Geoffrey Toone(1910-2005)
- Actor
Distinguished character actor and one time matinée idol Geoffrey Toone
appeared in some of London's most famous stage productions of the 20th
century. A stalwart of the Old Vic Theatre since the early 1930s, he
worked with stars such as Ralph Richardson and Roger Livesey, and went on to appear in
John Gielgud's magisterial 1934 production of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet
(1935) with Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, and the wartime production of
Lady Windemere's Fan (1945) designed by Cecil Beaton.
Toone's striking looks as a young actor made him a favourite with
pre-war audiences. One critic who commented on Toone's "sculpted
features" said the actor "could have stepped out of a Sargent
painting."
In his later career, Toone's powerful stage presence and keen
intelligence saw him emerge as a leading character actor, and he became
one of television's busiest performers. He was often cast as an
aristocrat or military type in series such as The Avengers (1961) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990) and
became something of a household name when he played the vengeful Nazi
Von Gelb in the cult ITV children's spy series Freewheelers (1968).
Toone had a prolific film career, which included such roles as Sir
Edward Ramsay in The King and I (1956), Harold Hubbard in The Entertainer (1960) and several horror
films including The Terror of the Tongs (1961) and Dr. Crippen (1963).
His later career was mainly spent working in television both in Britain
and in America. He retired to Denville Hall, the actor's rest home in
Northwood, Middlesex where he died on June 1, 2005, at 94.
For many years he had shared a house with the actor
Frank Middlemass.
appeared in some of London's most famous stage productions of the 20th
century. A stalwart of the Old Vic Theatre since the early 1930s, he
worked with stars such as Ralph Richardson and Roger Livesey, and went on to appear in
John Gielgud's magisterial 1934 production of Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet
(1935) with Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, and the wartime production of
Lady Windemere's Fan (1945) designed by Cecil Beaton.
Toone's striking looks as a young actor made him a favourite with
pre-war audiences. One critic who commented on Toone's "sculpted
features" said the actor "could have stepped out of a Sargent
painting."
In his later career, Toone's powerful stage presence and keen
intelligence saw him emerge as a leading character actor, and he became
one of television's busiest performers. He was often cast as an
aristocrat or military type in series such as The Avengers (1961) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990) and
became something of a household name when he played the vengeful Nazi
Von Gelb in the cult ITV children's spy series Freewheelers (1968).
Toone had a prolific film career, which included such roles as Sir
Edward Ramsay in The King and I (1956), Harold Hubbard in The Entertainer (1960) and several horror
films including The Terror of the Tongs (1961) and Dr. Crippen (1963).
His later career was mainly spent working in television both in Britain
and in America. He retired to Denville Hall, the actor's rest home in
Northwood, Middlesex where he died on June 1, 2005, at 94.
For many years he had shared a house with the actor
Frank Middlemass.