Clive Revill
A New Zealand-born actor with a rich, resonant voice who became a versatile and beloved character actor on stage and screen for over six decades.
1930–2025 (age 95)·New Zealand actor·Birthday: April 18·The Silent Generation
Biography
With a voice that could rumble with menace or twinkle with comic mischief, Clive Revill carved out a singular niche as a consummate character man. Hailing from New Zealand, he honed his craft on the London stage, earning Tony nominations for his work in musicals like 'Irma La Douce' and becoming a stalwart of the Royal Shakespeare Company. His theatrical prowess translated seamlessly to film and television, where he often stole scenes in a handful of minutes. For a generation, he was the original Emperor Palpatine in 'The Empire Strikes Back,' his chilling, filtered voice providing the sinister presence behind Darth Vader. He played everything from Fagin in a Broadway revival of 'Oliver!' to a comedic Russian diplomat in 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.' His career was a masterclass in versatility, proving that actors who excel at supporting roles can leave an outsized impression.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Clive was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clive Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Clive's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 80
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2025Died at 95
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
Key Achievements
- Received two Tony Award nominations for his performances in the Broadway musicals 'Irma La Douce' and 'Oliver!'.
- Provided the voice and initial performance for Emperor Palpatine in 'Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back'.
- Performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in productions like 'The Comedy of Errors' and 'The Tempest'.
Did You Know?
He was the voice of the clock in the 1971 Disney animated film 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks.'
He replaced Walter Matthau in the Broadway production of 'Irma La Douce' and earned a Tony nomination for the role.
He played Professor Moriarty in the 1975 comedy film 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.'
He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to drama in 2010.
“The text is a map, but the voice must find the buried treasure.”
