Biography
Michael Crawford (born January 19, 1942 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England), is a British actor and singer. Although he most often appears on stage, in musicals such as Phantom of the Opera, he first became a household name and famous to millions for his role as the hapless Frank Spencer in the British television sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973-78), for which he performed most of his own stunts. The series became one of the BBC's most successful programmes of all time.
Biography
Born Michael Patrick Dumbell-Smith, Crawford was an illegitimate child, and was raised by his mother, Doris, and his grandparents Monty and Edith Kathleen (O'Keefe) Pike, until his mother remarried a man named Den Ingram.
From an early age, it was clear, even to his family and friends, that he demonstrated an exceptional singing voice and at the tender age of seven, despite being a Roman Catholic, he appeared as a choirboy at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
His first stage debut, in front of an audience, was in a school production of Benjamin Britten's, Let's Make an Opera playing the role of Sammy the Little Sweep (who was the leading character in the opera) at Brixton Town Hall, but his big break didn't come till Benjamin Britten hired him play Sammy in a professional production of Let's Make an Opera at the Scala Theatre in London, which he alternated with another boy soprano, David Hemmings. Soon afterward, the English Opera Group hired him and his career took off.
After appearing in two children films Blow Your Trumpet and Soapbox Derby and numerous radio broadcasts and minor TV soap operas playing thin villians and car accident victims, even appearing for a short period as cabin boy, John Drake, in the TV series Sir Francis Drake , a twenty-six part adventure series made by ITC, starring Terrence Morgan and Jean Kent, he appeared in his first big film role in The War Lover opposite Steve McQueen.
By 1969 was playing leading roles in films such as Hello, Dolly (1969), but more often appears on stage, having starred in West End productions such as Billy (based on the novel, Billy Liar) (1974), Barnum (1981) (one of the longest runs by a leading man) and, most notably, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (1986), for which he won an Olivier Award (Best Actor in a Musical), a Tony Award (Best Performance By An Actor in a Lead Role, Musical), a N.Y's Drama Desk Award, and a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Achievement in Theatre (Lead Performance).
He took his stage name Crawford after seeing a Crawford's biscuit lorry.
He also performed "Music of the Night" at the Inaugural Gala for President George Bush in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 1989. At the gala, Crawford was presented with a birthday cake (it was his own 47th birthday).
In 1995, Crawford created the high-profile starring role in EFX, the $40 million production which officially opened MGM's 1700-seat Grand Theatre in Las Vegas. The Atlantic Theater label released the companion album to EFX, which was hailed as among the most spectacular and ambitious shows ever produced on the American Stage.
He starred in Dance of the Vampires on Broadway during late 2002 and early 2003 and appeared in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical The Woman in White which opened at the Palace Theatre, London, in September 2004. However, he was forced to leave the show in December 2004 due to ill health.
Crawford was invited to attend the Gala Performance of the stage version of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway at the Majestic Theater to celebrate the show becoming the longest running musical in Broadway history (replacing Cats).
He will also participate in a special, as of yet unknown, presentation to celebrate. After that, he will continue to do concerts in Australia and New Zealand.
Crawford was ranked #17 in the 100 Greatest Britons (2002) poll sponsored by the BBC. The Michael Crawford International Charity Foundation ([[1]]) makes large contributions to many charities.
He married the actress Gabrielle Lewis in 1965, but they divorced in 1975; they have two daughters. He has never remarried.
Selected filmography
Once Upon a Forest (1993) (voice) — Cornelius
Barnum (1986) — P.T. Barnum
Condorman (1981) — Woody Wilkins
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972) — White Rabbit
Hello-Goodbye (1970) - Harry England
The Games (1970) — Harry Hayes
Hello, Dolly! (1969]] — Cornelius Hackl
How I Won the War (1967) — Goodbody
The Jokers (1967) - Michael Tremayne
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) — Hero
The Knack and How to Get it (1965) - Colin
Two Left Feet (1963) - Alan Crabbe
The War Lover (1962) — Sgt. Junior Sailen
Two Living, One Dead (1961) - Nils Lindwall
Soapbox Derby (1958) - Peter Toms
Blow Your Own Trumpet (1958) - Jim Fenn
