John Herman Merivale (1 December 1917 – 6 February 1990), also credited as Jack Merivale, was a Canadian-British actor. He appeared on Broadway and the West End, and played mainly supporting roles in films. He was also the longtime companion (and eventual caretaker) of Vivien Leigh.
Early life Merivale was born in Toronto in 1917. He was the son of English actors Philip Merivale and Viva Birkett. His stepmother was the English actress Gladys Cooper. He was raised in Canada, England, and the United States, and educated at Rugby School in Warwickshire and New College, Oxford.
Career Merivale made his acting debut at age 15, playing the small role of a newsboy in James Whale's The Invisible Man (1933). His stage career started when he was 21, as an understudy in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, where he first met Vivien Leigh. He later worked in the 1940 Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet by Leigh and her husband, Laurence Olivier.
Merivale's career was put on hold while he served as a pilot with both the British and Canadian air forces during World War II. He resumed his career in 1946, with a starring role in a successful Broadway production of Oscar Wilde's Lady Windermere's Fan.
In 1956 Merivale made his second film appearance, in The Battle of the River Plate. He went on to have supporting roles in films such as A Night to Remember (1958), Circus of Horrors (1960), House of Mystery (1961), The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), (where he played the title character, who is killed thirteen minutes into the film), King Rat (1965), and Arabesque (1966).
Although Merivale had the leading role in the Italian horror film Caltiki - il mostro immortale (1959), he tended to concentrate on theatre work, in such productions as Venus Observed, Anne of the Thousand Days, The Reluctant Debutante and The Last of Mrs. Cheyney.
Personal life He was married to American actress actress Jan Sterling from 1941 until 1948, and lived with Vivien Leigh from 1960 until her death in 1967, becoming her dedicated caretakerCapua, Michelangelo (2003). Vivien Leigh: a biography. Jefferson, NC, USA: McFarland. p 157. , in her final years. He began a relationship with actress Dinah Sheridan in 1968; they married in 1986.
Death Merivale died at Charing Cross Hospital in London from kidney failure, on 6 February 1990.
Partial stage credits Year Title RoleVenue Notes1938 Lorelei Robert Longacre Theatre, New York City1939 Journey's End 2Lt Raleigh Empire Theatre, New York City1940 Romeo and Juliet Balthasar 51st Street Theatre, New York City1946–47 Lady Windermere's Fan Sir James Royston Cort Theatre, New York City1947–48 An Inspector Calls Eric Birling Booth Theatre, New York City1948 Anne of the Thousand Days Mark Smeaton Shubert Theatre, New York City1950The Day After TomorrowErnestBooth Theatre, New York City1951Getting MarriedCecil SykesANTA Playhouse, New York City1952Venus ObservedEdgarNew Century Theatre, New York City1952–53The Deep Blue SeaPhilip WelchMorosco Theatre, New York City1954The Love of Four ColonelsColonel Aime FrappotHer Majesty’s Theatre, Carlisle1955–57The Reluctant DebutanteDavid Hoylake-JohnstonUK tourHenry Miller's Theatre, New York City1960Duel of AngelsArmandHelen Hayes Theatre, New York City1961–62Australian tourTwelfth NightThe Lady of the Camellias1964Mary, MaryDirk WinstonTheatre Royal, Windsor1965IvanovYevgeni LvovUK tour1966Shubert Theatre, New York City1967The Sacred FlameMaurice TabretDuke of York’s Theatre, LondonThe Last of Mrs. CheyneyLord DillingPhoenix Theatre, LondonYvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford1968Robert’s WifeReverend Robert Carson1969A Talent to AmusePhoenix Theatre, London1970Time Out of MindSir James HardruthYvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford1971Look, No Hands!Paul SankeyUK tour
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1933 The Invisible Man Newsboy Uncredited1956 The Battle of the River Plate Cowburn 1958 A Night to Remember Robbie Lucas Caltiki – The Immortal Monster Professor John Fielding 1960 Circus of Horrors Edward Finsbury 1961 House of Mystery Clive 1963 The List of Adrian Messenger Adrian Messenger 1963 80,000 Suspects Mr. Bradley Uncredited1965 King Rat Colonel Foster 1966 Arabesque Major Sylvester Pennington Sloane
Television Year Title Role Notes 1950 The Philco Television Playhouse Episode: "Uncle Dynamite" Actors Studio 2 episodes 1951 Prudential Family Playhouse Episode: "The Bishop Misbehaves"The ClockEpisode: "The Silent Hand" 1952 Celanese Theatre Episode: "The Distaff Sides"Robert Montgomery PresentsJulianEpisode: "The Ringmaster"1955The Reluctant DebutanteDavid Hoylake–JohnstonTV movie1955, 1959Play of the WeekMichel, Gaylord Easterbrook2 episodes1957Hour of MysteryDavid BrackenEpisode: "The Man in Half Moon Street" The Vise Tim Mills Episode: "Fast Cars and Girls" 1959 Sunday Night Theatre Roger Collard Episode: "The Gentle Goddess"The Third ManCharles SoamesEpisode: "A Collector's Item"Television PlayhouseLieutenantEpisode: "Oggie"1960Knight Errant LimitedMax FurgusonEpisode: "A Tormented Mind"1961Theatre 70Lawrence RyderEpisode: "Chance Witness"1969The Coward RevueTV movie
References
External links
John Merivale at Theatricalia John Merivale at Vivien-Leigh.com