Nigel Patrick was an English actor and stage director born into a theatrical family.
Patrick was born in London, England, the son of actress Dorothy Turner (d. 1969). He made his professional stage debut in The Life Machine at the Regent Theatre

Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre is the name of several theatres in various cities.These include the following:-In Australia:*The Regent Theatre in Ballarat, now home to Regent Cinemas*The Regent Theatre *The Regent Theatre, Melbourne...

, King's Cross in 1932 following a period in repertory. Thereafter he appeared in many successful plays including the long-running George and Margaret at the Wyndham's Theatre

Wyndham's Theatre

Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham . Located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, it was designed by W.G.R. Sprague about 1898, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916...

 which ran for 799 performances.

His film career was put on hold until after service in World War II during which, as a Lieutenant Colonel in the King's Royal Rifle Corps

King's Royal Rifle Corps

The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...

, he fought in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy.

During the late 1940s and 1950s he became a popular, debonair leading man in British film with notable success in The Sound Barrier (1952), under the direction of David Lean

David Lean

Sir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...

, as Race in The League of Gentlemen

The League of Gentlemen (film)

The League of Gentlemen is a 1960 British crime film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick and Richard Attenborough. It was based on the 1958 novel by John Boland and adapted by Bryan Forbes, who also starred in the film...

 (1959) and the thought provoking Sapphire

Sapphire (film)

Sapphire is a 1959 British crime drama. It focused on racism in London toward immigrants from the West Indies. The film was directed by Basil Dearden, and stars Nigel Patrick, Earl Cameron and Yvonne Mitchell. It received the BAFTA Award for Best Film and screenwriter Janet Green won a 1960 Edgar...

 (1959), the winner of Best British Film at the 1960 BAFTA Film Awards.

As the 1960s dawned he made a strong return to the theatre, occupying the dual role of actor/director in numerous West End productions including a revival of the Noel Coward work Present Laughter at the Queen's Theatre

Queen's Theatre

The Queen's Theatre is a West End theatre located in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. It opened on 8 October 1907 as a twin to the neighbouring Gielgud Theatre which opened ten months earlier. Both theatres were designed by W.G.R...

 (1965) and Alan Ayckbourn

Alan Ayckbourn

Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...

's Relatively Speaking

Relatively Speaking (play)

Relatively Speaking is a 1965 play by British playwright Alan Ayckbourn, originally titled Meet My Father. The London production of Relatively Speaking in 1967 at the Duke of York's Theatre helped to launch Richard Briers' career, and it also featured Michael Hordern and Celia Johnson.-Setting:The...

 (1967) at the Duke of York's Theatre

Duke of York's Theatre

The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End Theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre, until her death in 1935. It opened on 10 September 1892 as the Trafalgar Square Theatre, with Wedding...

.

He married the actress Beatrice Campbell

Beatrice Campbell

Beatrice Campbell was a British stage and film actress. She was born in County Down, Northern Ireland.-Career:After a distinguished London stage career, Campbell entered film in the mid-1940s...

 at St James' Roman Catholic Church Spanish Place Marylebone London on 12 January 1951.