Cyril Ritchard

Biography

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 …

Movies & TV Shows

1. The Hobbit (1977) — Elrond (voice)
2. Blackmail (1929) — The Artist
3. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) — Self
4. Piccadilly (1929) — Victor Smiles
5. The Winslow Boy (1948) — Himself
6. What's My Line? (1950) — Self
7. Peter Pan (1960) — Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
8. Peter Pan (1955) — Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
9. The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) — Self
10. The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975) — Father Thomas (voice)
11. Half a Sixpence (1967) — Harry Chitterlow
12. Dr. Kildare (1961) — Justin Fitzgibbons
13. Studio One (1948)
14. The Daydreamer (1966) — The Sandman (voice)
15. The Merv Griffin Show (1962) — Self
16. The Mike Douglas Show (1961) — Self - Co-Host
17. Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951)
18. The Philco Television Playhouse (1948)
19. I See Ice (1938) — Paul Martine
20. Lux Video Theatre (1950) — Arnold
21. Kraft Music Hall (1958) — Self
22. Hans Brinker (1969) — Mijnheer Kleef
23. The Steve Allen Show (1956) — Self - rehearsing for 'Jack and the Beanstalk'
24. Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957) — Self
25. The Snoop Sisters (1973) — Morlock
26. Mr. Scrooge (1964) — Ebenezer Scrooge
27. The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956) — Self
28. Producers' Showcase (1954) — Captain Hook
29. DuPont Show of the Month (1957) — Sui-Generis the Sorcerer
30. Service for Ladies (1932) — Sir William Carter (uncredited)
31. Playwrights '56 (1955)
32. The Danny Kaye Show (1963) — Self
33. Woman Hater (1948) — Reveller (uncredited)
34. Omnibus (1952)
35. The Emperor's New Clothes (1972) — Emperor Klockenlocher (voice)
36. The Show Goes On (1937) — Jimmy
37. The Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood (1965) — Big Bad Wolf
38. Tubby the Tuba (1975) — The Frog (voice)
39. Dangerous Medicine (1938) — Dr. Noel Penwood
40. Just for a Song (1930) — Craddock

Directed

1. Omnibus (1952) — Director
2. Profiles in Courage (1964) — Director