Nigel Patrick(1912-1981)
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
This droll, urbane, dry-witted gent was born Nigel Dennis Patrick Wemyss-Gorman in London on May 2, 1912. Coming from a family of actors, his parents were actors Charles Wemyss and Dorothy Turner.
Nigel made his stage debut in the 1932 play "The Life Machine" and continued on the stock and repertory stage with "Night of the Garter" (1933), "Daddy Long Legs" (1933), "Half a Crown" (1934), "Ringmaster" (1935), "Roulette (1935), "The Lady of La Paz" (1936), Mademoiselle (1936), "Tony Draws a Horse" (1939) and "Children to Bless You." (1939). During that period, he had a strong hit with the play "George and Margaret" (1937) at the Wyndham's Theatre. These plays established his reputation in stylish plays.
The actor turned to films with an appearance in the crime whodunnit Mrs. Pym of Scotland Yard (1940) starring veteran Mary Clare as the famed female detective. WWII interrupted his career, however, and he entered military duty, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel in the infantry. He revived his career on the stage following his war service with a number of productions including "Tomorrow's Child" (1946), "Fools Rush In" (1947), "These Mortals" (as Zeus) (1948) and "Champagne for Delilah" (1949).
Nigel also regained his footing in post-war films with featured roles in Spring in Park Lane (1948) and Conditions difficiles (1948). He then moved into top supports as doubting debonairs and high ranking officials while bolstering such stars as Carole Landis in the crime drama Noose (1948); John Mills in the war film La nuit commence à l'aube (1950); James Mason and Ava Gardner in the drama Pandora (1951); Michael Redgrave in L'ombre d'un homme (1951) and Ralph Richardson in Le mur du son (1952). He also played several leads in such films as The Jack of Diamonds (1949), Young Wives' Tale (1951), Who Goes There! (1952), Forbidden Cargo (1954), Comment tuer un oncle à héritage (1957) (also directed), Amour et ski (1955), Opération Scotland Yard (1959) and Johnny Nobody (1961).
Never abandoning the theatre, Nigel played the title role in "The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1955) and starred in "The Egg" (1957). He also directed the plays "Not in the Book" (1958), Settled Out of Court" (1960), The Geese Are Getting Fat" (1960) and "Past Imperfect" (1964). Of special interest, he directed and starred in well-received productions of "The Pleasure of His Company" (1959) and "Present Laughter" (1965).
On TV, Nigel starred in the British series Zéro un Londres (1962), which was briefly syndicated in the U.S. He occasionally found some support movie roles in the 1960's and 1970's with Hold-up à Londres (1960), Les procès d'Oscar Wilde (1960), La Bataille d'Angleterre (1969), Les soldats vierges (1969), L'exécuteur (1970), Toute la ville danse (1972) and Le piège (1973). In later years he would be spotted in the plays "Blithe Spirit," "A Suite in Two Keys," "Night Must Fall" and "Avanti!"
Long married (from 1951) to Irish-born actress Beatrice Campbell, who appeared with him in the film dramas L'homme à la cicatrice (1949) and Grand National Night (1953). She passed away in 1979 and Nigel joined her a couple of years later in London of lung cancer on September 21, 1981 .
Nigel made his stage debut in the 1932 play "The Life Machine" and continued on the stock and repertory stage with "Night of the Garter" (1933), "Daddy Long Legs" (1933), "Half a Crown" (1934), "Ringmaster" (1935), "Roulette (1935), "The Lady of La Paz" (1936), Mademoiselle (1936), "Tony Draws a Horse" (1939) and "Children to Bless You." (1939). During that period, he had a strong hit with the play "George and Margaret" (1937) at the Wyndham's Theatre. These plays established his reputation in stylish plays.
The actor turned to films with an appearance in the crime whodunnit Mrs. Pym of Scotland Yard (1940) starring veteran Mary Clare as the famed female detective. WWII interrupted his career, however, and he entered military duty, achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel in the infantry. He revived his career on the stage following his war service with a number of productions including "Tomorrow's Child" (1946), "Fools Rush In" (1947), "These Mortals" (as Zeus) (1948) and "Champagne for Delilah" (1949).
Nigel also regained his footing in post-war films with featured roles in Spring in Park Lane (1948) and Conditions difficiles (1948). He then moved into top supports as doubting debonairs and high ranking officials while bolstering such stars as Carole Landis in the crime drama Noose (1948); John Mills in the war film La nuit commence à l'aube (1950); James Mason and Ava Gardner in the drama Pandora (1951); Michael Redgrave in L'ombre d'un homme (1951) and Ralph Richardson in Le mur du son (1952). He also played several leads in such films as The Jack of Diamonds (1949), Young Wives' Tale (1951), Who Goes There! (1952), Forbidden Cargo (1954), Comment tuer un oncle à héritage (1957) (also directed), Amour et ski (1955), Opération Scotland Yard (1959) and Johnny Nobody (1961).
Never abandoning the theatre, Nigel played the title role in "The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1955) and starred in "The Egg" (1957). He also directed the plays "Not in the Book" (1958), Settled Out of Court" (1960), The Geese Are Getting Fat" (1960) and "Past Imperfect" (1964). Of special interest, he directed and starred in well-received productions of "The Pleasure of His Company" (1959) and "Present Laughter" (1965).
On TV, Nigel starred in the British series Zéro un Londres (1962), which was briefly syndicated in the U.S. He occasionally found some support movie roles in the 1960's and 1970's with Hold-up à Londres (1960), Les procès d'Oscar Wilde (1960), La Bataille d'Angleterre (1969), Les soldats vierges (1969), L'exécuteur (1970), Toute la ville danse (1972) and Le piège (1973). In later years he would be spotted in the plays "Blithe Spirit," "A Suite in Two Keys," "Night Must Fall" and "Avanti!"
Long married (from 1951) to Irish-born actress Beatrice Campbell, who appeared with him in the film dramas L'homme à la cicatrice (1949) and Grand National Night (1953). She passed away in 1979 and Nigel joined her a couple of years later in London of lung cancer on September 21, 1981 .
