Biography

Donald Sinden

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The son of a country chemist, the British actor Donald Sinden intended to pursue a career in architecture but was spotted in an amateur theatrical production and asked to join a company that entertained the troops during World War II (Sinden was rejected for naval service because of asthma). Following a brief training at drama school, he established himself in theater, particularly as a Shakespearean actor. Having made his film debut in The Cruel Sea (1953), Sinden became a leading man in British films during the 1950s and then moved onto character roles later in his career. While his film appearances became less frequent, he worked steadily in theater (with the Royal Shakespeare Company, primarily) and in television, notably as the unperturbable butler in Two's Company (1975) and as a miserable in-law in Never the Twain (1981).
- IMDb mini biography by: Lyn Hammond

When he first became a stage actor, his speaking voice was comparatively high-pitched, so he had voice coaching to lower it and make it more imposing and sonorous. When he later started acting in films, his modified voice was too deep for the young parts that he was auditioning for, so he had further voice coaching to raise it about an octave.
When his cousin Frank was called up into the RAF during WWII, he was in mid-rehearsal for a play, and asked Donald to take over his role. Frank was later killed in action.
Because he had negative buoyancy when he was filming The Cruel Sea (1953) and had to be in the water, he lay on top of a stuntman.
Spitting Image (1984) created a puppet of him and he featured in several of their sketches. In one scene he is in a restaurant, and asks "Do you serve a ham salad?", to which the waiter replies "Yes, we serve salad to anyone".
He trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, whose alumni include Terence Stamp, Hugh Bonneville, Rupert Friend, Angela Lansbury, Matthew Goode, Sue Johnston, Minnie Driver, Daniel Hunt, Nicholas Courtney and Julian Fellowes.

When I meet people they say "I thought you put that voice on for TV". But you can't put on a voice like this - you're just lumbered with it.
[on Denholm Elliott] He was one of the finest screen actors and a very special actor at that. He was one of the last stars who was a real gentleman. It is a very sad loss.
[on mumbling] If the audience can't hear what you're saying, what is the point? It is all about communication.

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