Biography
Cyril Shaps (13 October 1923 – 1 January 2003) was an English character actor who worked in radio, television and film for nearly five decades. Born in London to Polish-Jewish parents, the son of a tailor, he began broadcasting as a child and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art after wartime service in the Royal Army Educational Corps. He also worked as an announcer and producer for Radio Netherlands.
Shaps appeared in numerous films, including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), To Sir, with Love (1967), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), The Madness of King George (1994), The End of the Affair (1999), The Importance of Being Earnest (2002) and The Pianist (2002). On television he took roles in series such as Doctor Who, Jesus of Nazareth (1977), Midsomer Murders and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973). He was married to Anita from 1950 until her death in 2002; they had three children.
