Peter Graves, 8th Baron Graves
Encyclopedia
Peter George Wellesley Graves, 8th Baron Graves (21 October 1911 — 6 June 1994), was a British
actor.
Born in London, Graves was the son of Henry Algernon Claude Graves, 7th Baron Graves. Admiral Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
, was his great-great-great-grandfather. He was educated at Harrow
.
Known during his acting career as Peter Graves, he specialised in light comedies and musicals, often cast as dapper young men about town. His career peaked in the mid to late 1940s, beginning with the films of director/writer Val Guest
, including Miss London Ltd (1943) and Bees in Paradise (1944), opposite Arthur Askey
; and Give Us the Moon (1944) and I'll Be Your Sweetheart (1945), opposite Margaret Lockwood. Other roles included the lead in Spring Song (1946), and George IV
in both The Laughing Lady
(1946) and Mrs. Fitzherbert
(1947).
He also appeared in a number of films by Herbert Wilcox
, such as popular musicals Spring in Park Lane
(1948) and Maytime in Mayfair (1949), both vehicles for Anna Neagle
and Michael Wilding
. He also essayed another royal, Prince Albert
in Wilcox's The Lady with the Lamp (1951) and Lilacs in the Spring (1954).
He re-emerged in the 1960s as a popular comic supporting player in number of films, including Alfie (1966); The Wrong Box
(1966); The Jokers
(1967); I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967); The Assassination Bureau
(1968); and The Magic Christian
(1969). Kept acting until a few years before his death, mostly on television.
In 1963 he succeeded his father as eighth Baron Graves. However, as this was an Irish peerage it did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords
.
He married Winifred Ruby Moule on 28 May 1960. She died in 1992. The union had been childless and he died without an heir on June 6, 1994 in France of a heart attack. He was succeeded in the barony by his second cousin Evelyn Paget Graves
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor.
Born in London, Graves was the son of Henry Algernon Claude Graves, 7th Baron Graves. Admiral Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
Thomas Graves, 1st Baron Graves
|-|-...
, was his great-great-great-grandfather. He was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
.
Known during his acting career as Peter Graves, he specialised in light comedies and musicals, often cast as dapper young men about town. His career peaked in the mid to late 1940s, beginning with the films of director/writer Val Guest
Val Guest
Val Guest was a British film director, best known for his science-fiction films for Hammer Film Productions in the 1950s, but who also enjoyed a long, varied and active career in the film industry from the early 1930s up until the early 1980s.-Early life and career:He was born Valmond Maurice...
, including Miss London Ltd (1943) and Bees in Paradise (1944), opposite Arthur Askey
Arthur Askey
Arthur Bowden Askey CBE was a prominent English comedian.- Life and career :Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey , secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden , of Knutsford, Cheshire...
; and Give Us the Moon (1944) and I'll Be Your Sweetheart (1945), opposite Margaret Lockwood. Other roles included the lead in Spring Song (1946), and George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
in both The Laughing Lady
The Laughing Lady
The Laughing Lady is a 1946 British musical drama film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Anne Ziegler, Webster Booth and Francis L. Sullivan. During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat makes a deal with Robespierre that he will locate and steal some diamonds from Britain in order to save...
(1946) and Mrs. Fitzherbert
Mrs. Fitzherbert
Mrs. Fitzherbert is a 1947 British historical drama film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Peter Graves, Joyce Howard and Leslie Banks...
(1947).
He also appeared in a number of films by Herbert Wilcox
Herbert Wilcox
Herbert Sydney Wilcox was a British film producer and director.-Early life:Wilcox's mother was from County Cork, Ireland, but he was born in Norwood and attended school in Brighton...
, such as popular musicals Spring in Park Lane
Spring in Park Lane
Spring in Park Lane is a 1948 British romantic comedy film directed by Herbert Wilcox.-Plot:The film tells the story of a footman, Richard, played by Michael Wilding, who is employed by Joshua Howard , an eccentric art collector. His niece and secretary, Judy , has her doubts that Richard is the...
(1948) and Maytime in Mayfair (1949), both vehicles for Anna Neagle
Anna Neagle
Forming a professional alliance with Wilcox, Neagle played her first starring film role in the musical Goodnight Vienna , again with Jack Buchanan. With this film Neagle became an overnight favourite...
and Michael Wilding
Michael Wilding (actor)
-Early life:Born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, Wilding was a successful commercial artist when he joined the art department of a London film studio in 1933. He soon embarked on an acting career.-Career:...
. He also essayed another royal, Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...
in Wilcox's The Lady with the Lamp (1951) and Lilacs in the Spring (1954).
He re-emerged in the 1960s as a popular comic supporting player in number of films, including Alfie (1966); The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box
The Wrong Box is a British comedy film made by Salamander Film Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was produced and directed by Bryan Forbes from a screenplay by Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and Lloyd Osbourne.The cast includes a...
(1966); The Jokers
The Jokers
The Jokers is a 1967 comedy film written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and directed by Michael Winner. The film stars Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed as brothers who hatch a plot to steal the Crown Jewels....
(1967); I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967); The Assassination Bureau
The Assassination Bureau
The Assassination Bureau Limited is a black comedy film made in 1969 based on an unfinished novel, The Assassination Bureau, Ltd by Jack London...
(1968); and The Magic Christian
The Magic Christian (film)
The Magic Christian is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, with noteworthy appearances by John Cleese, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Richard Attenborough and Roman Polanski. It was loosely adapted from the 1959 comic novel of the same...
(1969). Kept acting until a few years before his death, mostly on television.
In 1963 he succeeded his father as eighth Baron Graves. However, as this was an Irish peerage it did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
He married Winifred Ruby Moule on 28 May 1960. She died in 1992. The union had been childless and he died without an heir on June 6, 1994 in France of a heart attack. He was succeeded in the barony by his second cousin Evelyn Paget Graves
Evelyn Paget Graves, 9th Baron Graves
Evelyn Paget Graves, 9th Baron Graves , was an Australian farmer and peer.Graves was born in Tasmania, Australia, and worked as a farmer. In 1994 he succeeded his second cousin as ninth Baron Graves. However, as this was an Irish peerage it did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords. Lord...
.
Selected filmography
- KippsKipps (1941 film)Kipps, also known as The Remarkable Mr. Kipps, is a 1941 comedy film adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel of the same name, directed by Carol Reed...
(1941) - King Arthur Was a GentlemanKing Arthur Was a GentlemanKing Arthur Was a Gentleman is a 1942 British, black-and-white, comedy, musical film, directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Ronald Shiner as Sargent and Arthur Askey as Arthur King...
(1942) - Waltz TimeWaltz Time (1945 film)Waltz Time is a 1945 British musical film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Carol Raye, Peter Graves and Patricia Medina. In Imperial Vienna a young Grand Duchess is prevented from marrying the man she loves.-Partial cast:* Carol Raye - Empress Maria...
(1945) - The Laughing LadyThe Laughing LadyThe Laughing Lady is a 1946 British musical drama film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Anne Ziegler, Webster Booth and Francis L. Sullivan. During the French Revolution, a young aristocrat makes a deal with Robespierre that he will locate and steal some diamonds from Britain in order to save...
(1946) - Spring SongSpring Song (film)Spring Song is a 1946 British drama film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Peter Graves, Carol Raye and Lawrence O'Madden. The film follows the history of a brooch after it is given as a present by a man to a woman in 1911.-Cast:...
(1946) - Derby DayDerby Day (1952 film)Derby Day is a 1952 British drama film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Googie Withers, John McCallum and Alfie Bass. An ensemble piece, it portrays several characters on their way to the Derby Day races at Epsom Downs Racecourse...
(1952) - The Admirable CrichtonThe Admirable Crichton (film)The Admirable Crichton is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring Kenneth More, Diane Cilento, Sally Ann Howes and Cecil Parker. The film was based on J. M...
(1957) - The Adventurers (1969)
- The Magic ChristianThe Magic Christian (film)The Magic Christian is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, with noteworthy appearances by John Cleese, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Richard Attenborough and Roman Polanski. It was loosely adapted from the 1959 comic novel of the same...
(1969) - Paul and MichellePaul and MichellePaul & Michelle is a 1974 drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert. It is sequel to the 1971 film Friends by the same director and lead actors.-Synopsis:...
(1974) - The Slipper and the RoseThe Slipper and the RoseThe Slipper and the Rose is a 1976 British musical film retelling the classic fairy tale of Cinderella. This film was chosen as the Royal Command Performance motion picture selection for 1976....
(1976) - I Hired a Contract KillerI Hired a Contract KillerI Hired a Contract Killer is a film directed, produced and written by the Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki in 1990. It is a Finnish-British-German-Swedish co-production and stars the renowned French actor Jean-Pierre Léaud...
(1990)