Tony Church

James Anthony Church (11 May 1930 – 25 March 2008)[1] was an English actor, who has appeared on stage and screen. In 1989 he became the Dean of the National Theatre Conservatory, which is the teaching arm of the Denver Center Theatre Company in Denver, Colorado.

For the trailer writer, see Tony Church (trailer writer).

Tony Church
Born
James Anthony Church

(1930-03-11)11 March 1930
London, England
Died25 March 2008(2008-03-25) (aged 77)
Oxford, England
OccupationActor
Years active1953–2007

Stage

Church was educated at Hurstpierpoint College, and Clare College, Cambridge.[2] In 1953 when fellow Cambridge student Peter Hall directed his first professional production—Pirandello's Henry IV at the Arts Theatre, London—Church was a performer. In 1960 Hall set up the new Royal Shakespeare Company and Church joined him as a founder member.

He was a regular performer with the company until 1987. In 1988 Church took leading parts in Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest, once again under the direction of Peter Hall, at London's National Theatre. He appeared for the last time on the Stratford stage on 31 March 2007, in a special programme marking the closure of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.[3]

He was appointed Director of Drama at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1982, leaving to take up the post with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in 1989.

Film and television

He appeared in Work Is a Four-Letter Word (1968), On Giant's Shoulders (1979), Tess (1979), and Krull (1983). In the 1963 BBC production of As You Like It he played Duke Frederick. Later he played Frederick's banished brother, Duke Senior, in the 1978 BBC Television Shakespeare production. He also had small roles as Squire Bancroft in Lillie and Samuel Hoare in Edward & Mrs. Simpson.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1968Work Is a Four-Letter WordMr. Arkwright
1979TessParson Tringham
1982The Plague DogsCivil Servant #3Voice
1983KrullTurold
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References
  1. Moore, John (25 March 2008). "Tony Church: Consummate man of theater". Denver Post. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  2. Coveney, Michael (28 March 2008). "Obituary: Tony Church". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
  3. Ward, David (2 April 2007). "Exeunt all as Stratford's actors prepare to tread new boards". Guardian. Retrieved 8 May 2007.

Other sources
  • Trowbridge, Simon (17 December 2008). "Church, Tony". Stratfordians: a Biographical Dictionary of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Oxford, England: Editions Albert Creed. ISBN 978-0-9559830-0-9.
  • Who's Who (2007): James Anthony Church
  • A Stage for a Kingdom (2013) Tony Church
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