Roland Culver

Roland Culver OBE
Born	Roland Joseph Culver (1900-08-31)31 August 1900 Highgate, London, England, UK
Died	1 March 1984(1984-03-01) (aged 83) Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Occupation	Actor

Roland Joseph Culver, OBE (31 August 1900 – 1 March 1984^[1]) was an English stage, film, and television actor.^[2]

Life and career

After Highgate School, he joined the Royal Air Force and served as a pilot from 1918 to 1919. After considering other careers, he turned to acting, graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.^[3] He debuted on the stage in 1924 at Hull Repertory Theatre and, by 1931, was appearing in films in which he was known for his portrayals of impeccable English gentlemen not given to displays of emotion. In the 1960s, he branched out into television before finally retiring in 1982. In 1960 he appeared in Five Finger Exercise at the Music Box Theatre in New York City. He was nominated for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for Ivanov.^[4] In 1974, he played the irascible Duke of Omnium and Gatherum in the popular BBC adaptation of 'The Pallisers'.

Health

He lost half a lung to tuberculosis.

Personal life

He was married twice, first to actress, director, and casting agent Daphne Rye between 1932 and 1946, then to Nan Hopkins from 1947 until his death from a heart attack in 1984. With his first wife, he had two children: actor Michael Culver and Robin Culver.^[5]

Culver was awarded an OBE in the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to drama.

Writer

Culver wrote the play A River Breeze, and his autobiography is called Not Quite a Gentleman.^{[6] [7]}

Partial filmography

References

External links

• Roland Culver at the Internet Movie Database
• Roland Culver at AllMovie
• Roland Culver at the Internet Broadway Database
• Roland Culver at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
• Roland Culver at Find a Grave