Cyril Raymond

Cyril William North Raymond MBE (13 February 1899 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire – 20 March 1973 in Ripe, near Lewes, Sussex) was a British character actor.^[1]

Of dozens of film and television appearances, probably his best-remembered role was as Fred Jesson, the husband of Celia Johnson's Laura Jesson in Brief Encounter (1945).

Royal Air Force career

During the Second World War he served as a RAF fighter controller during the Battle of Britain and was awarded the MBE in the 1945 King's Birthday Honours. He reached the rank of Wing Commander.

Personal life

The 1911 Census shows that he was 12-year-old, a schoolboy living at the Grand Hotel, Broad Street, Bristol. His mother Rose Raymond, 44 years old, was managing the hotel.^[2] His father Herbert Linton Raymond had died in 1906 at the hotel, Herbert and Rose are buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol.

He was married twice, first to Iris Hoey and then to Gillian Lind, both of whom were actresses.

Cutting from The Times 18 September 1922 - Miss Iris Hoey, the actress, was married yesterday at a Bristol Register Office to Mr Cyril Raymond, of Bristol, an actor. Mr Raymond's mother, Rose L. Raymond, is the manageress of the Grand Hotel, Bristol.

Witnesses were Rose L. Raymond, Florence M. Hingley, Alice Baines and A. S. Baines. Florence is a cousin of Cyril. Bridesmaid was Miss Shelley Carlton.

On 4 December 1923 with Iris Hoey he had a son John North Blagrave Raymond, who was born in Bristol.

• 1936 Divorced by Iris Hoey.
• 1937 Married Gillian Pratt (Lind) in, Hailsham, who was related to Boris Karloff. Her nephew is production designer, Anthony D. G. Pratt.
• 1973 Cyril Raymond, 74 years, died on 20 March at Ripe, Sussex, England, UK.
• 1977 John Raymond, 53 years, died on 14 April at St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea. Death registered by his mother Iris Raymond.
• 1979 Iris Hoey Raymond, 93 years, died on 13 May at St Stephen's Hospital, Chelsea. Death registered by Margaret Enid Cracknell.
• 1983 Gillian Raymond, 79 years, died on 25 October at Victoria Hospital, Lewes. Death registered by Anthony D. G. Pratt.

Theatre career^[3]

• 1915 - Cyril is at Tree’s Academy of Dramatic Art which went on to become RADA.
• 1916 - Lionel Pomfret in Fishpingle, Haymarket Theatre, London.
• 1920 - Harry Armytage in Mumsee, Little Theatre in the Adelphi, London.
• 1921 - Lt the Hon Cecil Plumley RN in Sweet William, Shaftesbury Theatre, London.
• 1921 - Arthur Chesney in Seen Through A Veil, Lyceum Theatre, London.
• 1922 - A Case of Diamonds, Lyceum Theatre (Sheffield).
• 1923 - Jill the Giant Killer, Warwickshire.
• 1924 - Donroy in Six Cylinder Love, Royal Theatre, Brighton.
• 1924 - George Braid in The Return Half, Academy Theatre, London.
• 1925 - Fergus Wimbush in The Man From Toronto, Opera House, Cape Town, South Africa.
• 1930 - Played on Broadway in New York in the play Josef Suss. (Jud Süß)
• 1938 - Sir Charles Berkeley in No Sky So Blue, Savoy Theatre, London.
• 1945 - Mike Kenderdine in Under the Counter, Phoenix Theatre, London.
• 1951 - Robert Lancaster in Waters of the Moon, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.
• 1954 - Jimmy Scott-Kennedy in Both Ends Meet, Apollo Theatre, London.
• 1955 - Willie in Mrs Willie, Globe Theatre, London.
• 1957 - Dr Hubert Welsh in The Happy Man, Westminster Theatre, London.
• 1962 - Dr Alan Forrest in Signpost to Murder, Cambridge Theatre, London.
• 1965 - Hudson in Inadmissible Evidence, Wyndham's Theatre, London.

Selected filmography

References

External links

• Cyril Raymond at the Internet Movie Database