Godfrey Quigley
Encyclopedia
Godfrey Quigley was an Irish stage, film and television actor.
Quigley was born in Jerusalem where his father served as an officer in the British Army
. The family returned to Ireland in the 1930s and, following service in World War II
, Quigley began his training as an actor at the Abbey School of Acting.
In the 1950s, Quigley co-founded the Globe Theatre Company, which had its base in Dun Laoghaire
. The company closed in 1960. During the same period he produced the popular radio soap opera
, The Kennedys of Castleross
.
In 1949, Quigley made his first film appearance in the film Saints and Sinners. He appeared in two Stanley Kubrick films; first as the moral prison chaplain in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange
, later as Captain Grogan in the 1975 film Barry Lyndon
. On British television, amongst many smaller appearances, he was a has-been gangster in Big Breadwinner Hog
(1969).
Quigley's theatre roles include the Irishman in Tom Murphy
's The Gigli Concert
, for which he won the Harvey's Best Actor award in 1984.
Godfrey Quigley died in Dublin of Alzheimer's disease
at the age of 71.
Quigley was born in Jerusalem where his father served as an officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The family returned to Ireland in the 1930s and, following service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Quigley began his training as an actor at the Abbey School of Acting.
In the 1950s, Quigley co-founded the Globe Theatre Company, which had its base in Dun Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
. The company closed in 1960. During the same period he produced the popular radio soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, The Kennedys of Castleross
The Kennedys of Castleross
The Kennedys of Castleross was an Irish serial drama or soap opera which was broadcast on Radio Éireann from 1955 to 1973.The serial was devised by Arks advertising agency on behalf of its client, Fry-Cadbury and the first script writers were Mark Grantham and Bill Nugent. The first episode was...
.
In 1949, Quigley made his first film appearance in the film Saints and Sinners. He appeared in two Stanley Kubrick films; first as the moral prison chaplain in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange
A Clockwork Orange (film)
A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
, later as Captain Grogan in the 1975 film Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon
Barry Lyndon is a 1975 British-American period romantic war film produced, written, and directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray which recounts the exploits of an 18th century Irish adventurer...
. On British television, amongst many smaller appearances, he was a has-been gangster in Big Breadwinner Hog
Big Breadwinner Hog
Big Breadwinner Hog is a British television thriller serial devised by Robin Chapman, produced by Granada TV and transmitted in eight parts, starting at 9.00pm on 11 April 1969 on the ITV network. It portrayed the ruthless rise through the criminal underworld of the trendy young London gangster...
(1969).
Quigley's theatre roles include the Irishman in Tom Murphy
Tom Murphy (playwright)
Tom Murphy is an Irish dramatist who has worked closely with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and with Druid Theatre, Galway. He was born in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland...
's The Gigli Concert
The Gigli Concert
The Gigli Concert is a play by Irish playwright Tom Murphy premiered at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in 1983 and widely regarded as his masterpiece.-Plot:...
, for which he won the Harvey's Best Actor award in 1984.
Godfrey Quigley died in Dublin of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
at the age of 71.
Selected filmography
- The Rising of the MoonThe Rising of the Moon (film)The Rising of the Moon is a 1957 anthology film directed by John Ford. It consists of three episodes all set in Ireland:*"The Majesty of the Law", based on the short story of that title by Frank O'Connor in Bones of Contention...
(1957) as Christy - RooneyRooney (film)Rooney is a 1958 British comedy film directed by George Pollock and starring John Gregson, Muriel Pavlow and Barry Fitzgerald. The film depicts the life of James Ignatius Rooney, a Gaelic sportsman at the weekends, and a Dublin rubbish collector during the week...
(1958) as Tom Reilly - The Siege of Sidney StreetThe Siege of Sidney StreetThe Siege of Sidney Street is a 1960 British historical drama film co-directed by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman. It starred Donald Sinden, Nicole Berger and Kieron Moore....
(1960) as Blakey - The Counterfeit ConstableThe Counterfeit ConstableThe Counterfeit Constable is a 1964 French comedy film directed by Robert Dhéry andPierre Tchernia and starring Ronald Fraser, Diana Dors and Arthur Mullard. Its French title is Allez France!. A French rugby supporter in England for a match at Twickenham is knocked out and loses two teeth...
(1964) - Nothing But the Best (1964) as Coates
- Guns in the HeatherGuns in the HeatherGuns in the Heather is a 1969 British-American family film directed by Robert Butler. It stars Glenn Corbett and Alfred Burke.-Cast:*Glenn Corbett as Tom*Alfred Burke as Kersner*Kurt Russell as Rich*Patrick Dawson as Sean*Patrick Barr as Lord Boyne...
(1969) - Get CarterGet CarterGet Carter is a 1971 British crime film directed by Mike Hodges and starring Michael Caine as Jack Carter, a gangster who sets out to avenge the death of his brother in a series of unrelenting and brutal killings played out against the grim background of derelict urban housing in the city of...
(1971) as Eddie - A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange (film)A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 film adaptation of Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel of the same name. It was written, directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick...
(1971) as the prison chaplain - Barry LyndonBarry LyndonBarry Lyndon is a 1975 British-American period romantic war film produced, written, and directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the 1844 novel The Luck of Barry Lyndon by William Makepeace Thackeray which recounts the exploits of an 18th century Irish adventurer...
(1975) as Captain Grogan - Educating RitaEducating Rita (film)Educating Rita is a 1983 film of Willy Russell's play of the same title directed by Lewis Gilbert and stars Julie Walters, Michael Caine, and Maureen Lipman with a screenplay by Russell.-Premise:...
(1983) as Rita's dad - All Dogs Go to HeavenAll Dogs Go to HeavenAll Dogs Go to Heaven is a 1989 Irish-English animated film directed and produced by Don Bluth and released by United Artists. The film tells the story of two dogs, Charlie B. Barkin and his loyal best friend Itchy Itchiford...
(1989) as Terrier (voice)