Died: Apr 25, 1985 in Pacific Palisades, California
Occupation: Actor, Director
Active: '40s-'60s
Major Genres: Comedy, Romance
Career Highlights: The Sound of Music, Sitting Pretty, No Time for Love
First Major Screen Credit: Charley's Aunt (1941)
Biography
Tweedy, eccentric character actor Richard Haydn failed at several professions -- including music hall entertainer and overseer of a Jamaican banana plantation -- before latching onto a touring British theatre troupe. While performing on radio, Haydn created the character of nerdish, nasal "fish expert" Edwin Carp, a role which earned him a spot in the American variety revue Set to Music and later resulted in several satirical books written by the actor (he would reprise the Edwin Carp character on a memorable 1964 episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show). Signed to a 20th Century-Fox film contract in 1940, Haydn's first film assignment was the comparatively straight role of Charley Wyckham in Charley's Aunt (1941). Versatile to a fault, Haydn's film roles ranged from normal, sobersided types like the schoolteacher in the Green Years (1946), to the despicable British nobleman in Forever Amber (1946). His most enjoyable performances were as fey, prissy, often mother-dominated types: Cluny Brown (1946) and Sitting Pretty (1947) were his best assignments in this vein. Haydn directed three films for Paramount, playing small roles in each (under such pseudonyms as Richard Rancyd): Miss Tatlock's Millions (1947), Dear Wife (1948) and Mr, Music (1950), The biggest hit with which Haydn was associated was 1965's The Sound of Music (1965), in which he played the vacillating theatrical entrepreneur Max Detweiller. He also sparkled in TV roles on such series as Lassie, The Man From UNCLE and Bonanza. His last film role (heavily cut before release) was a tiny expository part at the beginning of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974). Almost as mercurial offscreen as on, Richard Haydn was averse to granting interviews, usually making comments like "There is no Richard Haydn. It is probably something you ate". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Born in London, he was known for playing eccentric characters, among whom were
Edwin Carp, Claud Curdle, Richard Rancyd and Stanley Stayle. Much of his stage delivery was done in a
deliberate over-nasalized and over-enunciated speech pattern, possibly best noted in his performance as the voice of the
Caterpillar in the Disneyanimated film adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
He was a regular on the Burns and Allen radio show. In April 1, 1964, he reprised the Edwin Carp character, a poet and an expert on fish,
in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show which saluted several old-time
radio performers.
Movie roles
He played the role of Jason Reid, the schoolmaster, in The Green Years
(1946).
He played the role of Maximilian Detweiler in The Sound Of Music
(1965), a generally straight character albeit with comic overtones. Another relatively
straight comedic part was as Alfred in Please Don't Eat the Daisies.