John McEnery facts for kids

John McEnery (born November 1, 1943 – died April 12, 2019) was a talented English actor and writer. He was known for his many roles in plays, movies, and TV shows. He often played interesting and complex characters.

Early Life and Training

John McEnery was born in Birmingham, England. He loved acting and decided to study it at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School from 1962 to 1964. This is a famous school where many great actors learn their craft.

After his training, when he was just 20 years old, John started working at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool in Liverpool. He spent three seasons there, gaining valuable experience on stage. Later, in 1966, he joined the National Theatre company, which is one of the most important theatre companies in the United Kingdom.

While working at the Everyman Theatre, he met actress Stephanie Beacham. They later got married and had two daughters. John also had another daughter from a different relationship.

Film Career

John McEnery's first big movie role was in 1968. He played Mercutio in Franco Zeffirelli's movie Romeo and Juliet. His performance was so good that he was nominated for a BAFTA Award. This is a very important award for actors in the UK.

He continued to star in many films. In 1970, he played the main character in Bartleby. He also appeared in The Boat on the Grass (1971), where he acted alongside Claude Jade. In 1971, he played the Russian politician Alexander Kerensky in the movie Nicholas and Alexandra.

Other notable movies he was in include:

• The Duellists
• Black Beauty
• The Land That Time Forgot (1974)
• The Krays (1990)
• When Saturday Comes
• Mel Gibson’s Hamlet

Stage and Television Work

John McEnery was also a very active stage actor. In the 1980s, he performed at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre. He played the main role in Gogol's play The Government Inspector. He also acted in many other famous plays, such as:

• Little Malcolm and His Struggle against the Eunuchs
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (where he played Hamlet)
• Nicholas Nickleby
• Waiting for Godot
• Coriolanus

In 2011, he appeared in The School for Scandal at the Barbican Centre in London.

For television, John McEnery had roles in many shows and movies. Some of his TV credits include:

• Our Mutual Friend
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
• Little Dorrit
• The Buddha of Suburbia
• Tusitala (where he played Robert Louis Stevenson)
• Jamaica Inn
• The main role in Caligula A.D.
• A guest role in the TV series Wallander in 2008.

Work at Shakespeare's Globe

In 1997, John McEnery joined The Globe Theatre for its first shows. The Globe is a modern reconstruction of the famous theatre where William Shakespeare's plays were first performed. Over the next ten years, John performed in many Shakespearean plays there, including:

• Henry V (as Pistol)
• As You Like It (as Jaques)
• King Lear (as The Fool)
• Richard II (as John of Gaunt)
• The Merchant of Venice (as Shylock)
• Antony and Cleopatra (as Enobarbus)
• Romeo and Juliet (as Mercutio)

Writing and Legacy

John McEnery was also a writer. In 1998, his play Merry Christmas, Mr. Burbage was performed. He wrote this play to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the original Globe Theatre. The play ended with a special procession, where an ox and cart carried oak beams from the old theatre site to the new Globe. These beams are still there today, honoring the Burbage family who helped create the original Globe.

Later in his life, John worked with a group called the Malachites. He also helped start the Shakespeare in Shoreditch Society. This group works to keep Shakespeare's spirit alive in the Shoreditch area of London, where many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed. John performed in events like the Globe Sonnet Walks, sharing Shakespeare's poetry with others.

John McEnery had two brothers who were also involved in the arts: Peter McEnery, who is an actor, and David McEnery, who is a photographer.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: John McEnery para niños