Peter Wyngarde facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Wyngarde
Wyngarde in 1992 by Allan Warren
Born	Cyril Goldbert (1927-08-23)23 August 1927
Died	15 January 2018(2018-01-15) (aged 90) Chelsea, London, England
Occupation	Actor
Height	5' 9¼" (1.76 m)
Spouse(s)	Dorinda Stevens ​ ​ (m. 1951; div. 1956)​

Peter Wyngarde (born Cyril Goldbert, 23 August 1927 – 15 January 2018) was a British actor. He worked in television, on stage, and in films from the late 1940s to the mid-1990s.

He was most famous for playing Jason King. This character was a bestselling writer who became a detective. Peter Wyngarde played Jason King in two TV shows: Department S (1969–70) and Jason King (1971–72). His fancy clothes and cool acting made him very popular. He was seen as a style icon in Britain and other places in the early 1970s.

Early Life and Background

Peter Wyngarde's birth name was Cyril Goldbert. He was born on August 23, 1927. While some records say he was born in Singapore, he often said he was born in Marseille, France.

Like many actors, Peter Wyngarde liked to keep some parts of his early life a mystery. He sometimes gave different details about his age, family, and where he grew up. He kept these stories throughout his life.

Family Background

Peter Wyngarde's father was Henry Goldbert, a British merchant seaman. His mother was Margherita Goldbert, known as Madge. She was from Singapore. His parents divorced in 1937.

Peter had two younger siblings, Henry Jr. and Marion. They also moved to England later. After his mother remarried, Peter sometimes used his stepfather's last name, MacAulay.

Life During World War II

Peter Wyngarde often spoke about his difficult childhood. He said his father took him to China in 1937, just before the war started there. He was living in Shanghai when the Japanese Army took over in December 1941.

In April 1943, when he was 15, he was held in the Lunghua civilian internment camp. He stayed there until just before his 18th birthday. While in the camp, he started acting. He played all the characters in a play called Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

After the war ended in August 1945, Cyril Goldbert left Shanghai. He traveled alone to the UK and arrived in Southampton in December 1945. He was 18 years old.

The British writer J. G. Ballard was also in the Lunghua camp and traveled to the UK with Wyngarde. Ballard later wrote that Wyngarde was older than he claimed and had played adult roles in camp plays.

Acting Career

After arriving in the UK in late 1945, Cyril Goldbert changed his name to Peter Wyngarde. He began his acting career a few months later.

Starting Out as an Actor

His first stage appearance was in 1946 at the Buxton Playhouse. The next year, he was in a play called Present Laughter. He acted with famous actors like Alec Guinness in Hamlet (1951) and Vivien Leigh in 1958. Playing Cyrano de Bergerac in 1959 was a special moment for him.

Peter Wyngarde also started appearing in films and TV shows in the mid-1950s. His first film role was a small, uncredited part in Dick Barton Strikes Back (1949). He played Long John Silver in a TV show called The Adventures of Ben Gunn (1958). He also starred in Rupert of Hentzau in 1964.

His film roles were not many, but they were noticed. He was in Alexander the Great (1956) and The Siege of Sidney Street (1960). He also had a role in The Innocents (1961). His only lead role in a film was in the thriller Night of the Eagle (1962).

By the late 1960s, Wyngarde was a guest star in many popular TV series. These included The Avengers, The Saint, The Baron, The Champions, and I Spy. He also played Number Two in an episode of The Prisoner (1967).

Becoming Famous as Jason King

Wyngarde as Jason King

Peter Wyngarde became very well-known in Britain for his main role in the spy series Department S (1969). His character, Jason King, was a writer who became a detective. Jason King lived a fancy lifestyle and was known for his charm.

After Department S ended, the character Jason King got his own show called Jason King (1971). This show had 26 episodes.

Peter Wyngarde's acting style was unique. He was described as playing the role "in the manner of a cat walking on tiptoe." He became an international star, with many fans in places like Australia.

He became a "style icon" because of his look. He had a droopy mustache, big hair, and wore colorful suits with wide lapels and open-necked shirts. In 1970, he was called "Britain's best-dressed male personality." The next year, more babies were named Jason than ever before.

Later Roles

Wyngarde in 1976, by Allan Warren

In 1974, Peter Wyngarde played the King of Siam in a stage show of The King and I in London.

He also acted in plays in South Africa and Austria in the late 1970s. In 1983, he was in the thriller play Underground.

Wyngarde played Klytus in the film Flash Gordon (1980). On TV, he appeared in Doctor Who (in the story Planet of Fire, 1984) and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994).

After 1995, he mostly stopped acting due to a throat infection. However, he still did some voice work and appeared at fan events. In 2014, he narrated a documentary about Sherlock Holmes.

Music Recordings

In 1970, Peter Wyngarde released an album called Peter Wyngarde. It featured spoken-word songs. He said the album sold out quickly, but his record company did not make more copies. The album was reissued on CD in 1998.

Personal Life

Peter Wyngarde married actress Dorinda Stevens on March 6, 1951. He was 23 years old. They separated three years later.

In the late 1950s, he moved to a flat in London where he lived for the rest of his life.

Fan Clubs and Books

Peter Wyngarde had active fan clubs for many years. One fan group, The Hellfire Club, was started in 1992 with his support. They published a magazine and later went online.

Books about Peter Wyngarde's life have also been published. One biography was released in 2012 and again in 2019. Another biography was published in 2020 by the organizer of The Hellfire Club.

Death and Legacy

Peter Wyngarde passed away on January 15, 2018, at the age of 90. He had been in the hospital since October 2017.

After his death, 250 items from his estate were sold at an auction. All the items were sold, bringing in over £35,000. His trophy for "best dressed personality of 1970" sold for £2,200.

The actor Mike Myers has said that Peter Wyngarde's character Jason King helped inspire his own character, Austin Powers.

Film Roles

Television Roles

Images for kids

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  Wyngarde in 1976, by Allan Warren

See also

In Spanish: Peter Wyngarde para niños