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Michael Gough
Gough as Alfred Pennyworth in BatmanBorn Michael Roland Gough
23 November 1916
Kuala Lumpur, British MalayaDied 17 March 2011 (aged 94)
London, EnglandCause of death Short-illness Nationality British Occupation Actor Years active 1946–2010 Spouse Diana Graves (divorced)
Anne Leon (divorced)
Anneke Wills (1962-1979, divorced)
Henrietta LawrenceMichael Roland Gough (23 November 1916 – 17 March 2011)[1][2] was an English character actor who appeared in over 150 films. He is perhaps best known for international audiences for his roles in the Hammer Horror films from 1958, and for his recurring role as Alfred Pennyworth in all four movies of the Burton/Schumacher Batman franchise, beginning with Batman (1989).
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[hide][edit] Early life and career
Gough was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya (now Malaysia), the son of British parents Frances Atkins (née Bailie) and Francis Berkeley Gough.[3][4][5] During World War II, Gough was a conscientious objector like his friend Frith Banbury, although he was obliged to serve in the Non-Combatant Corps[6] and was a member of the No. 6 NCC in Liverpool.[7] Gough made his film debut in 1948 in Blanche Fury, and since appeared extensively on British television. In 1955, he portrayed one of the two murderers who kill the Duke of Clarence (John Gielgud) as well as the two little princes in Laurence Olivier's Richard III.
Gough became known for appearances in horror films including Dracula (1958), Horrors of the Black Museum (1959), The Phantom of the Opera (1962), The Corpse (Velvet House, 1970) and Norman J. Warren's stockbroker-satanism debut Satan's Slave (1976).
Gough guest-starred on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, as the villain in the serial The Celestial Toymaker (1966) and also as Councillor Hedin in Arc of Infinity (1983). He also played the automation-obsessed, wheelchair-using Dr. Armstrong in "The Cybernauts", one of the best remembered episodes of The Avengers (1965). In the Ian Curteis television play Suez 1956 (1979) he played Prime Minister Anthony Eden. He also appeared in The Citadel (1983) as Sir Jenner Halliday, and in 1985's Out of Africa as Lord Delamere.
[edit] Later roles
His later roles included Alfred Pennyworth for director Tim Burton, including Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). He also reprised his role as Alfred in the 1994 BBC radio adaptation of Batman: Knightfall and in Joel Schumacher Batman films, Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997). Gough was one of two actors to have appeared in the four Batman films; the other actor was Pat Hingle (as Commissioner Gordon). Gough worked for Burton again in 1999's Sleepy Hollow and 2005's Corpse Bride. He also briefly reprised his Alfred role in six 2001 television commercials for the OnStar automobile tracking system, informing Batman of the system's installation in the Batmobile. As a favor to Burton, Gough came out of retirement once more to appear in Burton's Alice in Wonderland.[8]
[edit] Awards and nominations
He won Broadway's 1979 Tony Award as Best Actor (Featured Role – Play) for Bedroom Farce. He was also nominated in the same category in 1988 for Breaking the Code.
He won a BAFTA TV Award in 1957 and was nominated for a BAFTA Film Award in 1972 for his work in The Go-Between.
He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play in 1979 for Bedroom Farce and again in 1988 for Breaking the Code.
[edit] Personal life
This section requires expansion. Gough was married four times—one of his wives being Doctor Who actor Anneke Wills, who played the Doctor's companion Polly. Wills had encountered him at various times during her life—firstly during a theatre trip with her mother in 1952—but they first met formally, on the set of Candidate for Murder and the attraction was instant. Gough adopted Anneke’s daughter Polly, and in 1965, their son Jasper was born.
[edit] Death
Michael Gough died on 17 March 2011 in London at the age of 94 after a short illness. He is survived by his fourth wife, Henrietta, daughter Emma and sons Simon and Jasper.[9] Michael Keaton, his co-star in the first two Batman films, said that Gough was sweet and charming and wrote, "To Mick - my butler, my confidant, my friend, my Alfred. I love you. God bless. Michael (Mr Wayne) Keaton."[10]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] References
- ^ Gough in the London Times, 23 June 1997: "There was some indecision as to when I was born. My sister said it was 1916. I'd lost my birth certificate." Gough's wife Henrietta confirmed 1916 (and not 1915) as her husband's birth year in 2010 (see Christian Heger: Mondbeglänzte Zaubernächte. Das Kino von Tim Burton. Marburg 2010).
- ^ Eric Shorter Obituary: Michael Gough, The Guardian, 17 March 2011
- ^ Michael Gough Biography
- ^ Michael Gough Biography – Yahoo! Movies
- ^ thePeerage.com – Person Page 18350
- ^ Read, Piers Paul (2005). Alec Guinness: the authorized biography. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0743244982.
- ^ Starkey, Pat (1992). I will not fight: conscientious objectors and pacifists in the North West during the Second World War. Liverpool Historical Studies. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0853234671.
- ^ "Michael Gough, 94, was butler Alfred in “Batman”". bcdb.com, March 17, 2011
- ^ "Michael Gough, Batman's Alfred, dies aged 94". BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12772355.
- ^ Mike Moody. "Michael Keaton praises Michael Gough". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a309844/michael-keaton-praises-michael-gough.html.
[edit] External links
- Michael Gough at the Internet Movie Database
- Michael Gough at Allmovie
- Michael Gough at the Internet Broadway Database
- Gough's obituary in The Telegraph newspaper
[show]v · d · eTony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
[show]v · d · eNotable actors and actresses appearing in Hammer films Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Gough"
Saturday 19 March 2011
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