Leo McKern Leo McKern Reginald McKern, AO (16 March 1920 – 23 July 2002), known professionally as Leo McKern, was an Australian actor who appeared in numerous British, Australian and American television programmes and films, and in more than 200 stage roles. Notable roles he portrayed include Clang in "Help!" (1965), Thomas Cromwell in "A Man for All Seasons" (1966), Tom Ryan in "Ryan's Daughter" (1970), Paddy Button in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980), Dr. Grogan in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" (1981), Father Imperius in "Ladyhawke" (1985) and, in the role that made him a household name as an actor, Horace Rumpole, whom
The Year of the Sex Olympics their thinking, as far as people do a lot of thinking, and if you had a verbally reduced society, you would get the kind of language—possibly—that you did get in the play". Kneale's script was accepted on 25 October 1967 by Ronald Travers, who had taken over as producer from Michael Bakewell on "Theatre 625". Production began in early 1968 with Michael Elliot as director. Elliot initially asked Leo McKern to take on the key role of Co-ordinator Ugo Priest, but with McKern unavailable, he turned to Leonard Rossiter. Writing to Rossiter, offering him the part, Elliot described "The Year