Leslie French
| Leslie French | |
|---|---|
| Born |
23 April 1904 Bromley, Kent, England, UK |
| Died | 21 January 1999 (aged 94) Ewell, Surrey, England, UK |
| Occupation | Stage and screen actor |
| Years active | 1914–1994 |
Leslie Richard French (23 April 1904 – 21 January 1999) was a British actor of stage and screen.
French was primarily a theatre actor, as well as a director, singer and dancer, with a varied career that included the classics, musical revue, pantomime and ballet. He became most associated with the role of Ariel in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and over the years he essayed many of Shakespeare's spirits and clowns, such as Puck, Feste and Touchstone.
French was born in Bromley, Kent in 1904 and was educated at the London School of Choristers. He made his first appearance as a child actor in a 1914 Christmas show at the Little Theatre and left school the same year to join the touring Ben Greet Company as a stagehand and prompter. An early West End job was as an understudy to Bobby Howes in the musical Mr. Cinders, going onto play the title role when the play went on regional tour.
In 1930 he joined the Old Vic, where he played Poins in Henry IV, Part I, Eros in Antony and Cleopatra, the Fool in King Lear and the role with which he became most associated with, Ariel in The Tempest. This latter role saw him share the stage with contemporaries John Gielgud (as Prospero) and Ralph Richardson (as Caliban), the first time these two actors appeared on stage together. French was the first male actor to essay the role of Ariel for many years and did so in nothing more than a small loincloth, helping to make this version something of a talking point at the time. French and Gielgud were also the inspiration for Eric Gill's carving of Prospero and Ariel above the entrance to the then new Broadcasting House in Portland Place.
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