Cyril Cusack

Born to Irish and English parents in South Africa and raised in County Tipperary, Cusack dropped out of law school to join the Abbey Theatre and remained with the company for 13 years, acting in over 60 plays. In London, he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, and later founded his own company which toured across Europe. Making his film debut at age 8, Cusack worked with many notable directors, including Powell and Pressburger, Franco Zeffirelli, François Truffaut, Carol Reed, Peter Brook, Peter Hall, Fred Zinnemann, Christine Edzard and Anthony Harvey. He co-starred opposite Richard Burton several times, who once commended Cusack's acting as "always himself and yet always totally different". Fluent in both English and Irish, Cusack had a starring role in the first Irish-language feature film, Poitín (1978). He was the patriarch of the Irish Cusack acting family, as the father of Sinéad Cusack, Sorcha Cusack, Niamh Cusack, Pádraig Cusack, and Catherine Cusack.

• Name — Cyril Cusack • Birth Name — Cyril James Cusack • Born — 26 November 1910 • Birthplace — Durban, Natal, Union of South Africa (now in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) • Died — 7 October 1993 • Place of death — London, England • Years Active — 1918–1993 • Occupation — Actor • Children — 6, including Sinéad, Sorcha, Niamh, Pádraig and Catherine • Relatives — Richard Boyd Barrett (grandson) Max Irons (grandson) Calam Lynch (grandson) Jeremy Irons (son-in-law) Finbar Lynch (son-in-law)

Cusack was born in Durban, Natal, South Africa. His mother, Alice Violet (née Cole), was an English Cockney actress and chorus girl, and his father, James Walter Cusack, was an Irish mounted policeman in Natal Colony, South Africa. His parents separated when he was young and his mother took him to England, and then to Ireland. Cusack's mother and her partner, Brefni O'Rorke, joined the O'Brien and Ireland Players. Cyril made his first stage performance at the age of seven. He was educated at Newbridge College in Newbridge, County Kildare, then studied law at University College Dublin. He left without a degree and joined the Abbey Theatre in 1932.

Between then and 1945, he performed in over 60 productions for the Abbey, particularly excelling in the plays of Seán O'Casey. He also performed in plays by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy Katie Roche and The King of Spain's Daughter. In 1932 he also joined the Gate Theatre company, appearing with them in many notable productions over the years. In 1947, Cusack formed his own company, Cyril Cusack Productions, and staged productions in Dublin, Paris and New York. In 1963, Cusack joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in London and appeared there for several seasons. By this stage he had established a successful career in films, which had started at the age of eight. The same year, Cusack won a Jacob's Award for his performance in the Telefís Éireann production of Triptych. Cusack's favorite roles included The Covery in The Plough and the Stars and Christy Mahon in The Playboy of the Western World, which he reprised numerous times. Cusack's last stage performance was in Chekhov's Three Sisters (1990), in which three of his daughters played the sisters.

Cusack was twice married. His first wife was the actress Mary Margaret "Maureen" Kiely, whom he married on 5 April 1945. They had five children: Paul (born 1946) who worked as a producer with RTÉ, Sinéad (born 1948), Sorcha (born 1949), Niamh (born 1959) who all became actresses and Pádraig (born 1962) who worked as an associate producer at the National Theatre in London. Following Maureen's death in 1977, he married Mary Rose Cunningham in 1979, with whom he had previously had a daughter, Catherine (born 1968), who also became an actress. Cusack was a strong supporter of Irish nationalism, and often selected projects based on those beliefs. In later life, Cusack became a campaigner for conservative causes in Ireland, notably in his opposition to abortion, and he became a frequent letter writer to the main liberal Irish newspaper, The Irish Times. Regarding his Catholic faith, he commented "Religion promotes the divine discontent within oneself, so that one tries to make oneself a better person and draw oneself closer to God." His religious credentials came under scrutiny following his death and the revelation that he had been unfaithful in his first marriage, with a long-term mistress, Mary Rose Cunningham, who bore him a daughter. Cusack married Cunningham following his first wife's death. Cusack received an honorary doctorate in 1977 from the NUI and in 1980, from the University of Dublin. Cusack was a longtime friend of Irish attorney general, Chief Justice and President of Ireland Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, whom he got to know when they were students at University College Dublin in the early 1930s. Cusack is the maternal grandfather of Irish Socialist Workers Party TD Richard Boyd Barrett and English actor Max Irons.

In October 1993, Cusack died at home in Chiswick, Greater London, from MND.

• Year — Title — Role — Other notes • 1953–56 — Rheingold Theatre — Various — 5 episodes • 1959 — DuPont Show of the Month — David Wylie — Episode: "What Every Woman Knows" • The Moon and Sixpence — Dr. Coutras — Television film • 1960 — ITV Play of the Week — Doctor — Episode: "The Enchanted" • Armchair Mystery Theatre — Stan Bracey — Episode: "The Dummy" • 1961 — The Power and the Glory — Tench — Television film • 1962 — The Chairs — The Old Man • Somerset Maugham Hour — Wilson — Episode: "The Lotus Eater" • ITV Play of the Week — The Devil — Episode: "Don Juan in Hell" • T. E. Lawrence 1888–1935 — Voice of T. E. Lawrence — broadcast 27 November, BBC • 1963 — Playhouse — Mr. Berry — Episode: "The Wedding Dress" • 1963–64 — Festival — Krapp / Thomas Becket / Father — 3 episodes • 1964 — Drama 61-67 — Harold Petley — Episode: "The Big Toe" • 1965 — Deirdre — Conchubar — Television film • 1965–77 — BBC Play of the Month — Mr. Fielding / Waiter — Episodes: "Passage to India" & "You Can Never Tell" • 1967 — Dial M for Murder — Chief Inspector Hubbard — Television film • Thirty-Minute Theatre — Jumbo Boylan — Episode: "A Time of Wolves and Tigers" • 1968 — Omnibus — The Whisky Priest — Episode: "Graham Greene: The Hunted Man" • 1969 — Red Peppers — Bert Bentley — Television film • David Copperfield — Barkis • 1970 — On Trial — Marshal Philippe Pétain — Episode: "Marshal Pétain – A Matter of Honour" • The Sinners — The Monsignor — Episode: "The Bosom of the Country" • 1971 — Poet Game — Dr. Saunders — Television film • Shirley's World — Charlie — Episode: "The Reunion" • 1972 — Clochemerle — Mayor Barthelemy Piechut — Miniseries; 6 episodes • The Golden Bowl — Bob Assingham • Them — Coat Sleeves — 5 episodes • The Hands of Cormac Joyce — Mr. Reece — Television film • 1973 — Orson Welles Great Mysteries — Mr. White — Episode: "The Monkey's Paw" • ITV Sunday Night Theatre — Father Manus — Episode: "Catholics" • 1976 — BBC2 Playhouse — Adler — Episode: "The Mind Beyond: The Man with the Power" • 1977 — Thursday Play Date — Fox Melarkey — Episode: "Crystal and Fox" • Jesus of Nazareth — Yehuda — Miniseries; 4 episodes • Jackanory — The Storyteller — 5 episodes • 1978 — Les Misérables — Fauchelevent — Television film • 1980 — Strumpet City — Father Giffley — Miniseries; 6 episodes • Cry of the Innocent — Tom Moloney — Television film • 1980–84 — Tales of the Unexpected — Michael Fish / Percy Hampton — Episodes: "The HItch-Hiker" & "Accidental Death" • 1981 — The Little World of Don Camillo — Narrator (voice) — 13 episodes • No Country for Old Men — Tom Sheridan — Television film • Maybury — Mac — Episode: "Maisie and Mac" • Andrina — Captain Bill Torvald — Television film • 1982 — The Kingfisher — Hawkins • The Ghost Downstairs — Mr. Fishbane • 1983 — Death of an Expert Witness — Mr. Lorimer — Miniseries; 2 episodes • Glenroe — Uncle Peter • One of Ourselves — Quigley — Television film • BBC/Time-Life Shakespeare — Aegeon — Episode: "The Comedy of Errors" • 1984 — Two by Forsyth — Television film • Play for Today — Mr. Reed — Episode: "Rainy Day Women" • Dr. Fischer of Geneva — Steiner — Television film • 1986 — Robin of Sherwood — Agravaine — Episode: "The Inheritance" • The Theban Plays by Sophocles — Priest — Episode: "Oedipus the King" • 1988 — The Ray Bradbury Theater — Dr. Jeffers — Episode: "The Small Assassin" • Menace Unseen — Mr. Simmondson — Miniseries; 3 episodes • The Tenth Man — The Priest — Television film • 1989 — Danny, the Champion of the World — Doc Spencer • 1992 — Screen Two — Percy — Episode: "Memento Mori" • 1993 — The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles — George Clemenceau — Episode: "Paris, May 1919"

• Year — Title — Role — Other notes — Refs. • 1932 — The Vigil — The Boy • Wrack — Hughie Boyle • 1933 — Drama at Inish — Michael • 1934 — Parnell of Avondale — Countryman • Macbeth — Malcolm • Six Characters in Search of an Author — The Son • At Mrs. Beams — Colin Langford • 1935 — Candida — Marchbanks • Noah — Japheth • Summer's Day — Curran • The King of Spain's Daughter — Jim Harris • An Páistín Fionn — N/A — As director • 1936 — Coriolanus — Titus Larius • Boyd's Shop — Andy • Katie Roche — Jo Mahoney • The Passing Day — Hind • The Silver Jubilee — John Joseph Barrett • The Jailbird — Mr. Bunton • 1937 — Shadow and Substance — O'Flingsley • Quin's Secret — Quin • Killycreggs in Twilight — Loftus de Lury • The Patriot — Dan Cusack • The Man in the Cloak — Mangan • The Invincibles — Kelly • An Phíb Fé Sna Bántaibh — N/A — As director • Cartney and Kevney — Cartney • She Had to Do Something — Neddy • An tÉirighe Amach — N/A — As director • Aon-Mhac Aoife Alban — N/A • 1938 — Bird's Nest — Hyacinth • 1939 — Give Him a House — Pat Hooey • They Went by Bus — John Joe Martin • 1942 — The Storm — Cuiliogan • 1943 — An Traona sa Mhóinfhéar — An 'Máistir' • Faustus Kelly — Town Clerk • The Bride — Dr. Jack Power O'Connor • Poor Man's Miracle — Joseph • 1944 — The Wise Have Not Spoken — Francis • The New Regime — Jim M'Cuttack • The Shadow of a Gunman — Mr. Gallagher • The Plough and the Stars — The Covey • Grogan and the Ferret — Mr. Dobbin • Sodar I nDiaidh na nUasal — Dorante • The Jailbird — Mr. Bunton • Shadow and Substance — Dermot Francis O'Flingsley • Old Road — Myles Cosgrave • The Player Queen — Stage Manager • The Whiteheaded Boy — Denis • Boyd's Shop — John Haslett • The End House — Seumas • 1945 — Juno and the Paycock — Johnny Boyle • Rossa — Judge Keogh • Tenants at Will — Dawson • The Plough and the Stars — The Covey • The Playboy of the Western World — Christy Mahon • 1966 — Recall The Years — Performer • 1967–68 — The Shaughraun — Conn • 1968 — The Cherry Orchard — Leonid Andreieveitch Gayev • 1970 — Hadrian the Seventh — Frederick William Rolfe • 1974–75 — The Vicar of Wakefield — Dr. Primrose • 1976 — The Plough and the Stars — Fluther Good • 1978 — Uncle Vanya — Ivan Petrovich Voinitsky • You Never Can Tell — Walter • 1979 — A Life — Desmond Drumm • 1980 — John Bull's Other Island — Father Peter Keegan • A Life — Desmond Drumm • 1984 — The Merchant of Venice — Shylock • 1989 — The Lower Depths — Luka

• Year — Title — Role — Other notes — Refs. • 1933 — A Bride for the Unicorn — Egbert the Eccentric • 1935 — A Deuce O' Jacks — Various characters • 1940 — Les Parents terribles — Michel • 1942 — Tar Éis an Aifrinn — N/A — As playwright • 1945 — Tareis an Aifrinn — Also playwright • 1990 — Three Sisters — Ivan Romanovich Chebutykin

• Year — Title — Role — Other notes — Refs. • 1964 — Andorra — Can — At The Old Vic • 1974 — The Tempest — Antonio • Spring Awakening — Masked Man • 1977 — The Plough and the Stars — Fluther Good — At the Royal National Theatre

• Year — Title — Role — Other notes — Refs. • 1963 — The Physicists — Johann Wilhelm Stettler — At the Royal National Theatre • Julius Caesar — Cassius — At the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

• Year — Title — Role — Theatre — Other notes — Refs. • 1918 — Arrah-na-Pogue — Tour • 1920 — Dick Whittington — The Cat • The Sign of the Cross • Shot at Dawn • The Terror • 1922 — Ali Baba — The Donkey • The Babes in the Wood — Babe • 1924 — Irish and Proud of It — The Boy • 1928 — Tilly of Bloomsbury — Indian student — Norwich Repertory Company • Mr. Wu — Carruthers • Milestones • The Promised Land • Ambrose Applejohn's Adventure • 1935 — Gruagach Dúr an Deagh-Chroidhe — N/A — As director • 1936 — Ah, Wilderness! — Richard — Ambassadors Theatre — London debut • 1939 — The Playboy of the Western World — Christy Mahon — Mercury Theatre • The Plough and the Stars — The Covey — Q Theatre • 1940 — Les Parents terribles — Michel — Gate Theatre • 1941 — Thunder Rock — Streeter — St Martin's Theatre • 1942 — The Doctor's Dilemma — Louis Dubedat — Theatre Royal Haymarket • 1950 — Pommy — Nosey — People's Palace, Mile End • 1954 — The Playboy of the Western World — Christy Mahon — Théâtre de la Ville • 1957 — A Moon for the Misbegotten — Phil Hogan — Bijou Theatre • 1958 — Casement — Roger Casement — Theatre Royal Waterford • 1959 — Goodwill Ambassador — Seumas O'Beirne — Olympia Theatre, Dublin • 1960 — Shubert Theatre • Wilbur Theatre • Krapp's Last Tape — Krapp — Empire Theatre, Belfast • Arms and the Man — Bluntschli • Queen's Theatre, Dublin • The Voices of Doolin — Doolin — Tour • 1961 — The Temptation of Mr. O — Mr. O — Olympia Theatre, Dublin — Also playwright • 1968 — The Shaughraun — Conn — Aldwych Theatre • The Cherry Orchard — Gayev — Olympia Theatre, Dublin — Dublin Theatre Festival • 1970 — Hadrian the Seventh — Frederick William Rolfe — Tour • Coriolanus — Menenius — John F. Kennedy Theatre • The Old Vic • 1976 — The Plough and the Stars — Fluther Good — Tour • 1978 — You Never Can Tell — Walter — Tour • 1980 — A Life — Desmond Drumm — The Old Vic • Tour

Cyril Cusack was recorded at birth as Cyril James Cusack. The authorities additionally record the heading Cyril James Cusack. His recorded language was English. He married Maureen Cusack. 4 children are recorded: Niamh Cusack, Sorcha Cusack, Sinéad Cusack and Catherine Cusack.

Cyril Cusack is recorded as actor, playwright and director.

• Illustration — Cusack in the trailer for The Elusive Pimpernel (1950). Cusack made his film debut in Knocknagow (1918), when he was only 8. His breakthrough role was as a wiry IRA getaway driver opposite James Mason in Carol Reed's Odd Man Out (1947). Cusack played the titular role in the Galileo (1968), which was the directorial debut of Italian filmmaker Liliana Cavani. Cusack returned to Italy several times throughout his career, particularly in the 1970s, both acting on-camera and working as a voice artist, helping create English-language dubs of Italian films. Cusack, who was bilingual in English and Irish, had a leading part in the controversial Irish language film Poitín (1977). One of his final appearances came in 1989, when he appeared as the elderly Dr Spencer in Danny, the Champion of the World alongside his son-in-law Jeremy Irons and his grandson Samuel.

• Year — Title — Role — Director(s) — Other notes • 1918 — Knocknagow — Brian's child — Fred O'Donovan • 1935 — Guests of the Nation — IRA member — Denis Johnston • 1936 — Servants All — Billy — Alex Bryce — Short film • 1941 — Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It — Postal Sorter — Walter Forde • Once a Crook — Bill Hopkins — Herbert Mason • 1947 — Odd Man Out — Pat — Carol Reed • 1948 — Escape — Rodgers — Joseph L. Mankiewicz • Esther Waters — Fred — Ian Dalrymple, Peter Proud • 1949 — Once a Jolly Swagman — Duggie — Jack Lee • The Small Back Room — Corporal Taylor — Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger • The Blue Lagoon — James Carter — Frank Launder • All Over the Town — Gerald Vane — Derek Twist • 1950 — The Elusive Pimpernel — Citizen Chauvelin — Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger • Gone to Earth — Edward Marston • 1951 — Soldiers Three — Private Dennis Malloy — Tay Garnett • The Secret of Convict Lake — Edward "Limey" Cockerell — Michael Gordon • The Blue Veil — Frank Hutchins — Curtis Bernhardt • 1953 — Saadia — Khadir — Albert Lewin • 1954 — The Last Moment — Daniel O'Driscoll — Lance Comfort — Segment: "The Sensible Man" • Destination Milan — Paddy O'Clafferty — Lawrence Huntington • 1955 — Passage Home — Bohannon — Roy Ward Baker • 1956 — The Man Who Never Was — Cab Driver — Ronald Neame • The Man in the Road — Dr. Kelly — Lance Comfort • The March Hare — Lazy Mangan — George More O'Ferrall • Jacqueline — Mr. Flannagan — Roy Ward Baker • The Spanish Gardener — Garcia — Philip Leacock • 1957 — Ill Met by Moonlight — Captain Sandy Rendel — Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger • The Rising of the Moon — Inspector Michael Dillon — John Ford — Segment: "The Majesty of the Law" • Miracle in Soho — Sam Bishop — Julian Amyes • 1958 — Gideon's Day — Herbert "Birdie" Sparrow — John Ford • Floods of Fear — Peebles — Charles Crichton • 1959 — Shake Hands with the Devil — Chris Noonan — Michael Anderson • 1960 — A Terrible Beauty — Jimmy Hannafin — Tay Garnett • 1961 — Johnny Nobody — Prosecuting Counsel O'Brien — Nigel Patrick • 1962 — Waltz of the Toreadors — Dr. Grogan — John Guillermin • I Thank a Fool — Captain Ferris — Robert Stevens • 1963 — 80,000 Suspects — Father Maguire — Val Guest • 1965 — The Spy Who Came in from the Cold — Control — Martin Ritt • 1966 — Where the Spies Are — Rosser — Val Guest • I Was Happy Here — Hogan — Desmond Davis • Fahrenheit 451 — Captain Beatty — François Truffaut • 1967 — The Taming of the Shrew — Grumio — Franco Zeffirelli • 1968 — Galileo — Galileo Galilei — Liliana Cavani • Oedipus the King — The Messenger — Philip Saville • 1970 — Country Dance — Dr. Maitland — J. Lee Thompson • King Lear — Duke of Albany — Peter Brook • Tam Lin — Vicar Julian Ainsley — Roddy McDowall • 1971 — Sacco & Vanzetti — Frederick Katzmann — Giuliano Montaldo • Harold and Maude — Glaucus — Hal Ashby • 1972 — Execution Squad — Ernesto Stolfi — Steno • The Italian Connection — Corso — Fernando Di Leo •...All The Way, Boys! — Matto — Giuseppe Colizzi • 1973 — The Bloody Hands of the Law — The Judge — Mario Gariazzo • The Day of the Jackal — The Gunsmith — Fred Zinnemann • The Homecoming — Sam — Peter Hall — Reprised role from 1965 West End production • A Likely Story — Tom — William Kronick • 1974 — Run, Run, Joe! — Parkintosh — Giuseppe Colizzi • The Balloon Vendor — The Balloon Vendor — Mario Gariazzo • Juggernaut — Major O'Neill — Richard Lester — Uncredited • The Abdication — Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna — Anthony Harvey • 1975 — Children of Rage — Mr. Shalom — Arthur Allan Seidelman • 1976 — Fear in the City — Giacomo Masoni — Giuseppe Rosati • 1978 — Poitín — Michil — Bob Quinn • 1981 — Lovespell — Gormond of Ireland — Tom Donovan • True Confessions — Cardinal Danaher — Ulu Grosbard • 1982 — The Outcasts — Myles Keenan — Robert Wynne-Simmons • 1983 — The World of Don Camillo — The Bishop — Terence Hill • Wagner — Salomon Sulzer — Tony Palmer • 1984 — Nineteen Eighty-Four — Charrington — Michael Radford • 1986 — The Ballroom of Romance — Mr. Dwyer — Pat O'Connor • 1987 — Little Dorrit — Frederick Dorrit — Christine Edzard • 1989 — My Left Foot — Lord Castlewelland — Jim Sheridan • 1990 — The Fool — The Ballad Seller — Christine Edzard • 1992 — Far and Away — Danty Duff — Ron Howard • As You Like It — Adam — Christine Edzard