4
Born · December 1, 1897
Died · December 18, 1977 (80 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth:
Legendary for his preening, prancing, delightfully playful villain Captain Hook on the award-winning stage (as well as TV) opposite America's musical treasure Mary Martin, beloved musical star Cyril Ritchard had a vast career that would last six decades, but "Peter Pan" would become his prime legacy. Born in Australia just before the turn of the century, he was educated at St. Aloysius College and Sydney University wherein he slyly sidestepped a parental-guided career in medicine for entertainment, participating in numerous college productions that quickly got him "hooked." He began professionally in the chorus line of The Royal Comic Opera Company and quickly progressed to juvenile leads. A subsequent pairing with the already-established theatre actress Madge Elliott in 1918 proved successful, and the musical twosome eventually married in 1935. Together they would go on to become known as "The Musical Lunts" by their acting peers performing in scores of plays and revues together. Ritchard specialized in playing slick, dandified villains in musical comedy and developed a potent reputation of being a man of many talents. Not only directing and staging Broadway's finest, he became a renown performer of various operas and led many productions as such. Shortly before his wife's death of bone cancer in 1955, Ritchard ventured into TV infamy by repeating his Tony and Donaldson award-winning portrayal of Hook in Peter Pan (1955). He continued to earn acclaim and/or honors with such classic stage productions as "Visit to a Small Planet" (Tony-nominated), "The Pleasure of His Company" (Drama League award, Tony-nominated), "The Roar of the Greasepaint...the Smell of the Crowd" (Tony-nominated), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Sugar," the musical version of the classic Billy Wilder film Some Like It Hot (1959) in which Ritchard played the Joe E. Brown role. Lesser regarded when it comes to film, he performed in the early Hitchcock classic Blackmail (1929) and made his last movie with the musical Half a Sixpence (1967) with Tommy Steele. While performing as the Narrator in a stage production of "Side by Side by Sondheim" in November 1977, Ritchard suffered a heart attack and died one month later. A one-of-a-kind talent, his nefarious, narcissistic humor was a career trademark that culminated in the role of a lifetime -- one that will certainly be enjoyed by children young and old for eons to come.
Elrond (voice)
6.5
1977
Father Thomas (voice)
5.3
1975
The Frog (voice)
0.0
1975
Morlock · (1 episode)
7.2
1973
Emperor Klockenlocher (voice)
5.0
1972
Mijnheer Kleef
6.5
1969
Harry Chitterlow
6.0
1967
The Sandman (voice)
4.8
1966
Host
0.0
1966
Big Bad Wolf
0.0
1965
Ebenezer Scrooge
10.0
1964
Self · (1 episode)
6.3
1963
Self · (3 episodes)
5.6
1962
Self · (2 episodes)
7.4
1962
0.0
1962
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
5.1
1961
Justin Fitzgibbons · (1 episode)
5.4
1961
Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
6.7
1960
Promenade Member
0.0
1958
Self · (1 episode)
4.4
1958
Sui-Generis, the Sorcerer
0.0
1958
Sui-Generis the Sorcerer · (1 episode)
6.7
1957
Self · (2 episodes)
6.5
1957
Self · (2 episodes)
5.3
1956
Self - rehearsing for 'Jack and the Beanstalk' · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
Self - Dr. Frankenstien · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
5.0
1956
Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
1.0
1956
Gen. Howe
0.0
1955
(1 episode)
6.0
1955
Artist (archive footage) (uncredited) · (1 episode)
7.7
1955
Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
6.1
1955
Captain Hook · (38 episodes)
6.3
1954
(1 episode)
6.0
1952
Pontius Pilate
0.0
1952
(1 episode)
8.7
1951
Arnold · (1 episode)
6.0
1950
Self - Mystery Guest · (1 episode)
6.7
1950
(1 episode)
4.7
1948
Pontius Pilate · (1 episode)
4.7
1948
Monty Gavenhurst · (1 episode)
4.7
1948
Reveller (uncredited)
7.0
1948
(2 episodes)
6.0
1948
6.9
1948
Self · (1 episode)
6.6
1948
Dr. Noel Penwood
0.0
1938
Paul Martine
8.1
1938
Jimmy
5.0
1937
0.0
1937
Sir William Carter
6.8
1932
Leo Chavasse
0.0
1930
Craddock
0.0
1930
The Artist
6.5
1929
Victor Smiles
6.4
1929