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David Ryall (born 5 January 1935) is an English actor who has appeared on British television since the 1970s. He has had leading roles in Lytton's Diary and Goodnight Sweetheart, as well as memorable roles in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective and Andrew Davies's adaptation of The Final Cut, the third part in the House of Cards trilogy.

Career

He received a scholarship to RADA in 1962, during which time he won the Caryl Brahams Award for a Musical. On leaving RADA, he went into repertory work in Salisbury, Bristol, Leicester and Birmingham (including 'King Lear' and 'The Master Builder') and then into Laurence Olivier's company with the National Theatre at The Old Vic from 1965-73. During this time he was involved with many new and influential plays, including Tom Stoppard's 'Jumpers' and 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead', 'The Royal Hunt of the Sun' and 'Tyger'. Other, particularly notable, work at the National Theatre includes 'Guys and Dolls', 'The Beggar's Opera', 'Coriolanus' and 'Animal Farm' (for which he won the Clarence Derwent Award in 1985), 'School for Wives', 'Wild Oats', 'Democracy' and 'The UN Inspector'. In 1983 he worked on 'A Matter of the Officers' and 'Jean Seberg' with Julian Barry who, despite David missing the press night of the latter due to misjudging a step from a lift onto the stage and breaking his ankle during a blackout, remains a life-long friend. In 1984 David performed a one man show of stories and poems by Edward Bond at the NT, entitled 'A Leap in the Light'. Ryall portrayed discredited scientist Frank Skuse in the March 1990 docudrama Who Bombed Birmingham?

One of his most recent roles was in the BBC One sitcom Outnumbered, in which he played Frank (known as "Granddad"), a character who seemed to suffer from dementia. He also appeared as Max, an antique collector, in episode 4 of BBC drama Bonekickers. In 1994 David played Feste in Sir Peter Hall's production of 'Twelfth Night' - a performance which was praised highly by Sir Alec Guinness in his autobiography. In 1996-97 David worked with The Royal Shakespeare Company, playing God in 'The Mysteries', and Polonius in 'Hamlet', for which he was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award during its tour of the United States.

David worked with Sir Peter Hall again in the 1999 production of 'Lenny' in the West End, and after that in the 2000 epic 'Tantalus', in Colorado and the UK. David continues to be a regular face in the theatre, with more recent appearances including in Patrick Marber's 'Don Juan in Soho' at the Donmar Warehouse in 2007. His television and film career has been equally expansive, and includes 'The Knowledge', 'The Singing Detective', 'Shelley', 'Inspector Morse', 'State of Play', 'The Elephant Man', 'Empire of the Sun', 'Truly Madly Deeply' and 'Two Men Went to War'. One of his most recent roles was in the BBC One sitcom Outnumbered, in which he played Grandad, a character who seemed to suffer from dementia. He appeared as Max, an antique collector, in episode 4 of BBC drama Bonekickers.

He will also appear as Elphias Doge in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Personal life

David Ryall has one son and two daughters: Jonathan Ryall (b. 1966), who was the manager of the Australian band GLIDE, Imogen Ryall (b. 1967), who is a singer and works consistently with pianist Rod Hart, and Charlotte Ryall (b. 1986).

External links

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References

1. ITN Source

• 1935 births
• English film actors
• English television actors
• Living people