- published: 13 Oct 2011
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Sir Michael Murray Hordern, CBE (3 October 1911 – 2 May 1995) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 60 years. He is best known for his Shakespearean roles, especially that of King Lear, which he played to much acclaim on stage in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1969 and London in 1970. He then successfully assumed the role on television five years later. He often appeared in film, rising from a bit part actor in the late 1930s to a member of the main cast; by the time of his death he had appeared in nearly 140 cinema roles. His later work was predominantly in television and radio.
Born in Hertfordshire into a family with no theatrical connections, Hordern was educated at Windlesham House School where he became interested in drama. He went on to Brighton College where his interest in the theatre developed. After leaving the college he joined an amateur dramatics company, and came to the notice of several influential Shakespearean directors who cast him in minor roles in Othello and Macbeth. During the Second World War he served on HMS Illustrious where he reached the rank of lieutenant commander. Upon his demobilisation he resumed his acting career and made his television debut, becoming a reliable bit-part actor in many films, particularly in the war film genre.
Michael /ˈmaɪkəl/ is a male given name that comes from the Hebrew: מִיכָאֵל / מיכאל (Mīkhāʼēl, pronounced [miχaˈʔel]), derived from the question מי כאל mī kāʼēl, meaning "Who is like God?" (literally, "Who is like El?). In English, it is sometimes shortened to Mike, Mikey, Mickey, or Mick.
Female forms of Michael include Michelle, Michele, Michaela, Mechelle, Micheline, and Michaelle, although Michael is occasionally seen as a female name; women named Michael include actresses Michael Learned and Michael Michele. Another form is Mychal, which can either be a male or female name.
Patronymic surnames that come from Michael include Michaels, Carmichael, MacMichael, McMichael, Micallef, Michaelson, Mikkelsen, DiMichele, Mikhaylov, Mykhaylenko, Mikeladze, Michels, and Mitchell.
The name first appears in the Hebrew Bible in the Book of Numbers, 13:13 where Sethur the son of Michael is one of 12 spies sent into the Land of Canaan. The archangel Michael features in the Book of Daniel 12:1, and in the Qur'an as Mikhail.
Fire in the Steppe (Polish: Pan Wołodyjowski; also translated into English as Sir Michael and Colonel Wolodyjowski; literally, Sir Wołodyjowski) is a historical novel by the Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, published in 1888. It is the third volume in a series known to Poles as "The Trilogy", being preceded by With Fire and Sword (Ogniem i mieczem, 1884) and The Deluge (Potop, 1886). The novel's protagonist is Michał Wołodyjowski.
Chapters 1 – 5
Michael Volodyovski has retired to a monastery after the death of his wife, Anna Borzobogati. At Chenstohova. Kharlamp, an acquaintance, goes to see Andrei Kmita to get his help in persuading him to leave it. He and Zagloba make a journey to consult Yan and it is finally Zagloba who offers to speak to Volodyovski.
Making his way to Warsaw, Zagloba meets his old friend, Hassling-Ketling, a Scot, who now resides in Warsaw after being adopted by a noble in Svyenta in Courland, who offers him a bed. Taking place is the Diet to elect a new King of which Prince Boguslav is a candidate and Zagloba is determined to raise support against the traitor.
Montague Rhodes James OM FBA (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936), who used the publication name M. R. James, was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–18), and of Eton College (1918–36).
Though James's work as a medievalist is still highly regarded, he is best remembered for his ghost stories, which are regarded as among the best in the genre. James redefined the ghost story for the new century by abandoning many of the formal Gothic clichés of his predecessors and using more realistic contemporary settings. However, James's protagonists and plots tend to reflect his own antiquarian interests. Accordingly, he is known as the originator of the "antiquarian ghost story".
In this 1985 interview Sir Michael Hordern talks about his 50 year career in the acting industry.
Mysterious happenings to a prayer book which repeatedly opens when no one is about at a particular psalm, even though each time the book is closed. A classic ghost story by M R James.
Sir Michael Murray Hordern (4th October 1911 - 2nd May 1995) was an English actor, knighted in 1983 for his services to the theatre. PUBLIC DOMAIN News item.
The Mezzotint by M R James. A mysterious artefact that appears to take a life of its own. This is a creepy classic M R James ghost story read by Michael Hordern. Unfortunately, these recordings of the story are not yet available on CD or MP3 so I have uploaded them here for you to enjoy. These cassettes were played almost every Sunday during the winter months by my Dad when I was small whilst cooking the Sunday lunch. I always think of cooked dinners and seeing Dad with his glass of ale whenever I hear these stories. Enjoy.
TV series(1982). Michael Hordern fly fishing and reading from Rod and Line by Arthur Ransome. Part 1 - Back to the Stone Age?
Michael Hordern stars in this BBC Ghost Story for Christmas, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge says humbug to Christmas, before three ghosts show him his past,
The Green Man is a TV series in three parts which aired in 1990. It is an adaptation from a book, with the same title, written in 1969 by the British author Kingsley Amis Stars: Albert Finney, Linda Marlowe, Sarah Berger and Michael Hordern See playlist for details
Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves, And ye that on the sands with printless foot Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him When he comes back; you demi-puppets that By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe not bites, and you whose pastime Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid, Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimm'd The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up The pine and cedar: graves at my command Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth By my so potent ar...
In this 1985 interview Sir Michael Hordern talks about his 50 year career in the acting industry.
Mysterious happenings to a prayer book which repeatedly opens when no one is about at a particular psalm, even though each time the book is closed. A classic ghost story by M R James.
Sir Michael Murray Hordern (4th October 1911 - 2nd May 1995) was an English actor, knighted in 1983 for his services to the theatre. PUBLIC DOMAIN News item.
The Mezzotint by M R James. A mysterious artefact that appears to take a life of its own. This is a creepy classic M R James ghost story read by Michael Hordern. Unfortunately, these recordings of the story are not yet available on CD or MP3 so I have uploaded them here for you to enjoy. These cassettes were played almost every Sunday during the winter months by my Dad when I was small whilst cooking the Sunday lunch. I always think of cooked dinners and seeing Dad with his glass of ale whenever I hear these stories. Enjoy.
TV series(1982). Michael Hordern fly fishing and reading from Rod and Line by Arthur Ransome. Part 1 - Back to the Stone Age?
Michael Hordern stars in this BBC Ghost Story for Christmas, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge says humbug to Christmas, before three ghosts show him his past,
The Green Man is a TV series in three parts which aired in 1990. It is an adaptation from a book, with the same title, written in 1969 by the British author Kingsley Amis Stars: Albert Finney, Linda Marlowe, Sarah Berger and Michael Hordern See playlist for details
Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves, And ye that on the sands with printless foot Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him When he comes back; you demi-puppets that By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe not bites, and you whose pastime Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid, Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimm'd The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up The pine and cedar: graves at my command Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth By my so potent ar...
MR James read by Michael Hordern
Directed by: Bob Kellett Stars: Frankie Howerd, Michael Hordern, Barbara Murray
Number 13-read by Michael Hordern Number 13" is the fifth story in the first collection of ghost stories published by M. R. James, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary.