Warren Mitchell (1926–2015,) originally Warren Misell, was an English actor. He is remembered for playing Alf Garnett, the cantankerous and ill-informed Cockney dockworker in the TV sitcoms Till Death Us Do Part and In Sickness and In Health.
Born in Stoke Newington, North London, Mitchell studied at Oxford and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA.) He made his first appearance at the Finsbury Park Open Air Theatre (1950.) In Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman at the National Theatre (1979,) his interpretation of Willy Loman was highly praised, as was his performance in Miller’s The Price (2003, Olivier Award.)
Mitchell was best known for portraying Alf Garnett, a chatty, foulmouthed, right-wing Cockney in the television series Till Death Us Do Part (1966–78.) The character returned in two films, Till Death Us Do Part (1968) and The Alf Garnett Saga (1972,) a stage show, The Thoughts of Chairman Alf (1976,) and a different television series, In Sickness and In Health (1985–92.)
Mitchell also had great success as Shylock in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and Harold Pinter’s plays The Caretaker and The Homecoming. Mitchell appeared in the series So You Think You’ve Got Troubles (1991) and the mini-series Jackaroo (1993.) His many films include Carry on Cleo (1964,) The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965,) Help! (1965,) and The Chain (1985.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Warren Mitchell
You don’t retire in this business. You just notice the phone has not rung for 10 years.
—Warren Mitchell
In case of doubt, do a little more than you have to.
—Warren Mitchell
Topics: Work
Comedy comes from conflict, from hatred.
—Warren Mitchell
Topics: Conflict, Comedy
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