Kenneth Cranham: Difference between revisions

{{Use British English|date=MayJune 20112024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=AugustJune 20202024}}

| spouse = {{Nowrapmarriage|[[Diana Quick]]<br> (m. |1974; |1978|end=div. 1978)}}<br />{{Nowrap|[[Fiona Victory]]}}

'''Kenneth Cranham''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 12 December 1944) is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor. His most notable screen roles were in ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968), ''[[Up Pompeii (film)|Up Pompeii]]'' (1971), ''[[Hellbound: Hellraiser II]]'' (1988), ''[[Chocolat (1988 film)|Chocolat]]'' (1988), ''[[Layer Cake (film)|Layer Cake]]'' (2004), ''[[Gangster No. 1]]'' (2000), ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' (2007), ''[[Maleficent (film)|Maleficent]]'' (2014), and ''[[Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool]]'' (2017).

On television he appeared in ''[[Budgie (TV series)|Budgie]]'' (1972), ''[[Boon (TV series)|Boon]]'' (1989), ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' (1993), ''[[Merlin (2008 TV series)|Merlin]]'' (2008), ''[[Rome (TV series)|Rome]]'', ''[[Death in Paradise (TV series)|Death in Paradise]]'' (2013), ''[[War & Peace (2016 TV series)|War & Peace]]'' (2016), and ''[[The White Princess (miniseries)|The White Princess]]'' (2017).

Cranham was born in [[Dunfermline]], [[Fife]], the son of [[Lochgelly]]-born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born [[civil servant]].<ref name=filmbio>{{cite web |url= http://www.filmreference.com/film/67/Kenneth-Cranham.html |title=Kenneth Cranham Biography (1944-1944–) |work=filmreference.com |year=2016 |access-date=24 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/he-epitomises-the-cockney-geezer-and-hard-man-on-screen-but-actor-kenneth-cranham-s-roots-and-fondest-memories-belong-to-fife-1-1150045 |title=He epitomises the cockney geezer and hard man on screen, but actor Kenneth Cranham's roots – and fondest memories – belong to Fife |work=The Scotsman |date=30 November 2008 |access-date=24 February 2016}}</ref> Cranham trained at the [[National Youth Theatre|National Youth Theatre of Great Britain]],<ref name="20-questions">{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/02-2008/20-questions-with-kenneth-cranham_19900.html |title=20 Questions With ... Kenneth Cranham |date=February 2008 |publisher=WhatsOnStage.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213104614/http://www.whatsonstage.com/west-end-theatre/news/02-2008/20-questions-with-kenneth-cranham_19900.html |archive-date=13 December 2013 }}</ref> and atthe [[Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]], graduating in 1966 with ana Acting (RADA Diploma).<ref name="rada">{{cite web |url= https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/kenneth-cranham/ |title= RADA Student & graduate profiles: Kenneth Cranham |work=rada.ac.uk |access-date=1 August 1, 2023}}</ref>

He starred in the title role in the popular 1980s comedy drama ''[[Shine on Harvey Moon]]'', prior to which he had appeared as Charlie Collins in ''[[A Family at War]]'' (1971).<ref name="tv">{{Cite web | url= https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kenneth-cranham/credits/3000237056/ |title = Kenneth Cranham Credits |work= tvguide.com |access-date= 21 April 21, 2022}}</ref> He also appeared in ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Up Pompeii (film)|Up Pompeii]]'' (1971),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Brother Sun, Sister Moon]]'' (1972),Danger UXB(1979) ''[[Chocolat (1988 film)|Chocolat]]'' (1988),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Gangster No. 1]]'' (2000),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Layer Cake (film)|Layer Cake]]'' (2004),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Hot Fuzz]]'' (2007),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Maleficent (film)|Maleficent]]'' (2014),<ref name="tv"/> and ''[[Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool]]'' (2017).<ref name="tv"/> He was cast as the deranged [[Dr. Channard (Hellraiser)|Philip Channard]] and his [[Channard Cenobite|Cenobitic alter-ego]] in the [[Horror film]] ''[[Hellbound: Hellraiser II]]''.<ref name="tv"/>

On television he has appeared in ''[[Budgie (TV series)|Budgie]]'' (1972),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Boon (TV series)|Boon]]'' (1989),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Minder (TV series)|Minder]]'' (1993),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Rome (TV series)|Rome]]'' (2007),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Merlin (2008 TV series)|Merlin]]'' (2008),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[Death in Paradise (TV series)|Death in Paradise]]'' (2013),<ref name="tv"/> ''[[War & Peace (2016 TV series)|War & Peace]]'' (2016),<ref name="tv"/> and ''[[The White Princess (miniseries)|The White Princess]]'' (2017).<ref name="tv"/>

Among many stage credits are [[West End theatre|West End]] productions of ''[[Entertaining Mr Sloane]]'', ''[[Loot (play)|Loot]]'', ''[[An Inspector Calls]]'' (both transferring to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]), ''[[The Ruffian on the Stair]]'', ''[[The Birthday Party (play)|The Birthday Party]]'' and ''[[Gaslight (play)|Gaslight]]'' (at the [[Old Vic]]). For his role as Inspector Goole in ''[[An Inspector Calls]]'', he was nominated for a [[Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play]].<ref name="olivier1993"/> It took another 23 years before winning the award when in 2016, Cranham won the [[Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Play]] for his role as Andre in [[Florian Zeller]]'s ''[[The Father (Zeller play)|The Father]]''.<ref name="father">{{cite web |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35954142 |title= Olivier Awards: Winners unveiled at London ceremony|work=bbc.co.uk |date=April 3, April 2016}}</ref> Cranham's performance was described as "the performance of his life" by Michael Coveney of [[WhatsOnStage.com]].<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/reviews/father-tricycle-kenneth-cranham-claire-skinner_37798.html |title= The Father (Tricycle Theatre)|author=Michael Coveney| work= WhatsonStage.com|date=13 May 2015}}</ref>

|<ref name="olivier1993">{{Cite web|title= Olivier Winners 1993 |url= https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-1993/ |access-date=March 4, March 2018|website=Olivier Awards|language=en-GB}}</ref>

|<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-28 November 2016|title=2015 Results {{!}} Critics' Circle Theatre Awards|url=https://criticscircletheatreawards.com/results/results-2015/|access-date=6 December 2020-12-06|language=en-GB}}</ref>

|<ref name="father"/><ref name="olivier2016">{{Cite web|title=Olivier Winners 2016|url=https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/winners/olivier-winners-2016/|access-date=6 December 2020-12-06|website=Olivier Awards|language=en-GB}}</ref>

[[Category:AlumniActors offrom RADADunfermline]]