1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Mark Dignam Biography (1909-1989)

Born March 20, 1909, in London, England; died September 29, 1989, in London;son of Edmund Grattan and Agnes Mary (Sheen) Dignam; married Georgia MacKinnon (divorced); married Helen Christie (divorced); married Virginia Kirby.

Nationality

English

Gender

Male

Occupation

actor

Birth Details

March 20, 1909

London, England

Death Details

September 29, 1989

London, England

Famous Works

• Credits; Stage Appearances
• (Stage debut) The Lonely House, County Theatre, St. Albans, England, 1930. (London debut) Bleeding sergeant, Macbeth, Kingsway Theatre,London, 1932.
• Adam Veryard, A Cup of Happiness, Royalty Theatre, London, 1932.
• Gloucester, Henry V, Alhambra Theatre, London, 1934.
• George Hemsby, Libel!, Playhouse Theatre, London, 1934.
• Donado, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Arts Theatre, London, 1934.
• Henry Armiger, Swords for Utopia, Arts Theatre, 1935.
• Strength, Everyman, Ambassadors' Theatre, London, 1935.
• Bernardo, Hamlet, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1935.
• Mantius, Catiline, Royalty Theatre, 1936.
• Nicholas Dalziel, Rain before Seven, Arts Theatre, 1936.
• Relling, The Wild Duck, Westminster Theatre, London, 1936-37.
• Justin O'Connell, Waste, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Professor Weissmann, Crooked Cross, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Serebryakov, Uncle Vanya, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Boss Mangan, Heartbreak House, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Johnny the priest, Anna Christie, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Ghost and first player, Hamlet, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Schaaf, A Month in the Country, Westminster Theatre, 1936-37.
• Colonel Pickering, Pygmalion, Old Vic Theatre, 1937.
• Provost, Measure for Measure, Old Vic Theatre, 1937.
• Buckingham, Richard III, Old Vic Theatre, 1937.
• Ezra Mannon, Mourning Becomes Electra, Westminster Theatre, 1937-38.
• Voltore, Volpone, Westminster Theatre, 1937-38.
• Henry of York, The Zeal of Thy House, Westminster Theatre, 1937-38.
• Bohun, QC, You Never Can Tell, Westminster Theatre, 1937-38.
• Zhevakin, Marriage, Westminster Theatre, 1937-38.
• (Broadway debut) Mr. E. H. Carson, Oscar Wilde, Fulton Theatre, New York City, 1938.
• Charles Bendrex, Music at Night, Westminster Theatre, 1939-40.
• Bill Walker, Major Barbara, Westminster Theatre, 1939-40.
• Ephraim Cabot, Desire under the Elms, Westminster Theatre, 1939-40.
• Bishop, Getting Married, Arts Theatre Festival, London, 1945.
• James Mortimore, The Thunderbolt, Arts Theatre Festival, London, 1945.
• Claudius, Hamlet, Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England, then Arts Theatre Festival, 1945.
• Pra, The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles, Arts Theatre, 1945.
• Agrippa, Antony and Cleopatra, Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1946.
• Dr. Wangel, The Lady from the Sea, Arts Theatre, 1946.
• Mr. Robinson, Exercise Bowler, Arts Theatre, 1946.
• John of Gaunt, Richard II, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1947.
• Baptista, The Taming of the Shrew, Edinburgh Festival, 1947.
• Harrison North, Angel, Strand Theatre, London, 1947.
• Claudius, Hamlet, Old Vic Company, New Theatre, then Elsinore Castle, Denmark, both 1950.
• Sea captain, Twelfth Night, Old Vic Theatre, 1950.
• Zeal-of-the-Land Busy, Bartholomew Fair, Old Vic Theatre, 1950.
• Exeter, Henry V, Old Vic Theatre, 1950.
• Sir Howard Hallam, Captain Brassbound's Conversion, Old Vic Theatre, 1950.
• Sir Hugh Evans, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Old Vic Theatre, 1950.
• Seti the Second, The Firstborn, Winter Garden Theatre, London, 1952.
• Dean Harry Kennedy, Two Loves I Have ..., Arts Theatre, 1952.
• Colonel Ritter von und zu Ruppertshausen, High Balcony, Embassy Theatre, London, 1952.
• William Corder, Maria Marten, Arts Theatre, 1952.
• Izzy, Five Philadelphia Physicians, Embassy Theatre, 1953.
• Major H. Maunsell, Carrington, VC, Westminster Theatre, 1953.
• Presiding angel and principal, The World of Sholom Aleichem, Embassy Theatre, 1955.
• Consalvo, Summertime, Apollo Theatre, London, 1955.
• Mr. Kroll, Rosmersholm, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1959, then Comedy Theatre, London, 1960.
• Auda Abu Tayi, Ross, Haymarket Theatre, London, 1960-62.
• Humphrey Craik, The Poison Tree, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, England, 1963.
• Shamrayev, The Seagull, Queen's Theatre, London, 1964.
• Graham, Saint Joan of the Stockyards, Queen's Theatre, 1964.
• Edgar, A Scent of Flowers, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1964.
• Alexander, A Present for the Past, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1966.
• Mr. Hardcastle, She Stoops to Conquer, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford, England, 1966.
• General, The Balcony, Oxford Playhouse, 1967.
• Vicar, Halfway up the Tree, Queen's Theatre, 1967.
• Polonius, Hamlet, Roundhouse Theatre, London, then Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, both 1969.
• Courcy, Croissy, and Canavo, The Hallelujah Boy, Duchess Theatre,London, 1970.
• Father, A Voyage 'round My Father, Greenwich Theatre, London, 1970.
• Cecil, Vivat! Vivat Regina!, Piccadilly Theatre, 1971.
• Menenius, Coriolanus, Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Stratford-on-Avon, 1972, then Aldwych Theatre, London, 1973.
• Caesar, Julius Caesar, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1972, then AldwychTheatre, 1973.
• Marcus Andronicus, Titus Andronicus, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1972,then Aldwych Theatre, 1973.
• Maurice Shanklin, Duck Song, Aldwych Theatre, 1974.
• Philip IV and Valladares, The Bewitched, Aldwych Theatre, 1974.
• Barry, The Freeway, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1974.
• General Mercier, Grand Manoeuvres, National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1974.
• Nat, Hindle Wakes, Greenwich Theatre, 1978.
• Vladimir, Cousin Vladimir, RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1978.
• Old Werk, The Wild Duck, National Theatre Company, Olivier Theatre, London, 1979.
• Duke of Venice, Othello, National Theatre Company, Olivier Theatre, 1980.
• Father Barre, The Devils, RSC, The Pit, London, 1984.
• Thomas Bruckner, Mephisto, RSC, Barbican Theatre, London, 1986.
• Nestor, Troilus and Cressida, RSC, Barbican Theatre, 1986.
• Escalus, Measure for Measure, RSC, Stratford-on-Avon, 1987.
• As a member of the Old Vic Company during the years 1947-50 appeared as Baptista, The Taming of the Shrew; John of Gaunt, Richard II; Peter Cauchon, St. Joan; Sicinius, Coriolanus; Malvolio, Twelfth Night; Petulant, The Way of the World; Lopahin, The Cherry Orchard; Holofernes, Love's Labour's Lost; Ignaty, A Month in the Country; Seigneur Anselm, The Miser, all New Theatre, London. Also appeared with the Stratford Company on their 1958 tour of Moscow and Leningrad, Russia.
• Credits; Stage Appearances, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, Stratford-on-Avon,England
• Ghost, Hamlet, 1956.
• Morocco, The Merchant of Venice, 1956.
• Duke of Venice, Othello, 1956.
• Provost, Measure for Measure, 1956.
• Holofernes, Love's Labour's Lost, 1956.
• Badger, Toad of Toad Hall, then Memorial Theatre, London, 1956.
• Duke Frederick, As You Like It, 1957.
• Pandulph, King John, 1957.
• Casca, Julius Caesar, 1957.
• Pisanio, Cymbeline, 1957.
• Antonio, The Tempest, then Drury Lane Theatre, London, 1957.
• Capulet, Romeo and Juliet, 1958.
• Malvolio, Twelfth Night, 1958.
• Claudius, Hamlet, 1958.
• Simonides, Pericles, 1958.
• Credits; Major Tours
• Adam Veryard, A Cup of Happiness, U.K. cities, 1933.
• Banquo, Macbeth, Old Vic Company, U.K. cities, 1940-41.
• McCarthy, The Time of Your Life, Old Vic Company, U.K. cities, 1940-41.
• His Excellency, U.K. cities, 1951.
• Mr. James Formal, The Gentleman Dancing Master, U.K. cities, 1963.
• Also toured with the Ben Greet Company, U.K. cities, 1931, and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company, U.S.S.R. cities, 1958.
• Credits; Film Appearances
• First knight, Murder in the Cathedral, Classic, 1952.
• Bolingbroke, "The Actor," Train of Events, Film Arts, 1952.
• Mr. Burke, Beau Brummell, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954.
• Prosecutor, Court Martial (also known as Carrington V.C.),British Lion, 1954.
• Inspector, The Passing Stranger, Independent Film Distributors/British Lion, 1954.
• Doctor in the House, General Films Distributors, 1954.
• Lease of Life, General Films Distributors, 1954.
• Three Cornered Fate, Paramount, 1954.
• Sykes, Escapade, Eros, 1955.
• Governor, The Prisoner, Columbia, 1955.
• Caleb, Conscience Bay, Cross 5 Channel, 1960.
• Ark Royal captain, Sink the Bismarck!, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1960.
• Prosecuting counsel, The Pure Hell of St. Trinian's, Continental Distributing, 1961.
• In Search of the Castaways, Buena Vista, 1962.
• King Arthur, Siege of the Saxons, Columbia, 1963.
• Merlin, Sword of Lancelot (also known as Lancelot and Guinevere), Universal, 1963.
• Lieutenant, Tom Jones, Lopert, 1963.
• Master, A Jolly Bad Fellow (also known as They All Died Laughing), Continental Distributing, 1964.
• Sydney Selwyn, Escape by Night, (also known as Clash by Night), Allied Artists, 1965.
• Attorney general, Game for Three Losers, Avco Embassy, 1965.
• Vincentio, The Taming of the Shrew, Columbia, 1967.
• Airey, The Charge of the Light Brigade, United Artists, 1968.
• Isadora (also known as The Loves of Isadora), Universal, 1968.
• Polonius, Hamlet, Columbia, 1969.
• Wedding reception guest, There's a Girl in My Soup, Columbia, 1970.
• Macduff's son, Macbeth, Columbia, 1971.
• News vendor and gardener, Memoirs of a Survivor, EMI, 1981.
• Ambrose, The Chain, Rank, 1985.
• Reverend Lambert, On the Black Hill, British Film Institute, 1987.
• Also appeared in Dead Cert, 1974.
• Credits; Television Appearances
• Samuel, The Story of David (movie), ABC, 1976.
• Also appeared in The Sea, Hess, Disraeli, The XYY Man, Suez, and A Voyage 'round My Father.

Further Reference

Obituaries and Other Sources: Periodicals

• Variety, October 11-17, 1989.