Keith Baxter (actor)

Keith Baxter (born April 29, 1933) is a Welsh theatre, film, and television actor.

Early Years & RADA

Born in Newport, Wales in 1933, Baxter studied at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, during which period he shared a flat with classmate Alan Bates. He made his film debut in the 1957 remake of "The Barretts of Wimpole Street".

Films

In 1960, Orson Welles selected Baxter to portray Prince Hal in his stage production "Chimes at Midnight", which combined portions of the Shakespearean plays "Henry IV, Part I", "Henry IV, Part II", "Henry V", "Richard II", and "The Merry Wives of Windsor" and brought the comic figure of Falstaff to the forefront of a primarily tragic tale. Baxter repeated his performance in the 1965 film version.

Broadway

In 1961, Baxter made his Broadway debut as King Henry VIII in "A Man for All Seasons". Other New York City stage credits include "Avanti!" (1968), "Sleuth" (1970), "Romantic Comedy" (1980), and "The Woman in Black" (2001).

The Original Mark Antony to Liz Taylor's Cleopatra

Baxter was signed for the role of Mark Antony opposite Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra in the 1963 film epic of the same name. Liz Taylor's bout with pneumonia soon after filming began temporarily shut down the film, and by the time she recovered Baxter had to honor other commitments, resulting in Richard Burton assuming the role. He eventually co-starred with Taylor in the 1973 film "Ash Wednesday".

TV Work

Baxter's television work includes appearances in "Gideon's Way", "The Avengers", "Hawaii Five-O", and the mini-series "Merlin".

Baxter currently is an Associate Member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Theater awards

*1971 Drama Desk Award for "Sleuth"
*1962 Theatre World Award for "A Man for All Seasons"

External links

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