- William Ormerod
Infobox Scientist
name = Sir William Ormerod
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caption = Sir William Ormerod
birth_date =October 19 ,1935
birth_place =Ixworth
death_date =July 23 ,2008
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nationality = English
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field =Actor ,Inventor , Philanthropist
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Sir William Ormerod CBE, (October 19 ,1935 -July 23 ,2008 ) was an actor, later engineer and businessman, and benefactor to the arts.Biography
Born in
Ixworth ,Suffolk , William James Ormerod entered the theatre aged 19, while taking his chemistry degree. He worked at the Derby Hippodrome, known as the 'Hippo' where his finest season was appearing in Peter Pan starringMargaret Lockwood , one of the biggest film stars of the time [Article: 'When The Top Stars Played The Hippo' [http://www.youandyesterday.co.uk/articles/When_the_top_stars_played_the_Hippo] ] . Others he knew and socialized with during those years includedBeryl Reid ,Ronnie Scott andArthur English . He went on to enjoy modest success in regional repertory theatre, but left the theatre to take a research job at ICI, developing anti-coagulants. In the early 1970s he set up a chemical paint business which was sold on for a large sum in the 1980s. By then Sir William, he used some of the money to set up a theatre library inKirklevington and for purposes of artistic philanthropy; bequests included a donation to support the new arts centre atPocklington , and toWilton's Music Hall in London. Sir William was unmarried, but many friendships from his acting days lasted until the end of his life.References
External links
* [http://www.williamormerod.com Biographical information]
* [http://derbyhippodrome.co.uk/ Homepage of the Derby Hippodrome]
* [http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-derby-hippodrome-theatre.html Petition to save the Derby Hippodrome]
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