- Not to be confused with the American voice actor, Michael J. Gough.
Francis Michael Gough was an English character actor, who appeared in over 150 films. His only three major Disney roles were Duke of Buckingham in The Sword and the Rose, Duke of Montrose in Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue, and Uilleam in the 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland.
Gough was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federated Malay States (now Malaysia) though attended school in England. Gough was educated at Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells, and at Durham School. He moved on to Wye Agricultural College, which he left to go to the Old Vic. During World War II, he was obliged to serve in the Non-Combatant Corps.
For the stage, Gough appeared in productions, like The Fighting Cock, Breaking the Code, A Patriot for Me, and Bedroom Farce for which he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
In 1948, Gough made his film debut in Blanche Fury and in other pictures, like Richard III, Dracula (1958), Horrors of the Black Museum, Konga, The Phantom of the Opera (1962), Black Zoo, Trog, Satan's Slave, What a Carve Up!, Top Secret!, Out of Africa, Oxford Blues, and The Age of Innocence. His most recognized role however is that of Alfred Pennyworth in Tim Burton's Batman, a role he would reprise in the sequels: Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin. He retired in 1999 after appearing in Burton's Sleepy Hollow, but the director would coax him out of retirement for voiceovers in the films Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland. He also appeared in popular British television shows, including Doctor Who, The Avengers, The Citadel, Omnibus, and The Little Vampire.
Gough died from pneumonia in 2011 at his home in Salisbury, Wiltshire having been ill with prostate cancer for the previous year. He was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in the English Channel.
Roles[]
(The Sword and the Rose)
