Famous People

When you talk of the theatre and Coventry and Warwickshire almost all thoughts lead to a certain Mr Shakespeare and Stratford.

It’s understandable for Shakespeare is arguably the most celebrated playwright in history and the boards of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre have been trodden by some of the finest actors and actresses to have ever lived.

But elsewhere across the region there is a rich heritage of thespians who have made an indelible mark on the stage and big screen.

A handful of them are below but, of course, the mother of them all was Dame Ellen Terry. You can read more on her by clicking the link below.

Clive Owen

The current cream of the acting crop is, of course, Golden Globe winning and Oscar-nominated thesp Clive Owen.

Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston in Derailed

Born in 1965, a young Clive attended the local Binley Park Comprehensive School. But a love for acting meant the schoolwork fell by the wayside after he joined a youth theatre in his teens.

His gritty determination saw him shoot to fame in the UK in 1990 when he was cast as the smooth operating Stephen Crane in the television drama Chancer.

A number of small roles on the big screen came his way, including a role in Croupier which proved to be a massive hit in the US.

He was picked up instantly and starred in a number of high-profile movies, including Gosford Park, The Bourne Identity, Derailed and King Arthur.

His crowning moment so far was his role in the movie Closer, for which he won the Golden Globe and was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Billie Whitelaw

Billie Whitelaw was born in Coventry in 1932 and is said to have been the favourite actress of Samuel Beckett. In fact it is Beckett plays with which Whitelaw is most associated.

She first met the playwright in 1986 and the two are said to have felt an immediate bond which was unlike most relationships between an actor and writer.

Billie began her acting career at the tender age of 12 when she was involved in BBC Broadcasts and it kick-started a long and illustrious career.

Actress Billie Whitelaw

Of her roles on the big screen, Whitelaw was outstanding when she portrayed Violet Kray, the mother of notorious gangland brothers Reggie and Ronnie, in the 1990 film The Krays.

In 1991 she was awarded the CBE for her work in television, radio, film and the stage.

Sir Nigel Hawthorne

Quite simply one of the greatest British actors of all time, Sir Nigel was born in Coventry on 5 April 1929.

He became a huge star on TV, stage and on film and won numerous awards during his career, including a prestigious Olivier Award for his role in The Madness of King George III on stage, which was later to become one of his greatest film performances.

Despite all his high-profile film and stage roles, however, Sir Nigel will perhaps forever be associated with Sir Humphrey Appelby, the cunning civil servant in Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.

After receiving the CBE in 1987, during the tenure of Margaret Thatcher who cited Yes, Minsiter as her favourite show, he was knighted in 1999.

Stephanie Cole

Sir Nigel died from a heart attack on Boxing Day, 2001.

Stephanie Cole

Stephanie was born in Warwickshire in 1941 and is another to have had a long and successful career both on stage and the small screen.

The actress is one of the best-known faces on television and shall forever be associated as Bea from the Japanese prisoner of war potboiler Tenko, which was first screened in 1981.

Since then she has appeared regularly on TV in shows like Waiting for God, Born and Bred and Doc Martin.

Jeffrey Holland

Jeffrey Holland is famous for his roles in BBC sit-coms penned by Jimmy Perry and David Croft but cut his teeth with a four and a half year stint working in repertory at the Belgrade.

Actor Jeffrey Holland

Work at the theatre helped prepare him for his future range of characters like that of Spike in the much loved Hi-de-Hi series and he is often found touring the country in a variety of productions.

The 'Allo 'Allo connection

In a strange twist of fate, three members of the cast of 'Allo 'Allo have Coventry and Warwickshire connections.

Kim Hartman played Helga, the chipper German sidekick to the evil Herr Flick in the series, which ran on BBC 1 from 1982 to 1992.

Kim grew up in Stratford, before beginning her acting career at the Belgrade where she remained for two years as a student ASM. Most recently, she was spotted in Grange Hill.

Meanwhile, undercover British officer Crabtree (the one with the dodgy accent) was played by Arthur Bostrum, a Rugby-born actor who remains in Warwickshire.

The stars of 'Allo 'Allo, however, were Rene and Edith who ran the cafe and the late Carmen Silvera played Edith.

Carmen was born in Canada but her family settled in Coventry when she was very young and it was from the city that she began her career.

Potter stars Bradley and Griffiths

Living here

As well as the big names who came from the area, many actors have made their home in Warwickshire.

Harry Potter stars Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon) and David Bradley (Argus Filch) both live in Shakespeare country.

Melvyn Hayes lives in the south of the county and runs his own pub. Melvyn is best known for playing Gloria Beaumont in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and in Santa Claus, The Movie.

Bergerac and Midsommer Murders star John Nettles is another actor in the south, he lives just outside Stratford.

And Eastenders star Adam Woodyatt lives in the Southam area.