English actor Kenneth More with his wife, actress Angela Douglas and actress Gemma Jones , UK, September 1971. More was not a trained actor and had not gone into show business to tread the boards. The first was how it represented the experiences he had as a struggling young actor, the second was how he was coming to terms with the present, his own age and the shifting trends of the industry. More had remembered that a man called Van Damm had known his father and so he asked for a job. [20], In 1957, More had announced that he would play the lead role of a captain caught up in the Indian Mutiny in Night Runners of Bengal but the film was never made. "From the 'Windmill' to the 'Sea'.". This had been More's first attempt to break into cinema which had not come to fruition although plenty of film work followed. Served during World War II in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). More's perfect comic timing was made for the part and he won the audience immediately making him a rising star overnight. At 27, she married actor Kenneth More (then 47), who died in 1982. However, my friends always associate me with the song: "When You're Smiling..." lt isn't always easy but I'm trying to live up to it.[29]. More was unsure about whether the public would accept him in the part and turned it down, a decision he later regarded as "the greatest mistake I ever made professionally". By 1956, More's asking price was £25,000 a film.[15]. Was a well known member of "The Garrick Club" in London and once claimed that if he only had enough money left in the world to pay the club subscription and nothing else, he would pay it. He was married to Douglas (whom he nicknamed "Shrimp") from 17 March 1968 until his death. And he was more humorous than, say, Gary Cooper, more down-to-earth than, say, Cary Grant. [recalling the start of his career at the Windmill Theatre] After my father died, my mother had virtually nothing, and she gave me £150 and said, "That's all I can afford, Kenny. Published two volumes of autobiography, Happy Go Lucky (1959) and More or Less (1978) and a book of reminiscences, Kindly Leave the Stage (1965). More received a BAFTA Award as best newcomer. The Kenneth More Theatre, named in honour of the actor, was founded in 1975, in Ilford, east London.[32]. [21], He followed it for another with Ralph Thomas, a remake of The 39 Steps (1959), with a Hollywood co star (Taina Elg). Sean Connery with his first wife Diane Cilento DIANE CILENTO, KENNETH MORE, THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON, 1957 DIANE CILENTO, KENNETH MORE, THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON, 1957 https://www.alamy.com/licenses-and-pricing/?v=1 https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-diane-cilento-kenneth-more-the-admirable-crichton-1957-30963375.html His later film roles included The Slipper and the Rose (1976), Where Time Began (1978), Leopard in the Snow (1978), An Englishman's Castle (1978) and Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979). An updated version is currently in the works. More had met Bader at Gleneagles where they played a round of golf together, Bader winning each time. Kenneth More is one of the most successful Movie Actor. [28] Critic David Shipman said More's personal notices for his performance on stage in The Secretary Bird (1968) "must be among the best accorded any light comedian during this century".[19]. [25] Film writer Andrew Spicer thought that "More's persona was so strongly associated with traditional middle class values that his stardom could not survive the shift towards working class iconoclasts" during that decade. Raised to stardom by the veteran car based film-comedy Genevieve (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. [5] He returned to the stage directing The Angry Deep in Brighton in 1960. (1939 - Cornelius had remembered More from a screen test he had directed him in for the part of Lt. E.G.R. [6] The first was The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958), a Western spoof originally written for Clifton Webb. British actor Roger Moore with his wife Luisa Mattioli, Germany, 1970s. Wartime missions aboard Aurora, and later with aircraft carrier HMS Victorious (R38) would lead him to receive medals, including campaign stars for Africa, Italy, the Atlantic and Pacific.After being demobbed from the Navy Kenneth More returned to England and signed with agent Harry Dubens, who was seeking actors who had served in the forces. Before becoming an actor, Kenneth More worked at one of the first "Sainsbury's" establishments on the Strand. More married his second wife Mabel Barkby in 1952, but … [5], He was in demand for minor roles on screen such as Morning Departure (1950) and Chance of a Lifetime (1950). Kenneth Gilbert More, CBE (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English film and stage actor. Further successes on film came but in cameo or supporting roles, including The Longest Day (1962), Oh! But I have no ambition, you see, to play any particular part. For instance, I was offered the role of the father in, [9/16/67, in the Daily Mirror, describing the story of Wing Commander "Tommy" Yeo-Thomas GC in, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. More appeared in a TV production of The Deep Blue Sea in 1954, which was seen by an audience of 11 million. For a small role in Scott of the Antarctic (1948) as Edward Evans, 1st Baron Mountevans, he was paid £500. On the anniversary of his birthday, Kenneth More is remembered by his wife Angela Douglas and Nick Pourougides, founder … An website was launched in 2018 to coincide with the birth of the actor, on behalf of Kenneth More's estate, with the objective of reinvigorating More's name and image. Now a journalist, she has published two books, including the autobiographical Swings and Roundabouts [30], Doctors and friends ask me how I feel. Her father was born in Scotland in 1882, while her mother, a devout Roman Catholic , was born in Darjeeling in 1888 and may have been of Irish and either Armenian [4] [5] or Indian ancestry. He was soon an actor in his own right appearing on stage as Ken More in comedy sketches. More was unsuccessful, while Hulton-Harrop, who qualified as a first-rate fighter pilot, was shot down and killed by his own coastal defenses in one of the RAF's earliest sweeps over France. The answer came back that 14 names went into a computer in America--measured against all the qualities of a typical Englishman, the qualities that would make the average housewife believe that this was someone whose word could be relied on, and his name came out of the computer. His wife Angela Douglas was by his side having nursed him in his final years. Incidentally, he had brought the role back to life the previous year for BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950) series. This made it increasingly difficult for him to work, although his last role was a sizeable supporting part in a US TV adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities (1980). More achieved above the title billing for the first time with a low budget comedy, Brandy for the Parson (1952), playing a smuggler. Determined to do his bit, he then volunteered to drive ambulances; this time he was successful. A memorial service was held for him at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London on 20 September 1982. He had minor parts in Man on the Run (1949), Now Barabbas (1949), and Stop Press Girl (1949). Kenneth More was born at 'Raeden', Vicarage Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire,[3] the only son of Charles Gilbert More, a Royal Naval Air Service pilot, and Edith Winifred Watkins, the daughter of a Cardiff solicitor. He played the title character in ATV's Father Brown (1974) series. Kenneth More passed away on July 12th, 1982. [16] In June of that year, he said: Hollywood has been hitting two extremes – either a Biblical de Mille spectacular or a Baby Doll. More's performance was once again praised by audiences and critics alike, leading to being awarded the prestigious Volpi cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, as well as nominations for Best Actor at the British Film Academy Awards. Apparently, Kenneth Branagh's former lover Helena Bonham Carter was the one who introduced him to Lindsay Brunnock. New Zealand born Nyree Dawn Porter, who played Soames’s first wife, Irene, went on to star in several horror films and the crime-fighting TV series The Protectors (1972-73) with Robert Vaughn. He is most remembered for Genevieve, Reach for the Sky, A Night to Remember, The Forsythe Saga. Not wanting to caricature him More kept his distance whilst preparing for the role, only meeting him on a handful of occasions for dinner with his friend, actor Ronald Squire. After he left school, he followed the family tradition by training as a civil engineer. [17] More turned down an offer from Roy Ward Baker to play a German POW in The One That Got Away (1957), but agreed to play the lead part of Charles Lightoller in the Titanic film for the same director, A Night to Remember (1958). "[8] The resulting film was a huge success at the British box office. It would end up having the greatest impact on his character and his acting style during wartime. It turned out to be the biggest stage success of his career. Having been paid what he considered to be "an awful lot of money for half a day's work" he asked why the offer was made to him. More and Coward got on well and stayed friends throughout their lives. The movie was profitable. [6/16/73, in The Times] Actors are as old as they appear to the public. A Night to Remember (1958 film) - Wikipedia The role played by Niven was originally intended for Kenneth More . Cornelius was sure More was the Claverhouse he needed for 'Genevieve' and he was not disappointed. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1970 New Year Honours. He was merely looking for work and happened to walk past the Windmill Theatre in London's West End one day and saw a sign above the door 'General Manager - Vivian Van Damm'. Why did he fall from view? He had been a great supporter of the club over the years taking part in a great deal of charitable events. However, nothing clicked between them during their first encounter. 'Reach for the Sky' became a smash hit upon release and the most popular British film of 1956, winning a British Film Academy award for Best Film. More's first Hollywood-financed film was No Highway in the Sky (1951) where he played a co-pilot. Equally lasting a legacy was his institution in 1962 of the annual Kenneth More Prize for Drama. Several years late More took on another famous literary character playing the part of a Catholic priest who was adept at solving mysteries in G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown (1974). One face that became very familiar in our household was actor Kenneth More (1914-1982). He felt the part of Bader was one he was born to play as he mentioned in his autobiography, 'More or Less': "Bader's philosophy was my philosophy. His mother, the daughter of a Cardiff solicitor, was known affectionately as "Topsy". [11] The first film was never made and the second (I Was Monty's Double) with another actor. It was released by Columbia Pictures. He got to his feet, but as soon as he tried to walk he fell flat on his face. ", "Reaching for the Sky: Kenneth More remembered", "Kenneth More was a war hero who conquered British cinema. Like many stars of the 1950s, More had a regular stand-in--. Playing Bader also garnered a Best Actor award for More from popular cinema publication, Picturegoer magazine. He was made a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the 1970 Queen's New Year Honours List for services to drama. He had more range than he sometimes gave himself credit for, but he knew how best to appeal to an audience.Born in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, Kenneth More was the son of a civil engineer, a profession he initially pursued but with little success. Thank goodness my wife, who holds nothing of the past over my head, is constantly at my side. (Teddy) Evans in Scott of the Antarctic (1948). More says he accepted the lead in the low-budget youth film, Some People (1962), because he had no other offers at the time. The Variety Club of Great Britain bestowed More with a special silver heart in 1975 for 40 years in show business. This gave me the opportunity to catch-up on a great deal of films my parents had first seen in their youth. Kenneth Gilbert More C.B.E. He was in another Hollywood-financed film, Never Let Me Go (1953), playing a colleague of Clark Gable. His first marriage in 1940 to actress Mary Beryl Johnstone (one daughter, Susan Jane, born 1941) ended in divorce in 1946. (1937), Stage Hands Never Lie (1937) and Distinguished Gathering (1937). he is ranked in the list of 5287 most popular Movie Actor. [5], More's popularity recovered in the 1960s through West End stage performances and television roles, especially following his success in The Forsyte Saga (1967). More then made a series of films for Rank that were distributed in the US by 20th Century Fox. Films from this period include Doctor in the House (1954), Raising a Riot (1955), The Admirable Crichton (1957), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958) and Next to No Time (1958). 'Genevieve' was the second most popular movie that year and went onto become a British comedy classic, winning Best British Film at the British Film Academy Awards.More channelled the same energy and zest for life he had shown as Claverhouse in his next performance as student Doctor Richard Grimsdake in the first of the much-loved Doctor in the House (1954) film series. British Actor Kenneth More was born Kenneth Gilbert More on 20th September, 1914 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, UK and passed away on 12th Jul 1982 Fulham, London, England, UK aged 67. She sued again, seven years later, when the actor Kenneth More referred to Luisa as ‘Mrs Roger Moore’ in a TV special. In 1971, she filed the first of 30 court cases over the next 15 years. Some felt More's popularity declined when he left his second wife to live with Angela Douglas. More received offers to go to Hollywood, but turned them down, unsure his persona would be effective there. 1950 saw More in 'The Way Things Go' by Frederick Lonsdale at the Phoenix Theatre, alongside a cast which included Michael Gough, Glynis Johns, Ronald Squire and Janet Burnell.His first breakthrough came on stage at The Duchess Theatre in 1952 playing the role of Freddie Page alongside Peggy Ashcroft in Terence Rattigan's 'The Deep Blue Sea'. Spent part of his childhood in the Channel Islands, where his father was general manager of Jersey Eastern Railways. She was 26 years younger than More. We did not even have an exchange of letters between us, only what lawyers like to call "mutual trust", and the feeling that we could work together and achieve something worthwhile together. [26] Another writer, Christopher Sandford, felt that "as the sixties began and the star of the ironic, postmodernist school rose, More was derided as a ludicrous old fogey with crinkly hair and a tweed jacket."[27]. You see what you can do". Kenneth More's memorial service was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 20 September 1982, which also marked his birthday. Joining More and his wife. I was first introduced to him by my father, one rainy Sunday afternoon when the British comedy classic, Genevieve (1953) was showing. Made his first appearance on the stage at the Windmill Theatre in August 1935, in a revue sketch. That same year Noël Coward cast More as a British Resistance Leader in 'Peace in Our Time' at the Lyric Theatre; a story of what might have happened if Britain had lost the Second World War. Frankly, this kind of part is too easy for me. He was seen by Noël Coward playing a small role on stage in Power Without Glory (1947), which led to his being cast in Coward's Peace In Our Time (1948) on stage.[4]. His next film, The Admirable Crichton (1957), was a high comedy, based on the play by J. M. Barrie. No other British actor had come so close to that dependable, reliable quality of the great Hollywood stars – you would trust him through thick and thin. A television documentary about Kenneth More, produced by Ray Dicks was released this year. More was considered an 'institution in British entertainment' according to presenter Michael Parkinson whilst introducing him on his chat show in 1978.More announced his retirement in 1980 due to illness, at the time he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. Despite being reluctant to become involved in making TV commercials, he eventually endorsed "Birds Coffee" in the UK. More next made Our Girl Friday (1953) and Doctor in the House (1954), the latter for Ralph Thomas. he never exposed his family information. [35] Stephen Fry called the book "informative and deeply touching". Director Henry Cornelius approached More during the run of The Deep Blue Sea and offered him £3,500 to play one of the four leads in a comedy, Genevieve (1953) (a part turned down by Guy Middleton). [10] '. So I came to London and recalled that. This was the first of a seven-year contract with Rank at a fee of £40,000 a film. In 2019, in collaboration with Talking Pictures TV, the Kenneth More estate helped to create and promote the first Kenneth More Day, marking the actor's passing on 12 July.[34]. More also offered to send his fee to Bernard. [31] His body was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium and a plaque erected at the actors' church St Paul's, Covent Garden, following a memorial attended by family, friends and colleagues. Future plans by the Kenneth More estate include a retrospective and exhibition of More's awards, film-related material and personal papers, which are contained in the actor's archive. [22], The third Fox-Rank film was an Imperial adventure set in India, North West Frontier (1959), co-starring Lauren Bacall and directed by J. Lee Thompson. He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert who also had made Reach for the Sky and who later said: I was very fond of Kenny as an actor, although he wasn't particularly versatile. I just thought that defending my country was more important than being an actor, and I wanted to join the navy because my father had been in the navy. Having been sent to what was then the RAF headquarters at Adastral House in Kingsway, London, for a medical, he failed the test for equilibrium. Commander of the Order of the British Empire, The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella, http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-deaths-1837-2007?firstname=kenneth%20g&lastname=more&eventyear=1982&eventyear_offset=2, "New British star has slick comedy flair", "Front page news ABROA stars share Venice film prize", "Kenneth More- Britain's best: He's no matinee idol, but film fans around the world love him", "Quiet Hero: Happy (Belated) Birthday to British Actor Kenneth More (September 20, 1914 – July 12, 1982). After that, he claimed never to have had that dream again. He is best known for portraying fictional secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985. Appearing with him were Vivyan Ellacott. (20 September 1914 - 12 July 1982) was one of Britain's most successful and highest paid actors of his generation, with a multi award-winning career in theatre, film and television spanning over 4 decades.At the height of his fame during the 1950's Kenneth More appeared in some of the most memorable feature films of the decade including Genevieve (1953), Doctor in the House (1954), The Deep Blue Sea (1955), Reach for the Sky (1956), Paradise Lagoon (1957), A Night to Remember (1958), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958), North West Frontier (1959) and The 39 Steps (1959).Starting out as the lovable, happy-go-lucky gentleman with boyhood charm and cheerful optimism, he would later refine his acting style into a leading man who could articulate a whole range of emotions in serious dramatic performances. He was now established as one of Britain's biggest stars and Korda announced plans to feature him in two films based on true stories, one about the Transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown in 1919 also featuring Denholm Elliott,[10] and the other Clifton James, the double for Field Marshal Montgomery. [3/22/63, in the Montreal Gazette, speaking of his role as Chick Byrd in "The Comedy Man"] The public wouldn't accept me as a stevedore or as a Liverpool truck driver, so I've been prevented, until now, from making a realistic subject, although it's something I've been longing to do. One of the few English performers to have a theatre named after him during his lifetime--Ilford's civic theatre, The Kenneth More Theatre, opened on the very last day of 1974--More made his first appearance at the theatre in April 1977. The TV Times awarded him Best Actor for his performance.Kenneth More had returned to the theatre as early as 1963, playing the part of Peter Pounce alongside Celia Johnson in Giles Cooper's 'Out of the Crocodile' at the Phoenix Theatre. A year later he appeared in a musical version of 'The Admirable Crichton' co-starring with Millicent Martin in 'Our Man Crichton' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Everything went wrong, even the weather. On his return from Canada, a business associate of his father, Vivian Van Damm, agreed to offer him work as a stagehand at the Windmill Theatre, where his job included shifting scenery, and helping to get the nude players off stage during its Revudeville variety shows. The series managed to achieve that rare cult-like status and helped introduce Kenneth More to a whole new audience, many who had not seen his earlier work. However, there are many momma’s who feel a drawing from God to do more. He was one of many names in Oh! "[2] He also enjoyed a revival in the much-acclaimed TV adaptation of The Forsyte Saga (1967) and the Father Brown series (1974). More tried to change his image with The Comedy Man (1963), which the public did not like, although it became his favourite role. In 2019, the rights to More's final autobiography, More or Less, reverted to the actor's estate. This will probably be my last play ["Sign of the Times"] as a leading man that's got a couple of girls after him. More had a good part as a British agent in The Clouded Yellow (1950) for Ralph Thomas.[6]. In real life Kenneth More left his second wife who he had married in 1952 for “Shrimp”, actress Angela Douglas. As ship's Action Commentator he found an opportunity to hone his craft as an actor, keeping steady nerves when reporting action during conflict to the crew below decks. More and Gilbert were reunited on The Greengage Summer (1961) which remains one of More's favourite films, although Gilbert felt the star was miscast. Kenny, this'll probably be a huge commercial success, but don't go patting yourself on the back, because it's just like falling off a bloody log for you". Kenneth is the Brititsh Academy Award winner as best actor of the year. The screen adaptation was produced by Alexander Korda and directed by Anatole Litvak. During the play's run he appeared as a worried parent in a thriller, The Yellow Balloon (1953). Muriel Pavlow as Thelma Bader, the wife of the war hero Douglas Bader, played by Kenneth More, in the 1956 film Reach for the Sky. Susan Hampshire was Fleur, Soames’s impetuous daughter who had an affair with Jon (Martin Jarvis), the son of Irene, who was then wed to Jolyon. My wife is well aware. Kenneth More and his wife Billie in New York on vacation. Kenneth More was Jolyon Forsyte who left his pregnant wife for a lover, while Eric Porter was lawyer Soames who wed Irene (Nyree Dawn Porter).Their on-screen chemistry was the secret of its success. He had the occasional bit part in films such as Look Up and Laugh (1935). The film was something of a critical and commercial disappointment (More felt Vivien Leigh was miscast in the lead) but still widely seen. He had an American director (Raoul Walsh) and co-star (Jayne Mansfield), although the film was shot in Spain. More's earliest bit parts in films date from before the war, but around this time, he began to appear regularly on the big screen. It was there that he took part in his first school play, "The Sport of Kings", playing the part of a red-haired girl. Financially all's well. Following 2 years at the Windmill he moved into repertory theatre with seasons at Byker's, Grand Theatre in Newcastle, and the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton.With the outbreak of war, and following a stint with the Merchant Navy, More joined Royal Navy cruiser HMS Aurora (R12) . (1960), Loss of Innocence (1961) and We Joined the Navy (1962). In later years More called several of his films 'favourites' in the press, but it is the belief that 'Reach for the Sky' remained his preferred choice and greatest accomplishment on screen.Hugely popular films The Admirable Crichton (1957), A Night to Remember (1958), The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958), North West Frontier (1959) and The 39 Steps (1959) galvanized his status as one of Britain's most sought-after actors of the decade. It was this experience and the subsequent taste of the audience's laughter which made him want to pursue a career in acting. For his next film, More had an American co-star Betsy Drake, Next to No Time (1958) directed by Cornelius. I believe we (the British film industry) should hit these hard.[17]. It was another success in Britain but not in the US.[23]. In 1980, when he was being sued by producer Danny Angel for comments in his memoirs, he told the court he was retired. A plaque was erected at St. Paul's Church Covent Garden, known more commonly as the Actor's Church.It is almost 40 years since his passing, yet Kenneth More's performances have endured, continuing to screen worldwide on television and home entertainment. Kenneth More's memorial was held at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 20 September 1982, which also marked his birthday. It was the tenth most-popular movie at the British box office in 1958. Son of Charles Gilbert More and his wife Edith Winifred (nee Watkins). More was soon a stagehand earning two pounds and ten shillings a week, shifting scenery and helping to get the nude female performers off the stage during their risqué performances. In 1960, Rank's Managing Director John Davis gave permission for More to work outside his contract to appear in The Guns of Navarone (1961). Photograph: ITV/Rex/Shutterstock Kenneth More managed to embody courage and a sense of moral certitude with a relaxed, informal manner that made audiences warm to him immediately.From very early on in his career More was very conscious of his talents, what parts suited him as an actor and what did not. It was a winning formula becoming the most popular film at the box office in 1954 securing More Best Actor at the British Film Academy Awards.1955 saw Kenneth More returning to the role of Freddie Page in a big screen version of Terence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea, playing alongside Vivien Leigh. I thought they would be welcoming men into the services, but it wasn't like that at all. He played a fearsome and obnoxious colonel in the SS who double-crosses … More went back to the stage, appearing in Out of the Crocodile (1963) and Our Man Crichton (1964–65), which ran for six months. He divorced his first wife, actress Beryl Johnstone, after seven years of marriage, in 1946. For this article, for the excerpt from the film, for your comments. She was married to Arthur Hewlett and Kenneth More. he has been died on Jul 12 , 1982 ( age 67 ). More, however, made the mistake of heckling and swearing at Davis at a BAFTA dinner at the Dorchester, losing both the role (which went to David Niven) and his contract with Rank. [14] (Lean dropped the project and was not involved in the eventual 1958 film version which starred Dirk Bogarde and which was directed by Ralph Thomas). It was in the fifties that Kenneth More’s film career took off, first in the situation comedies like Genevieve (1953) and the Doctor series, then in the more serious war films which were, though, still played for the occasional laugh or light relief. More Please, the first authorised book on Kenneth More, was published on 10 December 2020, and includes contributions from his family and those who worked with the actor, as well as exclusive excerpts from More's final autobiography, More or Less. Kenneth More Charity page at official website. After leaving school at 17 he followed a family tradition and became an engineering apprentice with Sentinel-Cammell in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, earning one pound a week. I strive to remember the ups rather than the downs. It is of these films that Leslie Halliwell would appear to be writing, “Breezy British leading actor, a recognisable World War II type…” He appeared in a 35-minute prologue to The Collector (1965) at the special request of director William Wyler, but it ended up being removed entirely from the final film. [recalling his failed attempt to join the military in 1939, having been told that the navy had all the men it needed] I left feeling very puzzled and very disappointed. The Kenneth More Theatre, a regional playhouse named in his honour opened in Redbridge in 1974. Roland Culver recommended More audition for a part in a new play by Terence Rattigan, The Deep Blue Sea (1952); he was successful and achieved tremendous critical acclaim in the role of Freddie. We share a sense of humour which at times is vital. It was popular though failed to recoup its large cost; it was one of More's most critically acclaimed films.[5].