More, Kenneth Gilbert (Sir)

1914

1982

Kenneth More was born at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, on 29 September 1914, the son of Charles Gilbert More and Edith Winfred (née Watkins). After attending Victoria College, Jersey, he first appeared on the stage in 1936 at the Windmill Theatre in a revue sketch. He served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War, and returned to the stage to play the role of the Reverend Arthur Platt in “And No Birds Sing” at the Aldwych in November 1946. More was to become one of the leading actors of his day, appearing in numerous plays and films until 1978. On stage he acted, among other roles, Sir Robert Morton in “The Winslow Boy” (New Theatre 1970), Andrew Perry in “Signs of the Times” (Vaudeville, 1973) and the Duke in “On Approval” (Vaudeville, 1977). But it was in 35 films that he made his greater reputation: among them were “Scott of the Antartic” (1948); “Doctor in the House” (1954, British Film Academy Award as best actor); “The Deep Blue Sea” (1955, Venice Volpi Cup as best actor); “The Admirable Crichton” (1957); “The Longest Day” (1962); “A Night to Remember” (1958); “The Thirty-Nine Steps” (1959); “Sink the Bismark!” (1960); “Oh! What a Lovely War” (1968); “The Battle of Britain” (1969) and “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” (1976). He also appeared on television; his best remembered role was as Young Jolyon in “The Forsyte Saga” (1966-1967). More wrote three autobiographical books: “Happy Go Lucky” (1959), “Kindly Leave the Stage” (1965) and “More or Less” (1978). He became a member of the Garrick Club in 1954. He died on 12 July 1982. The theatre in Redbridge bears his name.