Christopher Gable

Gable, Christopher (b London, 13 Mar. 1940, d Halifax, 23 Oct. 1998). British dancer, actor, and ballet director. He studied at the Royal Ballet School and joined the touring section of the Royal Ballet in 1957, promoted to soloist in 1959 and principal in 1961. From early on he was paired with Lynn Seymour; their mutual flair for dramatic interpretation made theirs one of the most popular and acclaimed partnerships in British ballet. A glamorous and intensely romantic dancer, he was also fine danseur noble material. In 1963 he transferred to Covent Garden where he stayed for four years, until resigning to pursue a career as an actor. He created roles in MacMillan's The Invitation (1960) and Images of Love (1964), and Ashton's The Two Pigeons (1961). MacMillan created Romeo and Juliet (1965) for him and Seymour, although opening-night honours went to Fonteyn and Nureyev, a snub that soured Gable's subsequent relationship with the Covent Garden management. His acting career was relatively successful, including the title role in Ken Russell's film The Boy Friend (1972) and John in Bryan Forbes's The Slipper and the Rose (1976). He also appeared as Lysander in Peter Brook's 1970 staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream, during his year spent with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1982 he opened the Central School of Ballet in London, which he continued to direct until his death. In 1987 he was named artistic director of Northern Ballet Theatre; one of his first acts was to save the company from potential closure following a threat to its public funding. He created the role of L. S. Lowry in Gillian Lynne's A Simple Man for Northern Ballet Theatre in 1987, also the role of Don Quixote in his The Amazing Adventures of Don Quixote for the same company in 1989. He staged many productions for NBT, including Giselle (1990, 1997), Romeo and Juliet (1991), Swan Lake (1992), A Christmas Carol (1992), Cinderella (1993), The Brontës (with Gillian Lynne, 1995), Dracula (1996), and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (with Michael Pink, 1998).

• Born: 1940 in London, England, UK
• Died: Oct 23, 1998 in London, England, UK
• Occupation: Actor
• Active: '70s-'80s
• Major Genres: Drama, Science Fiction
• Career Highlights: The Rainbow, The Boy Friend, The Music Lovers
• First Major Screen Credit: The Boy Friend (1971)

Biography

A former lead dancer with Great Britain's prestigious Royal Ballet, Christopher Gable had a busy stage and film career that included appearances in several of director Ken Russell's best films. It was in Russell's made-for-television film Song of Summer (1968) that Gable made his acting debut; he also played a supporting role in Women in Love (1969).

As a ballet dancer, Gable became a star in 1960 dancing opposite ballerina Lynn Seymour in choreographer Kenneth MacMillan's The Invitation. Handsome and athletic, his performance made Gable a favorite with audiences and critics alike. He and Seymour reteamed in 1961 to dance in Fredrick Aston's The Two Pigeons. By the late '60s, Gable was suffering from arthritis and had to leave the ballet. Gable did still occasionally dance, and also worked as a choreographer; in 1971, Gable not only co-starred opposite Twiggy in Russell's The Boyfriend, he also mapped out the dance sequences. Gable's other acting credits include work on-stage in London and in northern England, where he worked for several years. Gable made his final film appearance in Russell's The Rainbow (1989). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Rainbow Buy this Movie	The Lair of the White Worm Buy this Movie	Wagner Buy this Movie	The Slipper and the Rose Buy this Movie
The Boy Friend Buy this Movie	The Music Lovers Buy this Movie	Women in Love Buy this Movie

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