Denys Blakelock

Blakelock was born in London on 22 June 1901, son of the Rev Martin Blakelock, vicar of St Andrew's, Muswell Hill, and his wife, Constance, née Pike.[1] He was educated at Aldenham School from where he went on to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). In 1920 he made his first professional appearance, as Jaising in Rabindranath Tagore's play Sacrifice.[1] According to The Times it was in "the showy part of an effeminate soclalite" in Basil Dean's production of Frederick Lonsdale's Spring Cleaning (1925) that Blakelock made his name.[2]

In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s Blakelock appeared in a succession of West End plays, many of them successful but undemanding.[2][3] Feeling the need of a greater challenge he turned to the classics,[2] appearing at the Arts Theatre from 1942 to 1945, playing, among other roles, Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Androcles in Androcles and the Lion, Bob Acres in The Rivals, and the title role in The Magistrate.[3]

Despite his continuing success as an actor Blakelock grew disenchanted with the theatre, and in 1954 he abandoned the part of Firs, the old major domo, during rehearsals of John Gielgud's production of The Cherry Orchard. After that he worked extensively on television and radio, taught at RADA, and wrote a biography of Eleanor Farjeon, essays, and an autobiography. His acting work for the BBC in his last years included a long-running role in the series Waggoners' Walk.[2]

Blakelock died in London on 9 December 1970, aged 69. In its obituary The Times commented, "It seems sad that a man whose acting, especially in comedy, gave so much pleasure should himself have found so little satisfaction in it. At least, however, he enjoyed passing on his knowledge and his experience of the problems of the stage to student classes at RADA. and to pupils who worked with him privately".[2]