Following a brief teaching career, Michael Hordern made his stage debut in 1937. He made his film debut in 1939, but his career was stalled by WWII. He resumed his acting career in 1946, both in theatre and films. He hit his stride in the 1960s playing befuddled characters, particularly stuffy public officials. He was knighted in 1983.
On the Wogan chat show he said he refused the offers to play the second Doctor Who (played by Patrick Troughton ) and Maigret (played by Rupert Davies ).
He and Ian McKellen , who have both played Gandalf, also share the same middle name of Murray.
He was awarded the 1988 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) Special Award.
Terry Gilliam s first casting choice for The Adventures of Baron Munchausen .
Made his professional debut in 1937 at the Peoples Palace, east London, playing Lodovico in "Othello". Later in the year he joined the repertory company of the Little Theatre in Bristol; it was here that he met his future wife, actress Eve Mortimer. They had one daughter.
He and brother Peter were educated at Brighton College.
Notable stage work for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and in London, at the Old Vic and in the West End. In addition to his many Shakespearean roles (As You Like It, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Twelfth Night), Hordern performed in plays by Strindberg, Chekhov, Ibsen, Pinero, Pinter, Drrenmatt, Albee, Alan Ayckbourn, David Mercer and Tom Stoppard. His King Lear is considered his most respected work, which he also played on the BBC.
He was awarded the CBE in the 1972 Queens New Year Honours List and became a Knight Bachelor in the 1983 Queens New Year Honours List for his services to drama.
He appeared in three different adaptations of Charles Dickens s 1843 novel "A Christmas Carol". He played Jacob Marley in both Scrooge and A Christmas Carol and Ebeneezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol .
Loved fishing.
David Jason considered him one of his heroes. He claimed he could never have stood on stage with him and done Shakespeare and been competitive. When they worked together on "The Wind in the Willows" , the cast were surprised with the energy Jason brought to Mr Toad and had to work to keep up with him. Jason believed he just about managed to hold his own.
He was considered for the roles of Hans Fallada, Dr. Armstrong and Sir Percy Heseltine in Lifeforce .
[doing a commercial] I am being a vocal whore. .
