Evans, Maurice, 1901-1989

British actor.

From the description of Papers, [ca. 1935-1965]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155508027

Maurice Evans, a Shakespearean actor and producer with a prominent Broadway career, was born in Dorchester, England on June 3, 1901.

After making his American debut opposite Katharine Cornell in ROMEO AND JULIET (1935), he went on to found his own repertory company, which primarily distinguished itself in the 1940's and 1950's for its Shakespeare and Shaw productions, both on Broadway and national tour. In the 1960's Mr. Evans achieved nationwide popularity for his television and film appearances. He died on March 12, 1989 in Brighton, England.

From the description of Maurice Evans papers, 1934-1970. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122687024

Maurice Evans, a Shakespearean actor and producer with a prominent Broadway career, was born in Dorchester, England on June 3, 1901.

After making his American debut opposite Katharine Cornell in ROMEO AND JULIET (1935), he went on to found his own repertory company, which primarily distinguished itself in the 1940's and 1950's for its Shakespeare and Shaw productions, both on Broadway and national tour. In the 1960's Mr. Evans achieved nationwide popularity for his television and film appearances. He died on March 12, 1989 in Brighton, England.

From the description of Papers and sound recordings, 1934-1970. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122571084

Maurice Evans, the actor-manager noted for his American classical productions, was born in Dorchester, England on June 3, 1901. He made his professional debut as Orestes in The Oresteia in Cambridge in 1926. After a succession of walk-on roles in the West End in the late 1920s, he joined the Old Vic Company in 1934, appearing in Antony and Cleopatra, Much Ado About Nothing and Shaw's Saint Joan . He received the notice of Katharine Cornell, who invited him to play the role of Romeo with her in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway in 1935. The following year he portrayed the Dauphin to her Joan in Saint Joan .

Mr. Evans began his series of Shakespearean triumphs with his appearance in the title role of King Richard II, which established him as a major performer in 1937. He returned in Margaret Webster's production of Hamlet, the first full-length version to be presented in the modern American theatre. Branching out into comedy from romantic leads, Maurice Evans played Falstaff in the revival of Henry IV, Part I and Malvolio in Twelfth Night . In 1941 he starred with Judith Anderson in Macbeth .

After obtaining American citizenship, Mr. Evans enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he was promoted to major and put in charge of entertainment in the Central Pacific arena. Most notable from this period was his G.I. Hamlet, a special cutting of the text for soldier audiences, which he performed in New York after the war and took on national tour.

Upon his return, Mr. Evans primarily distinguished himself in Shavian productions, staging and appearing in Man and Superman in 1947 and The Devil's Disciple in 1951. Ever expanding his repertoire, he starred in the commercial thriller, Dial “M” for Murder, in 1952, and had a singing role in George Abbott's Tenderloin in 1960.

During the 1950's Evans' expanded his production empire by creating industrial shows under the auspices of his company, Maurice Evans Industrials, Inc. This was short-lived and lasted until 1959. He created the industrial show Motorola for General Motors Corporation and this traveled from New York to Boston and Canada.

In the 1960s Maurice Evans brought his craft to mass media, where he received exposure for both classical and commercial work. The Hallmark Hall of Fame aired a series of his Shakespearean productions. His name became a household word with his role as Elizabeth Montgomery's warlock father on Bewitched . He was also seen in many films including Planet of the Apes and Rosemary's Baby . He returned to his native England in the late 1960s, where he died in Brighton on March 12, 1989.

From the guide to the Maurice Evans papers, 1934-1970, (The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.)