Born in Beckenham, Kent, the balding British actor Maurice Denham made
his name as assorted comic characters in popular 1940s radio shows such
as ITMA (It's That Man Again) and Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh. His move
into films with a small part in The Man Within in 1947 coincided with
a shift to more varied character roles. His talent for several character
voices was used to the full when he voiced every character in the animated
classic Animal Farm
(1955). He remained very busy from then onwards in the film medium often
appearing as respectable eccentrics or elegant crooks, one of his more
celebrated movies was Day
of the Jackal (1973). From the 1970s he became accepted as a penetrating
portrayer of heavy personality drama on television, and a formidable
protagonist on stage. He featured memorably in the classic comedy series
Porridge as
Judge Rawley, the man who sent Ronnie Barker to prison. He was awarded
the OBE in 1992.
