Edward Rigby

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Edward Rigby
Born Edward Coke
5 February 1879
Ashford, Kent, England, UK
Died 5 April 1951(1951-04-05) (aged 72)
Richmond, Surrey, England, UK
Occupation Actor
Spouse(s) Phyllis Austin (?– 1979)

Edward Rigby (5 February 1879 – 5 April 1951) was a British character actor.

Early life

Rigby was the second son of Jamaican-born Dr. William Harriot Coke (1851–1922) and his wife, Liverpool-born Mary Elizabeth (1850–1929) of 17 High Street, Ashford, Kent. He was educated at Haileybury, and Wye Agricultural College. Under his real name, Edward Coke, (Rigby was his mother's maiden name) he served in the Artists' Rifles and Royal Field Artillery in World War One and was awarded the Military Cross, cited on 17 September 1917 "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as artillery liaison officer. At a time when all communication with his artillery group was severed, he made repeated attempts to restore the connection, and personally crossed a river under heavy fire in his efforts to mend the cable and to lay fresh ones. He showed the greatest gallantry and disregard of danger throughout the operation, and only desisted from his efforts on receiving the direct order from his headquarters to do so."

In 1912 he married Phyllis Muriel Austin, novelist. Their son, Cyril Edward Rigby Coke (1914–1993) television director, married Muriel Young (1923–2001) ITV announcer and TV presenter.

Career

He made his first stage appearance in 1900 at the Grand Theatre in Fulham and later toured Australia, America and Canada. He followed his first film appearance, the 1910 silent The Blue Bird, with roles in more than 150 films from 1933 to 1951.

Death

He collapsed in the street at Richmond and when taken to Richmond Hospital was found to be dead. He was cremated at Mortlake Crematorium on 11 April 1951.

Partial filmography

External links

Authority control
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