Occupation Actor Name Roland Culver | Role Film actor Books Not Quite a Gentleman | |
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Full Name Roland Joseph Culver Born 31 August 1900 ( 1900-08-31 ) Highgate, London, England, UK Died March 1, 1984, Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom Spouse Nan Hopkins (m. 1947–1984), Daphne Rye (m. 1932–1946) Children Michael Culver, Robin Culver Movies The Life and Death of Colone, Dead of Night, The Legend of Hell House, Thunderball, Safari Similar People Harold French, Michael Culver, Robert Hamer, Basil Dearden, John Hough | ||
Roger livesey roland culver scene the pallisers 1974
Roland Joseph Culver, OBE (31 August 1900 – 1 March 1984) was an English stage, film, and television actor.
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Life and career
After Highgate School, he joined the Royal Air Force and served as a pilot from 1918 to 1919. After considering other careers, he turned to acting, graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He debuted on the stage in 1924 at Hull Repertory Theatre and, by 1931, was appearing in films in which he was known for his portrayals of impeccable English gentlemen not given to displays of emotion. In the 1960s, he branched out into television before finally retiring in 1982. In 1960 he appeared in Five Finger Exercise at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. He was nominated for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Ivanov. In 1974, he played the irascible Duke of Omnium and Gatherum in the popular BBC adaptation of 'The Pallisers'.
He lost half a lung to tuberculosis.
Personal life
He was married twice, first to actress, director, and casting agent Daphne Rye between 1932 and 1946, then to Nan Hopkins from 1947 until his death from a heart attack in 1984. With his first wife, he had two children: actor Michael Culver and Robin Culver.
Culver was awarded an OBE in the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to drama.
Writer
Culver wrote the play A River Breeze, and his autobiography is called Not Quite a Gentleman.