Derek Smith Biography (1927-)

Born June 15, 1927, in London, England; son of Wilfred James (a surveyor) andConstance Alice (Betambeau) Smith; married Lilian Box (a librarian), January2, 1963; children: Bill, Jenny. Addresses: HOME--63 Elstree Road, Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire WD2 3QX, England. AGENT--Michelle Braidman, 10-11 Lower John Street, London W1R 3PE, England.

Favorite roles: Autolycus in The Winter's Tale, Harold Twine in Rookery Nook,Pierre Bezhukov in War and Peace, Holofernes in Love's Labour's Lost, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Nationality
English
Gender
Male
Birth Details
June 15, 1927
London, England

Famous Works

  • Credits
  • STAGE DEBUT--Baron Hardup, Cinderella (pantomime), Capitol Theatre, St. Austell, U.K., 1956.
  • LONDON DEBUT--Medvedenko, The Seagull, Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, 1960.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
  • Medvedenko, The Seagull, Old Vic Theatre Company, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1960.
  • chorus, Romeo and Juliet, Egeus, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Fabian, Twelfth Night, all Old Vic Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1960.
  • Pierre Bezhukov, War and Peace, Bristol Old Vic Theatre, Bristol, U.K., 1961, then Old Vic Theatre, later Phoenix Theatre, London, both 1962.
  • title role, Fiorello!, Bristol Old Vic Theatre, then Piccadilly Theatre,London, both 1962.
  • Stephano, The Tempest, Pinch, The Comedy of Errors, and Talbot and Jack Cade, The Wars of the Roses, all Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, U.K., 1963.
  • Professor, Incident at Vichy, Phoenix Theatre, 1966.
  • Carol Newquist, Little Murders, RSC, Aldwych Theatre, London, 1967.
  • title role, Toad of Toad Hall, Fortune Theatre, London, 1967.
  • Casca, Julius Caesar, and Caius, The Merry Wives of Windsor, both RSC, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, then Aldwych Theatre, both 1968.
  • President, Indians, and Bull, The Relapse, both RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1968.
  • Autolycus, The Winter's Tale, Simonides, Pericles, Guardiano, Women Beware Women, and Caius, The Merry Wives of Windsor, all RSC, 1969.
  • Meddle, London Assurance, and Bishop Gardiner, Henry VIII, both RSC, Aldwych Theatre, 1970.
  • title role, Toad of Toad Hall, Duke of York's Theatre, London, 1971.
  • Chief of Police, The Feydeau Farce Festival of 1909, Greenwich Theatre, London, 1972.
  • Meddle, London Assurance, Albery Theatre, London, 1972.
  • Touchstone, As You Like It, Holofernes, Love's Labour's Lost, and Baptista, The Taming of the Shrew, all RSC, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1973.
  • title role, Toad of Toad Hall, RSC, Other Place Theatre, Stratford- on-Avon, 1973.
  • Fluther Good, The Plough and the Stars, Manitoba Theatre Center, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, 1974.
  • Caius, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Archbishop of Canterbury and Gower, Henry V, both RSC, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, 1975.
  • Scheidecker, Lenz, Hampstead Theatre Club, London, 1976.
  • Joe Diamonds, Fire Angel, Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1977.
  • Herr Schultz, Cabaret, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, U.K., 1977.
  • Director, Yes and No, and Colonel Fenwick, For Whom the Bell Chimes, bothHaymarket Theatre, Leicester, U.K., 1980.
  • Cess, Going Native, Leeds Playhouse, Leeds, U.K., 1981.
  • Polonius, Hamlet, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, U.K., then BarbicanTheatre, London, both 1984.
  • Bottom, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Ludlow Festival, Ludlow, U.K., 1984.
  • Chief of Police, Big in Brazil, Old Vic Theatre, 1984.
  • Monsieur Boniface, Hotel Paradiso, Swan Theatre, Worcester, U.K., 1985.
  • Headmaster, Gotcha!, Liverpool Playhouse, Liverpool, U.K., 1986.
  • Harold Twine, Rookery Nook, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1986.
  • Marius, Court in the Act, Phoenix Theatre, 1987.
  • Also appeared as Caspar Darde, Captain Carvallo, Theatre Clwyd, 1988; andin Mouth Organ, RSC, Other Place Theatre, 1975.
  • Credits; MAJOR TOURS
  • Baron Hardup, Cinderella (pantomime), U.K. cities, 1956.
  • Boss Mangan, Heartbreak House, and Burgess, Candida, both Birmingham Repertory Company, European cities, 1965.
  • Autolycus, The Winter's Tale, and Caius, The Merry Wives of Windsor, bothRSC, Japanese cities, 1970.
  • Autolycus, The Winter's Tale, Australian cities, 1970.
  • Polonius, Hamlet, Royal Exchange Theatre Company, U.K. cities, 1984.
  • FILM DEBUT--Harold, Alfie Darling, EMI, 1975.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
  • Television executive, Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (also known as Someone Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe and Too Many Chefs), Warner Brothers, 1978.
  • Also appeared in Return Journey, Concord Films Council, 1981; and in thetitle role, The Recluse, 1982.
  • TELEVISION DEBUT--Barrister, Baccarat Scandal, Granada, 1960.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
  • Polteed, The Forsyte Saga, PBS.
  • Also Norman, The Guardians.
  • MINI-SERIES "Reilly, Ace of Spies," Mystery, PBS, 1984.
  • Also as King Leopold, "Lillie," Masterpiece Theatre, PBS; in "The Duchessof Duke Street," Masterpiece Theatre, PBS; "Rumpole of the Bailey," Mystery,PBS.
  • Credits; EPISODIC
  • Baverstock, The Carnation Killers, ATV, then Thriller, ABC, 1973.
  • inspector, Screamer, ATV, then Thriller, ABC, 1974.
  • Punk, The Equalizer, CBS, 1986.
  • Also Coronation Street, syndicated, 1972; The Adventures of Black Beauty,London Weekend Television, then syndicated, 1972; Target, Entertainment Channel, 1982; Bergerac, Entertainment Channel, 1982; Play for Today.
  • Credits; MOVIES
  • Marc Gales, Internal Affairs, CBS, 1988.
  • Credits; SPECIALS
  • Mr. Maraczek, She Loves Me, BBC, then PBS, 1979.
  • Also appeared as Luzhin, Crime and Punishment; Gepetto, Pinocchio; Noah,The Chester Mystery Plays; Mr. Grimwig, The Further Adventure of Oliver Twist; Abbot Napp, Garden of Inheritance; Norman, Heart Attack Hotel; and in Singles, Gentle Touch, Jemima Shore, The Professionals, Z Cars, Emergency Ward 10,and Squirrels.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION WORK; SERIES
  • Executive producer, Celebrity Cooks, syndicated, 1978.
  • Credits; PRINCIPAL RADIO APPEARANCES; PLAYS
  • Autolycus, The Winter's Tale.
  • title role, Toad of Toad Hall.
  • Samuel Pepys, Such Men Are Dangerous.
  • Willie Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
  • Mr. York, Shirley.
  • Writings;STAGE
  • Co-writer, Mouth Organ, Royal Shakespeare Company, Other Place Theatre, Stratford-on-Avon, U.K., 1975.