Hugh Emrys Griffith (30 May 1912 – 14 May 1980) was a Welsh actor.Obituary Variety, 21 May 1980. Described by BFI's Screenonline as a "wild-eyed, formidable character player", Griffith appeared in more than 100 theatre, film, and television productions in a career that spanned over 40 years. He was the second Welsh-born actor to win an Academy Award (following Ray Milland for The Lost Weekend), winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Ben-Hur (1959), with a second nomination for Tom Jones (1963).

As a stage actor, he was a renowned Shakespearean and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was nominated for Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for the original production Look Homeward, Angel. He was also a BAFTA Award and a three-time Golden Globe nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (for Tom Jones; 1963, Oliver!; 1968, and The Fixer, also 1968), and a Clarence Derwent Award winner.

Early life Griffith was born in Marian-glas, Anglesey, Wales, the youngest son of Mary and William Griffith. His sister was actress Elen Roger Jones. He was educated at Llangefni County School and attempted to gain entrance to university, but failed the English examination. He was then urged to make a career in banking, becoming a bank clerk and transferring to London to be closer to acting opportunities.

Just as he was making progress and gained admission to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, he had to suspend his plans in order to join the British Army, serving for six years with the Royal Welch Fusiliers in India and the Burma Campaign during the Second World War. He resumed his acting career in 1946, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Career

Stage Between 1946 and 1976, Griffith won acclaim for many stage roles, in particular for his portrayals of Falstaff, Lear and Prospero. Griffith performed on both sides of the Atlantic, taking leading roles in London, New York City and Stratford. In 1952, he starred in the Broadway adaptation of Legend of Lovers, alongside fellow Welsh actor Richard Burton.

In 1958, he was back in New York, this time taking a lead role in the opening production of Look Homeward, Angel, alongside Anthony Perkins. Both he and Perkins were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.

Film Griffith began his film career in British films during the late 1940s, and by the 1950s was also working in Hollywood. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Ben-Hur (1959), and was nominated for his performance in Tom Jones (1963). In 1968, he appeared as the magistrate in Oliver!. His later career was often blighted by his chronic alcoholism.

He played the funeral director Caradog Lloyd-Evans in the 1978 BBC Wales comedy Grand Slam. While visibly unwell at the time of shooting (years of alcohol abuse had taken their toll), Griffith's portrayal received widespread acclaim and helped the movie attain cult status.

Griffith was attached to Orson Welles's unproduced 1960s adaptation of Treasure Island.

Television On television, he had major roles in Quatermass II (1955), a miniseries adaptation of A. J. Cronin's The Citadel (1960) and Clochemerle (1972). He also appeared in an episode, 'The Talking Head', of Colonel March of Scotland Yard.

Honours He received an honorary degree from the University of Wales, Bangor, in 1965.

Personal life

Griffith was married to Adelgunde Margaret Beatrice von Dechend in 1947. He was a lifelong friend and drinking companion of poet Dylan Thomas.

Death Griffith, after being unwell for about a year, died in 1980 at his home in Kensington, London, at age 67."Hugh Griffith, Oscar-Winning Actor In 1959 For His Role in 'Ben Hur,' Dies", The Washington Post, digital archives, 15 May 1980, C4. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Retrieved 7 August 2019.

Filmography

Film Year Title RoleDirector Notes1940Night Train to MunichSailorCarol ReedUncreditedNeutral PortSpaniardMarcel Varnel1947The Silver DarlingsPackmanClarence Elder1948The Three Weird SistersMabli HughesDaniel BirtSo Evil My LoveCoronerLewis AllenThe First GentlemanBishop of SalisburyAlberto CavalcantiLondon Belongs to MeHeadlam FynneSidney Gilliat1949The Last Days of DolwynThe MinisterEmlyn WilliamsKind Hearts and CoronetsLord High StewardRobert HamerDoctor MorelleBensallGodfrey GraysonA Run for Your MoneyHuw PriceCharles Frend1950Gone to EarthAndrew VessonsPowell and Pressburger1951The Galloping MajorHarold TempleHenry CorneliusLaughter in ParadiseHenry Augustus RussellMario Zampi1953The Titfield ThunderboltDan TaylorCharles CrichtonThe Beggar's OperaThe BeggarPeter Brook1954The Million Pound NotePotterRonald NeameUncreditedThe Sleeping TigerThe InspectorJoseph Losey1955Passage HomePettigrewRoy Ward Baker1957The Good CompanionsMorton MitchamJ. Lee ThompsonLucky JimProfessor WelchJohn Boulting1959Ben-HurSheik IlderimWilliam WylerThe Story on Page OneJudge Edgar NeilsenClifford Odets1960The Day They Robbed the Bank of EnglandO'SheaJohn GuillerminExodusMandriaOtto Preminger1962The Counterfeit TraitorCollinsGeorge SeatonThe InspectorVan der PinkPhilip DunneTerm of TrialO'HaraPeter GlenvilleMutiny on the BountyAlexander SmithLewis Milestone1963Tom JonesSquire WesternTony Richardson1964Hide and SeekWilkinsCy EndfieldThe BargeeJoe TurnbullDuncan Wood1965The Amorous Adventures of Moll FlandersPrison GovernorTerence Young1966How to Steal a MillionBonnetWilliam Wyler1967Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So SadCommodore RoseaboveRichard QuineThe Sailor from GibraltarLlewellynTony RichardsonOn My Way to the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who...Ibn-el-RascidPasquale Festa CampanileBrown Eye, Evil EyeTadeusz BridgesRobert Angus1968Oliver!The MagistrateCarol ReedIl marito è mio e l'ammazzo quando mi pareIgnazioPasquale Festa CampanileThe FixerLebedevJohn Frankenheimer1970Start the Revolution Without MeKing Louis XVIBud YorkinCry of the BansheeMickeyGordon HesslerWuthering HeightsDr. KennethRobert Fuest1971Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?"The Pigman" HarrisonCurtis HarringtonThe Abominable Dr. PhibesRabbiRobert Fuest1972Dr. Phibes Rises AgainHarry AmbroseThe Canterbury TalesSir JanuaryPier Paolo PasoliniWhat?Joseph NoblartRoman Polanski1973Crescete e moltiplicateviMonsignor CasadeiGiulio PetroniThe Final ProgrammeProfessor HiraRobert FuestTake Me HighSir Harry CunninghamDavid Askey1974LutherJohn TetzelGuy GreenThe VisitorBarone di RoccaduraSergio MartinoCrazeSolicitorFreddie Francis1975Legend of the WerewolfMaestro Pamponi1976The Passover PlotCaiaphasMichael Campus1977Casanova & Co.The CaliphFranz AntelJoseph AndrewsSquire WesternTony RichardsonThe Last Remake of Beau GesteJudgeMarty Feldman1978The Hound of the BaskervillesFranklandPaul Morrissey1979A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley SquareSid LarkinRalph Thomas

Television Year Title Role Notes1952Goodyear Television PlayhouseEpisode: "Tour of Duty"Lux Video TheatreConstantine / Man with CelloEpisodes: "The Game of Chess" & "The Sounds of Waves Breaking"Lights OutEpisode: "The Borgia Lamp"1953Saturday Special4 episodesRheingold TheatreEpisode: "Outpost"1955Sunday Night TheatrePhotographerEpisode: "The Moment of Truth"Colonel March of Scotland YardDr. IvyEpisode: "The Talking Head"1957Armchair TheatreSimon KendallEpisode: "Now Let Him Go"1959OmnibusEpisode: "Ah Sweet Mystery of Mrs. Murphy"ITV Play of the WeekM. Tarde / Gen. Léon Saint-PéEpisode: "The Wild Bird" & "The Waltz of the Toreadors"Playhouse 90Jaggers / Reverend LightEpisode: "The Second Man" & "The Grey Nurse Said Nothing"1960The DuPont Show of the WeekLong John SilverEpisode: "Treasure Island"1963Comedy PlayhouseLuther FlanneryEpisode: "The Walrus and the Carpenter"1967ABC Stage 67Herr HoffmanEpisode: "Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn?"1971Tomorrow's WorldThe BaronEpisode: "Tomorrow's World Meets Yesterday's World"1971-72Thirty-Minute TheatreChoobukov / Uncle RolloEpisodes: "The Proposal" & "Uncle Rollo"1973Owen, M.D.John OwenEpisode: "September Song!"Orson Welles Great MysteriesThe ManEpisode: "The Inspiration of Mr. Budd"1974BBC2 PlayhouseDr. WaldenEpisode: "The Joke"

TV films, miniseries, and specials Year Title Role 1939 Johnson Was No Gentleman Footman1947The Wandering JewJuan de TexedaMaria Marten or, the Murder at the Red BarnIshmaelThe Tragical History of Doctor FaustusMephistophilis1948A Comedy of Good and EvilThe Rev. John Williams1952Back to Methuselah1953EscapadeAndrew DeesonThe Broken JugJudge AdamThe Teddy BearCharley Delaney1955The Merry ChristmasScroogeQuatermass IIDr. Leo Pugh1960The CitadelPhilip DennyPoint of DepartureFather1966The Poppy Is Also a FlowerSalah Rahman Khan1972ClochemerleAlexandre Bourdillat1975A LegacyBaron Felden1978Grand SlamCaradog Lloyd-Evans

Partial theatre credits Year Title RoleDirectorVenue Ref.1940The VenetianConciniHugh MillerSt Martin's Theatre, London1946The TempestTrinculoEric CrozierRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonLove's Labour's LostHolofernesPeter BrookHenry VCharles VIDorothy GreenAs You Like ItTouchstoneHerbert PrenticeMacbethFirst WitchMichael MacowanDoctor FaustusMephistophelesWalter Hudd1947The White DevilCardinal MonticelsoMichael BenthallDuchess Theatre, London1948A Comedy of Good and EvilThe Rev. John WilliamsVivienne BennettArts Theatre, London1950-51Point of DepartureFatherPeter AshmoreLyric Theatre, LondonDuke of York's Theatre, London1951Richard IIJohn of GauntAnthony QuayleRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonHenry IV, Part 1Owen GlendowerThe TempestCalibanMichael Benthall1951-52Henry VCanterburyAnthony QuayleLegend of LoversHis FatherPeter AshmorePlymouth Theatre, New York City1952-54EscapadeAndrew DeesonJohn FernaldTheatre Royal, BrightonSt James's Theatre, LondonStrand Theatre, London1954The Dark Is Light EnoughBelmannPeter BrookAldwych Theatre, LondonThe Alexandra, Birmingham1956-57The Waltz of the ToreadorsGen. Léon Saint-PéPeter HallArts Theatre, LondonCriterion Theatre, LondonRoyal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh1957-59Look Homeward, AngelW.O. GantGeorge Roy HillEthel Barrymore Theatre, New York City1959The CenciFrancesco CenciMichael BenthallThe Old Vic, London1962The Caucasian Chalk CircleAzdakWilliam GaskillAldwych Theatre, London1963AndorraThe TeacherMichael LanghamBiltmore Theater, New York City1964Henry IV, Part 1John FalstaffPeter HallRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonHenry IV, Part 2

Awards and nominations AwardYear Category WorkResultRef.Academy Award1960Best Supporting ActorBen-Hur1964Tom JonesBritish Academy Film Award1964Best British ActorClarence Derwent Award1952Best Supporting Male (UK)Legend of LoversGolden Globe Award1964Best Supporting Actor – Motion PictureTom Jones1969Oliver!The FixerLaurel Award1960Top Supporting Male PerformanceBen-Hur1964Tom JonesNational Board of Review1959Best Supporting ActorBen-HurTony Award1958Best Actor in a PlayLook Homeward, Angel

References

External links

Hugh Griffith at Theatricalia