A History Of Liverpool Thespians - David Burke

David Burke was born on the 25th of May 1934 in Liverpool into a modest and deeply Catholic family with his older sister having taken religious orders. His mother was horrified when he proclaimed his willingness to integrate himself into the theatre world but the young man's decision proved to be as definitive as it was fortuitous as while he was a student at Oxford, he was given a small role in a university performance. The few lines he pronounced unleashed a storm of laughter. From that moment on, he later remembered that, "he knew what he was going to do with his life" In 1971 he married the actress Anna Calder Marshall who, the previous year, had been a touching Catherine Earnshaw-Linton in 'Wuthering Heights' alongside Timothy Dalton. David and Anna, who have performed together many times, as in 2011 in Arthur Miller's play 'Danger: Memory', live in Kent with their son Tom (born in 1981), who has also embraced the acting career. David appeared with his son in the 2006 BBC adaptation of the M.R. James ghost story, 'Number 13' and when Tom was chosen for the role of Athos in the BBC One series 'The Musketeers' (2014), his father appeared with him again as Father Duval.

Tom with his son David

As a graduate of the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, David's first passion is theatre. Classically trained he has worked for the National Theatre, the Royal Lyceum Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He played 'Othello' in the title role, played Hector in 'Troilus and Cressida' (1985), Kent in 'King Lear' (1997) and John of Gaunt in 'Richard II' alongside Ralph Fiennes (2000). He has also recorded audio versions of Shakespeare's 'Venus and Adonis' and 'The Rape of Lucrece' and much more modern works such as 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett. He is far from having confined himself to the great classics of English theatre, as among other things he originated the role of physicist Niels Bohr in Michael Frayn's 'Copenhagen' in 2008. His many and diverse roles on the small screen constituted the most constant and solid support of his career and considerably broadened his audience and reputation. Among the many characters he has played are Private Terence Mulvaney in 'The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling' (1964), John Benjamin in 'Coronation Street' (1966), Dr. Benedict in 'The Guardians' (1971), Tom Prentiss in 'Holly' (1972), Tom Amyas in 'Armchair Thriller', 'Quiet as a Nun' (1978), Camillo in 'The Winter's Tale' (1981), Sir William Catesby in 'The Tragedy of Richard III' (1983), 'Spyship' (1983) and 'The Woman in Black' (2012). He was also Sir Arthur Stanley in 'Hercules Poirot, Pension Vanilos' (1995), and in 2002 Lord Reith in 'Bertie and Elizabeth'. In 1983, he masterfully portrayed a considerable historical figure, Joseph Stalin, in 'Reilly, Ace of Spies'. He also played William Morris in the 1975 series 'Love School' and frequently portrays Johannes Coenradus Klene in the Dutch commercials for Klene liquorice.

 

Having had had earlier experience with Sherlock Holmes, having played the villain in an adaptation of 'The Adventure Of the Beryl Coronet' for the 1965 BBC series, David portrayed Dr. Watson with an excellent style in 'The Advenures of Sherlock Holmes' in the initial series. During the filming of the thirteen episodes he got along well with Jeremy Brett but then left the programme after receiving an invitation to join the Royal Shakespeare Company along with his wife, Anna. It had seemed unthinkable to him to continue shooting in Manchester while his wife would remain alone in Kent to take care of their three-year-old son Tom and they both considered the joint work to be the best idea. He was replaced by Edward Hardwicke, whom he had recommended as his successor. But David had not finished with Sherlock Holmes as he appeared in 1995 in the TV Documentary, 'Biography: Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective' as Dr. Watson; and in 2007, he presented a chapter of the excellent 'Elementary My Dear Viewer: The Shackles of Sherlock Holmes' show. Such is the popularity of the tenants of 221B, Baker Street, and their power to make their performers famous, that all the notices concerning David Burke stipulate: "Mainly known for the role of Dr. Watson alongside Jeremy Brett in the Granada series".

David Burke is an Everton supporter.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/09/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians-elsie.html