Harold Fielding
Harold Lewis Fielding (4 December 1916[1] - 27 September 2003) was an English theatre producer.[2]
Harold Fielding | |
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Birth name | Harold Lewis Fielding |
Born | 4 December 1916 Woking, Surrey, England |
Died | 27 September 2003 (aged 86) Kingston upon Thames, London, England |
Genres | Musical theatre |
Occupation(s) | Theatre producer |
Instruments | Violin |
Associated acts | Elaine Strich, Ginger Rogers, Van Johnson, Tommy Steele, Anne Ziegler, Webster Booth |
Fielding was one of Britain's foremost theatrical producers who produced several musicals, including Mame, Charlie Girl, Half a Sixpence,[2] Show Boat, Scarlett, Barnum, Sweet Charity, The Biograph Girl, and Ziegfeld.[1] He also produced "Music for the Millions", a touring variety show.
The son of a stockbroker, Fielding was born in Woking, Surrey, England, and educated privately.[1] As a child prodigy, he studied violin with Josef Szigeti.[1] He also handled Tommy Steele's early career, and commissioned Half a Sixpence for him.[2]
His office was Fielding House, 53-54 Haymarket, London.
He was interviewed by Sue Lawley on Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 on 17 June 1990. In 1996, Fielding was awarded a Gold Badge from BASCA in recognition of his special contribution to Britain's entertainment industry.[1]
Fielding married Maisie Joyce Skivens in 1955, and was widowed in 1985. They had no children.
He suffered a series of strokes in 1998, and retired to a private nursing home in Kingston upon Thames, where he died.
References
- Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 133/4. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- Stevens, Christopher (2010). Born Brilliant: The Life Of Kenneth Williams. John Murray. p. 371. ISBN 1-84854-195-3.
External links
- The Daily Telegraph obituary
- The Independent obituary
- The Times obituary
- WhatsonStage obituary
- The Collection relating to Harold Fielding's production of Cinderella is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre and Performance Department.