Douglas Seale was a British classical actor, producer, and director who enjoyed a 65-year transatlantic career spanning stage, films, and television. Born in 1913 to Robert Henry Seale and Margaret Law Seale, he was educated at Rutlish, a boys' comprehensive school in West Wimbledon.
Seale's early inclination towards art was encouraged by a teacher who saw his performance in a school play, leading him to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his professional stage debut at London's Embassy Theatre in 1934 in a production of "The Drums Begin." He then appeared in repertory until the outbreak of World War II.
During the war, Seale served with the British Army in 1940 and was commissioned in the Royal Signals. After demobilization in 1946, he joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theater Company for two seasons at Stratford-on-Avon. He extended his talents to include stage producing, directing, and acting in various productions, including "Caesar and Cleopatra," "King John," "Henry V," and "King Lear."
In later years, Seale focused on performing, making his Broadway acting debut at age 60 in 1973 with "Emperor Henry IV." He went on to appear in "Frankenstein," "The Dresser," "The Madwoman of Chaillot," and "The Night of the Iguana." His iconic role as Selsdon Mowbray in the 1983 Broadway production of "Noises Off" earned him a Tony Award nomination for "featured actor" in a play.
Seale was an occasional on-camera performer, featuring in films such as "Amadeus" (1984) and providing the voice of the Sultan in Disney's animated feature "Aladdin" (1992). He also appeared in popular film fluff, including "Ernest Saves Christmas" (1988),"Ghostbusters II" (1989),"Almost an Angel" (1990),"Mr. Destiny" (1990),"For Love or Money" (1993),and "Palookaville" (1995).
Seale occasionally played spry gents on TV shows such as "Cheers" and "The Golden Girls." One of his final stage roles was as aging vaudevillian Billy Rice in the 1996 revival of John Osborne's play "The Entertainer."
Seale was married three times, including to stage actress and three-time Tony Award nominee Louise Troy, who died of breast cancer in 1994. He died at age 85 at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City and was survived by two sons, Jonathan and Timothy.
