Robert Eddison facts for kids

Robert Leadam Eddison (born June 10, 1908 – died December 14, 1991) was a British actor. He had a very long career performing in plays, but many people remember him best for his role as the wise Grail Knight in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He also played Merlin in the BBC TV series The Legend of King Arthur.

Robert Eddison was known for his clear, deep voice and his tall, thin build (he was 6 feet 3 inches tall). He was a popular actor for 60 years. He worked with many famous British actors when they were just starting their careers, like Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, and Maggie Smith. He even received awards for his acting.

Early Life and Dreams

Robert Eddison was born in Yokohama, Japan. His parents were Edwin Eddison and Hilda Muriel Leadham. He had a twin brother, Talbot, who later became a high-ranking officer in the Royal Navy. He also had two other brothers.

From the young age of five, Robert knew he wanted to be an actor. His parents were part of the Yokohama Dramatic Club. He often watched them perform on stage. He remembered how the smell of their make-up made him feel "totally bewitched."

His father, an engineer, passed away in 1917. After this, his mother moved back to England with her four sons. They traveled through British Columbia, Canada. Robert and his twin brother went to boarding school in Victoria for a few years. In 1919, the family finally arrived back in England and settled in Haywards Heath, Sussex.

School Days and Acting Passion

When Robert was 14, he and his brothers went to Charterhouse School. He was very sad to find out there was no drama club there. This was surprising because many famous actors had gone to that school before him.

His family hoped he would become a doctor, like his grandfather and uncle. So, Robert went to Trinity College, Cambridge to study medicine. But while he was there, his love for acting grew even stronger. He joined the university's drama clubs. He even became the president of the Cambridge Amateur Dramatics Club in 1929.

Robert Eddison made his first professional acting appearance while at Cambridge. It was on June 23, 1930, in a play called Lady Audley's Secret. He acted alongside Flora Robson. He didn't get paid a salary, but he received a silver cigarette case as a thank you gift! Because his heart was truly in acting, he left Cambridge without finishing his degree.

Starting His Acting Career

In his early career, Robert Eddison spent a year at the Westminster Theatre in London. He then worked for a long time in a "weekly rep" company in Croydon. This meant he performed a different play every week. In 1934, he started working with Ben Greet and performed in plays at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park until 1939.

Famous writer and actor Noël Coward noticed Robert's talent. Robert was also invited to act in radio shows for the BBC. He performed for six seasons with the famous Old Vic theatre company. He even took over roles from another future star, Alec Guinness.

In 1938, as World War II was about to begin, Robert joined the military. But he was able to act in as many plays as possible before he was fully needed. He was set to appear in two of Noël Coward's plays, This Happy Breed and Present Laughter. However, the war stopped these shows. He later got to perform in a revival of Present Laughter in 1947.

Serving in World War II

The war was frustrating for Robert because it stopped his promising theatre career. In 1940, he was called to join the Royal Navy. He officially became a sailor in May 1941. During a medical check, doctors found that his heart was on the wrong side of his chest! But they decided it wasn't a problem.

He served on the battleship HMS King George V. He quickly moved up in rank and became an officer. He was then assigned to the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious as a Temporary Lieutenant. On board, he met another actor, Michael Hordern. Their ship was attacked by enemy planes in 1945. Robert spent three years on the Illustrious.

Ian McKellen, a famous actor, once shared a funny story about Robert during the war. Robert was performing in a play for officers. Afterwards, a Petty Officer told him, "You know, Eddison, I never knew you were so f*g lovely!" Robert always said this was the best review he ever got.

Robert Eddison left the Navy in March 1946. Soon after, he performed at the Bristol Old Vic. He played Hamlet, a very famous role, which later moved to a London theatre. He also finally got to play the parts in Noël Coward's plays that the war had stopped.

In 1950, he joined the prestigious Old Vic Company again. He was part of the group that reopened London's Old Vic Theatre after it was badly damaged during the war. The first play was Twelfth Night.

A Long and Varied Career

Throughout his life, Robert Eddison always had work as an actor. He performed in many plays by Shakespeare and other classic writers. He played funny characters like Feste and Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night. He also played the serious role of King Lear in New York. He was a familiar face in plays by famous writers like Ibsen and Chekhov.

In 1958, he became an active member of The Society for Theatre Research. He often gave talks and later became its Chairman. In 1960, he played Polonius in Hamlet at the Strand Theatre. He also played Captain Hook in Peter Pan.

In 1967, he was cast in a play called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in New York. Although critics praised him, he was replaced after only five shows. This made him feel very hurt.

In 1969, he became close friends with Ian McKellen. They acted together in Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe's Edward II. Robert won an award for his role as Lightborn in Edward II. He later said he was "ashamed at how much I enjoyed playing Lightborn."

In 1974, Ian McKellen and Edward Petherbridge invited him to join their new Actor's Company. This company was special because the actors themselves voted on which plays to perform. They also took turns playing both main and supporting roles. Robert was much older than the others, but he loved being part of the group. He said, "I was very touched when I was asked to join the company."

During this time, he played the main role in King Lear again, which was a huge success. He performed in both the UK and America. Robert was very proud to be the only actor in the world to open two major London theatres. He gave the first speech in the Olivier Theatre at the Royal National Theatre in 1976. Six years later, he also opened The Barbican.

In 1978, he won another award, the Society of West End Theatre Award (now called the Laurence Olivier Award). This was for his performances as Andrew Aguecheek and Feste in Twelfth Night.

Robert Eddison also had many roles in radio dramas for the BBC. His television work included a strong performance as Uncle Silas in a 1968 TV show. His film career was smaller, but it included roles in Vice Versa (1948) and American Friends (1991).

The Grail Knight

Robert Eddison's most famous role was the ancient Grail Knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He was 81 years old when he filmed this part. The famous actor Laurence Olivier was first considered for the role, but he was too ill. Robert's line, "He chose poorly," is one of the most quoted lines from the movie. Julian Glover, who played the villain in the film, remembered that Robert was excited but nervous. He often asked if he had performed his lines correctly.

His last play with Ian McKellen was Bent in 1990. Robert Eddison received the OBE award in 1988 for his important contributions to drama.

Later Years and Legacy

Robert Eddison passed away in 1991 at the age of 83 from bronchial pneumonia.

Throughout his career, Robert collected many items related to theatre. This collection included ceramics, drawings, prints, rare books, and wax figures. It was considered "one of the finest collections of Georgian theatrical material in private hands." After his death, his collection was given to the Theatre Museum and is now looked after by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

He had started writing a memoir called Majestic Service: An Autobiographical Memoir. The first 22 pages were published in 1992.

Robert Eddison was the great-uncle of TV presenter Dallas Campbell. Dallas remembered watching the first Indiana Jones film as a child. He was very proud when his "Uncle Bob" was in The Last Crusade. He would tell people at the cinema that Robert was his uncle, but no one believed him!

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Robert Eddison para niños