Biography
Robert Donat (born Friedrich Robert Donat) was an English stage and film actor. Born on 18 March 1905 in Withington, Manchester, he took elocution lessons as a child to overcome a stammer and made his stage debut in 1921. He appeared in repertory theatre before entering films.
Donat's breakthrough came with The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). He played Richard Hannay in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps (1935) and won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as the schoolmaster in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). Other notable roles include The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) and The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958). He died on 9 June 1958 in London.
