Michael Wilding facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Wilding
Wilding in 1964
Born	Michael Charles Gauntlet Wilding (1912-07-23)23 July 1912 Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England
Died	8 July 1979(1979-07-08) (aged 66) Chichester, England
Years active	1933–1979
Spouse(s)	Kay Young ​ ​ (m. 1937; div. 1951)​ Elizabeth Taylor ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1957)​ Susan Nell ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1962)​ Margaret Leighton ​ ​ (m. 1964; died 1976)​
Children	2

Michael Charles Gauntlet Wilding (born July 23, 1912 – died July 8, 1979) was an English actor. He starred in movies, on TV, and on stage. He was famous for his films with Anna Neagle. He also worked with director Alfred Hitchcock. Michael Wilding was married four times, including to actress Elizabeth Taylor. They had two sons together.

Michael Wilding's Life

Early Years

Born in Leigh-on-Sea, England, Michael Wilding went to Christ's Hospital school. At 17, he left home and trained as a commercial artist. When he was 20, he traveled to Europe. He earned money by drawing sketches. In 1933, he wanted to design movie sets. He went to a London film studio looking for work. They asked him to work as an extra in films.

Starting His Acting Career

Michael Wilding first appeared as an extra in British films. These included Bitter Sweet (1933) and Channel Crossing (1933). He soon loved acting and decided to make it his job. He made his stage debut in 1934. He appeared in London plays like Chase the Ace in 1935.

He continued to get small film roles. In 1937–38, he toured Australia and New Zealand. He performed in stage plays with Fay Compton's theater group. Back in England, he acted in more stage shows. He also got bigger film parts. These included There Ain't No Justice (1939) and Sailors Three (1940).

His films became more important. He appeared in Kipps (1941) and In Which We Serve (1942). He also performed on stage for a year in Quiet Weekend. In 1943, he entertained soldiers in Gibraltar with John Gielgud.

Becoming a Star

Wilding became a well-known film actor with Dear Octopus (1943). He then starred in English Without Tears (1944).

Working with Anna Neagle

What truly made him a star was acting opposite Anna Neagle. Their first film together was Piccadilly Incident (1946). The director, Herbert Wilcox, was unsure about Wilding at first. But after seeing him act, he signed Wilding to a long contract. Piccadilly Incident was a very popular film in Britain in 1946.

Wilding, Neagle, and Wilcox worked together again. They made The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947). This film was the biggest hit in Britain in 1947. It became one of the most-watched British films ever. Alexander Korda then cast Wilding with Paulette Goddard in An Ideal Husband (1947). This was also a hit.

Wilding, Neagle, and Wilcox teamed up again for Spring in Park Lane (1948). This was another huge success. It led to a follow-up movie, Maytime in Mayfair (1949), which was also very popular. By this time, Wilding was one of Britain's biggest stars.

Working with Alfred Hitchcock

Famous director Alfred Hitchcock chose Wilding for two films. These were Under Capricorn (1949) and Stage Fright (1950). Under Capricorn was filmed in London. It starred Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotten. Stage Fright was also filmed in London. It featured Marlene Dietrich and Jane Wyman. Thirteen years later, in 1963, Wilding also appeared in an episode of Hitchcock's TV show.

Moving to Hollywood

The film studio MGM asked Wilding to act in The Law and the Lady (1951). This movie was not a big success. He then returned to Britain. He made The Lady with a Lamp (1951) with Anna Neagle. This film was about Florence Nightingale. It was popular in Britain.

Derby Day (1952) was the last film Wilding made with Anna Neagle. In 1952, he was voted the fourth most popular star in Britain. In May 1952, Wilding signed a long contract with MGM in Hollywood.

In Hollywood, Wilding acted with Joan Crawford in Torch Song (1953). He also played a pharaoh in the big movie The Egyptian (1954). At MGM, he was Prince Charming in The Glass Slipper (1955). He also played Major John André in The Scarlet Coat (1956).

Later Roles

Wilding traveled to Africa with Elizabeth Taylor for the film Zarak (1956). After this, his marriage to Taylor ended. He started appearing regularly on American television.

He had roles in films like Danger Within (1959), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), and The Naked Edge (1961).

His last film roles included The Sweet Ride (1968) and Waterloo (1970). His final movie appearance was a small role in Lady Caroline Lamb (1972). This film also starred his last wife, Margaret Leighton. His very last acting job was in the TV movie Frankenstein: The True Story (1973).

How Popular He Was

At the height of his career, British movie theaters voted him one of the most popular stars:

Personal Life

Michael Wilding was married four times. His wives were Kay Young, Elizabeth Taylor, Susan Nell, and Margaret Leighton.

He and Elizabeth Taylor had two sons. Their names are Michael Howard (born 1953) and Christopher Edward (born 1955). Elizabeth Taylor was 20 years younger than him.

In the 1960s, he had to act less often. This was because of an illness related to his lifelong epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition that affects the brain and can cause seizures.

Death

Michael Wilding died on July 8, 1979, in Chichester, England. He fell down stairs during an epileptic seizure and suffered head injuries. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered.

Filmography

Television

See also

In Spanish: Michael Wilding para niños

• List of British actors
• List of people educated at Christ's Hospital
• List of people from Chichester
• List of people with epilepsy