Donald Wolfit

Sir Donald Wolfit, KBE (20 April 1902 – 17 February 1968) was an English actor-manager, knighted in 1957 for his services to the theatre. Wolfit, who was "Woolfitt" at birth was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and attended the Magnus Grammar School (now Magnus Church of England School) and made his stage début in 1920. He first appeared in the West End in 1924, playing in The Wandering Jew but had limited success afterwards, though he played som... more

Sir Donald Wolfit, KBE (20 April 1902 – 17 February 1968) was an English actor-manager, knighted in 1957 for his services to the theatre. Wolfit, who was "Woolfitt" at birth was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and attended the Magnus Grammar School (now Magnus Church of England School) and made his stage début in 1920. He first appeared in the West End in 1924, playing in The Wandering Jew but had limited success afterwards, though he played some major supporting roles at the Old Vic Theatre in 1930 (including Claudius to the first Hamlet of John Gielgud, whom Wolfit envied and strove to rival. Wolfit appeared in the smash hit Richard of Bordeaux, again in support of Gielgud. Wolfit finally made a name for himself at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in 1936 as Hamlet, and he tried to persuade the management to finance him on a tour of the provinces. They declined the invitation, so he withdrew his savings and started his own touring company in 1937, which he would lead for many years... less