Michael Redgrave
Biography
Michael Redgrave was an English actor and filmmaker who began on the stage and became one of the male actors, alongside John Gielgud, Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson, who dominated the British theater in the mid-20th century. Born in Bristol to a family of actors, he taught modern languages before turning professional in 1934, and made his first West End appearance in 1937. His film debut came in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes (1938), and he went on to star in Dead of Night (1945), Mourning Becomes Electra (1947), which brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and The Browning Version (1951), for which he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival. Later films included The Importance of Being Earnest (1952), The Quiet American (1958), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) and Nicholas and Alexandra (1971). He was knighted in 1959.
77years old at death
- Born Bristol
- Died Denham
- Star sign: PiscesLast day of the sign, on the Aries cusp
- Michael Scudamore Redgrave (birth name)Also credited as Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave and Sir Michael Redgrave
Movie Career
- Films
- 26
- Career span
- 35 years1936 to 1971
First and latest
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First role
Redgrave's first professional appearance came at the Playhouse in Liverpool on 30 August 1934, when he played Roy Darwin in Elmer Rice's Counsellor-at-Law.
A change of course
Redgrave taught modern languages for three years at Cranleigh School in Surrey, then turned to acting in 1934. He staged Hamlet, King Lear and The Tempest for the boys, yet took every leading part himself.
A first
Michael Redgrave landed his first big screen role in Alfred Hitchcock's 1938 movie The Lady Vanishes. While humming the "Colonel Bogey March" in one scene, he gave the tune its first appearance in film.
Behind the camera
Redgrave wrote an adaptation of the Henry James novella The Aspern Papers, playing H.J. at London's Queen's Theatre in August 1959; it was revived on Broadway in 1962.
A first
Redgrave's final theater appearance came in May 1979 as Jasper in Simon Gray's Close of Play, a silent, seated role directed at the National Theatre by Harold Pinter.
Beyond film
Redgrave narrated a 1975 film of Coleridge's epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a poem he had taught as a young schoolmaster; the film won six international festival prizes, five of them first place in category.
Michael Redgrave movies on Netflix
Nicholas and Alexandraas Sazonov
The Go-Betweenas The Older Leo Colston
Goodbye Geminias James Harrington-Smith
Battle of Britainas Air Vice Marshal Evill
Goodbye, Mr. Chipsas The Headmaster
Oh! What a Lovely Waras Gen. Sir Henry Wilson
The Heroes of Telemarkas Uncle
The Hillas The Medical Officer
Young Cassidyas W.B. Yeats
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runneras Ruxton Towers Reformatory Governor
The Innocentsas The Uncle
Shake Hands with the Devilas The General
The Wreck of the Mary Deareas Mr. Nyland
The Quiet Americanas Thomas Fowler
Time Without Pityas David Graham
Mr. Arkadinas Burgomil Trebitsch
The Dam Bustersas Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
The Importance of Being Earnestas Ernest Worthing
The Browning Versionas Andrew Crocker-Harris
Mourning Becomes Electraas Orin Mannon
Secret Beyond the Dooras Mark Lamphere
The Captive Heartas Capt. Karel Hasek
Dead of Nightas Maxwell Frere (Segment "The Ventriloquist's Dummy")
The Way to the Starsas Flight Lt. David Archdale
The Lady Vanishesas Gilbert Redman
Secret Agentas Army Officer
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner1962as Ruxton Towers Reformatory Governor
IMDb rating 7.510K votes
Most often with
Michael Anderson directed three of these films, Anthony Asquith three and Alfred Hitchcock two. Basil Radford appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.










Films together
Basil Radford4 films together, 1938 to 1946
Basil Radford's page The Captive Heart1946IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Capt. Karel HasekRadford as Major Ossy Dalrymple
Dead of Night1945IMDb rating 7.5Redgrave as Maxwell Frere (Segment "The Ventriloquist's Dummy")Radford as George Parratt
The Way to the Stars1945IMDb rating 7.3Redgrave as Flight Lt. David ArchdaleRadford as 'Tiny' Williams
The Lady Vanishes1938IMDb rating 7.7Redgrave as Gilbert RedmanRadford as Charters
Harry Andrews3 films together, 1965 to 1971
Harry Andrews's page Nicholas and Alexandra1971IMDb rating 7.2Redgrave as SazonovAndrews as Grand Duke Nicholas (Nikolasha)
Battle of Britain1969IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Air Vice Marshal EvillAndrews as Senior Civil Servant
The Hill1965IMDb rating 7.8Redgrave as The Medical OfficerAndrews as R.S.M. Wilson
Laurence Olivier3 films together, 1969 to 1971
Laurence Olivier's page Nicholas and Alexandra1971IMDb rating 7.2Redgrave as SazonovOlivier as Count Witte
Battle of Britain1969IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Air Vice Marshal EvillOlivier as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
Oh! What a Lovely War1969IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Gen. Sir Henry WilsonOlivier as Field Marshal Sir John French
Richard Harris3 films together, 1959 to 1965
Richard Harris's page The Heroes of Telemark1965IMDb rating 6.5Redgrave as UncleHarris as Knut Strand
Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as The GeneralHarris as Terence O'Brien
The Wreck of the Mary Deare1959IMDb rating 6.7Redgrave as Mr. NylandHarris as Higgins
Edward Fox3 films together, 1969 to 1971
Edward Fox's page The Go-Between1971IMDb rating 7.1Redgrave as The Older Leo ColstonFox as Hugh Trimingham
Battle of Britain1969IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Air Vice Marshal EvillFox as Pilot Officer Archie
Oh! What a Lovely War1969IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Gen. Sir Henry WilsonFox as Aide to Field-Marshal Haig
Mervyn Johns3 films together, 1945 to 1965
Mervyn Johns's page The Heroes of Telemark1965IMDb rating 6.5Redgrave as UncleJohns as Col. Wilkinson
The Captive Heart1946IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as Capt. Karel HasekJohns as Pte. Evans
Dead of Night1945IMDb rating 7.5Redgrave as Maxwell Frere (Segment "The Ventriloquist's Dummy")Johns as Walter Craig
Michael AndersonDirector, 3 films, 1955 to 1959
All films by Michael Anderson Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0Redgrave as The General
The Wreck of the Mary Deare1959IMDb rating 6.7Redgrave as Mr. Nyland
The Dam Busters1955IMDb rating 7.4Redgrave as Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Anthony AsquithDirector, 3 films, 1945 to 1952
All films by Anthony Asquith The Importance of Being Earnest1952IMDb rating 7.4Redgrave as Ernest Worthing
The Browning Version1951IMDb rating 8.0Redgrave as Andrew Crocker-Harris
The Way to the Stars1945IMDb rating 7.3Redgrave as Flight Lt. David Archdale
Alfred HitchcockDirector, 2 films, 1936 to 1938
All films by Alfred Hitchcock The Lady Vanishes1938IMDb rating 7.7Redgrave as Gilbert Redman
Secret Agent1936IMDb rating 6.4Redgrave as Army Officer
Awards
Four awards and honors, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | |||
| 1951 | Best Actor | The Browning Version | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
| Knight Bachelor | Won | ||
| Order of the Dannebrog | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.





