ROY KINNEAR

'Roy Kinnear' (January 8, 1934 – September 20, 1988) was a prolific English character actor. Although he was a talented straight actor, he became best known for his comic roles, in which he often played a chubby and jocular figure.

Contents

Early life

Career

Filmography

Theatre (selection)

External links

Trivia

Early life

Kinnear's father, Roy Kinnear senior, was a Great Britain Rugby League international, making one Lions appearance and three for Other Nationalities, and scoring 81 tries in 184 games for Wigan. He collapsed and died while playing rugby union with the RAF during the war. Scotland Rugby League have named their Student Player of the Year Award after him.
Roy Kinnear junior was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England, and educated at George Heriot's School, in Edinburgh. At the age of 17, he enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; however, National Service conscription brought an interruption to his studies, and an appearance in the theatre of War.

Career

From the 1950s, he began a career in repertory theatre, and in 1959 he joined Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, performing in both the 1960 play, and 1963 film of ''Sparrows Can't Sing''. He continued to work on stage and radio before achieving fame as part of the television show ''That Was The Week That Was''. He later appeared in many films and UK TV shows including 'George and Mildred' and starring in 'Cowboys', a sitcom about builders. Undoubtedly, his best-known films are those he made with director and close friend Richard Lester: ''Help!'', ''A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum'', ''How I Won the War'', ''The Bed-Sitting Room'', and the ''Musketeer'' series of the 1970s and 1980s. He is perhaps best recognised as playing the father of spoiled rich girl Veruca Salt in the 1971 film ''Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'', an adaptation of Roald Dahl's famous children's novel ''Charlie and the Chocolate Factory''. He also guest starred in ''The Goodies''' episode "''Rome Antics''", in which he appeared as the Roman Emperor. He also narrated and provided voices for the stop-motion kids television show ''Bertha''.
On September 20, 1988, Kinnear tragically bled to death following a broken pelvis which he sustained by falling from a horse during the filming of ''The Return of the Musketeers''. He was 54 years old. The film's Director Richard Lester quit his own film career as a direct result of Kinnear's death. Six years later the 'Roy Kinnear Trust' was set up as a charity organisation which helps improve the life of young adults with multiple disabilities.
Kinnear was married to the actress, Carmel Cryan. They had three children, including TV actor Rory and Kirsty who has entered the film industry. Roy Kinnear is buried in East Sheen Cemetery (Section B, grave number 5).

Filmography

★ ''The Return of the Musketeers'' (1989) Planchet

★ ''Just Ask for Diamond'' (1988) Jack Splendide

★ ''A Man for All Seasons'' (1988) The Common Man

★ ''Mr. H Is Late'' (1987) Piper

★ ''Unusual Ground Floor Conversion'' (1987) Previous Tenant

★ ''Casanova''(1987) Balbi

★ ''Hardwicke House'' (1987) R G Wickham

★ ''Pirates'' (1986) Dutch

★ ''Bertha'' (1985) Narrator

★ ''The Clairvoyant'' (1984)

★ ''Squaring the Circle'' (1984) Kania

★ ''The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1984) Friar Tuck

★ ''Anna Pavlova'' (1983) Gardener

★ ''The Boys in Blue'' (1982) Lloyd

★ ''Hammett'' (1982) Eddie Hagedorn

★ ''If You Go Down in the Woods Today'' (1981) Fishfingers

★ ''Hawk the Slayer'' (1980) Innkeeper

★ ''High Rise Donkey'' (1980)

★ ''Rhubarb Rhubarb'' (1980) Neighbour

★ ''The London Connection'' (1979) Bidley

★ ''Quincy's Quest'' (1979)

★ ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' (1978) Ethel Seldon

★ ''Watership Down'' (1978) Pipkin

★ ''The Last Remake of Beau Geste'' (1977) Boldini

★ ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' (1977) Quincey

★ ''Not Now, Comrade'' (1976) Hoskins

★ ''The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother'' (1975) Moriarty's Assistant

★ ''Royal Flash'' (1975) Old Rouse

★ ''One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing'' (1975) Supt. Grubbs

★ ''Eskimo Nell'' (1975) Benny U. Murdoch

★ ''The Amorous Milkman'' (1974) Sergeant

★ ''Barry McKenzie Holds His Own'' (1974) Bishop of Paris

★ ''Three for All'' (1974) Hounslow Joe

★ ''The Four Musketeers'' (1974) Planchet

★ ''Juggernaut'' (1974) Social Director Curtain

★ ''The Cobblers of Umbridge'' (1973) Dan and Doris Cobbler

★ ''The Three Musketeers'' (1973) Planchet

★ ''The Alf Garnett Saga'' (1972) Wally

★ ''That's Your Funeral'' (1972) Purvis

★ ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1972) The Cheshire Cat

★ ''The Pied Piper'' (1972) Burgermeister

★ ''Madame Sin'' (1972) Holidaymaker

★ ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' (1971) Mr. Henry Salt

★ ''Melody'' (1971) Mr. Perkins

★ ''Egghead's Robot'' (1970) Park Keeper

★ ''The Firechasers'' (1970) Roscoe

★ ''Scrooge'' (1970) Second Portly Gentleman

★ ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' (1970) Prince Regent

★ ''Taste the Blood of Dracula'' (1970) Weller

★ ''Lock Up Your Daughters'' (1969) Sir Tunbelly Clumsey

★ ''The Bed Sitting Room'' (1969) Plastic mac man

★ ''Albert Carter, Q.O.S.O.'' (1968) Albert Carter

★ ''The Mini-Affair'' (1967) Fire Extinguisher Salesman

★ ''How I Won the War'' (1967) Clapper

★ ''The Deadly Affair'' (1966) Adam Scarr

★ ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (1966) Gladiator Instructor

★ ''The Hill'' (1965) Monty Bartlett

★ ''Help!'' (1965) Algernon

★ ''The Informers'' (1964) Shorty

★ ''French Dressing'' (1964) Henry

★ ''A Place to Go'' (1963) Bunting

★ ''The Small World of Sammy Lee'' (1963) Lucky Dave

★ ''Heavens Above!'' (1963) Fred Smith

★ ''Sparrows Can't Sing'' (1963) Fred

★ ''The Boys'' (1962) Charles Salmon

★ ''Tiara Tahiti'' (1962) Capt. Enderby

★ ''The Millionairess'' (1960)

★ ''Oh Rosalinda!'' (1955)

★ ''The World Owes Me a Living'' (1944)

Theatre (selection)

★ Make Me an Offer

★ Sparrers Can't Sing

★ The Clandestine Marriage

★ The Travails of Sancho Panza

★ The Cherry Orchard

External links

★

★ Roy Kinnear Foundation

Trivia

Appeared in the Mike & the Mechanics music videos, ''Taken In'' and ''All I Need is a Miracle'' - the latter of which saw him reunited with his Help! co-star Victor Spinetti.