Wilfrid Hyde-White

Wilfrid Hyde-White (née Hyde White; 12 May 1903 – 6 May 1991) was an accomplished English actor known for portraying droll and urbane upper-class characters. The term 'classic British film archetype' was used by Philip French to describe Hyde-White's on-screen persona which nicely fit into an extensive stage and screen career both in the United Kingdom and the United States. His career spanned over half a century, showcasing over 160 film and television roles between 1935 and 1987. Hyde-White was also acknowledged at the Tony Awards, receiving two nominations for Best Actor in a Play in 1957 for The Reluctant Debutante and in 1973 for The Jockey Club Stakes.

Wilfrid Hyde White was born in the quaint village of Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire, England, and hailed from a ecclesiastic family. He attended the distinguished Marlborough College and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His firm footsteps in the field of acting started on the Isle of Wight in 1922 where he made his stage debut in a farcical play titled Tons of Money. Hyde-White later appeared in the West End for the first time three years later with the play Beggar on Horseback. Amidst his prosperous career, Hyde-White battled with UK tax issues leading to declared bankruptcy by the Inland Revenue in 1979, yet his work in films prevailed. He passed away due to heart failure on 6 May 1991 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California.