Michael Crawford: The Phantom’s Virtuoso
Michael Crawford (19 January 1942 – ) is an English actor, comedian and singer. He is best known for originating the role of the Phantom in the stage musical The Phantom of the Opera, a performance that earned him both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Early Life and Education
Crawford was born Michael Patrick Smith on 19 January 1942. He was raised by his mother, Doris Agnes Mary Pike, and her parents, Montague Pike and Edith (née Keefe or O’Keefe), in what he described as a “close-knit Roman Catholic family.” His maternal grandmother was born in County Londonderry, Ireland, and lived to be 99 years old. His mother’s first husband, Arthur Dumbell “Smudge” Smith, was killed on 6 September 1940 during the Battle of Britain, less than a year after they married. Crawford was born sixteen months after Smith’s death and took his surname.
During the Second World War, Crawford and his mother lived at an army camp in Wiltshire. After the war ended, his mother remarried to grocer Lionel Dennis “Den” Ingram, and the family moved to Herne Hill in London. Crawford attended St Michael’s, a Catholic school in Bexleyheath run by nuns, and later Oakfield Preparatory School in Dulwich, where he was known as Michael Ingram.
Career and Achievements
Crawford’s stage career began in a school production of Benjamin Britten’s Let’s Make an Opera, where he played Sammy the Little Sweep. The production was transferred to Brixton Town Hall in London. Though he auditioned unsuccessfully for The Turn of the Screw, his audition impressed Britten enough that in 1955 the composer hired him to alternate with David Hemmings in another production of Let’s Make an Opera at the Scala Theatre in London. Credited as Michael Ingram, he also participated in a recording of the opera that year conducted by Britten.
In 1958, Crawford was hired by the English Opera Group to perform in Noye’s Fludde, Britten’s setting of the Chester miracle play. It was during this production that he realised he wanted to become an actor. Around this time, he was advised to change his stage name to avoid confusion with a television newsman, and he adopted Crawford.
Crawford performed in a wide repertoire of stage productions, including works by Shakespeare (Julius Caesar, Coriolanus, Twelfth Night), Oscar Wilde (The Importance of Being Earnest), and Neil Simon (Come Blow Your Horn). He appeared in hundreds of BBC radio broadcasts and early television series, including Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School, Emergency – Ward 10, and Sir Francis Drake, a 26-part adventure series. His film debut came in 1958 with two children’s films for the Children’s Film Foundation, Blow Your Own Trumpet and Soapbox Derby.
At nineteen, Crawford was cast as Junior Sailen in The War Lover (1962), starring Steve McQueen. He spent hours listening to American comedian Woody Woodbury to perfect an American accent for the role. After playing the lead in the 1963 film Two Left Feet, he was cast in the British television series Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life as Byron. This role attracted director Richard Lester, who hired Crawford to play Colin in The Knack …and How to Get It (1965), a film that was a huge success in the UK. Lester also cast him in the film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and in How I Won the War, which starred Roy Kinnear and John Lennon.
Crawford became widely known for his role as the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, and for playing Cornelius Hackl in the musical film Hello, Dolly!. His most acclaimed role came as the titular character in the stage musical The Phantom of the Opera, a performance that brought him international critical recognition and major awards.
Notable Events and Milestones
Crawford’s breakthrough in television came with Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, where his portrayal of Frank Spencer established him as a major comedic talent. His performance in Hello, Dolly! demonstrated his capability in musical film. The Phantom of the Opera marked the pinnacle of his career, earning him both the Laurence Olivier Award and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. His work has spanned London’s West End and New York’s Broadway, establishing him as a performer of international stature.
Awards and Honors
Crawford received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in The Phantom of the Opera. He has won numerous awards throughout his acting career.
Additional Resources
Crawford published the autobiography Parcel Arrived Safely: Tied With String. Since 1987, he has served as the leader and public face for the Sick Children’s Trust, a British social cause organisation. Further biographical details and a comprehensive account of his extensive work in film, television and theatre are available through Wikipedia and other biographical archives.
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