Michael Ripper

Who was Michael Ripper?

Michael Ripper was an English character actor born in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

He began his film career in quota quickies in the 1930s and until the late 1950s was virtually unknown; he was seldom credited. He played one of the two murderers in the Olivier film version of Richard III. Ripper became a mainstay in Hammer Film Productions playing supporting character roles: coachmen, peasants, tavern keepers, pirates and sidekicks. Appearing in more of the company's films than any other performer, these included The Revenge of Frankenstein, The Mummy, Brides of Dracula, The Camp on Blood Island, Captain Clegg, The Scarlet Blade, The Mummy's Shroud, and Plague of the Zombies. Occasionally he was disguised almost beyond recognition, yet his raspy voice remained unmistakable. Some of his parts were little better than glorified bits, but his penultimate role for Hammer Films was a significant supporting part as a landlord in Scars of Dracula in 1970.