Edward Underdown

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Charles Edward Underdown
Born (1908-09-03)3 September 1908
London, England, UK
Died 15 December 1989(1989-12-15) (aged 81)
Hampshire, England, UK
Nationality British
Occupation Actor and Jockey
Years active 1932–1979
Spouse(s) Hon. Rosemary Sybella Violet Grimston
(1953–64)

Edward Underdown (3 December 1908 – 15 December 1989) was an English theatre, cinema and television actor. He was born in London and educated at Eton College in Berkshire.

Early theatre credits include: Words and Music, Nymph Errant, Stop Press and Streamline.[1]

His film credits include: They Were Not Divided, Beat the Devil, Wings of the Morning, The Rainbow Jacket, The Woman's Angle, Her Panelled Door, The Camp on Blood Island, Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Thunderball, Khartoum, The Magic Christian and Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World.

Television appearances include: Dad's Army, Danger Man, The Saint, The Avengers, The Rat Catchers, Weavers Green, Man in a Suitcase, Doomwatch, The Regiment, Colditz, Upstairs, Downstairs, Survivors, The Duchess of Duke Street and Doctor Who (in the serial Meglos).

Both Wings of the Morning and The Rainbow Jacket were set in his beloved racing world, the former being set on Epsom Downs. Wings of the Morning, starring Henry Fonda, was Britain's first Technicolor film.

Edward Underdown was also a gentleman jockey and rode with great aplomb both on the flat and over sticks (see references to his riding career in John Hislop's books).

In 1950 he was voted by British exhibitors as the most promising male newcomer in the country.[2]

Personal life

Edward Underdown, full name Charles Edward Underdown, was born on 3 December 1908 in London. He was educated at Eton College in Berkshire.

Charles Edward Underdown married Hon. Rosemary Sybella Violet Grimston, daughter of Robert Villiers Grimston, 1st Baron Grimston of Westbury and Sybil Rose Neumann, on 10 February 1953. He is the son of Harry Charles Baillie Underdown.[3]

He died on 15 December 1989 in Hampshire aged 81.

Theatre appearances

  • Words and Music, Adelphi Theatre, London (1932-1933). The production was written and directed by Noël Coward.
  • Nymph Errant, Adelphi Theatre, London (1933-1934)
  • Streamline (revue), Palace Theatre, London (1932-1933)
  • Stop Press, Adelphi Theatre, London (1934-1935)
  • Tonight at 8.30, London and New York.[4]
  • The Grass is Greener, St Martin's Theatre, London.[5]

Filmography

Television appearances

Love of horses

Edward Underdown's father owned a Norfolk estate in the Stanford Battle area. It was here that Edward learnt and developed his riding.

Before his career as an actor Edward was a gentleman jockey and rode with great aplomb both on the flat and over sticks (see references to his riding career in John Hislop's books).

The Norfolk estate is mentioned in Bill Pertwee's book about the making of Dad's Army. One of the Dad's Army episodes was by co-incidence filmed at the estate. By this time the estate was owned by the War Office and nothing was left except for the verandah and stables. As soon as John Le Mesurier arrived he realised it was familiar to him from weekend parties Edward's father had invited him to in the 1930s. So it was that Edward found himself working in a television series that featured part of his old home.[6]

The films Wings of the Morning and The Rainbow Jacket were set in his beloved racing world, the former being set on Epsom Downs.

Finally, after his acting career he worked as a steward at Newbury Racecourse. This was described by Bill Pertwee as "fitting for a man who not only loved horses but was also an expert rider." (ibit, page 86).

References

  1. ↑ University of Bristol Theatre Collection Database (2011). at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/theatrecollection, accessed 26 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Hope tops list for popularity.". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 30 December 1950. p. 5 Supplement: Sunday Magazine. Retrieved 10 July 2012. 
  3. ↑ Mosley, Charles. Ed. (2003) ‘Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition’, Volume 2, Page 1685. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd.
  4. ↑ St. Martin's Theatre (undated). Theatre program for 'The Grass is Greener'
  5. ↑ St. Martin's Theatre (undated). Theatre program for 'The Grass is Greener'.
  6. ↑ Pertwee, Bill (2009) ‘Dad's Army: The Making of a Television Legend’, Page 86. U.S.A.: Anova Books.

External links

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