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David Firth (actor)

{{Short description|English actor and writer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

David Firth (born 15 March 1945) is an English actor, writer and singer for stage, film, radio and television.{{cite book |last= Parker |first=John | entry=Firth, David |title=Who's Who in the Theatre |publisher=Pitman |year=1981 |isbn=9780810302358}} Firth created the role of Monsieur André in the original cast of Phantom of the Opera, among other roles in the West End, and originated the role of John Wilkes Booth in the first London production of Assassins, in a career spanning more than 40 years.

Early life

Firth was born David Firth Coleman in Bedford on 15 March 1945, the son of Ivor Firth Coleman and Beatrice {{nee}} Jenkins.{{cite book |last= Hume |first=Lucy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9tHEAAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA1926 |entry=Firth, David ne David Coleman |title=People of Today |publisher=eBook Partnership |year=2017 |accessdate=3 May 2022 |isbn=9781999767037}} He was educated at Bedford Modern School, the University of Sussex and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 1969 he married Julia Elizabeth {{nee}} Gould, and the couple have two sons.

Career

Firth was with the Royal Shakespeare Company (1967–70) and the Royal National Theatre (1973). His first West End role was The Courier in 1776 (Albery Theatre, 1970), for which he was nominated as Most Promising Actor in the Plays and Players Awards. He created the role of Monsieur André in the original cast of The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre, 1986).Coveney, Michael. "The Phantom of the Opera: Her Majesty's", Financial Times, 10 October 1986, Section I; The Arts; p. 25

During his stage career, Firth appeared in the revue Side by Side by Sondheim (Wyndham's Theatre and Garrick Theatre, 1977),[http://www.sondheimguide.com/sideby.html "Side by Side by Sondheim"], The Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide, accessed 3 May 2022 played Algernon in a musical version of The Importance of Being Earnest (Ambassadors Theatre, 1984),Coveney, Michael. "Of No Importance", Financial Times, June 2, 1984, Section I; The Arts; p. 16 originated the role of Sir Alastair in The Metropolitan Mikado (Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1985),Hoyle, Martin. "Bravado Mikado With a Touch Too Much Fertiliser", 3 August 1985, Financial Times, p. XI and played roles in King Lear (Old Vic, 1988), The Hunting of the Snark (1991), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Barbican Theatre, 1992) and Jubilee (Barbican Theatre, 1992). In the original London production of Assassins (Donmar Warehouse, 1992), he played John Wilkes Booth "with mesmerising power".Kennedy, Michael. "All the Presidents' Assassins", The Herald, November 3, 1992, p. 8; and Wardle, Irving. "Theatre: Sondheim Scores a Direct Hit", 1 November 1992, The Independent, p. 20 ("elegantly macabre") He followed this with roles in Knickerbocker Holiday (Barbican, 1993), Follies (Brighton, 1993) and Forty Years On (West Yorkshire Playhouse, 1994),Wainwright, Jeffrey. "Theatre: Under New Orders ... Saint Joan at Theatr Clwyd and Forty Years On at the WYP, Leeds", The Independent, May 7, 1994, Weekend Arts, p. 34 and sang in Manfred at the Royal Festival Hall in 1994.Driver, Paul. "Intimacy in Festival Hall", Financial Times, October 25, 1994, Arts, p. 17 He next appeared in Love Life (Barbican Theatre, 1995)Jones, Kenneth. [https://playbill.com/article/dinner-at-eight-the-musical-is-served-in-a-london-reading-july-1-com-114047 "Dinner at Eight – the Musical – Is Served in a London Reading July 1"], Playbill, July 1, 2003 and as Colonel Ricci in the original West End production of Passion (Queens Theatre, 1996).Kennedy, Michael. "Passion", The Herald, April 3, 1996, p. 17 He created the role of Reed Chandler in The Fix (Donmar Warehouse, 1997),Kennedy, Michael. "Musical: The Fix", The Herald, May 14, 1997, p. 19 and appeared in Die Fledermaus (Arts Theatre, 1998), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Barbican Theatre, 1998), Good Grief (Yvonne Arnaud, 1998), H.M.S. Pinafore (Royal Festival Hall, 1999), Susanna's Secret (Drill Hall, 1999) and Jubilee (Her Majesty's and BBC Radio 3, 1999).

In recent decades, he appeared in Der Kuhandel (Barbican and BBC Radio 3, 2000), Journey's End (Drill Hall, 2000), Alidoro in Cenerentola (Music Theatre London, 2001),Picard, Anna. "Music: You Shall Go to the Ball ... Classical: Cinderella", Independent on Sunday, January 7, 2001, Features, p. 8 Reverend Tooker in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Lyric, 2001),Morley, Sheridan. "Lazy Charm; The Arts Theatre", 29 September 2001, The Spectator, p. 48 Relatively Speaking (Secombe Theatre, Sutton, 2002),"Last Chance", UK Newsquest Regional Press – London, March 1, 2002 Our Song (tour, 2003), Coward and Others (2004), The Man Who... (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, 2005),"Theatre: Listings – Off-West End", Time Out, April 20, 2005, p. 150 The Shell Seekers (tour, 2006), Alan Sugar in Yellow Lines (Oval House, 2007),Logan, Brian. "Theatre – Reviews: Yellow Lines – Oval House", Time Out, June 7, 2007, p. 129 Park Avenue (Lilian Bayliss Theatre, 2008), Dirty Dancing (Aldwych Theatre, 2008) and Phantom of the Opera (Royal Albert Hall, 2011). He played Phileas Fogg in Around the World in Eighty Days in 2013 (Sadler's Wells Theatre).Kiek, Miranda. "Theatre review: Around the World, Sadler's Wells, London", 28 October 2013, The Independent, p. 46

Alongside his stage career, Firth has performed in a number of television series and on film,[https://web.archive.org/web/20190627124511/https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba08d1593 "David Firth"], BFI, accessed 2 May 2022 and is credited as a writer on The Return of Shelley, Home James! and Sorry, I'm a Stranger Here Myself.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0278741/#actor|title=David Firth|work=IMDb|accessdate=4 May 2022}}

Filmography

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  • Yes Minister (TV Series) (1982)
  • The New Adventures of Lucky Jim (TV Series) (1982)
  • Troilus & Cressida (TV Movie) (1981)
  • Sorry, I'm A Stranger Here Myself (TV Series) (1981)
  • Love for Lydia (TV Series) (1977)
  • Jubilee (TV Series) (1977)
  • Raffles (TV Series) (1977)
  • Wings (TV Series) (1977)
  • Village Hall (TV Series) (1974)
  • Armchair Theatre (TV Series) (1972)
  • Jason King (TV Series) (1972)
  • Spyder's Web (TV Series) (1972)
  • Love Story (TV Series) (1972)
  • The Search for the Nile (TV Mini-Series) (1971)
  • Eyeless in Gaza (TV Series) (1971)

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References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|0278741}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20141129153325/http://www.davidfirth.org.uk/2.html David Firth Website]
  • [https://ovrtur.com/biography/10115060 David Firth] at Ovrtur.com
  • [https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/David-Firth David Firth] at BroadwayWorld.com
  • [http://sunsetboulevardthemusical.com/people/david-firth David Firth bio] at SunsetBoulevardTheMusical.com

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Category:1945 births

Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School

Category:Alumni of the University of Sussex

Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Category:Living people

Category:English male television actors

Category:Male actors from Bedford