Ian Abercrombie English actor Date of Birth: 11.09.1936 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Ian Abercrombie

Ian Abercrombie was an English actor best known for his role as Alfred Pennyworth in the TV series "Birds of Prey". He was born on September 11, 1936, in London, England, UK. Abercrombie began his career on the theater stage during the height of the Blitz in World War II. After receiving numerous awards for his dance performances, he appeared in London, Holland, Ireland, and Scotland. He made his American stage debut in 1955 in the play "Stalag 17" alongside Jason Robards and Jules Munshin. Abercrombie performed in many of his own plays in regional theaters, summer tours, and off-Broadway productions, which led to numerous new opportunities. However, there was a period in his life when he worked as a magician's assistant for only $10.

In 1957, Abercrombie was drafted into the army and stationed in Germany. He was involved in special services and was responsible for directing the continental premiere of "Separate Tables" and touring with Olivia de Havilland. After returning to the United States, Abercrombie traveled to California where he had an unsuccessful audition. However, this marked the beginning of his long and successful career in film and television. Over the course of 40 years, Abercrombie appeared in numerous TV series such as "Burke's Law", "Barnaby Jones", "Six Million Dollar Man", "Fantasy Island", and "Battlestar Galactica". He also had roles in "Mrs. Columbo", "Falcon Crest", "Faerie Tale Theatre", and "Santa Barbara". Abercrombie received recognition for his work in the theater production "Sweet Prince" with Keir Dullea, "Teeth N'smiles", "A Doll's House" with Linda Purl, and "The Arcata Promise" with Anthony Hopkins. He also gained acclaim for his one-man show titled "Jean Cocteau - A Mirror Image". Recently, Abercrombie reminded audiences of his talent with his role as Alfie Doolittle in the musical "My Fair Lady". He is also in high demand for voiceover work in radio, animated films, commercials, and CD recordings. For example, he provided the voice for Embrouz in the animated film "Rango". Abercrombie is also known for his role as Wiseman in the cult comedy horror film "Army of Darkness" in 1993. He has appeared in other films such as "Flash III: Deadly Nightshade", "Test Tube Teens from the Year 2000", "The Lost World: Jurassic Park", and "Inland Empire".

It is interesting to note that Abercrombie and actor Clive Revill both portrayed the same character in different projects. In 1992, Revill played Alfred Pennyworth in the TV series "Batman", while Abercrombie portrayed the same character in the TV series "Birds of Prey" in 2002. Revill was also the first to voice Palpatine in the film "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980. Abercrombie, on the other hand, provided the voice for Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious in the animated series "Clone Wars" and the film of the same name. Interestingly, the first person to portray Palpatine was actor Ian McDiarmid in Episodes 5 and 6 of "Star Wars".

Ian Abercrombie's cousin, John Abercrombie, is a guitarist who works with the label "ECM Recording Star".