Alec Clunes (born Alexander De M. S. Clunes; (17 May 1912 Brixton, London – 13 March 1970 London) was an English actor-manager.
He was born into a showbusiness family, the son of Alexander Sydenham Sherriff Clunes and Georgina Ada Sumner. He began his stage career with Ben Greet's company, before playing at the Old Vic theatre. He played numerous Shakespearian roles, before taking over the management of the Arts Theatre, London in 1942, where he ...
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Alec Clunes (born Alexander De M. S. Clunes; (17 May 1912 Brixton, London – 13 March 1970 London) was an English actor-manager.
He was born into a showbusiness family, the son of Alexander Sydenham Sherriff Clunes and Georgina Ada Sumner. He began his stage career with Ben Greet's company, before playing at the Old Vic theatre. He played numerous Shakespearian roles, before taking over the management of the Arts Theatre, London in 1942, where he remained until 1950. Among the plays he presented were Christopher Fry's famous play The Lady's Not For Burning. He gave the actor and dramatist Sir Peter Ustinov his first break with his production The House of Regrets.
His film career was brief, but varied. He played Hastings in Laurence Olivier's Richard III (1956), and also appeared in wartime films such as One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942), although he was in fact a consciencious objector.
Clunes later stage work included succeeding Sir Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins in the stage...
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