Ernest Frederic Graham Thesiger was born on January 15, 1879, in London, to a family with a noble lineage. He was the grandson of the first Baron of Chelmsford. Thesiger was educated at Marlborough College and the Slade, initially aspiring to become a renowned painter. Despite not achieving greatness in the art world, he remained a skilled watercolour artist.
Thesiger's true calling was the theatre, and he made his stage debut in 1909 in a production of "Colonel Smith." He put his career on hold during World War I, enlisting as a private in the British army. Although he saw action in the trenches, he was wounded and eventually sent home. Thesiger later returned to the stage and made his film debut in 1916 with "The Real Thing at Last."
Thesiger's breakthrough in the 1930s came when he appeared in James Whale's productions, including "The Old Dark House" (1932) and "Bride of Frankenstein" (1935). He played the sinister Dr. Pretorius in the latter, earning critical acclaim for his performance. Thesiger continued to work in film and theatre throughout the 1940s, appearing in notable productions such as "Henry V" (1944) and "The Winslow Boy" (1948).
In the 1950s, Thesiger returned to the stage, dividing his time between theatre and film. He appeared in notable films like "Last Holiday" (1950),"Laughter in Paradise" (1951),and "The Man in the White Suit" (1951). Thesiger's last film appearance was in "The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone" (1961),and he passed away shortly after, on the eve of his 82nd birthday, at his home in Kensington, London.
