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George Benson Biography (1911-1983)

Born January 11, 1911, in Cardiff, South Wales; died June 17, 1983; son of Leslie Bernard Gilpin and Isita Lenora (Waddington) Benson; married Jane Ann Sterndale Bennett (divorced); married Pamela White.

Nationality

Welsh

Gender

Male

Birth Details

January 11, 1911

Cardiff, Wales

Famous Works

• Credits
• STAGE DEBUT--Roman soldier, Caesar and Cleopatra, Malvern Festival, U.K.
• LONDON DEBUT--Various roles, Charlot's Masquerade, Cambridge Theatre, 1930.
• NEW YORK DEBUT--Desmond Curry, The Winslow Boy, Empire Theatre, 1947.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
• Willie, Wonder Bar, Savoy Theatre, London, 1930.
• George Pelham, Faces, Comedy Theatre, London, 1932.
• Ben and Trapland, Love for Love, Faculty of Arts Theatre, London, 1932.
• Sam Gerridge, Caste, Embassy Theatre, London, 1932.
• Please, Savoy Theatre, London, 1933.
• Courtier, The Golden Toy, Coliseum Theatre, London, 1934.
• Snyde, Mary Read, His Majesty's Theatre, London, 1934.
• Shall We Reverse?, Comedy Theatre, London, 1935.
• Stop--Go!, Vaudeville Theatre, London, 1935.
• King Hildebrand, What a Witch!, 1935.
• The Town Talks, 1936.
• Socrates, No More Peace, Gate Theatre, London, 1936.
• Edward Gill, The Two Bouquets, Ambassadors' Theatre, London, 1936.
• Dromio of Ephesus, The Comedy of Errors, Open Air Theatre, London, 1937.
• Vlas Fillipovich, Distant Point, Gate Theatre, London, 1937.
• Nine Sharp Revue, Little Theatre, London, 1938.
• Gus Michaels, Paradise Lost, Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1938.
• Tony Lumpkin, She Stoops to Conquer, Old Vic Theatre, London, 1939.
• The Little Revue, Little Theatre, London, 1939.
• Diversion, Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1940.
• Better Late, Garrick Theatre, London, 1946.
• Between Ourselves Revue, Playhouse, London, 1946.
• For the Old Vic Company in London, 1949-50 season, played: Costard, Love's Labour's Lost, Bolshinstov, A Month in the Country, Jacques, The Miser, Marcellus and first Gravedigger, Hamlet.Poupart, Music at Midnight, His Majesty's Theatre, London, 1950.
• The Lyric Revue, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, then Globe Theatre, London,1951.
• Pasqualino, The Impresario from Smyrna, Arts Theatre, London, 1954.
• Mr. Pooter, The Diary of a Nobody, Arts Theatre, London, 1954.
• Duke of Epping, Jubilee Girl, Victoria Palace, London, 1956.
• Mr. Gilbey, Fanny's First Play, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, 1956.
• Sibilot, Nekrassov, Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, then Royal Court Theatre, London, 1957.
• Magistrate, Lysistrata, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1957.
• Wellington Potts, Caught Napping, Piccadilly Theatre, London, 1959.
• Arthur Groomkirby, One Way Pendulum, Royal Court Theatre, London, 1959, then Criterion Theatre, London, 1960.
• Dr. Crippen, Belle, or the Ballad of Dr. Crippen, Strand Theatre, London,1961.
• Mr. Bolt, August for the People, Edinburgh Festival, Scotland, then RoyalCourt Theatre, London, 1961.
• Boss Mangan, Heartbreak House, Oxford Playhouse, U.K., then Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1961.
• Rupert Tilling, The Tulip Tree, Haymarket Theatre, London, 1962.
• Henry Carter, The Excursion, Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, 1964.
• Thring, The Man Who Let It Rain, Theatre Royal, Stratford, 1964.
• Earl of Loam, Our Man Crichton, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1964.
• Count Bodo, The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi, Hampstead Theatre Club, U.K., 1965.
• Dudley, A Family and a Fortune, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, U.K., 1966.
• Lord Pilco, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, and Simon, Fred, Reginald, The Adventures of Tom Random, both at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, U.K., 1967.
• Steward, Carpenter, January, Canterbury Tales, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1968-70.
• Justice Shallow, Henry IV, Part II, Gonzalo, The Tempest, and Inquisitor,St. Joan, all at the Mermaid Theatre, London, 1970.
• Dean Judd, Dandy Dick, Birmingham Repertory, U.K., 1972.
• Reverend Harold Davison, The Vicar of Soho, Gardner Centre, Brighton, U.K., 1972.
• Christopher Glowrey, Nightmare Abbey, Arnaud Theatre, Guildford Theatre,U.K., 1972.
• Squire Trelawney, Treasure Island, Mermaid Theatre, London, 1972.
• Polonius, Hamlet, Theatre Royal, Windsor, U.K., 1973.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Nicholas Hannell and Athene Seylker's Company, Egyptian and Australian cities, 1932-33.
• Nine Sharp, U.K. cities, 1940.
• Desmond Curry, The Winslow Boy, U.S. and Canadian cities, 1948.
• Launcelot Gobbo, Prince of Arragon, The Merchant of Venice, Grumio, The Taming of the Shrew, Pompey, Measure for Measure, all with the Old Vic Company, Australian cities, 1955.
• Dudley, A Family and a Fortune, U.K. cities, 1966.
• Waiter, You Never Can Tell, Cambridge Theatre Company, U.K. cities, 1973.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK; DIRECTOR
• In Town Again, Criterion Theatre, London, 1940.
• Diversion, Wyndham's Theatre, London, 1940.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
• Keep Fit, 1937.
• The Man in the White Suite, 1951.
• Doctor in the House, 1954.
• Value for Money, Rank, 1957.
• A Home of Your Own, 1965.