Niáll Padden, a resident of California for over 30 years, was born in Ireland and educated in England. He graduated from the Leeds College of Art and went on to train, work, and tour extensively in stage management, including on live television for the BBC's "Good Old Days" and at the Leeds Playhouse.
His work in stage management included productions at the Embassy Theatre in Skegness, the Queens Theatre in Margate, and the Mermaid Theatre in London. He also stage-managed a touring production of "Godspell" and a revival of "Say Goodnight to Grandma" at the Leeds Playhouse, where he met writer and star Colin Welland.
Welland created a role for Padden in the BBC TV series "The Wild West Show," and they went on to co-star in the BBC "Play for Today" film "A Passage to England." Padden has worked with numerous notable film directors, including Mike Apted, Sir Richard Attenborough, Stephen Frears, Mike Newell, and Alan Parker.
Some of his notable film credits include "A Bridge Too Far," "The Million Dollar Hour," and "The Long Good Friday." He has also worked with a wide range of actors, including Laurence Olivier, Dirk Bogarde, Helen Mirren, Wolfgang Preiss, Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Maximillian Schell, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Hardy Kruger, Ian McKellan, Robert Redford, and Liv Ulman.
As an actor and member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Padden has performed extensively throughout Europe and in the United States. He has also founded several theatre companies and festivals, including the International Theatre Festival and Fringe and Garage Bands 101 LLC.
Padden has been a single parent for over 20 years and has lived in Westlake Village, California, with his three children. He has been involved in various community activities, including coaching basketball and soccer for local youth organizations and volunteering at the former L.A. County Juvenile Detention Center.
