Nigel Patrick - Biography

This droll, dry-witted London-born gent came from a family of actors. He made his stage debut in 1932 and established his reputation in stylish plays. He progressed to films in 1939 but his career was immediately interrupted after only one movie appearance by WWII, serving as a lieutenant colonel in the infantry. He managed to regain his footing in films during the post-war years and played a number of doubting debonairs and high ranking officials in both the lead and second lead capacity. Such films as Spring in Park Lane (1948) Trio (1950), Encore (1952), Breaking the Sound Barrier (1952), The Pickwick Papers (1952), How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957) and The League of Gentlemen (1959) solidified his cinematic status and purposefulness. In the 60s he made a strong return to the theatre serving as both actor and director and also appeared on TV in the Zero One, which was briefly syndicated in the U.S. Long married to actress Beatrice Campbell until her death in 1979, he passed away two years later of lung cancer.