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{{Short description|Irish actor (1912–1996)}}
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'''[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0144345/ Christopher Casson]''' (20 March 1912 – 9 July 1996) was an [[England|English]]-born actor who became a citizen of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in 1946. His work included stage, screen, radio and television roles. His portrayal of a [[Church of Ireland]] canon in the long-running series [[The Riordans]] made him known nationwide.
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
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'''Christopher T. Casson''' (20 March 1912 – 9 July 1996) was an [[England|English]]-born actor who became a citizen of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] in 1946. His work included stage, screen, radio and television roles. His portrayal of a [[Church of Ireland]] canon in the long-running series ''[[The Riordans]]'' made him known nationwide.


==Life and work==
==Life and work==
He was born in [[Manchester]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]], the youngest son of actors [[Sybil Thorndike]] and [[Lewis Casson]]. He made his stage debut at age three in [[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]] at the [[Old Vic]].<ref name=boy>{{cite book|last=Boylan|first= Henry |year=1998|title=A Dictionary of Irish Biography, 3rd Edition|page= 62|location=Dublin| publisher= Gill and MacMillan|ISBN = 0-7171-2945-4}}</ref>
He was born in [[Prestwich]], [[Lancashire]], the youngest son of actors [[Sybil Thorndike]] and [[Lewis Casson]]. He made his stage debut at age three in ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' at the [[Old Vic]].<ref name=boy>{{cite book|last=Boylan|first= Henry |year=1998|title=A Dictionary of Irish Biography, 3rd Edition|page= 62|location=Dublin| publisher= Gill and MacMillan|ISBN = 0-7171-2945-4}}</ref>


After a brief naval career he enrolled at the Central School of Dramatic Art at the [[Royal Albert Hall]]. He began his professional career in 1930. He toured [[Egypt]], [[Palestine]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] during the 1930s.
After a brief naval career he enrolled at the Central School of Dramatic Art at the [[Royal Albert Hall]]. He began his professional career in 1930. He toured [[Egypt]], [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] during the 1930s.


In 1938 he joined the [[Hilton Edwards]] and [[Micheál Mac Liammóir]] company at the [[Gate Theatre]] in [[Dublin]]. He married the Irish stage designer and artist Kay O'Connell in 1941, with Mac Liammóir as his best man. They had two daughters. He became a Roman Catholic in 1946. He worked with Longford Productions until 1950, when he became a freelance actor.
In 1938 he joined the [[Hilton Edwards]] and [[Micheál Mac Liammóir]] company at the [[Gate Theatre]] in [[Dublin]]. He married the Irish stage designer and artist Kay O'Connell in 1941, with Mac Liammóir as his best man. They had two daughters. He became a Roman Catholic in 1946. He worked with Longford Productions until 1950, when he became a freelance actor.


Casson achieved national fame with his portrayal of Canon Browne in The Riordans. He also had parts in The Irish RM, Autumn Sunshine and Strangers and Brothers. His film credits included [[Captain Lightfoot]], [[Shake Hands with the Devil (1959 film)|Shake Hands with the Devil]], [[Frankie Starlight]] , [[Broth of a Boy]] (1959).
Casson achieved national fame with his portrayal of Canon Browne in ''The Riordans''. He also had parts in ''[[The Irish R.M.|The Irish RM]]'', ''Autumn Sunshine'' and ''Strangers and Brothers''. His film credits included ''[[Captain Lightfoot]]'' (1955), ''[[Shake Hands with the Devil (1959 film)|Shake Hands with the Devil]]'' (1959), ''[[Broth of a Boy]]'' (1959), ''[[The Siege of Sidney Street]]'' (1960), ''[[Johnny Nobody]]'' (1961), ''[[Zardoz]]'' (1974), ''[[The Sleep of Death]]'' (1980), ''[[Educating Rita (film)|Educating Rita]]'' (1983), ''[[Attracta (film)|Attracta]]'' (1983), ''[[The Treaty (film)|The Treaty]]'' (1991) and ''[[Frankie Starlight]]'' (1995).


He was part of a [[Jacob's Award]] winning production in 1982, as a member of the [[Radio Éireann Players|RTÉ Players]], when he acted the part of Virag in [[RTÉ Radio]]'s [[Ulysses (broadcast)|unabridged, 30 hour, marathon broadcast]] of [[James Joyce]]'s novel, [[Ulysses (novel)|''Ulysses'']].<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/readingulysses/cast_1982.html Cast of ''Ulysses'' broadcast] RTÉ. Retrieved: 2011-06-13.</ref>
He was part of a [[Jacob's Award]] winning production in 1982, as a member of the [[Radio Éireann Players|RTÉ Players]], when he acted the part of Virag in [[RTÉ Radio]]'s [[Ulysses (broadcast)|unabridged, 30-hour, marathon broadcast]] of [[James Joyce]]'s novel, [[Ulysses (novel)|''Ulysses'']].<ref>[http://www.rte.ie/readingulysses/cast_1982.html Cast of ''Ulysses'' broadcast] RTÉ. Retrieved: 2011-06-13.</ref>


He was an accomplished harpist and ballad-singer. He lived in the coastal [[Dublin]] suburb of [[Sandymount]].
He was an accomplished harpist and ballad-singer. He lived in the coastal Dublin suburb of [[Sandymount]].

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1959|| ''[[Captain Lightfoot]]'' || Lord Clonmell ||
|-
|1959|| ''[[Broth of a Boy]]'' || Mr. Justice Healy ||
|-
|1959|| ''[[Shake Hands with the Devil (1959 film)|Shake Hands with the Devil]]'' || Brigadier ||
|-
|1960|| ''[[The Siege of Sidney Street]]'' || Police Commissioner ||
|-
|1961|| ''[[Johnny Nobody]]'' || Father Bernard ||
|-
|1962|| ''[[The Devil's Agent]]'' || Headmaster || Uncredited
|-
|1974|| ''[[Zardoz]]'' || Old Scientist ||
|-
|1980|| ''[[The Sleep of Death]]'' || Sir Philip Terence ||
|-
|1983|| ''[[Educating Rita (film)|Educating Rita]]'' || Professor ||
|-
|1983|| ''[[Attracta (film)|Attracta]]'' || Mr. Jameson ||
|-
|-
|1991|| ''[[The Treaty (film)|The Treaty]]'' || [[John French, 1st Earl of Ypres|Lord French]]||
|-
|1995|| ''[[Frankie Starlight]]'' || Bookshop Gentleman ||
⚫
|}


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>


{{authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->

| NAME = Casson, Christopher
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Irish actor
| DATE OF BIRTH = 20 March 1912
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Manchester, Lancashire, England, UK
| DATE OF DEATH = 9 July 1996
| PLACE OF DEATH = Dublin, Ireland
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casson, Christopher}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Casson, Christopher}}
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1912 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors from Manchester]]
[[Category:Male actors from Lancashire]]
[[Category:Actors from Prestwich]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English emigrants to Ireland]]
[[Category:British emigrants to Ireland]]
[[Category:English dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:Irish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Irish male stage actors]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Ireland]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of Ireland]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:20th-century dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:English male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:Male actors from County Dublin]]

Latest revision as of 20:03, 28 September 2024

Christopher T. Casson (20 March 1912 – 9 July 1996) was an English-born actor who became a citizen of Ireland in 1946. His work included stage, screen, radio and television roles. His portrayal of a Church of Ireland canon in the long-running series The Riordans made him known nationwide.

Life and work

[edit]

He was born in Prestwich, Lancashire, the youngest son of actors Sybil Thorndike and Lewis Casson. He made his stage debut at age three in Julius Caesar at the Old Vic.[1]

After a brief naval career he enrolled at the Central School of Dramatic Art at the Royal Albert Hall. He began his professional career in 1930. He toured Egypt, Palestine, Australia and New Zealand during the 1930s.

In 1938 he joined the Hilton Edwards and Micheál Mac Liammóir company at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. He married the Irish stage designer and artist Kay O'Connell in 1941, with Mac Liammóir as his best man. They had two daughters. He became a Roman Catholic in 1946. He worked with Longford Productions until 1950, when he became a freelance actor.

Casson achieved national fame with his portrayal of Canon Browne in The Riordans. He also had parts in The Irish RM, Autumn Sunshine and Strangers and Brothers. His film credits included Captain Lightfoot (1955), Shake Hands with the Devil (1959), Broth of a Boy (1959), The Siege of Sidney Street (1960), Johnny Nobody (1961), Zardoz (1974), The Sleep of Death (1980), Educating Rita (1983), Attracta (1983), The Treaty (1991) and Frankie Starlight (1995).

He was part of a Jacob's Award winning production in 1982, as a member of the RTÉ Players, when he acted the part of Virag in RTÉ Radio's unabridged, 30-hour, marathon broadcast of James Joyce's novel, Ulysses.[2]

He was an accomplished harpist and ballad-singer. He lived in the coastal Dublin suburb of Sandymount.

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Captain Lightfoot Lord Clonmell
1959 Broth of a Boy Mr. Justice Healy
1959 Shake Hands with the Devil Brigadier
1960 The Siege of Sidney Street Police Commissioner
1961 Johnny Nobody Father Bernard
1962 The Devil's Agent Headmaster Uncredited
1974 Zardoz Old Scientist
1980 The Sleep of Death Sir Philip Terence
1983 Educating Rita Professor
1983 Attracta Mr. Jameson
1991 The Treaty Lord French
1995 Frankie Starlight Bookshop Gentleman

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Boylan, Henry (1998). A Dictionary of Irish Biography, 3rd Edition. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan. p. 62. ISBN 0-7171-2945-4.
  2. ^ Cast of Ulysses broadcast RTÉ. Retrieved: 2011-06-13.
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