Clive Francis

Clive Francis (born 26 June 1946) is a British stage, television and film actor.

Early life

He is the son of actors Raymond Francis and Margaret Towner. He was born in Eastbourne, Sussex.

His father played Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart in the 1960s series No Hiding Place. His mother played Jira, Anakin Skywalker's friend, in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace in 1999.

Career

Clive Francis began his acting career at the age of 16 as a Penguin Player and has acted on stage, radio, television and to a lesser extent, in films.

He is also a noted caricaturist and has had several exhibitions. His caricatures have appeared on the covers for books written by actor Alec Guinness and a biography of John Gielgud, and has had several books of his caricatures published, including There Is Nothing Like a Dane (Hamlet) and There Is Nothing Like a Thane (Macbeth).

Films

Francis appeared as Joe the Lodger in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange (1971). His other films include Inspector Clouseau (1968), Girl Stroke Boy (1971), and Villain (1971) with Richard Burton.

Television

His first television role was playing Tommy Traddles opposite Ian McKellen (playing the title role) in the 1966 production of Charles Dickens David Copperfield.

Francis considers his part as Mr. Sloane in the ITV Playhouse production of Entertaining Mr Sloane in 1968 as his first important television role, appearing alongside the likes of Shelia Hancock and Edward Woodward. He states on his website that the play was taped just a week after Joe Orton (the author) was murdered.

Francis played the character of Willoughby in the BBC's 1971 production of Sense and Sensibility. In the BBC's popular first adaptation of Poldark (1975–76), he brought to life Ross Poldark's weak, troubled and debt-ridden cousin Francis. Francis delivered a credible and creditable performance of this emotionally deep character.

He followed his father into television's re-creation of Scotland Yard when he played Det. Sgt. Dexter in New Scotland Yard in 1974.

In the 1976 television adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, he portrayed Apollodorus.

Francis appeared opposite Laurence Olivier in Saturday, Sunday, Monday, a play which was part of the Laurence Olivier Presents series for Granada TV.

In 1981, Francis played the Roman officer and imperial spy Attius in the ABC miniseries Masada.

In 1984, Francis guest starred in episode five, "The Man with the Twisted Lip," of the series Sherlock Holmes, as Neville St Clair.

Francis starred in the series The 10%ers; The Piglet Files (which used his caricatures in the credits) and May to December.

Clive Francis has guest-starred in dozens of other television programmes, including Yes, Prime Minister, in which he played Luke, who, the Prime Minister is told, is a spy for the Foreign Office, a department whose policy is often in conflict with the PM's.

Theatre

His first West End appearance was in There's A Girl In My Soup opposite Donald Sinden.

He regularly tours his one-man version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, as well as his anthology Merely Players (also with Sinden).

In December 2007, he performed his one-man version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Théâtre Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo as part of the British Theatre Season, Monaco.

In February 2015, he played the part of Frank Doel in the Salisbury Playhouse's production of 84, Charing Cross Road.

Personal life

Francis is married to the actress Natalie Ogle; they have two children.

Selected filmography

• Inspector Clouseau (1968)
• The Man Who Had Power Over Women (1970)
• Girl Stroke Boy (1971)
• Villain (1971)
• A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• Pierrepoint (2005)

External links

• Official Clive Francis website - USA

• Clive Francis at the Internet Movie Database