John Shrapnel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Shrapnel
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| Born |
John Morley Shrapnel
27 April 1942 Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
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| Died | 14 February 2020 (aged 77) Suffolk, England
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| Years active | 1960–2017 |
| Spouse(s) |
Francesca Ann Bartley
(m. 1975) |
| Children | 3, including Lex Shrapnel |
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John Morley Shrapnel (born April 27, 1942 – died February 14, 2020) was a talented English actor. He was famous for his work on stage, especially with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre in the UK. Many people also knew him from his roles on television. One of his well-known movie parts was Mr. Skinner in the 1996 live-action film 101 Dalmatians.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Morley Shrapnel was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, on April 27, 1942. His father, Norman Shrapnel, was a journalist and author. His mother was Mary Lillian Myfanwy Edwards.
John grew up in different places, including Stockport and London. He went to Mile End School in Stockport, where he started acting in the school's drama club. Later, he attended the City of London School, which is a private school for boys. There, he played the main character, Hamlet, in a school play. After school, he studied at St Catharine's College at the University of Cambridge. He earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree from Cambridge.
Acting Career
John Shrapnel had a long and successful acting career that lasted from the 1960s until 2017. He was known for his strong performances on stage, in movies, and on television.
Stage Work
John was a member of two very famous theatre groups in the UK. He worked with Laurence Olivier's National Theatre Company. He was also part of the Royal Shakespeare Company, which performs plays by William Shakespeare. In 2011, he played Sir Oliver Surface in a play called The School for Scandal at the Barbican Centre in London.
Television Roles
John Shrapnel appeared in many television shows over the years. He played important historical figures, like the Earl of Sussex in Elizabeth R and Alexander Hardinge in Edward & Mrs. Simpson. He was also in popular detective shows such as Inspector Morse and Foyle's War. He even appeared in two different roles in the mystery series Midsomer Murders. John also performed in several BBC productions of Shakespeare's plays. He played Creon in the BBC's Three Theban plays by Sophocles.
Film Roles
John Shrapnel was in many movies. He often played serious or important characters. Some of his film roles include:
- Mr. Skinner in 101 Dalmatians (1996).
- Senator Gaius in the historical epic Gladiator (2000).
- Nestor in the ancient Greek story Troy (2004).
- Lord Howard in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).
- General Grey in The Duchess (2008).
He also appeared in films like Notting Hill (1999), K-19: The Widowmaker (2002), and Alien Autopsy (2006).
Radio and Other Work
Besides stage, TV, and film, John Shrapnel also acted in BBC radio dramas. He played the detective Inspector Morse in radio adaptations of the books. He also narrated episodes of the nature series Wild Discovery.
Personal Life
John Shrapnel married Francesca Ann Bartley in 1975. Francesca was the younger daughter of the famous actress Deborah Kerr and Tony Bartley. John and Francesca had three sons: Joe, Lex, and Tom. Joe Shrapnel is a writer, and Lex Shrapnel and Tom Shrapnel are also actors. John Shrapnel lived in Highbury, north London, for the last years of his life. His ancestor, Henry Shrapnel, was a military officer who invented a type of explosive shell, which is why the word "shrapnel" is now part of the English language.
Death
John Shrapnel passed away at his home in Suffolk on February 14, 2020. He was 77 years old.
Images for kids
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John Shrapnel
See also
In Spanish: John Shrapnel para niños
