Cyril Ritchard

Cyril Ritchard

Known for: Acting
Biography: 1897-12-01
Deathday: 1977-12-18 (80 years old)

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Biography

Legendary for his preening, prancing, delightfully playful villain Captain Hook on the award-winning stage (as well as TV) opposite America's musical treasure Mary Martin, beloved musical star Cyril Ritchard had a vast career that would last six decades, but "Peter Pan" would become his prime legacy. Born in Australia just before the turn of the century, he was educated at St. Aloysius College and Sydney University wherein he slyly sidestepped a parental-guided career in medicine for entertainment, participating in numerous college productions that quickly got him "hooked." He began professionally in the chorus line of The Royal Comic Opera Company and quickly progressed to juvenile leads. A subsequent pairing with the already-established theatre actress Madge Elliott in 1918 proved successful, and the musical twosome eventually married in 1935. Together they would go on to become known as "The Musical Lunts" by their acting peers performing in scores of plays and revues together. Ritchard specialized in playing slick, dandified villains in musical comedy and developed a potent reputation of being a man of many talents. Not only directing and staging Broadway's finest, he became a renown performer of various operas and led many productions as such. Shortly before his wife's death of bone cancer in 1955, Ritchard ventured into TV infamy by repeating his Tony and Donaldson award-winning portrayal of Hook in Peter Pan (1955). He continued to earn acclaim and/or honors with such classic stage productions as "Visit to a Small Planet" (Tony-nominated), "The Pleasure of His Company" (Drama League award, Tony-nominated), "The Roar of the Greasepaint...the Smell of the Crowd" (Tony-nominated), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Sugar," the musical version of the classic Billy Wilder film Some Like It Hot (1959) in which Ritchard played the Joe E. Brown role. Lesser regarded when it comes to film, he performed in the early Hitchcock classic Blackmail (1929) and made his last movie with the musical Half a Sixpence (1967) with Tommy Steele. While performing as the Narrator in a stage production of "Side by Side by Sondheim" in November 1977, Ritchard suffered a heart attack and died one month later. A one-of-a-kind talent, his nefarious, narcissistic humor was a career trademark that culminated in the role of a lifetime -- one that will certainly be enjoyed by children young and old for eons to come.

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Filmography

all 48

Movies 27

TV Shows 21

self 12

Voice 2

Director 2

Elrond
The Hobbit

The Hobbit (1977)

Movie
9
Father Thomas
The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow

The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975)

Movie
The Frog (voice)
Tubby the Tuba

Tubby the Tuba (1975)

Movie
Emperor Klockenlocher
The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes

The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes (1972)

Movie
Mijnheer Kleef
Hans Brinker

Hans Brinker (1969)

Movie
Harry Chitterlow
Half a Sixpence

Half a Sixpence (1967)

Movie
The Sandman (voice)
The Daydreamer

The Daydreamer (1966)

Movie
Self - Host
The Lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner

The Lyrics of Alan Jay Lerner (1966)

Movie
Big Bad Wolf
The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood

The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (1965)

Movie
Director
Profiles in Courage

Profiles in Courage (1964)

TV
Ebenezer Scrooge
Mr. Scrooge

Mr. Scrooge (1964)

Movie
Self
The Danny Kaye Show

The Danny Kaye Show (1963)

TV
Self
The Merv Griffin Show

The Merv Griffin Show (1962)

TV
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

TV
6
The Owl and the Pussycat

The Owl and the Pussycat (1962)

Movie
Self - Co-Host
The Mike Douglas Show

The Mike Douglas Show (1961)

TV
Justin Fitzgibbons
Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare (1961)

TV
6
Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
Peter Pan

Peter Pan (1960)

Movie
6.92
Promenade Member
The Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree (1958)

Movie
Self
Kraft Music Hall

Kraft Music Hall (1958)

TV
Sui-Generis, the Sorcerer
Cole Porter's Aladdin

Cole Porter's Aladdin (1958)

Movie
Sui-Generis the Sorcerer
DuPont Show of the Month

DuPont Show of the Month (1957)

TV
Self
Tonight Starring Jack Paar

Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957)

TV
Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956)

TV
Self - Dr. Frankenstien / Self - Guest / Self - rehearsing for 'Jack and the Beanstalk'
The Steve Allen Show

The Steve Allen Show (1956)

TV
Self - Presenter
Tony Awards

Tony Awards (1956)

TV
1
George Darling / Captain Hook
Peter Pan

Peter Pan (1956)

Movie
General Howe
Dearest Enemy

Dearest Enemy (1955)

Movie
Playwrights '56

Playwrights '56 (1955)

TV
Captain Hook / Mr. Darling
Peter Pan

Peter Pan (1955)

Movie
6.58
Captain Hook / George Darling / Britannus
Producers' Showcase

Producers' Showcase (1954)

TV
Director
Omnibus

Omnibus (1952)

TV
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate (1952)

Movie
Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)

TV
8.33
Arnold
Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre (1950)

TV
Self - Mystery Guest
What's My Line?

What's My Line? (1950)

TV
Pontius Pilate / Monty Gavenhurst
Studio One

Studio One (1948)

TV
Reveller (uncredited)
Woman Hater

Woman Hater (1948)

Movie
The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)

TV
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show (1948)

TV
6
Paul Martine
I See Ice

I See Ice (1938)

Movie
Jimmy
The Show Goes On

The Show Goes On (1937)

Movie
Brain
It's a Grand Old World

It's a Grand Old World (1937)

Movie
Sir William Carter
Service for Ladies

Service for Ladies (1932)

Movie
Leo Chavasse
Symphony in Two Flats

Symphony in Two Flats (1930)

Movie
Craddock
Just for a Song

Just for a Song (1930)

Movie
The Artist
Blackmail

Blackmail (1929)

Movie
4.77
Victor Smiles
Piccadilly

Piccadilly (1929)

Movie

Ratings

Average 5.67
Based on 49 Thousand movie and tv ratings over time
1929
1950
1956
1955
1977
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Information

Known For
Acting

Gender
Male

Birthday
1897-12-01

Deathday
1977-12-18 (80 years old)

Birth Place
Sydney, Australia

Citizenships
Australia

Also Known As
Cyrill Ritchard

Awards
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical


This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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