A grand, robust, highly theatrical British classical actor, Maurice Evans was the son of a justice of the peace who enjoyed amateur playwrighting on the side. In fact, his father adapted several adaptations of Thomas Hardy's novels and Evans would often appear in them. Early interest also came in London choirs as a boy tenor. Making his professional stage debut in 1926, Evans made do during his struggling years by running a cleaning and dyeing store. He earned his first triumph three years later in the play "Journey's End." A few attempts as a film lead and/or second lead didn't pan out. Following a season with the Old Vic theatre company, he arrived in America and proceeded to conquer Broadway, establishing himself as one of the world's more illustrious interpreters of Shakespeare. His eloquent, florid portrayals of Romeo, Hamlet, Macbeth and Richard II are considered among the best. He was also deemed a master of Shavian works which included superlative performances in "Major Barbara," "Man and Superman" and "The Devil's Disciple." As a US citizen (1941), he was placed in charge of the Army Entertainment Section, Central Pacific Theater during WWII and left military service with the rank of major. His post-war career included a handful of character film roles, notably Gilbert and Sullivan (as composer Sir Arthur Sullivan), The War Lord, Rosemary's Baby, and as Dr. Zaius in the Planet of the Apes series. However, films would never be his strong suit, earning much more stature on TV. More importantly, he brought Shakespeare to TV, adapting (and directing) a number of his stage classics. He won an Emmy award in 1960 for his Macbeth. Interestingly, for all his legendary performances under the theatre lights, the elegant, ever-regal stage master is probably best known to generations of audiences for his recurring, non-classical appearances on the "Bewitched" (1964) TV series, as Elizabeth Montgomery's loving but unapproving warlock father. Evans returned to England in his twilight years and died there in a nursing home of heart failure as a result of a bronchial infection, aged 88.
Awarded a special Tony in 1950 for his body of stage work. He played more leading roles in "Hallmark Hall of Fame" television productions of Shakespeare than any other actor, starring in versions of "Hamlet", "Macbeth", "Twelfth Night", "Richard II", "The Taming of the Shrew", and "The Tempest". Started out as a boy singer, singing with the St. Andrews's choir in London. His 1945 production of "Hamlet" was the longest-running Broadway production of the play, until surpassed by Richard Burton's 1964 revival. Although John Barrymore is still considered the greatest American Shakespearean actor of the twentieth century, the British-born Maurice Evans was the United States' pre-eminent exponent of Shakespeare from 1936 until 1946, during which he appeared in no less than three successive Broadway productions of "Hamlet", as well as a few of the Bard's other plays. Evans appeared in more Broadway productions of Shakespeare's "Richard II" than any other actor. His record remains unbroken as of 2004. He probably made more appearances on the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" (a total of eleven) than any other actor, and his record most likely remains unbroken to this day. Won two Tony Awards: in 1950, a Special Award "for the work he did in guiding the City Center Theatre Company through a highly successful season, " and in 1954, as co-producer (with George Schaefer) of the Best Play winner, "The Teahouse of the August Moon." He was also twice nominated for Tony Awards: in 1957 as Best Actor (Dramatic) for "The Apple Cart" and in 1961 as Best Actor (Musical) for "Tenderloin." Along with actor-managers Walter Hampden and E.H. Sothern, Evans also holds the record for having starred on Broadway in more Shakespeare plays than any other actor. While Evans was extremely well-known as a Shakespearean actor during the years that he was most active, his fame in this area was eventually eclipsed by that of Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud, who won even more acclaim for their performances than Evans did.