The venerable British stage and film actor A.E. Matthews was born Alfred Edward Matthews on November 22, 1869 in Bridlington, Yorkshire, England. The actor nicknamed "Matty" established himself on the British and American stage and in British films, taking up the craft after working as a clerk in a London bookstore. He said that after he learned that the great actor Sir 'Henry Irving . A.E. Matthews died on July 25, 1960. He was 90.
Elderly British actor affectionately regarded by many as "Matty", he moved from leading men to distinguished character player on stage. A few silent roles came his way before coming into his own in WWII-era British films as a crusty but charming and distinguished white-haired oldster. Worked until nearly the very end at age 90.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1951 Kings Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
My chief fear on the opening night was that the audience might not take,it as we intended. We endeavored to play it as a joke, we hoped the,audience would take it as a joke, and, fortunately, we think they took,it exactly in this spirit. And so did the critics. .
