Marius Goring

Marius Re Goring CBE FRSL (23 May 1912 – 30 September 1998) was an English stage and screen actor best remembered for the four films he made with Powell & Pressburger, namely A Matter of Life and Death and The Red Shoes. He also starred in the long-running TV drama series, The Expert. Although often performing French and German roles due to his unique name and appearance, he clarified in a 1965 interview that he was not of German descent, stating that 'Goring is a completely English name.' Goring was born in Newport, Isle of Wight, the son of the eminent physician and researcher Dr Charles Buckman Goring and Kate Winifred Macdonald, a professional pianist of Scottish descent who was also a suffragette. After studies at universities of Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna and Paris, he made his professional debut in 1927 playing Harlequin. He had a rich and varied stage career in England and was one of the founding members of British Equity, the actors' union. Goring had a contentious relationship with his union and even engaged in litigation against it several times in his career. His film career began with an uncredited role in The Amateur Gentleman (1936) and he performed in various notable films through the years.