Acting · Born 1897-12-01
Legendary for his preening, prancing, delightfully playful villain Captain Hook on the award-winning stage (as well as TV) opposite America's musical treasure Mary Martin, beloved musical star Cyril Ritchard had a vast career that would last six decades, but "Peter Pan" would become his prime legacy. Born in Australia just before the turn of the century, he was educated at St. Aloysius College and Sydney University wherein he slyly sidestepped a parental-guided career in medicine for entertainment, participating in numerous college productions that quickly got him "hooked." He began professionally in the chorus line of The Royal Comic Opera Company and quickly progressed to juvenile leads. A subsequent pairing with the already-established theatre actress Madge Elliott in 1918 proved successful, and the musical twosome eventually married in 1935. Together they would go on to become known as "The Musical Lunts" by their acting peers performing in scores of plays and revues together. Ritchard specialized in playing slick, dandified villains in musical comedy and developed a potent reputation of being a man of many talents. Not only directing and staging Broadway's finest, he became a renown performer of various operas and led many productions as such. Shortly before his wife's death of bone cancer in 1955, Ritchard ventured into TV infamy by repeating his Tony and Donaldson award-winning portrayal of Hook in Peter Pan (1955). He continued to earn acclaim and/or honors with such classic stage productions as "Visit to a Small Planet" (Tony-nominated), "The Pleasure of His Company" (Drama League award, Tony-nominated), "The Roar of the Greasepaint...the Smell of the Crowd" (Tony-nominated), "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Sugar," the musical version of the classic Billy Wilder film Some Like It Hot (1959) in which Ritchard played the Joe E. Brown role. Lesser regarded when it comes to film, he performed in the early Hitchcock classic Blackmail (1929) and made his last movie with the musical Half a Sixpence (1967) with Tommy Steele. While performing as the Narrator in a stage production of "Side by Side by Sondheim" in November 1977, Ritchard suffered a heart attack and died one month later. A one-of-a-kind talent, his nefarious, narcissistic humor was a career trademark that culminated in the role of a lifetime -- one that will certainly be enjoyed by children young and old for eons to come.
Also known as: Cyrill Ritchard, Cyril Joseph Trimnell-Ritchard
Watch every Cyril Ritchard movie and TV series free in full HD on FluxEntertainment. Browse the complete filmography, biography and highest-rated performances. Stream any title instantly with multi-language subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi and many more languages. Multiple streaming servers available for reliable playback with no sign-up required.
Cyril Ritchard is known for acting, born on 1897-12-01. Their filmography on FluxEntertainment includes Blackmail, The Hobbit, Piccadilly, Peter Pan, The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow and more titles available to stream free.
Discover more about Cyril Ritchard and watch their best movies and TV shows on FluxEntertainment. Every title in the filmography is available to stream in HD quality with no download, no subscription and no app install needed. Whether you are a long-time fan or just discovering their work, FluxEntertainment has the complete collection ready to watch instantly in your browser.
Browse all Cyril Ritchard movies and TV appearances, sorted by popularity and rating. Each title includes multi-language subtitles, multiple streaming servers and full HD quality. Start watching any Cyril Ritchard film or series right now — completely free on FluxEntertainment.