Nicholas Pennell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Nicholas Follett Croker Pennell (1938-11-19)19 November 1938 |
| Died | 22 February 1995(1995-02-22) (aged 56) |
| Occupation | Actor |
Nicholas Pennell (19 November 1938 – 22 February 1995) was an English actor who appeared frequently on film and television in the 1960s. He emigrated toStratford,Ontario,Canada, where he became a stalwart of theStratford Festival.
Pennell was educated atAllhallows College,Lyme Regis, and trained atRADA.[1] He then appeared in repertory theatre. On television he appeared inThe Saint,The Flaxton Boys,The Forsyte Saga as Michael Mont, and in six episodes ofDoctor Who entitledColony in Space.[2]
On film he appeared as Bedford inIsadora (1968), inOnly When I Larf (1968) as Spencer, as anRAF pilot inBattle of Britain (1969), and as Julien inMr. Forbush and the Penguins (1971).[3]
In 1972, he joined the Stratford Festival company upon the urging ofWilliam Hutt. In his first season, he appeared as Orlando inAs You Like It opposite Carole Shelley as Rosalind.[4] The following year he returned to star asPericles in 1973 in a production designed by Leslie Hurry and directed by Jean Gascon.[5]
WhenRobin Phillips became artistic director in 1975, he found a familiar face. The two had worked together in the 1969 TV film ofDavid Copperfield, and Phillips too was also inThe Forsyte Saga.[6][7] Phillips recruited Pennell to join his young company and perform inThe Comedy of Errors andThe Two Gentlemen of Verona. 1976 broughtHamlet and Ariel inThe Tempest. He often said he worshipped Phillips as an actor.
Pennell became a leading member of theStratford Festival company and passionate about the festival. Acting Shakespeare became his vocation.[8] He was a generous company member, speaking to student groups and mentoring young actors. In 23 seasons he played a wide range of characters from Stephano inThe Tempest, Iago, Richard II, the Fool inLear, Sassoon inNot About Heroes to King John.[9]
He can be seen on DVD in the role of Malvolio in a production of Shakespeare'sTwelfth Night (1986) CBC Home Video,Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, based on the 1985 Stratford Shakespeare Festival production.[10]
Pennell died on 22 February 1995, of lymphatic cancer, at the age of 56.[4]
Little is known about Pennell's private life. A biography was published in 2005 by Mary Z. Maher,[11] which leaves unanswered questions about what he was like off-stage in public and in private, what drove him into a gloomy reclusiveness during his final years, and how hishomosexuality might have influenced his acting and his life.[12]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | The Vortex | Nicky | (television adaptation) |
| 1968 | Only When I Larf | Spencer | |
| 1968 | Isadora | Bedford | |
| 1969 | Battle of Britain | Simon | |
| 1971 | Mr. Forbush and the Penguins | Julien | |
| 1994 | Satie and Suzanne | Erik Satie | (final film role) |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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