Born: 21 January, 1922, in Sussex. Died: 19 March, 2008, in Brighton, aged 86.
WITH his rich, gravelly voice and craggy good looks, Paul Scofield gave some of the most eminent performances in post-war British theatre. His voice was likened to a R
olls Royce warming up: his strong features made an instant impression on stage. His King Lear, in Peter Brook's production, was hailed by many as "the greatest Lear of his generation" and his performance in the original cast of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus at the National Theatre (as the envious Salieri) has never been surpassed. He played with a beguiling charm Sir Thomas More in the original stage production and epic film of Man For All Seasons. Scofield – affectionately known by colleagues as "the Sco" – was a private man: he turned down interviews, offers from Hollywood and roles with leading stage companies. He appeared only occasionally on television, but made a notable appearance in the BBC adaptation of Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit. He is believed to have often turned down a knighthood ("If you want a title, what's wrong with Mr?") but in 2001 he became a Companion of Honour.
Scofield, typically, sought privacy in his personal life. When not living in Sussex he delighted in the solitude of his house on the Isle of Mull. There he walked, read and enjoyed peace and tranquillity. Friends say that on Mull Scofield was relaxed – refusing to have a phone – to the great frustration of agents and colleagues, who could never contact him.
Scofield came to two Edinburgh Festivals. First in 1951, in the world premiere of a forgotten play, The River Line, and then in 1981 to give a poetry recital, with his wife, Joy Parker, in Moray House.
Scofield was nearly involved in what might have been an epic Festival production. It had been planned that the Old Vic Company would bring Othello to Edinburgh in 1955, with Richard Burton and Scofield alternating in the title role. Burton cancelled to do a film and Scofield decided to cancel also. Similarly, in 1983 Scofield was engaged to come to the Festival with the National Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream but that also collapsed at the last minute.
David Paul Scofield was the son of a village headmaster. His first experience of acting came while he was at school in Brighton, and he made his professional debut in London in 1940.
The army turned him down on medical grounds, so he spent the war acting for the troops. Afterwards he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for some historic performances, not least in Henry V, a role to which he brought a heroic, almost romantic, quality.
In 1950 he was cast in Jean Anouilh's fascinating play Ring Round The Moon. Scofield played the twins and brought a sense of excitement and clarity to the two very different characters. Other notable performances included a brooding Hamlet (directed by Brook), Heartbreak House and his slimy, unrelenting Salieri in Amadeus. Typically, he turned down an offer to play the role on Broadway.
Scofield was one of the most adept classical actors: Burton said of him: "Of the ten greatest moments in the theatre, eight are Scofield's."
Scofield's rare films included Carve Her Name With Pride – a Second World War movie in which he and Virginia McKenna gave delightful performances, Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance (with Katharine Hepburn), Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, (Scofield played the king of France), Quiz Show, in which he gave a dazzling performance opposite Ralph Fiennes, and an adaptation of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. But it was A Man For All Seasons for which he will undoubtedly be best remembered. As the totally honest and unswerving Thomas More, Scofield delivered a captivating performance, for which he, rightly, won an Oscar.
As if to demonstrate his contrary nature, Scofield did accept some unusual scripts. In the 1950s he appeared on stage and then the film of Expresso Bongo – a madcap musical – in which he sang with unexpected gusto. In 1996 he was in a Jeffrey Archer whodunit in the West End called Exclusive. The play flopped and Scofield walked away with his usual courtesy, providing no excuse or explanation.
Many who worked with him recall his gracious attitude to all his colleagues. "He was genuine and never did anything second-rate," a director who worked with him at the Royal Court remembered. "Paul worked extremely hard and – what many forget – he was very funny. He had a wicked sense of humour."
Scofield was an enigma, a private and rather shy man, yet an extrovert on stage. He never courted popularity or fame and turned down invitations to appear on chat shows, wondering what on earth he would talk about. Yet this mightily talented sphinx explored stage characters with an original intensity and then delivered a mesmerising performance. At the beginning of Amadeus he dramatically swivelled round on a high-backed chair and began a long speech with immense style and flourish. It took the theatre by storm. Paul Scofield was, indeed, one of the greats.
Scofield suffered from leukaemia and had been ill for some time. He is survived by his wife and their son and daughter.
The full article contains 876 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
