Leo McKern Australian actor Date of Birth: 16.03.1920 Country: Australia

Biography of Leo McKern

Reginald 'Leo' McKern was an Australian actor who had a prolific career in both British films and theatre. He was born on March 16, 1920, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. McKern attended the Sydney Technical High School and later lost his left eye in an accident at the age of 15. Despite this setback, he pursued a career in acting and made his stage debut in 1944 while serving in the Australian Army during World War II.

In 1946, McKern relocated to the United Kingdom to be with his love, actress Jane Holland, whom he married that same year. He soon became a regular performer at the Old Vic Theatre and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (now the Royal Shakespeare Theatre) in London, despite the challenges posed by his glass eye and Australian accent. One of his most notable Shakespearean roles was as the character Iago in the 1952 production of "Othello," alongside Anthony Quayle.

In London's West End, McKern initially played a commoner in Robert Bolt's play "A Man for All Seasons" in 1960. However, he was given the role of Thomas Cromwell, the prosecutor of Sir Thomas More, for the Broadway production and reprised the role in its film adaptation. Another memorable character portrayed by McKern was Satyr in the 1962 comedy "The Alchemist" by English playwright Ben Jonson.

Moving on to the big screen, McKern made his film debut in the 1952 British drama "Murder in the Cathedral" alongside David Ward. His filmography includes fantasy film "Help!" (1965) directed by Richard Lester, Academy Award-winning adaptation of "A Man for All Seasons" (1966), short film "The Shoes of the Fisherman" (1968), romantic drama "Ryan's Daughter" (1970) directed by David Lean, horror film "The Omen" (1976), and drama "The French Lieutenant's Woman" (1981) starring Meryl Streep.

In 1987, McKern won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor for his leading role as Frank in the comedy-drama "Travelling North." His final on-screen appearance was in the 1999 biographical drama "Molokai: The Story of Father Damien." Additionally, McKern lent his voice to Captain Haddock in the BBC radio series "The Adventures of Tintin" from 1992 to 1993.

Throughout his television career, McKern starred in the classic black-and-white series "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and gained widespread recognition as Horace Rumpole in the series "Rumpole of the Bailey" from 1975 to 1992. He became the main star of the show after initially being considered a supporting actor. McKern's portrayal of Rumpole was highly acclaimed, and his performance was praised for bringing the character to life.

In 1987, investment firm Smith Barney chose McKern as their representative, replacing John Houseman. In the last decade of his life, McKern appeared in a series of commercials for the British bank Lloyds, in which he portrayed a character reminiscent of Rumpole. McKern's daughter, Abigail, revealed that her father had a deep fear of performing and that this fear only intensified with age. He struggled with health issues, including diabetes, and in 2002, he entered a private nursing home for the elderly. McKern passed away a few weeks after moving to the nursing home on July 23, at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife Jane, daughters Abigail and Harriet, and grandson. In 1983, McKern was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his outstanding contributions to the performing arts.