Denis Quilley
- Born
- 1927-12-26 (age 75)
- Died
- 2003-10-05 (aged 75) · 22 years ago
- Birthplace
- Islington, London, England
- Occupation
- Actor, Singer
- Active
- 2003 - 2003
- Spouse
- Stella Chapman
- Alma Mater
- Bancroft's School
- AKA
- Dennis Quilley, Squisito
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Denis Clifford Quilley was born in Islington, North London, on 26 December 1927, the son of Clifford Charles Quilley, a Post Office telegraphist, and Ada Winifred, née Stanley. He won a scholarship to Bancroft's School in Woodford Green, London, and was determined to become an actor. He made his stage debut with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company in 1945. His early career was interrupted by compulsory military service in the army, based in Khartoum.
CAREER
After military service, Quilley began a West End career in 1950, succeeding Richard Burton in The Lady's Not For Burning. In the 1950s, he appeared in revue, musicals, operetta, and television. During the 1960s, he established himself as a leading actor, making his first films and starring on Australian television. In the early 1970s, he was a member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre company. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1977. His later parts in musicals included the title role in Sweeney Todd (1980) and Georges in La Cage aux Folles (1986). In the 1990s, Quilley returned to the National Theatre company, playing a wide range of parts, from Shakespearean comedy to Jacobean revenge tragedy, Victorian classics, and his final role, a bibulous millionaire in the musical Anything Goes. He appeared in the Nigerian-American movie Mister Johnson.
PERSONAL LIFE
In the 1980s, he was a supporter of the Social Democratic Party. Quilley was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2002 New Year Honours. He married Stella Chapman in 1949, and they had a son and two daughters. He died on 5 October 2003, aged 75, from liver cancer at his home in London. Quilley was working on his autobiography in the months before he died.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
Weekly Top Grossing3 Cold Dishes
₦5,331,351.00
Gingerrr
₦12,727,775.00
Gingerrr
₦21,139,500.00
The Herd
₦16,977,673.00
3 Cold Dishes
₦15,261,240.00
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Get the latest box office updates, trending movies, and exclusive reviews delivered straight to your inbox.
Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
