Incubator escapee wiki

Roy Dotrice

Article Discussion
Revision as of 06:59, 10 May 2025 by 2a00:23c7:29e:f301:892:6cd9:688b:66e7 (talk) (→‎Life and career)
(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person

File:Roy Dotrice during the shooting of Mister Lincoln.jpg
Dotrice in 1981

Roy Dotrice Template:Post-nominals (26 May 1923 – 16 October 2017) was a British stage and screen actor. He played the antiquarian John Aubrey in the solo play Brief Lives. He won a Tony Award for his performance in the 2000 Broadway revival of A Moon for the Misbegotten, also appearing as Leopold Mozart in the film version of Amadeus (1984), Charles Dickens in Dickens of London (1976), and Jacob Wells/Father in Beauty and the Beast.

Late in life, he narrated a series of audiobooks for George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, for which he holds the Guinness World Record for the most character voices by an individual for an audiobook.

Life and careerEdit

Dotrice was born in Guernsey, Bailiwick of Guernsey on 26 May 1923<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> to Neva (née Wilton; 1897–1984) and Louis Dotrice (1896–1991).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He served as a wireless operator/air gunner with the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and was imprisoned in a German prisoner of war camp from 1942 to 1945, after being shot down in an Avro Manchester R5840 of No.106 Squadron based at Coningsby, all seven airmen of the crew being taken Prisoner of War.<ref name="BBC">Template:Cite news</ref>

RadioEdit

Dotrice was the voice of "Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Gregory Pitkin" in the early episodes of BBC Radio's long-running comedy The Men from the Ministry.<ref name="BBC"/> He was succeeded by Ronald Baddiley in the role. He also played the caretaker Ramsay alongside Patricia Hayes in the Radio 2 sitcom Know Your Place.<ref name="Fox"/>

TheatreEdit

Dotrice was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and in the early 1960s played a variety of roles, including Caliban in The Tempest, opposite Tom Fleming's Prospero (dir: Peter Brook), John of Gaunt and Hotspur opposite David Warner's Richard II, and Justice Shallow, opposite Hugh Griffith as Falstaff in Henry IV, and then Edward IV in the Hall/Barton-adapted Shakespeare cycle The Wars of the Roses, later broadcast by the BBC.

Dotrice played the part of John Aubrey in Brief Lives, a one-man play devised and directed by Patrick Garland in which he held the stage for almost three hours (including the interval, during which he would feign sleep).<ref name="BBC"/> Premiering in 1967 at the Hampstead Theatre in London, the play later toured England, before two productions on Broadway.<ref name="NYD">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1968 it moved to the Criterion Theatre in the West End, where it ran for 400 performances before transferring to the Mayfair Theatre.<ref name="WPobit">Template:Cite news</ref> He revived the role in 2008, again under Patrick Garland's direction.<ref>Brief Lives revival{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

These runs, combined with extensive international touring, earned Dotrice a place in the Guinness World Records for the greatest number of solo performances (1,782).<ref name="Fox"/>

His other one-man productions included Mister Lincoln in 1979, and Churchill in 1982, both premiering in Washington, D.C. at Ford's Theatre.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1984 he starred opposite Rosemary Harris in a production of Noël Coward's Hay Fever.<ref name="SFC"/> He appeared in the stage production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas at The Lowry theatre in Salford from November 2009 to January 2010.<ref name="BBC"/>

TelevisionEdit

In the 1970s Dotrice played Charles Dickens in the television mini-series Dickens of London.<ref name="SFC">Template:Cite news</ref> He also appeared as Albert Haddock in the BBC television adaptation of A. P. Herbert's Misleading Cases in 1971.<ref name="Fox">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1972 he played the Curé Ponosse in the BBC2 TV adaptation of Clochemerle (1972).<ref name="NYTobit">Template:Cite news</ref>

Dotrice played "Father" in the 1980s TV series Beauty and the Beast and Father Gary Barrett, a Catholic priest, in the 1990s series Picket Fences. His acting career dates from 1945 in a revue called Back Home, performed by former prisoners-of-war in aid of the Red Cross.<ref name="Fox"/> In an episode of Angel, part of the Buffyverse, he played the role of Roger Wyndam-Pryce, the overbearing father of the character Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.<ref name="WPobit"/> An earlier science-fiction role was Commissioner Simmonds in two episodes of the 1970s series Space: 1999. In 1998 Dotrice appeared in three episodes of the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys as Zeus.<ref name="SFC"/>

Game of ThronesEdit

In June 2010 it was announced that Dotrice would be playing the role of Grand Maester Pycelle in the HBO television series Game of Thrones, an adaptation of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books.<ref name="NYD"/> He later withdrew from the part for medical reasons and Julian Glover was cast in his place.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Shortly after filming for the second season commenced it was confirmed that Dotrice would be returning to play "Wisdom Hallyne the Pyromancer",<ref name="Blackwater">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> who is featured in the installments "The Ghost of Harrenhal" and "Blackwater".<ref name="Blackwater"/>

Radio and audiobooksEdit

In 1982 BBC Radio 4 broadcast Dotrice's reading of G.B. Edwards' novel The Book of Ebenezer Le Page in twenty-eight 15-minute parts on its Woman's Hour segment.<ref name="EW">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The producer subsequently wrote that the serialisation was "without question the most popular serial I have ever done in the 500 or so I have produced in the last 21 years ...".<ref name="auto">Edward Chaney, Genius Friend: G.B. Edwards and The Book of Ebenezer Le Page (Blue Ormer Publishing, 2015)</ref>

He subsequently performed "The Islander", a stage version of The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, to critical success at the Theatre Royal Lincoln.<ref name="WPobit"/> In 2012 AudioGO produced a complete and unabridged recording of Ebenezer Le Page, which is available on Audible.<ref name="auto"/>

Dotrice recorded audiobooks for each book in George R. R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2011 he was awarded the world record for most character voices in an audiobook for his recording of A Game of Thrones, which contained 224.<ref name="EW"/><ref name="Guinness-MostVoices">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=GRRM-Dotrice>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Dotrice also narrated many storybook adaptations for Disney Records, including The Little Mermaid and Pooh's Heffalump Movie, for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award.<ref name="NYD"/>

Personal life and deathEdit

Dotrice was married to Kay Newman (1929–2007), a television and stage actress, from 1947 until her death in 2007.<ref>Passings, The Los Angeles Times, 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2014-01-07.</ref> They had three daughters—Michele, Yvette and Karen—all of whom have acted at various times in their lives. He was the father-in-law of actors Edward Woodward (Michele) and Alex Hyde-White (Karen).<ref name="NYTobit"/>

Dotrice was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours.<ref name="OBE">Template:London Gazette</ref><ref name="NYTobit"/> He died at the age of 94 on 16 October 2017 in London; no cause was given.<ref name="WPobit"/><ref name="NYTobit"/>

FilmographyEdit

FilmEdit

Roy Dotrice's theatrical film credits include:*Sources:<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="WPobit"/><ref name="NYTobit"/><ref name="Guide">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Variety">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Hollywood">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

TelevisionEdit

Roy Dotrice television credits<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="NYTobit"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Variety"/><ref name="Hollywood"/>
Year Title Role Notes
1957 The Adventure Sailor TV movie
Treasure Island Abe Gray TV miniseries
1959 A Midsummer Night's Dream Egeus TV movie
1962 The Cherry Orchard Firs TV movie
1963 Boyd Q.C. Mr. Jacobs Episode: "What the Eye Doesn't See"
1965 Armchair Theatre Donald Timwood Story: "A Cold Peace"
1965-

1966

The Wars of the Roses King Edward IV/ Jack Cade 6 episodes
1966 The Liars Fogarty 1 episode
Public Eye Donald Scott Episode: "Don't Forget You're Mine"
Theatre 625 Robinson Story: "Amerika"
1967 Armchair Theatre Aaron Toft Story: "I'am Osango"
The Wednesday Play Dad Story: "Dial Rudolph Valentino One One"
1967-

1971

A.P. Herbert's Misleading Cases Albert Haddock 19 episodes (3 series)
1968 Late Night Horror Douglas Stone Story: "The Kiss of Blood"
1969 The Gold Robbers Freddy Lamb Episode: "Crack Shot"
Imperial Palace Evelyn Orchram 4 episodes
1970 Tales of Unease Kayo Hathaway Story: "Bad Bad Jo Jo"
1971 The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Simon Crane Story: "The Duchess of Wiltshire's Diamonds"
1972 Clochemerle Curé Ponosse 8 episodes
1975 Space: 1999 Commissioner Gerald Simmonds 2 episodes
1976 Dickens of London Charles Dickens / Mr. John Dickens 13 episodes
Laurence Olivier Presents Sir Timothy Farrar Story: "Hindle Wakes"
1976-

1979

Sykes The Tramp 2 episodes
1981 Family Reunion Lester Frye TV movie
Magnum, P.I. Harcourt Episode: "Tropical Madness"
1983 Tales of the Gold Monkey Lord Hedriks Episode: "God Save the Queen"
1984 Remington Steele Victor Janoff Episode: "Steele Eligible"
Hart to Hart Courtney Peterson Episode: "Max's Waltz"
1986 The A-Team Charles Jourdan Episode: "The Spy Who Mugged Me"
Shaka Zulu George IV TV miniseries
The Wizard Troyan 3 episodes
1987 Faerie Tale Theatre The King / Peter Vanderdonk Template:Hidden
Tales from the Darkside Vampire Count Jeffrey Draco Story: "My Ghostwriter - The Vampire"
1987-

1990

Beauty and the Beast Jacob "Father" Wells 55 episodes
1989 The Equalizer Charlie McGuinness Episode: "Trial by Ordeal"
Nighmare Classics Leo Story: "Carmilla"
1990 Hunter Bishop Pine Episode: "Final Confession"
1990 Murder, She Wrote Professor Chandler Fitzpatrick Episode: "The Great Twain Robbery"
1991 For the Greater Good Charles Truman MP 3 episodes
1992-

1993

Going to Extremes Doctor Croft 17 episodes
1993 Murder, She Wrote Dr Howard Sorenson Episode: "The Legacy of Borbey House"
1993-

1996

Picket Fences Father Gary Barrett 15 episodes
1994 Children of the Dark Dr Burnham TV movie
Wings Pete Episode: "The Faygitive"
L.A. Law Alex Vedder Episode: "McKenzie, Brackman, Barnum and Bailey"
1995 Babylon 5 Frederick Lantz Episode: "The Fall of Night"
Batman: The Animated Series Frederick Episode: "The Lion and the Unicorn"
Murder, She Wrote Dr Myles Purcell Episode: "School for Murder"
1996 Mr. & Mrs. Smith Mr Big 12 episodes
Tales from the Crypt Major Nicholson Story: "Escape"
1997 Spider-Man: The Animated Series Keene Marlow / The Destroyer 4 episodes
1998 Like Father, Like Santa Ambrose Booth TV movie
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Zeus 3 episodes
1999 Sliders Archibald Chandler Episode: "Data World"
2000 Madigan Men Seamus Madigan 12 episodes
Sliders Marc LeBeau Episode: "The Seer"
2001 Touched by an Angel Micah Episode: "Holy of Holies"
2003 Angel Roger Wyndam-Pryce 1 episode
Just Shoot Me! Jarvis Leeds Episode: "Just Shoot Me"
Doctors Tomasz Zelinksy Episode: "Roots"
2004 Life Begins Frank Buchanan 8 episodes
2006 La Femme Musketeer Commander Finot (uncredited) TV miniseries
Heartbeat Mr Carter Episode: "Give Peace a Chance"
2012 Game of Thrones Hallyne 2 episodes

AudiobooksEdit

Roy Dotrice's audiobook voice acting credits include:<ref name="BBC"/><ref name="NYTobit"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Variety"/><ref name="Hollywood"/>

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

 | name/{{#if:{{#invoke:ustring|match|1=234541|2=^nm}}
   | Template:Trim/
   | nm0234541/
   }}
 | {{#if: {{#property:P345}}
   | name/Template:First word/
   | find?q=%7B%7B%23if%3A+%0A++++++%7C+%7B%7B%7Bname%7D%7D%7D%0A++++++%7C+%5B%5B%3ATemplate%3APAGENAMEBASE%5D%5D%0A++++++%7D%7D&s=nm
   }}
 }}{{#if: 234541  {{#property:P345}} | {{#switch: 
 | award | awards = awards Awards for | biography | bio = bio Biography for
 }}}} {{#if: 
 | {{{name}}}
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at IMDb{{#if: 234541{{#property:P345}}
 | Template:EditAtWikidata
 | Template:Main other

}}{{#switch:{{#invoke:string2|matchAny|^nm.........|^nm.......|nm|.........|source=234541|plain=false}} 

 | 1 | 3 =  Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning
 | 4 = Template:Main otherTemplate:Preview warning

}}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:IMDb name with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|showblankpositional=1| 1 | 2 | id | name | section }}

| [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/{{#if: 

 | {{{id}}}
 | Template:First word
 }} {{#if: 
 | {{{name}}}
 | Template:PAGENAMEBASE
 }}] at the Internet Broadway DatabaseTemplate:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck{{#ifeq:0|0|{{#if:||}}}}

| {{IBDB name}} template missing ID and not present in Wikidata.{{#ifeq:0|0|}}

}}

Template:Navboxes

Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://zalansite.site/mediawiki/index.php?title=Roy_Dotrice&oldid=674347"