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.

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