23 Facts About Robert Eddison

Robert Eddison played Merlin in the BBC television series The Legend of King Arthur, and the tragic ferryman in The Storyteller episode "The Luck Child".

Robert Eddison was born in Yokohama, Japan, to Edwin Robert Eddison and Hilda Muriel Leadham.

Robert Eddison had a twin brother, Talbot Leadam Eddison, who later became a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy and received the Distinguished Service Cross and The Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

Robert Eddison's father was a civil engineer and died in 1917.

Robert Eddison was extremely disappointed to discover that there was no dramatic society, especially considering that its past alumni included such theatre luminaries as Johnston Forbes-Robertson, Cyril Maude, Richard Goolden and Max Beerbohm.

Robert Eddison was a member of the ADC and of The Marlowe Society and from 1929 to 1930 served as President of the Cambridge Amateur Dramatics Club.

Robert Eddison later spent a long period in weekly rep in Croydon.

Robert Eddison was seen and noted by Noel Coward whilst performing in a comedy titled Yes and No and later invited by Val Gielgud to appear in radio productions at the BBC.

Robert Eddison eventually spent three years aboard Illustrious, feeling very much "the man the Admiralty forgot" as appointments were usually only for two years.

Robert Eddison eventually got to play the parts he'd hope to create opposite Coward in the revival of Coward's double bill which had been interrupted by the war.

Robert Eddison was a familiar figure in plays by Ibsen, Chekhov, and Sophocles, and played Canon Chasuble in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest again alongside Flora Robson as Miss Prism.

Robert Eddison was later to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan, as Alastair Sim refused to play twice daily.

In 1969, he developed a lifelong friendship with Ian McKellen whom he first met when they appeared in the since legendary double bill Prospect Theatre Company productions of Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe's Edward II, with McKellen playing both leading parts on alternate nights and Robert Eddison playing Lightborn and the Duke of York respectively.

Robert Eddison won the 1970 Clarence Derwent Award for 'Best male in a supporting role' for his performance of Lightborn He later recalled that "I was ashamed at how much I enjoyed playing Lightborn in Edward II ".

Robert Eddison was part of the company at the National Theatre during its final performance at the Old Vic.

Robert Eddison was quite proud to be able to say that he was the only actor in the world and forever will be, who opened both the South Bank and The Barbican.

Robert Eddison made his mark in radio, in countless BBC dramas through the decades, with some of his last roles including Death in The Canterbury Tales and parts in an adaptation of Japanese Noh plays.

Julian Glover, who played villain Walter Donovan, recalled Robert Eddison was excited and nervous for his return to film, often asking if he had performed correctly.

Robert Eddison came in and I thought he lent a tremendous gravitas to that part, but at the same time, he was able to take that wonderful line "Robert Eddison chose poorly" in such a dry way, that it was really funny.

Robert Eddison was awarded the OBE in the 1988 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

Robert Eddison's collection is curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Robert Eddison was later discovered to have written the beginnings of a memoir titled Majestic Service: An Autobiographical Memoir.

Robert Eddison was the great uncle of the television presenter Dallas Campbell.