Christopher Plummer Biography (1929?-)

Full name, Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer; born December 13, 1929 (some sources say 1927), in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; son of John (a university secretary) and Isabella Mary (maiden name, Abbott) Plummer; married Tammy Lee Grimes(an actress), 1956 (divorced, 1960); married Patricia Audrey Lewis (a journalist), May 4, 1962 (divorced, 1967); married Elaine Regina Taylor (a dancer and actress), c. 1970; children: (first marriage) Amanda (an actress). Addresses: Agent: Andrea Eastman, International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211-1934.

Gender
Male
Occupation
Actor
Birth Details
December 13, 1929?
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • Walt Murdock, Wind across the Everglades, 1958
  • Joe Sheridan, Stage Struck, Buena Vista, 1958
  • Commodus, The Fall of the Roman Empire, Paramount, 1964
  • Baron von Trapp, The Sound of Music, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965 released as Sing-a-long Sound of Music, 1990
  • Raymond Swan, Inside Daisy Clover, Warner Bros., 1966
  • Eddie Chapman, Triple Cross (also known as La fantastique histoire vrai d'Eddie Chapman), Warner Bros./Seven Arts, 1967
  • Field Marshal Rommel, The Night of the Generals (also known as La nuit des generaux), 1967
  • Title role, Oedipus the King, Universal, 1968
  • Sir James Quentin, Nobody Runs Forever (also known as The HighCommissioner), Cinerama, 1968
  • Squadron leader Colin Harvey, The Battle of Britain, United Artists, 1969
  • Atahualpa, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, National General, 1969
  • Lord Foppington, Lock Up Your Daughters!, Columbia, 1969
  • Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, Waterloo, Paramount, 1970
  • Himself, Impromptu Balear, 1971
  • Detective Sergeant Jim Henderson, The Pyx (also known as The Hooker Cult Murders and La Lunule), Cinerama, 1973
  • Statue, The Happy Prince, 1974
  • Major Alastair Wimbourne, Conduct Unbecoming, Allied Artists, 1975
  • Rudyard Kipling, The Man Who Would Be King (also known as Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King), Allied Artists, 1975
  • Sir Charles Litton, The Return of the Pink Panther, United Artists, 1975
  • Arch-Duke Ferdinand, Atentat u Sarajevu (also known as Assassination in Sarajevo, The Day That Shook the World, and Sarajevskiatentat), Yugoslavija Film, 1976
  • Sinclair, Aces High, EMI, 1976
  • Captain Behounek, Uppdraget (also known as The Assignment),Svenska Filminstitutet, 1977
  • Deverell, The Disappearance, 1977
  • John Seaton, International Velvet, United Artists, 1978
  • Harry Reikle, The Silent Partner (also known as L'argent de labanque), EMC Film, 1978
  • James Hatcher, Highpoint, New World Pictures, 1979
  • Emperor of the Galaxy, Starcrash (also known as The Adventuresof Stella Starr, Female Space Invaders, Stella Star, and Scontri stellare oltre la terza dimensione), New World Pictures, 1979
  • Paul Sellinger, Hanover Street, Columbia, 1979
  • Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, Riel, 1979
  • Sherlock Holmes, Murder by Decree (also known as Sherlock Holmes: Murder by Decree), Avco-Embassy, 1980
  • William Fawcett Robinson, Somewhere in Time, Universal, 1980
  • Narrator, Being Different, Astral Films, 1981
  • Joseph, Eyewitness (also known as The Janitor), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
  • Professor Lakos, The Amateur, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
  • Robert "Bob" Blair, Dreamscape, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
  • Leo Argyle, Ordeal by Innocence, Cannon, 1985
  • Fitzroy Wynn/Roberto Terranova, Jatszani Kell (also known as Lily in Love and Playing for Keeps), New Line Cinema, 1985
  • Narrator, J. W. Morrice, 1985
  • Knox, The Boy in Blue, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1986
  • Mr. Roalvang, The Boss' Wife, TriStar, 1986
  • Voice of Henri, An American Tail, Universal Pictures, 1986
  • Reverend Jonathan Whirley, Dragnet, Universal, 1987
  • John Robertson Yeats, I Love N.Y., Manley, 1987
  • Narrator of English version, L'homme qui plantait des arbres (alsoknown as The Man Who Planted Trees), Les Films du Paradoxe, 1987
  • Narrator, The Gnomes' Great Adventure (also known as The Worldof David the Gnome: Volume 1 and The World of David the Gnome: Young Doctor Gnome), 1987
  • Voice of Metamorphosis, Light Years (also known as Gandahar), Miramax, 1988
  • Ernst Kestner, Souvenir, Palisades, 1988
  • Paris Catalano, Nosferatu in Venice (also known as Vampire in Venice and Nosferatu a Venezia), Medusa, 1988
  • Edmund Beaumont, Shadow Dancing, Shapiro Glickenbaus, 1988
  • Stage Fright, 1988
  • Tom, Kingsgate, Thomas Howe Releasing, 1989
  • Doctor Satorius, Mind Field (also known as Flashback and Mindfield), Image Organization, 1989
  • Homeless gent, Where the Heart Is, Buena Vista, 1990
  • Dr. John Alcore, Red-Blooded American Girl (also known as LifeReach), Prism, 1990
  • Voice of the Grand Duke, Rock-a-Doodle, Goldcrest, 1991
  • General Chang, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Paramount,1991
  • Colonel Garland Vaughn, Firehead, American International PicturesHome Video, 1991
  • Martin Yahl, Money, Odyssey, 1991
  • Howard, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Warner Bros., 1991
  • Naples O'Rorke, Impolite, Well Mannered Films, 1992
  • Chaplain Gill, Malcolm X, Warner Bros., 1992
  • Raymond Alden, Wolf, Columbia, 1994
  • Ivan Getz, Crackerjack, Excalibur Pictures/North American Pictures/Worldvision, 1994
  • Detective John Mackey, Dolores Claiborne, Columbia, 1995
  • Dr. Leland Goines, Twelve Monkeys, Universal, 1995
  • Reverend Carlyle, Skeletons, Skeleton Productions, 1996
  • Narrator, Lost over Burma: Search for Closure (documentary), 1997
  • Voice of Barnaby Crookedman, Babes in Toyland (animated), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 1997
  • Ulrich Steiner, Hidden Agenda (also known as Secret Agenda), Spartan Home Entertainment, 1998
  • Mr. Caruthers, The Clown at Midnight, Hallmark Entertainment, 1998
  • Holmes, Blackheart, 1998
  • Mike Wallace, The Insider, Buena Vista, 1999
  • Hump Hinton, The Dinosaur Hunter, Credo Releasing, 2000
  • Abraham Van Helsing and Matthew Van Helsing, Dracula 2000 (also known as Dracula 2001 and Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2001), Dimension Films/Miramax, 2000
  • Lucky Break, Paramount/Miramax, 2001
  • A Beautiful Mind, Universal, 2001
  • Robert Lecker, Full Disclosure, First Look Pictures Releasing, 2001
  • Stage Appearances
  • Cymbeline, Canadian Repertory Theatre, Ottawa, Ontario, 1948
  • Faulkland, The Rivals, Canadian Repertory Theatre, 1950
  • Old Mahon, The Playboy of the Western World, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Anthony Cavendish, The Royal Family, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Ben, The Little Foxes, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Duke Manti, The Petrified Forest, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Father, George and Margaret, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Hector Benbow, Thark, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • Bernard Kersal, The Constant Wife, Bermuda Repertory Theatre, 1952
  • (Broadway debut) George Phillips, The Starcross Story, Royale Theatre, 1954
  • Manchester Monaghan, Home Is the Hero, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1954
  • Jason, Medea, International Festival, Sarah Bernhardt Theatre, Paris, 1955
  • Count Peter Zichy, The Dark Is Light Enough, American National Theatre Academy Theatre, New York City, 1955
  • Earl of Warwick, The Lark, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1955
  • Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, CT, 1955
  • Ferdinand, The Tempest, American Shakespeare Festival, 1955
  • Title role, Henry V, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, Ontario, Canada, then Assembly Hall Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1956
  • Narrator, L'histoire du soldat, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1956
  • Lewis Rohnen, Night of the Auk, Playhouse Theatre, New York City,1956
  • Title role, Hamlet, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1957
  • Sir Andrew Agueckeek, Twelfth Night, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1957
  • Nickles, J. B., American National Theatre and Academy Theatre, 1958
  • Leontes, The Winter's Tale, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1958
  • Bardolph, Henry IV, Part I, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1958
  • Benedick, Much Ado about Nothing, Stratford Shakespeare Festival,1958
  • Philip the Bastard, King John, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1960
  • Mercutio, Romeo and Juliet, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1960
  • (London debut) King Henry II, Becket, Aldwych Theatre, 1961
  • Benedick, Much Ado about Nothing, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-on- Avon, England, 1961
  • Title role, Richard III, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1961
  • King Henry II, Becket, Aldwych Theatre, then Globe Theatre, London, 1961
  • Title role, Cyrano de Bergerac, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1962
  • Title role, Macbeth, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1962
  • Title role, Arturo Ui, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1963
  • Francisco Pizarro, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, American National Theatre and Academy Theatre, 1965
  • Mark Antony, Antony and Cleopatra, Stratford Shakespeare Festival,1967
  • Jupiter and Amphitryon, Amphitryon 38, National Theatre Company, New Theatre, London, 1971
  • Danton, Danton's Death, National Theatre Company, New Theatre, 1971
  • Title role, Cyrano (musical), Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, then Palace Theatre, New York City, 1973
  • Anton Chekov, The Good Doctor, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1973
  • Lovers and Madmen, Opera House, Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, 1973
  • Love and Master Will, Opera House, Kennedy Center, 1975
  • Edgar, Drinks before Dinner, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public/Newman Theatre, New York City, 1978
  • Title role, Henry V, American Shakespeare Festival, 1981
  • Iago, Othello, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1982
  • Parade of Stars Playing the Palace, Palace Theatre, New York City,1983
  • Peccadillo, Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Palm Beach, FL, 1985
  • Title role, Macbeth, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1988
  • Narrator, A Christmas Carol, Hudson Theatre, New York City, 1990
  • Spooner, No Man's Land, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1993 then Criterion Theatre, New York City, 1994
  • John Barrymore, Barrymore, Stratford Shakespeare Festival, 1996 then Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1997
  • A Shakespearean Tribute to the Late Sir John Gielgud, Kaye Playhouse, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York City, 2000
  • Appeared in the solo show A Word or Two, Before You Go.
  • Major Tours
  • Gerard, Nina, U.S. cities, 1953
  • Title role, Macbeth, U.S. cities, 1988
  • John Barrymore, Barrymore, U.S. cities, beginning 1997.
  • Also appeared in The Dark Is Light Enough, U.S. cities.
  • Stage Work
  • Creator (with Michael Lankester) of concert versions of Ivan the Terrible, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Peer Gynt.
  • Television Appearances
  • Movies
  • (Television debut) Montano, Othello, CBC (Canada), 1951
  • The Doll's House, BBC (England), 1964
  • Prisoner of Zenda, BBC, 1964
  • Prince and the Pauper, 1957 then BBC, 1964
  • Brian, The Shadow Box, ABC, 1980
  • Jacques Burrifous, Desperate Voyage, CBS, 1980
  • Duke Royal, When the Circus Came to Town, CBS, 1981
  • Tony Wendice, Dial "M" for Murder, NBC, 1981
  • Colonel Herbert Kappler, The Scarlet and the Black (also known asThe Vatican Pimpernel and Scarlatto e nero), CBS, 1983
  • Dr. Carl Forrester, Prototype, CBS, 1983
  • Voice, The Velveteen Rabbit, 1985
  • Voice, Rumpelstiltskin, 1986
  • Sir Giles Staverly, A Hazard of Hearts, CBS, 1987
  • Grand Duke Ivan, A Ghost in Monte Carlo, TNT, 1990
  • Sir Charles, the British ambassador, Young Catherine, TNT, 1991
  • The First Circle, CBC, 1991
  • Mal Wexler, Danielle Steel's Secrets (also known as Secrets), NBC, 1992
  • Harry Weldon, Liar's Edge, Showtime, 1992
  • John Klaxon, Harrison Bergeron (also known as Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron), Showtime, 1995
  • Wilfred Fransiscus, We the Jury, USA Network, 1996
  • Wakeman, The Conspiracy of Fear, HBO, 1996
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winchell, HBO, 1998
  • Miniseries
  • Roscoe Heyward, Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers (also known as The Moneychangers), NBC, 1976
  • Herod Antipas, Jesus of Nazareth (also known as Gesu di Nazareth), NBC, 1977
  • Reginald "Reggie" Vanderbilt, Little Gloria ... Happy at Last, NBC, 1982
  • Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese, The Thorn Birds, ABC, 1983
  • Armand DeVilliers, Crossings, ABC, 1986
  • Lord Jack Cruze, Spearfield's Daughter, syndicated, 1986
  • Narrator, Celebrate the Century, Cable News Network, 1999
  • Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe, Nuremberg, TNT, 2000
  • F. Lee Bailey, American Tragedy, CBS, 2000
  • Specials
  • Soldier Kenneth Boyd, "Little Moon of Alban," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1958
  • Dr. Jack Richardson, "Johnny Belinda," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC,1958
  • Torvald Helmer, "A Doll's House," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1959rebroadcast on The Golden Age of Television, PBS, 1981
  • Captain Brassbound, "Captain Brassbound's Conversion," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1960
  • Prince Albert, "Time Remembered," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1961
  • Title role, "Cyrano de Bergerac," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1962
  • Title role, Macbeth (broadcast of performance at Stratford Shakespeare Festival), televised by satellite transmission, 1962
  • Title role, Hamlet (also known as Hamlet at Elsinore), BBCand syndicated, 1964
  • Witness to Yesterday, syndicated, 1974
  • Quentin, After the Fall, NBC, 1974
  • Himself, Arthur Miller on Home Ground, 1979
  • Guest, Parade of Stars, ABC, 1983
  • Narrator, "Jerusalem: Within These Walls," National Geographic Specials, PBS, 1986
  • Narrator, Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind, TNT, 1988
  • Narrator, Madeline: The Musical (also known as Madeline), HBO, 1988
  • Narrator, "The Boy Who Planted Trees," Long Ago and Far Away, PBS,1989
  • Host, narrator, and Vladimir Nabokov, Nabokov on Kafka, PBS, 1989
  • Narrator, Madeline's Christmas, The Family Channel, 1990
  • Narrator, Madeline and the Bad Hat, The Family Channel, 1991
  • Narrator, Madeline and the Gypsies, The Family Channel, 1991
  • Narrator, Madeline in London, The Family Channel, 1991
  • Narrator, Madeline's Rescue, The Family Channel, 1991
  • Narrator, The Year of the Generals, CBS, 1992
  • Series
  • Host, Playdate, 1961-1962
  • Alexander Addington, Counterstrike (also known as Counter Strike, Strike Force, and Force de frappe), USA Network, 1990
  • Episodic
  • "The Gathering Night," Summer Studio One, CBS, 1953
  • "Dark Victory," Broadway Television Theatre, syndicated, 1953
  • "The Riddle of Mayerling," Suspense, 1953
  • "The Dashing White Sergeant," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1954
  • "The King's Bounty," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1955
  • Christian de Neuvillette, "Cyrano de Bergerac," Producers' Showcase, NBC, 1955
  • "A Thief There Was," Appointment with Adventure, CBS, 1956
  • "Even the Weariest River," The Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1956
  • Title role, "Oedipus Rex," Omnibus, ABC, 1956
  • Miles Hendon, "The Prince and the Pauper," DuPont Show of the Month, CBS, 1957
  • Thomas Mendip, "The Lady's Not for Burning," Omnibus, NBC, 1958
  • "Prince Ore Test," Omnibus, NBC, 1959
  • Agamemnon and Orestes, "The Orestia," Omnibus, CBS, 1959
  • Mike Connor, "The Philadelphia Story," DuPont Show of the Month, NBC, 1959
  • "After Hours," Sunday Showcase, NBC, 1960
  • "Autocrat and Son," Our American Heritage, NBC, 1960
  • Rassendyl, "The Prisoner of Zenda," DuPont Show of the Month, CBS,1961
  • Front Page Challenge, 1962 and 1973
  • Narrator, "Clytemnestra," Dance in America (also known as GreatPerformances), PBS, 1979
  • Jonathan Lawrence, "Shakespeare," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1987
  • Alfred Stieglitz, "Marriage: Georgia O'Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz" (alsoknown as "An American Place," "The Eleventh Hour," and "O'Keeffe and Stieglitz"), American Playhouse, PBS, 1991
  • Other
  • Don Juan in Hell (also known as Play of the Month: Don Juan inHell), 1971
  • Dr. Sherman, The Spiral Staircase, 1975
  • Sherlock Holmes, Silver Blaze, 1979
  • Classic Fairy Tales, 1982
  • The Tin Soldier, 1986
  • Reader's Digest: Children's Classics, 1986
  • The Music Box Ballerina, 1987
  • Clifton Lawrence, Sidney Sheldon's A Stranger in the Mirror (alsoknown as A Stranger in the Mirror), ABC, 1993
  • The Little Crooked Christmas Tree, 1993
  • George Hees, The Arrow, CBC, 1997
  • Archbishop Hume, Possessed, Showtime, 2000
  • Norman Thayer, On Golden Pond, CBS, 2001
  • Harry Peters, Night and Day, BBC, 2001
  • Radio Appearances
  • Performed Shakespearean roles for Canadian radio broadcasts.
  • RECORDINGS
  • Taped Readings
  • Narrator, E. T. A. Hoffman-Tchaikovsky Nutcracker, Caedmon, 1985
  • Narrator, High Spirits, 1990
  • Narrator, Ivan the Terrible, 1994
  • Also reader for a recording of Henry V.
  • Video Games
  • General Chang, Star Trek: Klingon Academy, 2000
  • WRITINGS
  • Television Specials
  • (With others) Nabokov on Kafka, PBS, 1989

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Periodicals
    • New York Times, March 9, 1982
    • Saturday Night, November, 1998, p. 111
    • Variety, January 3, 2000, p. 57

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