Aidan Harrington
| Aidan Harrington | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aidan Harrington March 13, 1928 London, England, U.K. |
| 💀Died | February 4, 2017 (aged 88) Blackrock, County Dublin, IrelandFebruary 4, 2017 (aged 88) |
| Cause of death | Natural causes |
| 💼 Occupation | Actor |
| 📆 Years active | 1950-2012 |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Rosemary (m. 1954–2010; her death) |
| 👶 Children | 3 |
Aidan Harrington (March 13, 1928 - February 4, 2017) was an English character actor of stage, screen, and television.
Life and career[edit]
Harrington was born in London, England, on March 13, 1928,[1] the oldest sibling of a household that produced seven children. He received his public education at The Latymer School graduating in 1946 and later enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where he excelled in studying both acting and music. He graduated in 1950. His first professional beginnings in the entertainment industry began singing in the background chorus of the famed Palace Theatre in London. One fateful night in 1952, he happened to be discovered by famed motion picture director David Lean and his then wife, actress Ann Todd, who were so impressed by young Aidan's vocal abilities and charming looks, that they plucked him from obscurity and arranged for him a motion picture contract through London Film Productions where he would make his debut, under Lean's direction and with Todd as his first leading lady, in 'The Sound Barrier' (1952). Young Aidan's first screen appearance was so successful that within the very first year of his contract he appeared in 10 more films, one of which included the lavish costume epic 'Ivanhoe' whose cast included such acclaimed talents as Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Fontaine.[1]
At the beginning of the 1950s, Aidan was ranked as being one of the United Kingdom's 'Stars of Tomorrow'[1] and continued to make a name for himself in films appearing in such features as 'Doctor In The House' (1954), 'Dark Avenger' (1955), 'Village of the Damned' (1960), 'Day The Earth Caught Fire' (1961), 'Countess from Hong Kong' (1967), 'Best House in London' (1969), 'Eagle Has Landed' (1977), 'Top Secret' (1984), 'Batman' (1989), and, in his final on screen appearance, 'The Blackheath Poisonings' (1992). He also became a household name on the small screen appearing in such syndicated British sitcoms as The Invisible Man', 'The Edgar Wallace Mysteries', 'Scotland Yard', 'Ghost Squad', 'The Prisoner', 'The Sweeney, and QB VII.[2]
He was also highly regarded for his stance as a method actor on not only the British but American stage scene appearing in everything from light-hearted comedies to extreme dramatic roles. Some of which included: Romeo and Juliet, Dinner at Eight, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Mousetrap, And Then There Were None, Les Miserables, Julius Ceasar, The Crucible, All My Sons, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Little Foxes, Waiting for Godot, A Christmas Carol, Long Day's Journey Into Night, The Browning Version, Brewster's Millions, Angel Street, and Love Letters. In his later years, he even provided private acting lessons to aspiring performers.
He retired in 2012, and spent his last years spending time with his family, took up painting in oils, and divided time between his three homes which consisted of an estate in Surrey, England, a custom built Tudor house in County Dublin, Ireland (which he spent most of his time for over 40 years), and a summer house in Pebble Beach, California. He was married for 56 years to his wife, Rosemary, who predeceased him in 2010. Together they produced 3 children. He died surrounded by his family in the comfort of his Ireland home from natural causes on February 4, 2017, and was interred at Deansgrange Cemetery, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland, following a private family-only funeral service.[1]
Filmography[edit]
Breaking the Sound Barrier 1952
Crimson Pirate 1952
Hour of 13 1952
Ivanhoe 1952
I Believe in You 1952
Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men 1952
Top Secret 1952
Where's Charley? 1952
Card 1952
Hindle Wakes 1952
Potter of the Yard 1952
It Started in Paradise 1953
Folly to Be Wise 1953
Doctor in the House 1954
Belles of St. Trinians 1954
Pickwick Papers 1954
Colditz Story 1955
I Am a Camera 1955
Lyons in Paris 1955
Dark Avenger 1955
Extra Day 1956
Port Afrique 1956
Morning Call 1957
Two-Headed Spy 1958
Breakout 1959
Behemoth the Sea Monster 1959
Trials of Oscar Wilde 1960
Village of the Damned 1960
Wings of Death 1961
Hellfire Club 1961
Day the Earth Caught Fire 1961
Guns of Darkness Guard 1962
Jolly Bad Fellow 1963
633 Squadron 1964
Liquidator 1965
Operation Crossbow 1965
Thunderball 1965
Berserk Extra (uncredited) 1967
Dirty Dozen 1967
Countess From Hong Kong Extra 1967
Assassination Bureau Limited 1968
Best House in London Waiting Room Man 1969
Some Girls Do 1969
Mosquito Squadron 1969
One More Time 1970
Eagle Has Landed 1977
Top Secret! 1984
Morons From Outer Space 1985
Batman 1989
Blackheath Poisonings 1992
TV Appearances
The Invisible Man (1959)
Danger Man (1961)
The Edgar Wallace Mysteries (1961)
Scotland Yard (1961)
Ghost Squad (1963)
The Prisoner (1967)
The Sweeney (1964, 1965)
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Harrington, Andrew. "Aidan Harrington's life story (1928 - 2017) - ForeverMissed.com". www.forevermissed.com.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-02-26. Retrieved 2017-02-14. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link) - ↑ "Aidan Harrington". www.aveleyman.com.
Other websites[edit]
This article "Aidan Harrington" is from Simple English Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Aidan Harrington.
