Ralph Michael

Ralph Michael, born Ralph Champion Shotter on 26 September 1907 in London, England, was an English actor whose career spanned stage, film, and television. He died on 9 November 1994.

Michael brought his London roots to the Broadway stage, where he performed between 1947 and 1950. His New York credits included the plays After Tomorrow and Love Goes to Press.

On screen, Michael accumulated a substantial film career. His cinema appearances included Dead of Night, A Night to Remember, Children of the Damned, Grand Prix, The Assassination Bureau, and Empire of the Sun.

Television occupied a significant portion of his professional life, and his credits ranged widely across British productions. He appeared in The Adventures of Robin Hood, Dixon of Dock Green, Danger Man, The Forsyte Saga, Man in a Suitcase, The Avengers, Colditz, Doctor at Large, Gazette, Public Eye, Sutherland's Law, Softly Softly, The Professionals, Rumpole of the Bailey, A Tale of Two Cities, Prince Regent, Doctor Who, Bergerac, Miss Marple, Kessler, Rockliffe's Babies, Howards' Way, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and Jeeves and Wooster. He also played Quirini in episode 28 of The Adventures of William Tell, titled The Avenger, in 1959. In the series Dempsey and Makepeace, Michael portrayed Lord Winfield, the father of Harriet Makepeace, appearing in three episodes: Armed and Extremely Dangerous, Make Peace Not War, and Cry God for Harry.

In his personal life, Michael was married twice. He was the fourth and final husband of actress Fay Compton, from whom he divorced in 1946 following an affair with actress Patricia Roc. He subsequently married actress Joyce Heron in 1947, and the two remained together until her death in 1980.