Michael Medwin facts for kids

Michael Hugh Medwin (born July 18, 1923 – died February 26, 2020) was a talented English actor and film producer. He was known for his many roles in movies and TV shows, and also for helping to create some famous films. He was even honored with the OBE for his work in drama.

Michael Medwin's Early Life and Acting Career

Michael Medwin was born in London, England. He went to school at Canford School in Dorset and also studied in Montreux, Switzerland. He first started acting on stage in 1940.

Michael Medwin performed in many plays in London's famous West End theatre district. Some of these plays included Man and Superman, The Rivals, and Alfie. He also spent a season acting at the Royal National Theatre, which is a very important theatre in London. Later, in the 1980s, he played a character named Lloyd Dallas in the popular play Noises Off.

Famous Roles in TV and Film

Many people remember Michael Medwin for his role as Don Satchley, a radio boss, in the BBC detective TV series Shoestring. He also played Fred, Scrooge's nephew, in the 1970 film Scrooge. This movie was a musical based on Charles Dickens' classic story, A Christmas Carol.

Another well-known role was in The Army Game, a British TV comedy from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Michael Medwin and some of his co-stars even took the show's theme tune to number 5 on the UK music charts in 1958! He also appeared in the comedy series Colin's Sandwich and was the main character in the BBC Radio comedy Something to Shout About in 1961.

Producing Films and Plays

Michael Medwin also had a successful career behind the scenes as a film producer. He started a company called Memorial Enterprises with actor Albert Finney. They produced several important films. One was Charlie Bubbles (1967), which Albert Finney directed. Another was Lindsay Anderson's If.... (1968), which won a major award called the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He worked with Lindsay Anderson again on O Lucky Man! (1973).

Michael Medwin often said that he knew from a young age he wanted to be an actor. He felt that acting was "in his bones." He also looked up to famous actors like Charles Laughton and Edward G. Robinson. A very special moment for him was being appointed an OBE in 2005 for his contributions to drama.

As a play producer, he helped bring many shows to the stage, including Spring and Port Wine and Another Country. In 1988, he co-founded David Pugh Limited, a company that produces plays for London's West End and Broadway in New York. He remained the chairman of this company until he passed away on February 26, 2020.

Selected filmography