Will Hay
Will Hay | |
|---|---|
Hay in The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941) | |
| Born | William Thomson Hay December 6, 1888 Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England |
| Died | 18 April 1949 (aged 60) Chelsea, London, England |
| Occupations | Comedian, actor, film director, amateur astronomer |
| Years active | 1909–1945 |
| Spouse |
Gladys Perkins
(m. 1907; sep. 1935) |
| Partner | Randi Kopstad |
| Children | 3 |
William Thomson Hay FRAS (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian best known for playing authority figures with comic failings in several films, most notably as a schoolmaster. His film Oh, Mr Porter! (1937), made by Gainsborough Pictures, is often cited as the supreme British-produced film-comedy, and in 1938 he was the third highest-grossing star in the UK. Many comedians have acknowledged him as a major influence. Hay was also a keen amateur astronomer.