Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Charles Kay is a Actor British born on 31 august 1930 at Coventry (United-kingdom)

Charles Kay

Charles Kay
  • Infos
  • Photos
  • Best films
  • Family
  • Characters
  • Awards
If you like this person, let us know!
Birth name Charles Piff
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 31 august 1930 (93 years) at Coventry (United-kingdom)

Charles Kay (born Charles Piff, 31 August 1930) is an English actor.

Kay was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, the son of Frances (née Petty) and Charles Beckingham Piff.

Originally educated at Warwick School, Kay went on to study medicine, then decided to train for the stage. He went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and after graduation, joined the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre. He created the roles of Jimmy in Arnold Wesker's Roots (1959) and Charles V in John Osborne's Luther (1961). He was also in Wesker's The Kitchen, The Changeling (1961), and Twelfth Night (1962).

He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1963 and appeared in Stratford and at the Aldwych, London. He remained until 1966, during which time he played a wide variety of roles, including Octavius Caesar in Julius Caesar, Clarence in The Wars of The Roses, Launcelot Gobbo in The Merchant of Venice, Antipholus of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors, Osric in the David Warner Hamlet, Dobchinsky in The Government Inspector and Moloch in Robert Bolt's The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew. He then joined the National Theatre where he played Celia in the all-male production of As You Like It (1967) and appeared in Peter Nichols's The National Health (1969).

In film, his highest profile role was as Count Orsini-Rosenberg in the Academy Award winning Amadeus. He also appeared in Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, and the 2002 version of The Importance of Being Earnest.

His numerous appearances on television include Fall of Eagles where he played Tsar Nicholas II, I, Claudius, To Serve Them All My Days, By the Sword Divided, Fortunes of War, Rumpole of the Bailey, The Citadel, Edge of Darkness, The Darling Buds of May, Jonathan Creek, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Holby City, Midsomer Murders and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes story "The Creeping Man".

In 2002, he guest starred in the Doctor Who audio drama Excelis Rising.

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Charles Kay (11 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

The Importance of Being Earnest, 1h37
Directed by Oliver Parker
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Historical, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays
Actors Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O'Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, Anna Massey
Roles Gribsby
Rating68% 3.400033.400033.400033.400033.40003
The story revolves around two men in Victorian England, John "Jack" Worthing (Colin Firth) and Algernon "Algy" Moncrieff (Rupert Everett). Whenever Jack travels to London from his Hertfordshire estate, he says he is going to see his (fictitious) wayward brother, Ernest. Once in London, he keeps his privacy by calling himself Ernest. This tactic is especially important as his beloved, Gwendolen (Frances O'Connor), declares that she could love only a man named Ernest. Her cousin, Algy, is the one person who knows Jack's secret and one day he travels down to the estate, announcing himself to Jack's attractive ward, Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), as the infamous Ernest. Cecily is enamoured of him and his name, but upon Jack's return home and Gwendolen's unexpected arrival, it becomes clear there are both too many and too few Ernests.
Beautiful People, 1h47
Directed by Jasmin Dizdar
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Political films
Actors Rosalind Ayres, Julian Firth, Charles Kay, Charlotte Coleman, Nicholas Farrell, Roger Sloman
Roles George Thornton
Rating66% 3.3460053.3460053.3460053.3460053.346005
In London, during October 1993, England are playing the Netherlands in the World Cup qualifiers. The Bosnian War is at its height, and refugees from former Yugoslavia are arriving. Football rivals and political adversaries from the Balkans all precipitate conflict and amusing situations. Meanwhile, the lives of four English families are affected in different ways by an encounter with the refugees; one of the families improbably becomes involved with a Balkan refugee through the England vs Netherlands match.
Heart of Darkness
Directed by Nicolas Roeg
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films set in Africa
Actors Tim Roth, John Malkovich, Isaac de Bankolé, James Fox, Iman, Allan Corduner
Roles Secretary
Rating57% 2.8520752.8520752.8520752.8520752.852075
Ivory trader Captain Charles Marlowe (Roth) is sent up the Congo River to retrieve cargo, and along the way, learns of the successful and enigmatic trader Kurtz (Malkovich), who is worshiped as a god by the natives.
Henry V
Henry V (1989)
, 2h17
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Biography, Action, Historical, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Political films, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare, Films about royalty
Actors Paul Scofield, Kenneth Branagh, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Alec McCowen, Simon Shepherd
Roles Archbishop of Canterbury
Rating74% 3.747973.747973.747973.747973.74797
The film begins with Chorus, in this case a person in modern dress, introducing the subject of the play. He is walking through an empty film studio and ends his monologue by opening the doors to begin the main action. Chorus reappears several times during the film, his speeches helping to explain and progress the action.
Amadeus
Amadeus (1984)
, 2h11
Directed by Miloš Forman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Comedy, Musical theatre, Historical, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Théâtre, Films about classical music and musicians, Musical films, Films based on plays
Actors F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy Dotrice, Christine Ebersole
Roles Count Orsini-Rosenberg
Rating83% 4.1980854.1980854.1980854.1980854.198085
The story begins in 1823 as the elderly Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham) attempts suicide by slitting his throat while loudly begging forgiveness for having killed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) in 1791. Placed in a lunatic asylum for the act, Salieri is visited by Father Vogler (Richard Frank), a young priest who seeks to hear his confession. Salieri is sullen and uninterested but eventually warms to the priest and launches into a long "confession" about his relationship with Mozart.
Nijinsky
Nijinsky (1980)
, 2h9
Directed by Herbert Ross, Yves Amoureux
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Musical, Romance
Themes Dance films, Films about music and musicians, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Musical films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Alan Bates, Leslie Browne, Alan Badel, Jeremy Irons, Ronald Pickup, Ronald Lacey
Roles Argentine Ambassador
Rating64% 3.238993.238993.238993.238993.23899
The film suggests Nijinsky was driven into madness by both his consuming ambition and self-enforced heterosexuality. He became involved with Romola de Pulszky, a society girl who joined impresario Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes specifically to seduce Nijinsky. After a series of misunderstandings with Diaghilev, who is both his domineering mentor and possessive lover, Nijinsky succumbs to Romola's charms and marries her. After this, his gradual decline from artistic moodiness to a diagnosis of schizophrenia begins.
Hennessy
Hennessy (1975)
, 1h43
Directed by Don Sharp
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Themes Films about terrorism, Political films
Actors Rod Steiger, Patrick Stewart, Lee Remick, Richard Johnson, Trevor Howard, Peter Egan
Roles Westminster Guide
Rating61% 3.0938053.0938053.0938053.0938053.093805
After the death of his family during a riot in Belfast, Niall Hennessy comes up with a plan to blow up the British Houses of Parliament.
The Deadly Affair, 1h55
Directed by Sidney Lumet, Brian W. Cook
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Spy, Crime, Romance
Themes Spy films, Films about sexuality, Political films
Actors James Mason, Harry Andrews, Simone Signoret, Maximilian Schell, Harriet Andersson, Lynn Redgrave
Roles Lightborn (in Edward II)
Rating66% 3.344423.344423.344423.344423.34442
In contemporary London, Charles Dobbs (James Mason) is a staid MI5 operative investigating Foreign Office official Samuel Fennan, a former Communist who apparently commits suicide. Dobbs becomes suspicious when a wake-up call is made to Fennan's home the next morning. While his widow Elsa (Simone Signoret) says it was for her, this is discovered to be a lie. Dobbs then suspects that Elsa, a survivor of an extermination camp, might have some clues, but other officials want Dobbs to drop the case. Dobbs privately links up with retired police inspector Mendel (Harry Andrews) to continue inquiries.
The Wild and the Willing, 1h50
Directed by Ralph Thomas
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays
Actors Virginia Maskell, Ian McShane, John Hurt, Harry Locke, Jeremy Brett, Samantha Eggar
Roles Edgar Tibbs
Rating59% 2.95522.95522.95522.95522.9552
A group of young men at university go through the students' life – dancing, drinking, meeting girls. Harry (Ian McShane) is a rather rebellious young man, going out with Josie (Samantha Eggar). His room mate is Phil (John Hurt), a quiet outsider. Harry feels very protective of Phil for some reason. Phil loves Sarah (Katherine Woodville), who jilted him for another more suitable boyfriend.