Warren Mitchell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warren Mitchell
Mitchell in 1978
Born	Warren Misell (1926-01-14)14 January 1926 Stoke Newington, London, England
Died	14 November 2015(2015-11-14) (aged 89) Hampstead, London, England
Alma mater	University College, Oxford Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1951–2015
Notable work	See below
Spouse(s)	Constance Wake ​ (m. 1951)​
Children	3

Warren Mitchell (born Warren Misell; 14 January 1926 – 14 November 2015) was a famous British actor. He won many awards for his acting. These included a BAFTA TV Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards.

Early Life and Education

Warren Mitchell was born in Stoke Newington, London. His family were Russian Jews, and his father sold glass and china.

From a young age, Warren loved acting. He went to a drama school in Walthamstow when he was only seven. He also did well at Southgate County School.

Later, he studied chemistry at University College, Oxford. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1944 during World War II. He finished his training as a navigator in Canada just as the war ended.

While at Oxford, he met another famous actor, Richard Burton. Burton's stories about acting convinced Warren to become an actor too.

Acting Career

After the war, Warren Mitchell went to the RADA for two years. He also performed at the Unity Theatre in London.

In 1951, he became a professional actor. He worked in radio, film, and television. One of his first jobs was on the radio show Educating Archie. He also appeared in Hancock's Half Hour on both radio and TV.

By the late 1950s, he was often seen on television. He played different characters in shows like Requiem for a Heavyweight and Drake's Progress. He also appeared in many ITC drama series, including The Avengers and The Saint.

Warren Mitchell started his film career in 1957 with Manuela. He often played small roles as foreign agents. He appeared in films like Carry On Cleo (1964) and Help! (1965).

Playing Alf Garnett

In 1965, Warren Mitchell got his most famous role: Alf Garnett. Alf was a character in the BBC comedy show Till Death Us Do Part. Alf Garnett was a cockney man who supported the Conservative Party and West Ham United. He was known for his strong, often bigoted, opinions.

It's interesting because Warren Mitchell was very different from Alf Garnett in real life! Warren was Jewish, supported the Labour Party, and was a fan of Tottenham Hotspur. The show aimed to make fun of racism and narrow-minded views.

Till Death Us Do Part ran from 1966 to 1975. Warren Mitchell won a BAFTA for his role in 1967. He played Alf Garnett again in two films, Till Death Us Do Part (1969) and The Alf Garnett Saga (1972). He also appeared as Alf in later TV shows like Till Death... (1981) and In Sickness and in Health (1985–92).

After the writer, Johnny Speight, passed away in 1998, Warren Mitchell decided to stop playing Alf Garnett.

Other Stage and Screen Roles

Besides Alf Garnett, Warren Mitchell had a long and successful career on stage and television. He played serious roles too, like William Wardle in The Sweeney and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice (1980).

He was highly praised for his stage performances. He played Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman in 1979. He also starred in Miller's The Price in 2003. These roles earned him two Laurence Olivier Awards.

Warren Mitchell also had musical roles. He sang in the film Till Death Do Us Part. He also released records as Alf Garnett.

In 2008, when he was 82, he was still acting on stage in London's West End. He played a retired dry-cleaner in the play Visiting Mr. Green.

Awards and Recognition

Warren Mitchell received many awards for his acting:

• In 1976, his one-man show The Thoughts of Chairman Alf won an Evening Standard Theatre Award for best comedy.
• In 1982, he won an Australian Film Institute Award for best supporting actor in the film Norman Loves Rose.
• He won two Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards:

* For playing Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman in 1979. * For best supporting actor in The Price in 2003.

• He also won an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for Death of a Salesman. The play's writer, Arthur Miller, said Warren's performance was "one of the best interpretations" he had ever seen.

Personal Life and Later Years

Warren Mitchell was married to Constance Wake, an actress, in 1951. They had three children: Daniel, Rebecca, and Anna.

He described himself as an atheist, meaning he did not believe in God. However, he also said he "enjoyed being Jewish." He supported the British Humanist Association.

For over 20 years, Warren Mitchell had pain from nerve damage. This was caused by a condition called transverse myelitis. He also had a mild stroke in 2004 but was back on stage just a week later.

Warren Mitchell passed away on 14 November 2015, in London, after a long illness. He was almost 90 years old.

Selected Filmography

Warren Mitchell appeared in many films and television shows throughout his long career. Some of his notable film roles included Carry On Cleo (1964), The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), and The Alf Garnett Saga (1972). On television, he was in shows like Hancock's Half Hour, The Avengers, and of course, Till Death Us Do Part.