Tony Winner Paul Rogers Passes Away at 96

According to published reports, Tony-winning actor Paul Rogers passed away last week in London. He was 96 years old.

Rogers was born in Plympton, Devon, and later trained at the Michael Chekhov Theatre Studio at Dartington Hall and made his film debut in 1932. He appeared in many West End and Broadway productions and won the Tony for Best Actor for his role in Harold Pinter's drama The Homecoming in 1967. He played the role of Sir in the first Broadway production of Ronald Harwood's play The Dresser.

Rogers was a long-time member of the Royal Shakespeare Company whose most notable performances include Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream and the title role in Macbeth. His film appearances include The Beachcomber (1954), Beau Brummel (1954), Our Man in Havana (1959), The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960), Billy Budd (1962), The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), The Looking Glass War (1969), Edwin, and Oscar and Lucinda (1997). He also appeared frequently on television, in productions such as Romeo and Juliet on Producers' Showcase.

Paul Rogers was married to Muriel Jocelyn Maire Wynne by whom he had two children. He married, secondly, Rosalind Boxall, which union produced two more children. They remained wed until her death in 2004.