Roger Livesey

Roger Livesey
Roger Livesey in the 1943 film The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
Born	(1906-06-25)25 June 1906 Barry, Wales
Died	4 February 1976(1976-02-04) (aged 69) Watford, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Stage and film actor
Years active	1921–1975
Spouse(s)	Ursula Jeans (1937–1973)

Roger Livesey (25 June 1906 – 4 February 1976) was a British stage and film actor. He is most often remembered for the three Powell & Pressburger films in which he starred: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, I Know Where I'm Going! and A Matter of Life and Death. Tall and broad with a mop of chestnut hair, Livesey used his highly distinctive husky voice, gentle manner and athletic physique to create many notable roles in his theatre and film work.

Livesey was born in Barry, Wales. Although most articles about him indicated that his parents were Samuel Livesey and Mary Catherine (née Edwards), later research has shown that his father was actually Joseph Livesey. The confusion may have arisen because his mother Mary married Samuel (Joseph's brother) after Joseph's death and the death of Samuel's wife, Mary's sister. Samuel and Mary had a child of their own, Stella, who was both Roger's half sister and first cousin. Roger Livesey was educated at Westminster City School, London. His two stepbrothers (who were also his first cousins) were also actors.

Livesey studied under Italia Conti. His first stage role was as the office boy in Loyalty at St. James's Theatre in 1917. He then appeared in a wide range of productions from Shakespeare to modern comedies. He played various roles in the West End from 1920 to 1926, toured the West Indies and South Africa, and then returned to join the Old Vic/Sadler's Wells company from September 1932 until May 1934. In 1936 he appeared in New York City in Wycherley's comedy The Country Wife. While in New York he married actress Ursula Jeans, whom he had known previously in England (Livesey's sister Peggy was already married to Ursula Jeans' brother Desmond).