DENNIS PRICE

'Dennis Price' (23 June 1915 - 6 October 1973) was an English actor.

Contents

Life and work

Selected filmography

External links

Life and work

Price was born Dennistoun Franklyn John Rose-Price in Ruscombe in Berkshire and attended Copthorne Prep School, Radley College and then Worcester College, Oxford. He studied acting at the Embassy Theatre School of Acting and made his first appearance on stage at the Croydon Repertory Theatre in June 1937, followed by a London debut at the Queen's Theatre on 6th Sept. 1937 in ''Richard II''. Price served in the Royal Artillery from March 1940 - June 1942 but quickly returned to acting upon discharge, appearing with Noel Coward in ''This Happy Breed'' and ''Present Laughter''. According to Who's Who Price claimed his favourite parts had been Noah in the play of that name and Condamine in the stage version of ''Blithe Spirit''.
His first film role was ''A Canterbury Tale'' in 1944, and he went on to enjoy a chequered film career, the high point of which was his performance as a suave murderer in the British comedy classic, ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949). He was married to the actress Joan Schofield from 1939 to 1950. They had two children.
Price struggled to lead a conventional life during a period in British history when homosexuality was still a criminal offence. Price's private anguish may have led to his involvement in the 1961 film ''Victim'' which controversially portrayed the dilemma faced by a group of gay men who were being blackmailed for their 'crime'.
On the 19th April 1954 Price tried to commit suicide by attempting to gas himself in his London home. Public sympathy led to a resurgence in his popularity and the offer of film roles. However, his private life, which included heavy gambling and an increasing reliance upon alcohol, began to affect his health, looks and career.
In 1959, he was the original "No.1" in charge of the crew of HMS Troutbridge in the first series of the long-running radio comedy ''The Navy Lark'' but, unable to continue the role in the second series owing to other work commitments, he was replaced by Stephen Murray. In 1965, he became popular with television audiences for his performance as Jeeves opposite Ian Carmichael as Bertie Wooster in ''The World of Wooster''.
In 1966 Price was declared bankrupt and moved to the tax haven island of Sark, describing it with characteristic wit as 'a strategic withdrawal'. This coincided with an escalation in his alcoholism. Whilst many of his contempories were enjoying the golden twilight of their careers, landing major roles in both film and television, Price was constrained to appear in a series of poor 'B movie' horror films such as ''Horror Hospital'', ''Twins of Evil'' and ''Theatre of Blood''. Although some of these films have attained cult status, they are far from the more intellectual roles with which he was originally associated. Always an elegant actor, he ended what should have been a glittering career in undeserved ignominy. However, it is for his performance as the witty, sardonic rake Louis Mazzini that he will always be most fondly remembered. Price's portrayal of Mazzini's ruthless determination to succeed to the title of Duke Of Chalfont allowed the actor the chance to display a wider scope of acting talent than he is popularly given credit for. Although co-star Alec Guinness famously plays several different roles, Price is also called upon to feign several different personalities, accents and characters. Indeed, most of Price's best performances appear to have coincided with his working with talented actors. Arguably, he rose to the occasion - or else sank to it - depending upon the people he worked with.
Price died of heart failure resulting from cirrhosis of the liver and a hip fracture in Guernsey at age 58 on the 6th October 1973. He is buried on the nearby island of Sark.

Selected filmography

★ ''A Place of One's Own'' (1943)

★ ''A Canterbury Tale'' (1944)

★ ''Dear Murderer'' (1947)

★ ''Jassy'' (1947)

★ ''Holiday Camp'' (1948)

★ ''The Bad Lord Byron'' (1948)

★ ''Easy Money'' (1948)

★ ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949)

★ ''The Magic Box'' (1951)

★ ''Oh... Rosalinda!!'' (1955)

★ ''Charley Moon'' (1956)

★ ''Private's Progress'' (1956)

★ ''The Naked Truth'' (1957)

★ ''Danger Within'' (1959)

★ ''I'm All Right Jack'' (1959)

★ ''The Millionairess'' (1960)

★ ''Oscar Wilde'' (1960)

★ ''The Pure Hell of St Trinian's'' (1960)

★ ''School for Scoundrels'' (1960)

★ ''Tunes of Glory'' (1960)

★ ''Victim'' (1961)

★ ''The Amorous Prawn'' (1962)

★ ''Go to Blazes'' (1962)

★ ''A Jolly Bad Fellow'' (1964)

★ ''A High Wind in Jamaica'' (1965)

★ ''Rocket to the Moon'' (1967)

★ ''The Magic Christian'' (1969)

★ ''The Horror of Frankenstein'' (1970)

★ ''Vampyros Lesbos'' (1971)

★ ''Twins of Evil'' (1972)

★ ''Pulp'' (1972)

★ ''Theatre of Blood'' (1973)

External links

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