AncientFaces Your browser does not support JavaScript!
Please enable JavaScript to view the entire contents of this page.

Wilfrid Hyde-White 1903 - 1991

Wilfrid Hyde-White was born on May 12, 1903 in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire County, UK United Kingdom, and died at age 87 years old on May 6, 1991 at Woodland Hills in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States.

Wilfrid Hyde-White

May 12, 1903

Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire County, UK, United Kingdom

May 6, 1991

Woodland Hills in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, United States

Male

Looking for another Wilfrid Hyde?

Wilfrid Hyde-White Wilfrid Hyde-White (1903 - 1991)

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

This page exists for YOU
and everyone who remembers Wilfrid.

Share what you know,
even ask what you wish you knew.

Invite others to do the same,
but don't worry if you can't...

Someone, somewhere will find this page,
and we'll notify you when they do.

Wilfrid Hyde-White's History: 1903 - 1991

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.

- Discover how AncientFaces works.

Introduction

Famous Actor. Films, Theatre and Television. Wilfrid Hyde-White Born May 12, 1903 in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England, UK Died May 6, 1991 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA (congestive heart failure) Birth Name Wilfrid Hyde White Height 5' 10" (1.78 m) British character actor of wry charm, equally at home in amused or strait-laced characters. A native of Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire, he attended Marlborough College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. His stage debut came in 1922, and by 1925 he was a busy London actor. He married actress Blanche Glynne (real name: Blanche Hope Aitken) and in 1932 toured South Africa in plays. Alleged to have been spotted by George Cukor during a performance in Aldritch, Hyde-White (with or without Cukor's help) made his film debut in 1934. He often appeared under the name Hyde White in these early films. He continued to act upon the stage, playing opposite Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in "Caesar and Cleopatra" and "Antony and Cleopatra" in 1951. With scores of films to his credit, he will always be remembered for one, My Fair Lady (1964), in which he played Colonel Pickering. Active into his ninth decade, Hyde-White died six days before his 88th birthday. He was survived by his second wife, Ethel, and three children. Spouse (2) Ethel Korenman (Drew) (21 July 1957 - 6 May 1991) ( his death) ( 2 children) Blanche Hope Aitken (Glynne) (17 December 1927 - ?) ( divorced) ( 1 child) Trivia (8) Father of actor Alex Hyde-White and Juliet Hyde-White. Father-in-law of Shelly Bovert Hyde-White. Ex-father-in-law of Karen Dotrice. Was twice nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actor (Dramatic): in 1957, for "The Reluctant Debutante," and in 1973, for "The Jockey Club Stakes." Upon his death, his remains were interred at Water Cemetery in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England. His first wife was a decade his senior. His second wife, however, was thirty years his junior. In the conservative 1950s, the age difference raised eyebrows at the time of his wedding in England, but he later remarked that, as soon as his wife entered her thirties, everyone forgot about it. He appeared six times on the medical drama Ben Casey (1961) in the 1960s, playing a variety of characters. He told an interviewer that the main reason he appeared on the show so often was that one of the perquisites for guest artistes was a full medical check-up at the Mayo Clinic, free of charge. Living in the USA, Hyde-White accepted the role in Carry on Nurse (1959) without reading the script as it was a free ticket home just in time for him to attend the Grand National. However, his agent threatened to sue Carry on Nurse (1959) producer Peter Rogers, claiming that someone else's bottom had been used in the Daffodil gag sequence, but the actor and his agent withdrew the claim when it was pointed out that no one's bottom was used and that it was all done by suggestion. Turned down the role of Col Pickering in My Fair Lady (1964) 5 times before accepting it. Hyde-White and his elder sister, Ethel, were the children of William Edward White, canon of Gloucester Cathedral, and his wife, Ethel Adelaide (née Drought). Their uncle was actor J. Fisher White. Personal Quotes (3) I learned two things at drama school: first, that I couldn't act; second, that it didn't matter. I've owned twelve horses, seven Rolls-Royces, and I've had mistresses in Paris, London and New York - and it never made me happy. I've never regretted my decision to become an actor. Lots of things have gone wrong and lots have gone well. Now it's almost over and I'll settle for what I have.
05/12

1903

Birthday

May 12, 1903

Birthdate

Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire County, UK United Kingdom

Birthplace

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Early Life & Education

Marlborough College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Professional Career

He made his stage debut in the farcical play Tons of Money on the Isle of Wight in 1922 and appeared in the West End for the first time three years later in the play Beggar on Horseback.[1] He then gained steady work on the stage in a series of comedies produced at the Aldwych Theatre in London. He joined a tour of South Africa in 1932 before making his film debut in Josser on the Farm (1934) where he was credited as "Wilfrid Hyde White" (without the hyphen). He also appeared in some earlier films as plain "Hyde White". He later added the hyphen, as well as his first name. Following a supporting role in The Third Man (1949), he became a fixture in British films of the 1950s. His other films of this period include Carry on Nurse and the Danny Kaye film On the Double.[1] Two-Way Stretch displays the more roguish side to some of the characters he played in this period. He continued to act on the stage and played opposite Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh in the repertory performance of Caesar and Cleopatra and Antony and Cleopatra in 1951. He also appeared on Broadway and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1956 for his role in The Reluctant Debutante. His first Hollywood appearance came alongside Marilyn Monroe in the film Let's Make Love (1960), followed by other higher profile films, including My Fair Lady (1964). Later career Between 1962 and 1965, Hyde-White starred in the BBC radio comedy The Men from the Ministry. In the 1970s and 1980s, he featured on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the Battlestar Galactica pilot episode "Saga of a Star World" and The Associates. He continued to appear on Broadway, and earned a second Tony nomination for his performance in The Jockey Club Stakes. He appeared in two episodes of the mystery series Columbo, starring Peter Falk as the rumpled detective. Although the first, "Dagger of the Mind" (1972), was set in Britain and concerned Columbo paying a visit to Scotland Yard, Hyde-White's ongoing UK tax problems meant that, unlike American actors Falk and Richard Basehart, and British actors appearing in the episode, Honor Blackman, Bernard Fox, John Fraser and Arthur Malet, he was unable to take part in location filming in the UK. His scenes as a butler were therefore filmed in California.[3] His second appearance on Columbo was in the episode "Last Salute to the Commodore" in 1976. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1976 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Goodwood Racecourse.[4]
05/6

1991

Death

May 6, 1991

Death date

Heart failure

Cause of death

Woodland Hills in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Obituary

British Actor Wilfrid Hyde-White Dead at 87 May 6, 1991 LOS ANGELES (AP) _ British actor Wilfrid Hyde-White, whose 66-year acting career in plays, film and television included his portrayal of Col. Pickering in the movie ″My Fair Lady,″ died Monday at age 87. Hyde-White died of congestive heart failure at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital, where he had been a patient since 1985, said Louella Benson, a spokeswoman for the Motion Picture and Television Fund. With his silvery hair and dry aristocratic manner, Hyde-White portrayed the quintessential Englishman in many films, plays and television shows. Although his best-known performance in this country was in the 1964 classic ″My Fair Lady,″ the actor’s son said his father preferred his performance with Peter Sellers in the 1960 British comedy film ″Two Way Stretch.″ ″It made him a star supporting actor in Britain, and that helped him get ‘My Fair Lady’ a few years later,″ said Alex Hyde-White, 31, also an actor. Born in Gloucester, England, Hyde-White trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art after his actor uncle, J. Fisher White, failed to talk him out of an acting career. Hyde-White began his career in British theater and films. He first appeared on the London stage in 1925 as a juror in ″Beggar on Horseback.″ He also appeared in such plays as ″Rise Above It″ and ″Caesar and Cleopatra.″ His British films include ″Gaily, Gaily″ and ″Rembrandt.″ Hyde-White’s American television credits include a brief run as Martin Peyton on the 1960s nighttime soap opera, ″Peyton Place.″ He also starred as Emerson Marshall in the critically acclaimed but short- lived television series ″The Associates,″ which aired on ABC in 1979 and 1980. And he portrayed Dr. Goodfellow in television’s ″Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.″ Hyde-White is survived by his wife, Ethel, sons Alex and Michael, daughter Juliet and four grandsons. A memorial service was scheduled for Saturday.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

Join 2 others
who remember Wilfrid

Select options below to share special moments.

Ethnicity & Family History Nationality & Locations Baptism Religious Beliefs Military Service Personal Life & Family Gravesite & Burial Add Memory Add Photo

Share what you remember.
Ask what you wish to know.
Connect to discover more.
Advertisement
Did you know?

Wilfrid Hyde-White lived 14 years longer than the average family member when died at the age of 87.

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below

10 Memories, Stories & Photos about Wilfrid

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Amanda S. Stevenson

17.8k+ favorites

12/27/2020

Wilfrid Hyde-White

Date & Place: Not specified or unknown.

Comments

Loading...one moment please

- See how biographies work.

Be the 1st to share and we'll let you know when others do the same.

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

Wilfrid Hyde-White's Family Tree & Friends

Wilfrid Hyde-White's Family Tree

Parent

Wilfrid Hyde-White May 12, 1903 - May 6, 1991

Partner

Child

Sibling

Friendships

Wilfrid's Friends

2 Followers & Sources

Connect with others who remember Wilfrid Hyde to share and discover more memories. People who have contributed to this page are listed below and in the Biography History of changes. Sign in to your free account to view changes.

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

Other Biographies

Other Wilfrid Hyde Biographies

Hyde, Wilfrid (Sep 16, 1917 - Jan 1983)

Other Hyde Family Biographies

Hyde, James (Born 1847) Hyde, Sarah (Born Aug 5, 1850) Hyde, Philip (Jan 5, 1896 - Jan 1968) Hyde, Amy (Jan 3, 1919 - Jun 10, 1998) Hyde, Raymond (Apr 26, 1897 - May 1980) Hyde, Leo (Oct 2, 1898 - Jan 1956) Hyde, Thomas (Sep 27, 1876 - Jan 1965) Hyde, Elizabeth (Aug 22, 1924 - Jan 26, 2011) Hyde, Edwin (Oct 11, 1925 - Dec 27, 2006) Hyde, Muriel (Mar 5, 1910 - Feb 11, 2004)

Hyde, Claire (Jun 30, 1931 - Apr 30, 2011) Hyde, Minna (Apr 6, 1894 - Jun 15, 1994) Hyde, Robert (Oct 17, 1938 - Sep 1986) Hyde, Viola (Jun 18, 1885 - Sep 1978) Hyde, Donna (Jun 28, 1929 - Dec 25, 2006) Hyde, Linnia (May 27, 1897 - Aug 1969) Hyde, Alice (May 21, 1905 - Mar 24, 1996) Hyde, Julia (Mar 30, 1888 - Mar 18, 1992) Hyde, Florence (Jan 21, 1910 - Jan 27, 1991) Hyde, Bertha (Aug 8, 1887 - Jan 1983)

About the AncientFaces Community

Wilfrid Hyde-White 1903 - 1991

Wilfrid Hyde-White's History: 1903 - 1991

Introduction

Birthday

Early Life & Education

Professional Career

Death

Obituary

10 Memories, Stories & Photos about Wilfrid

Wilfrid Hyde-White's Family Tree & Friends

Wilfrid Hyde-White's Family Tree

Wilfrid's Friends

Other Wilfrid Hyde Biographies

Other Hyde Family Biographies