Who was Denholm Elliott? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In May

Also Known As: Denholm Mitchell Elliott

Died At Age: 70

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Susan Robinson (m. 1962 – his death. 1992), Virginia McKenna (m. 1954 – div. 1957)

father: Myles Laymen Farr Elliott

mother: Nina Mitchell

children: Jennifer Elliott, Mark Elliott

Born Country: England

Bisexual Actors

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Died on: October 6, 1992

place of death: Santa Eulalia del Río, Spain

Cause of Death: AIDS-related Illness

City: Ealing, England

More Facts

education: Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art

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Childhood & Early Life

Denholm Mitchell Elliott was born on May 31, 1922, in Ealing, Middlesex, England, to Myles Layman Farr Elliott and Nina (née Mitchell). His father was a barrister and later joined the ‘British Army.’ Myles Elliott was appointed as the solicitor-general to the ‘Mandatory Government in Palestine’ and was later assassinated as a result of a few controversial government prosecutions. Elliott had an elder brother, Neil, who was a land agent to Lady Anne Cavendish-Bentinck.

Elliott attended the ‘Malvern College’ and later joined the ‘Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’ in London. At the end of the first term, he was asked to leave the academy.

Elliott joined the ‘Royal Air Force’ and served during the Second World War. While participating in an air raid, his aircraft was hit by the enemy operations. Elliott remained a prisoner of war till the war ended. It was during his time in prison that Elliott started developing an interest in dramatics.

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Career

In 1949, Denholm Elliott made his debut in movies with ‘Dear Mr. Prohack,’ which featured him as ‘Oswald Morfrey.’ During the 1950s, Elliott performed small roles in several movies, such as ‘The Heart of the Matter,’ ‘Lease of Life,’ and ‘The Night My Number Came Up.’

In 1966, Elliott performed as an abortionist in the comedy-drama movie ‘Alfie.’ The same year, he was selected for the British TV series ‘The Man in Room 17.’ The series featured him in the recurring role of ‘Imlac Defraits.’ Elliott appeared in 13 episodes of the series.

In 1970, Elliott performed in the Anglo-American war movie ‘Too Late the Hero.’ The movie was based on the events of World War II. The movie featured Elliott in the role of ‘Captain Hornsby,’ an officer known for his foolhardiness. In 1972, Elliott played the lead role in the TV play ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road.’ He portrayed ‘Jack Black,’ an actor, in the play. ‘Jack’ was portrayed as a victim of psychiatric disorders who displayed eccentric behavior. Elliott performed the part brilliantly.

In 1976, Elliott starred in the TV adaptation of the ‘The Signalman,’ a short story by Charles Dickens. It was telecast on the ‘BBC’ network. The series featured Elliott in the lead role of the signalman. His performance as a person bordering on insanity was highly applauded.

In the 1980s, Elliott won the ‘BAFTA Award’ for the ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role’ in three consecutive years. In 1983, he won the award for his performance in the American comedy ‘Trading Places.’ The movie featured him as a butler named ‘Coleman.’ In 1984, he won the award for the portrayal of ‘Dr. Charles Swaby’ in the British comedy ‘A Private Function.’ The following year, his portrayal of ‘Vernon Bayliss’ in the thriller ‘Defence of the Realm’ brought him the coveted recognition for the third time.

In 1985, Elliott appeared as ‘Mr. Emerson’ in the movie ‘A Room with a View.’ His role in the movie was that of an upper middle-class Englishman not bound by any conservative ideals. Elliott was nominated for an ‘Academy Award’ for his convincing performance in the film.

However, ‘Dr. Marcus Brody’ was the character that made Denholm Elliott a household name. In 1981, he portrayed ‘Dr. Brody’ in the movie ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’ His character was the colleague of the lead character of the film, ‘Indiana Jones.’ In 1989, he essayed the same role in the movie ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.’

In 1988, Elliott was appointed as a commander of the ‘Order of the British Empire’ in recognition of his services to the field of acting. Over the years, he played slightly eccentric characters, alcoholics, and fraudsters. In 1992, he was part of the movie ‘Noises Off,’ which marked his last movie performance. The movie featured Elliott as ‘Selsdon Mowbray,’ a character actor addicted to alcohol.

Family & Personal Life

Denholm Elliott had bisexual traits. He had married twice. In 1954, he married actor Virginia McKenna. A few years later, they divorced. The couple had no children. Elliott then married American actor Susan Robinson. His second marriage was an open marriage. The couple had two children, Mark and Jennifer.

In 1987, Elliott was diagnosed with HIV. He suffered from HIV-related complications for a long time. On October 6, 1992, Elliott died of tuberculosis at his home in Ibiza, Spain. He was 70 years old at the time of his death. His widow, Susan Robinson, published the book ‘Denholm Elliott: Quest for Love’ 2 years after his death. The book mentioned details of Elliott’s bisexuality and his open marriage to Susan.

Trivia

Elliott was known for his screen-stealing abilities. Gabriel Byrne, his co-star in ‘Defence of the Realm,’ once commented, “Never act with children, dogs, or Denholm Elliott.’

1986	Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Defence of the Realm (1985)
1985	Best Supporting Actor	A Private Function (1984)
1984	Best Supporting Actor	Trading Places (1983)
1981	Best Actor	Blade on the Feather (1980)
1981	Best Actor	BBC2 Playhouse (1973)
1981	Best Actor	Tales of the Unexpected (1979)

Denholm Elliott Biography