Born On This Day- May 26th... Actor Alec McCowen

Alec McCowen is one of those terrific, highly trained English actors, best known for classical roles including Shakespeare, who dabbles in TV & film, & is always good no matter the quality of the project.

I first took note of him in the a favorite film from  my teens- Travels With My Aunt, starring Maggie Smith, & directed by George Cukor in 1972.

His many stage successes include: Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge (1954), Barnaby Tucker in The Matchmaker (1954), Mercutio in R&J at The Old Vic, Friar Rolfe in Hadrian the 7th, for which he won an Evening Standard Award for the London production & a Tony nomination. I was lucky enough to see him in Molière's The Misanthrope opposite the very talented Diana Rigg in 1973. McCowen originated the role of psychiatrist Martin Dysart in Peter Shaffer's Equus, but his greatest achievement was his one-man performance of the complete text of Saint Mark's Gospel (1978), for which he received worldwide acclaim & a Tony nomination.

Among his many film roles, check out McCowen’s work in my favorite Scorcese flick- The Age Of Innocence & he was featured in Scorcese's The Gangs Of New York.

His partner of 20+ years was actor Geoffrey Burridge, who died in 1987 from an AIDS-related illness. In 1989 McCowen was featured on the British version of the celebrity surprise show This Is Your Life.  He was shocked at the slight from the show's complete failure to mention Geoffrey Burridge, who had died 2 years before. Brave for the time, McCowen insisted that his late partner be acknowledged on the program. McCowen turns 87 years old on this day- May 26th.