Michael Hordern was an English actor.
Biography[]
Acting as an amateur as well as working as a school teacher before his stage debut in 1937, before gaining a commission in the Royal Navy during World War II. After the war he began to appear more frequently in films, where he was generally placed in character or comic roles, as opposed to his stage work, where he often played leads.
Hordern was also popular as a voice over actor, appearing in "Watership Down" and as the narrator in "Paddington".
Continuing to act for many years, Hordern was knighted in 1983 and died of kidney disease twelve years later.
Singing[]
In several occasions throughout Hordern's career he was called upon to sing, on all occasions in a recitative or comic style. The first was in the film adaptation of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, in which he played the henpecked, baffled Senex.
In 1972 he appeared in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as the wise Mock Turtle, who performs "Will You Walk a Little Faster, Said a Whiting to a Snail". He later appeared as the King, father of Prince Charming in The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella.
He gave his final singing performance in the radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, in which he played Gandalf.
Film[]
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)[]
- Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (contains solo lines)
- Comedy Tonight (reprise) (contains solo lines)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972)[]
- Will You Walk a Little Faster, Said a Whiting to a Snail (contains solo lines)
The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella (1976)[]
- What Has Love to do With Getting Married? (contains solo lines)
- Protocologorically Correct (contains solo lines)
Radio[]
The Lord of the Rings (1981)[]
- All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter (solo, recitative)
- Tall Ships and Tall Kings (solo, recitative)
Gallery[]
