struck.

Walsh's television work included appearances in Danger Man, No Hiding Place and Softly, Softly. He played the title role in the 39 half-hour episodes series Richard the Lionheart between 1962 and 1963.

Personal life

The first of Walsh's three marriages was to the actress Hazel Court, with whom he had a daughter, Sally (1950). He had a son Michael (1969) with his second wife, actress Diana Scougall, and two daughters Elisabeth (1974), Olivia (1977) with his third wife, actress Elizabeth Annear, who died in 1993.

The actress Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh is Walsh's daughter from his third marriage.