Scottish actor (born 1944)
Kenneth Cranham CBE (born 12 December 1944) is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor. His most notable screen roles were in Oliver! (1968), Up Pompeii (1971), Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Chocolat (1988), Layer Cake (2004), Gangster No. 1 (2000), Hot Fuzz (2007), Maleficent (2014) and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017).
On television he appeared in Budgie (1972), Boon (1989), Minder (1993), Merlin (2008), Rome , Death in Paradise (2013), War & Peace (2016) and The White Princess (2017).
On stage he has twice been nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play , winning it in 2016, for his performance in The Father .
Early life
Cranham was born in Dunfermline , Fife , the son of Lochgelly -born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born civil servant .[1] [2] Cranham trained at the National Youth Theatre [3] and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , graduating in 1966 with a RADA Diploma.[4]
Career
Television and film
He starred in the title role in the popular 1980s comedy drama Shine on Harvey Moon , prior to which he had appeared as Charlie Collins in A Family at War (1971).[5] He also appeared in Oliver! (1968),[5] Up Pompeii (1971),[5] Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972),Danger UXB(1979) Chocolat (1988),[5] Gangster No. 1 (2000),[5] Layer Cake (2004),[5] Hot Fuzz (2007),[5] Maleficent (2014)[5] and Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017).[5] He was cast as the deranged Philip Channard and his Cenobitic alter-ego in the Horror film Hellbound: Hellraiser II .[5]
On television he has appeared in Budgie (1972),[5] Boon (1989),[5] Minder (1993),[5] Rome (2007),[5] Merlin (2008),[5] Death in Paradise (2013),[5] War & Peace (2016)[5] and The White Princess (2017).[5]
Theatre
Among many stage credits are West End productions of Entertaining Mr Sloane , Loot , An Inspector Calls (both transferring to Broadway ), The Ruffian on the Stair , The Birthday Party and Gaslight (at the Old Vic ). For his role as Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls , he was nominated for a Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play .[6] It took another 23 years before winning the award when in 2016, Cranham won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Andre in Florian Zeller 's The Father .[7] Cranham's performance was described as "the performance of his life" by Michael Coveney of WhatsOnStage.com .[8]
Radio
For BBC Radio 4 's Afternoon Play , Cranham has played DS Max Matthews in The Interrogation by Roy Williams (2012–present) and starred as Thomas Gradgrind in BBC Radio's 2007 adaptation of Dickens' Hard Times .
Personal life
His first wife was actress Diana Quick . He has two daughters: Nancy Cranham from a relationship with actress Charlotte Cornwell , and Kathleen Cranham with his second wife, to whom he is still married, actress Fiona Victory .[1]
Cranham was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to drama.[9]
Filmography
Film
Television
Radio
He has also performed a number of readings for BBC Radio.
Awards and nominations
Theatre
References
External links
1976–1984 and 1988
1985 onwards (except 1988)
International National Artists Other