Richard Todd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Todd OBE
Publicity photo of Todd, c. 1959
Born	Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (1919-06-11)11 June 1919 Dublin, Ireland
Died	3 December 2009(2009-12-03) (aged 90) Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
Burial place	St. Guthlac's Church, Little Ponton, Lincolnshire, England
Education	Shrewsbury School
Alma mater	Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts Royal Military College, Sandhurst
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1936–2007
Spouse(s)	Catherine Grant-Bogle ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1970)​ Virginia Mailer ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1992)​
Partner(s)	Patricia Nelson
Children	5
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1941–1946
Rank	Captain
Service number	180649
Unit	King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Parachute Regiment
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Tonga Operation Overlord Palestine

Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (born June 11, 1919 – died December 3, 2009) was a famous Irish-British actor. He was well-known for playing the main character in many movies during the 1950s. Richard Todd won a Golden Globe Award for being a promising new actor. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the 1949 film The Hasty Heart.

Some of his other important roles include Jonathan Cooper in Stage Fright (1950) and Wing Commander Guy Gibson in The Dam Busters (1955). He also played Sir Walter Raleigh in The Virgin Queen (1955) and Major John Howard in The Longest Day (1962). Before becoming an actor, he was a Captain in the British Army during World War II. He even fought in the D-Day landings as part of the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion.

Early Life and Start of Acting Career

Richard Todd was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Andrew William Palethorpe-Todd, was a doctor and a rugby player for Ireland. Richard spent some of his childhood in India, where his father worked as a doctor in the British Army. Later, his family moved to Devon, England. Richard went to Shrewsbury School.

After school, Todd trained for a military career at Sandhurst. But he decided to become an actor instead. He studied acting at the Italia Conti Academy in London.

His first professional acting job was in 1936 at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. He acted in plays in different parts of the country. In 1939, he helped start the Dundee Repertory Theatre in Scotland. He also appeared as an extra in British films like Good Morning, Boys (1937) and A Yank at Oxford (1938).

Military Service During World War II

Paratrooper Lt. Richard Todd landed near Pegasus Bridge on June 6, 1944.

Richard Todd joined the army soon after World War II started. He went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in late 1939. In 1941, he was injured when a German bomb hit his building. Five other cadets died in the attack. Todd finished his training in the spring of 1941.

He became an officer in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. After training in Iceland, he returned to the UK as a lieutenant. He then joined the Parachute Regiment because he wanted to see more action. He was assigned to the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion.

On June 6, 1944, he took part in Operation Tonga during the D-Day landings. He was one of the first British soldiers to land in Normandy. His battalion parachuted in after other forces had captured Pegasus Bridge near Caen. At the bridge, he met Major John Howard. Todd helped fight off German attacks. Five days after D-Day, he was promoted to captain. Years later, Todd played Major John Howard in the 1962 film The Longest Day, showing these events.

After fighting in Normandy, his division returned to the UK. They later went back to Europe to help stop the German attack in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war ended in Europe, his division was sent to Palestine. There, he was seriously injured when his Jeep overturned. He broke both shoulders and got a concussion. He returned to the UK and left the army in 1946.

Acting Career After the War

After the war, Richard Todd was unsure what to do next. His old agent, Robert Lennard, suggested he try out for the Dundee Repertory Company again. Todd did, and he met Catherine Grant-Bogle, who became his first wife. Lennard helped Todd get a screen test, and in 1948, he signed a contract with Associated British Picture Corporation.

His first big role was in For Them That Trespass (1949). The film was a small success, and Todd's acting career took off.

Becoming a Star

Todd had acted in a play called The Hasty Heart in Dundee. He then played the main role of Cpl. Lachlan McLachlan in the London stage version. This led to him being cast in the same role for the 1948 film version, alongside Ronald Reagan. Todd was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for this role in 1949. He was also voted the favorite British male film star in Britain.

Many directors wanted to work with Todd. Alfred Hitchcock cast him in Stage Fright (1950). This was Hitchcock's first British film made in Britain since 1939.

Working with Disney

Richard Todd became very popular when he played Robin Hood in The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) for Walt Disney Productions.

Disney then brought the Robin Hood team back together for The Sword and the Rose (1953). Todd played Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. It was popular in Europe. He also played the main character in Disney's Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue (1953).

In 1953, he played Heathcliff in a BBC television show based on the novel Wuthering Heights.

Big Successes

Todd's career got another boost when he signed a contract with 20th Century-Fox. He played Peter Marshall in the film A Man Called Peter (1955), which was a big hit.

Even more successful was The Dam Busters (1955). In this film, Todd played Wing Commander Guy Gibson. This was the most popular film in Britain in 1955 and became the most famous role of Todd's career.

He also played Sir Walter Raleigh in The Virgin Queen (1955), opposite Bette Davis. He appeared in D-Day the Sixth of June (1956).

Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) tried to repeat the success of The Dam Busters. Todd played another real-life hero in this film. It was popular in Britain.

Later Career and TV Work

In the 1960s, Todd's film career slowed down. New types of films became popular in Britain. However, he had a good role in The Longest Day (1962). He played Major John Howard, the same person he had met during D-Day in 1944. This was his biggest hit for some time.

In the 1970s, he became popular again by reading stories on Radio Four. In the 1980s, his voice was heard as the narrator for Wings Over the World, a TV series about aviation history. He also continued to act on television. He appeared in shows like Virtual Murder, Silent Witness, and the Doctor Who story "Kinda" in 1982. In 1989, he was in an episode of Murder, She Wrote.

He also helped create a theater company called Triumph Theatre Productions. This company produced many plays and musicals, and Todd sometimes starred in them.

His acting career continued into his 80s. He made appearances in British TV shows like Heartbeat and The Royal. His last appearance in Heartbeat was in 2007.

Richard Todd was honored with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1993.

Personal Life

Richard Todd was married twice. Both marriages ended in divorce. He had five children. He lived in the village of Little Ponton and later in Little Humby in Lincolnshire.

Todd strongly supported events that remembered World War II, especially the Normandy landings. He was often linked to his role as Guy Gibson from The Dam Busters film. He attended anniversaries for 617 Squadron (the "Dam Busters" squadron) until 2008. He also narrated a TV documentary about the Squadron.

Death

Richard Todd passed away from cancer at his home in Lincolnshire on December 3, 2009. He was buried in St. Guthlac's Church in Little Ponton. His gravestone says, "Richard Andrew Palethorpe Todd, 1919–2009, husband of Virginia and Kitty, loving father of Peter, Fiona, Andrew, Seumas and Jeremy, Exit Dashing Young Blade."

Selected Films

Box Office Popularity

Richard Todd was often listed as one of the most popular British stars in various polls:

• 1950 – 7th most popular British star
• 1952 – 5th most popular British star in Britain
• 1954 – 9th most popular British star
• 1955 – 7th most popular British star
• 1957 – 3rd most popular star in Britain

Selected Theatre Roles

• An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (1965) – Strand Theatre, London
• Dear Octopus by Dodie Smith (1967) – Haymarket Theatre, London
• The Winslow Boy (1971) – national tour
• A Christmas Carol (1971–72) – Theatre Royal, Brighton
• Sleuth (1972–73) – Australian tour
• Equus (1975) – Australian tour
• The Business of Murder (1983–91) – Mayfair Theatre, London

Books Written by Richard Todd

• Caught in the Act (1986)
• In Camera, an Autobiography Continued (1989)

See also

In Spanish: Richard Todd para niños