- Born
- Died
- Birth namePatrick Carl Cheeseman
- Height5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
- British character actor with radio and stage experience from 1951. Studied at University College in London and learned acting at the Old Vic Theatre School. Toured South Africa in 1952 and subsequently appeared in many Shakespearean roles in Stratford-upon-Avon. Busy television actor from the late 1950's, popular as ruthless tycoon John Wilder in The Plane Makers (1963). Also noted for his voice-overs for Winston Churchill in two documentary features.- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous
- While at school he acted with an amateur company- The Caxton Players - in and around Grimsby before attending University College London which was interrupted by war service in the Royal Navy, after which he returned to the college where he met an American arts student, Olwen who he married and produced daughters Jane and Rowan and sons Dominic and Tristram. He entered the profession via The Old Vic school graduating to the Old Vic Company making his debut as a walk on in Othello, the following year he went to America and taught in the speech and drama dept at the university of Stanford in California where Olwen's father was teaching. Back in England he did a season in rep at Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester Theatre Royal, the Shakespeare Co at Stratford and the Aldwych for 8 seasons mainly in comedy roles during which he discovered the ability to play domineering roles, He then moved into television playing Sir John Wilder in The Power Game. After the series finished he returned to the theatre- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5
- While at school he acted with an amateur company- The Caxton Players - in and around Grimsby before attending University College London which was interrupted by war service in the Royal Navy, after which he returned to the college where he met an American arts student, Olwen who he marrted and produced daughters Jane and Rowan and sons Dominic and Tristram. He entered the profession via The Old Vic school graduating to the Old Vic Company making his debut as a walk on in Othello, the following year he went to America and taught in the speech and drama dept at the university of Stanford in California where Olwen's father was teaching. Back in England he did a season in rep at Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester Theatre Royal, the Shakespeare Co at Stratford and the Aldwych for 8 seasons mainly in comedy roles during which he discovered the ability the ability to play domineering roles, He then moved into television playing Sir John Wilder in The Power Game. After the series finished he returned to the theatre- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5
- SpouseOlwen Wymark(1950 - October 20, 1970) (his death, 4 children)
- Children
- Died of a heart attack at the Sheraton Hotel three days before opening in an Australian run of Anthony Shaffer's "Sleuth", in which he was to play author Andrew Wyke, at Melbourne's Playbox Theatre in October 1970. His body was discovered by John Fraser when Patrick Wymark was to be collected for a promotional appearance on In Melbourne Tonight (1957), whose presenters were left to ad-lib around his absence, unaware of his death.
- He died just as the film he was currently appearing in, Cromwell (1970), was about to be released in the U.S.
- Was asked to play the Second Doctor in Doctor Who (1963).
- Gained the prominent scar on his lower lip in a car crash in Harare, Zimbabwe (then named Salisbury, Rhodesia) during a tour with the Old Vic theatre company. Wymark was thrown through the windscreen of his car and required 25 stitches in his lip wound.
- Father of Jane Wymark (b. 31 October 1952), Rowan Wymark (b. 1954), Dominic Wymark (b. 1960), Tristram Wymark (b. 1962).
- [on how he views himself in his profession] It is very difficult for an actor to talk about himself as a good actor. No matter how successful, there is always the time one realises one has to be better. There is always a large percentage of people who cannot bear the sight of you on the stage or on television. I am always conscious of these people in an audience. They are a challenge to me as an actor. I work hard - as well as I can - hoping they will leave thinking I was not as bad as they thought I was. The knowledge that everyone doesn't like me gives me quite an impetus, stimulates my imagination to communicate, to get through to these people.
- [on his public image] I don't mind people thinking of me as Sir John. Sometimes it gets irritating. Because of Sir John, my eldest daughter's boyfriend used to get out the front window when he heard me coming. He thought I was difficult and ruthless and was really frightened of me. I had never seen the lad, so one night I collared him, brought him back into the house, and proved I wasn't like Sir John.
- [on his family's reaction to his fame] The boys don't think a great deal of me as an actor and TV star. I think they have quite a bit to put up with from some of their friends about me, but they take it philosophically. About three years ago my wife was watching 'The Power Game,' and Tris saw me on TV for the first time in close-up. 'Oh, no, Mummy,' he said, 'don't tell me there are two of him.'
- [on acting] I think you have to be able, as an actor, to try to really feel compassion for the human race, and therefore understand them and be able to show as much as you can the human condition as you see it. I regard myself as a jobbing actor and I work very hard. I am lucky; my work is a job I enjoy. I don't think I have been endowed with a God-given gift. If actors think their talent is God-given and don't work at it, God will soon take it away.
- [on actors] Actors who think they are members of a race apart are quite wrong. That is simply a load of old cobblers.
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