Lyn Harding
Encyclopedia
Lyn Harding (real name David Llewellyn Harding) was a Welsh
actor who spent 40 years on the stage before entering British
made silent films, talkies and radio. He had an imposing and menacing stage presence and came to be cast as the villain in many films, notably Professor Moriarty
in dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes
stories.
, in Monmouthshire
, into a strict Congregationalist
Welsh
-speaking family.
, Wales and but he was drawn to an acting career . He began giving readings from Shakespeare at a chapel in Cardiff
. In 1890 a chance meeting with a touring group on a train led to him standing in for a sick actor and his first professional engagement. He opened on 28 August 1890 in The Grip Of Iron at the Theatre Royal
, Bristol
.
He toured "the provinces"
and eventually made his London debut at the Shakespeare Theatre, Clapham
on 19 July 1897.
He later changed his name to "Lyn" to make it more acceptable to English audiences who found "Llewellyn" difficult to pronounce.
His career spanned stage, silent screen, talkies and radio productions and he toured in the USA, Japan
, India
and Burma. He worked at different times with John Gielgud
, Ralph Richardson
and Anthony Quayle
.
His last stage appearance was as Abu Hassan in Chu Chin Chow
in the West End
in 1941 when he was 74 years old. At the age of nearly 80 he played Owain Glyndŵr
in Shakespeare's Henry IV
for BBC
radio.
He lived for many years in Hemel Hempstead
and died in London
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
actor who spent 40 years on the stage before entering British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
made silent films, talkies and radio. He had an imposing and menacing stage presence and came to be cast as the villain in many films, notably Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
in dramatisations of the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
stories.
Early years
He was born in 1867 at St Brides WentloogSt Brides Wentloog
St. Bride's or St. Bride's Wentloog is a small hamlet to the south west of the city of Newport in South Wales.- Location :It lies in the community of Wentloog and electoral district of Marshfield...
, in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, into a strict Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
-speaking family.
Acting career
He started his career as an apprentice draper in NewportNewport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Wales and but he was drawn to an acting career . He began giving readings from Shakespeare at a chapel in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In 1890 a chance meeting with a touring group on a train led to him standing in for a sick actor and his first professional engagement. He opened on 28 August 1890 in The Grip Of Iron at the Theatre Royal
Bristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
.
He toured "the provinces"
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
and eventually made his London debut at the Shakespeare Theatre, Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
on 19 July 1897.
He later changed his name to "Lyn" to make it more acceptable to English audiences who found "Llewellyn" difficult to pronounce.
His career spanned stage, silent screen, talkies and radio productions and he toured in the USA, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Burma. He worked at different times with John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
, Ralph Richardson
Ralph Richardson
Sir Ralph David Richardson was an English actor, one of a group of theatrical knights of the mid-20th century who, though more closely associated with the stage, also appeared in several classic films....
and Anthony Quayle
Anthony Quayle
Sir John Anthony Quayle, CBE was an English actor and director.-Early life:Quayle was born in Ainsdale, Southport, in Lancashire to a Manx family....
.
His last stage appearance was as Abu Hassan in Chu Chin Chow
Chu Chin Chow
Chu Chin Chow is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based on the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in 1941 when he was 74 years old. At the age of nearly 80 he played Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
in Shakespeare's Henry IV
Henry IV, Part 1
Henry IV, Part 1 is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. It is the second play in Shakespeare's tetralogy dealing with the successive reigns of Richard II, Henry IV , and Henry V...
for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio.
He lived for many years in Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
and died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Lyn Harding Filmography
- 1920 Bachelor Husband
- 1922 When Knighthood Was in FlowerWhen Knighthood Was in Flower (1922 film)When Knighthood Was in Flower is a 1922 silent historical film based on the novel by Charles Major and play by Paul Kester. The film was produced by William Randolph Hearst for his 'live-in companion' Marion Davies and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The director was veteran Robert G. Vignola...
- 1924 YolandaYolanda (film)Yolanda is a 1924 silent film historical film drama produced by William Randolph Hearst and starring Marion Davies. Robert G. Vignola directed as he had Enchantment and several other Davies costume films. The film is survivor and a trailer survives at the Library of Congress...
- 1927 Further Adventures of the Flag Lieutenant
- 1927 Land of Hope and GloryLand of Hope and Glory (film)Land of Hope and Glory is a 1927 British silent drama film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Ellaline Terriss, Lyn Harding and Robin Irvine.-Cast:* Ellaline Terriss - Mrs Whiteford* Lyn Harding - Roger Whiteford* Robin Irvine - Ben Whiteford...
- 1930 Sleeping Partners
- 1931 The Speckled BandThe Speckled Band (1931 film)The Speckled Band is a 1931 British film directed by Jack Raymond and an adaption of Arthur Conan Doyle's story The Adventure of the Speckled Band.- Plot summary :...
- 1932 The Barton Mystery
- 1933 The Constant NymphThe Constant Nymph (1933 film)The Constant Nymph is a 1933 British drama film directed by Basil Dean and Victoria Hopper, Brian Aherne and Leonora Corbett. It is an adaptation of the novel The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy...
- 1934 The LashThe Lash (1934 film)The Lash is a 1934 British drama film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Lyn Harding, John Mills and Leslie Perrins. It was based on a play by Cyril Campion...
- 1934 The Man Who Changed His Name
- 1934 Wild BoyWild BoyWild Boy is a 1934 British, black-and-white, comedy, caper, crime, drama, sports film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Ronald Shiner as Bit and Bud Flanagan as Dick Smith...
- 1935 Escape Me NeverEscape Me Never (1935 film)Escape Me Never is a 1935 British drama film directed by Paul Czinner and starring Elisabeth Bergner, Hugh Sinclair and Griffith Jones. It is an adaptation of the play Escape Me Never by Margaret Kennedy...
- 1935 The Triumph of Sherlock HolmesThe Triumph of Sherlock HolmesThe Triumph of Sherlock Holmes is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and based on The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle.- Plot summary :...
- 1936 An Old Spanish Custom
- 1936 Spy of NapoleonSpy of NapoleonSpy for Napoleon is a 1936 British historical drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Richard Barthelmess, Dolly Haas, Frank Vosper, Henry Oscar and James Carew...
- 1936 The Man Who Changed His MindThe Man Who Changed His MindThe Man Who Changed His Mind is a 1936 science fiction horror film starring Boris Karloff and Anna Lee. It was directed by Robert Stevenson and was released in Great Britain by Gainsborough Pictures. The film was also known as The Brainsnatcher or The Man Who Lived Again.-Plot:Dr...
- 1937 Fire Over EnglandFire Over EnglandFire Over England is a 1937 London Film Productions film drama, notable for providing the first pairing of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. It was directed by William K. Howard and written by Clemence Dane from the novel Fire Over England by A. E. W. Mason. Leigh's performance in the movie...
- 1937 Knight Without ArmourKnight Without ArmourKnight Without Armour is a 1937 British historical drama film made by London Films and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by Jacques Feyder and produced by Alexander Korda from a screenplay by Lajos Biró adapted by Frances Marion from the novel by James Hilton. The music score was by...
- 1937 Les Perles de la couronne
- 1937 Please TeacherPlease TeacherPlease Teacher was a 1937 British film, based on a play by KRG Browne, Bert Lee and RP Weston. This was adapted into a screenplay by Stafford Dickens, who also directed. The cast included Bobby Howes, René Ray and Wylie Watson....
- 1937 Silver BlazeSilver Blaze (film)Silver Blaze is a 1937 British, black-and-white, crime and mystery, directed by Thomas Bentley, starring Arthur Wontner as Sherlock Holmes, Ian Fleming as Dr. Watson and Ronald Shiner as Simpson the Stable Boy / Jockey...
- 1937 The Mutiny on the Elsinore
- 1937 Underneath the ArchesUnderneath the Arches (film)Underneath the Arches is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Redd Davis and starring Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen, Stella Moya, Lyn Harding and Edmund Willard who formed part of the comedy ensemble known as the Crazy Gang....
- 1939 Goodbye, Mr. ChipsGoodbye, Mr. Chips (1939 film)Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a 1939 British film based on the novel of the same name by James Hilton. It was directed by Sam Wood, and starred Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, and Paul Henreid. The screenplay was adapted from the novel by R. C. Sherriff, Claudine West and Eric...
- 1939 The Missing PeopleThe Missing PeopleThe Missing People is a 1940 British, black-and-white, mystery film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Ronald Shiner as Sam Hackett and Will Fyffe as Mr. J. G. Reeder. It was produced by Jack Raymond Productions. Ronald Shiner, Will Fyffe and Jack Raymond were also all involved in another Mr....
- 1941 The Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister (film)The Prime Minister is a British film from 1941 directed by Thorold Dickinson. It details the life and times of Benjamin Disraeli, who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and stars John Gielgud, Diana Wynyard, Fay Compton and Stephen Murray.-Plot:...
- 1941 Sherlock Holmes: Silver Blaze