Francis matthews biography

English actor (1927–2014)

Francis Matthews (2 September 1927 – 14 June 2014) was an English actor, best known for playing Paul Temple in the BBC television series of the same name and for voicing Captain Scarlet in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.^[1]

Early life

Matthews was born in York on 2 September 1927, to Henry and Kathleen Matthews.^[2][3] His father was a shop steward at the Rowntree's chocolate factory near York.^[2][3] His parents took him often to the theatre, where he gained a love of acting.^[2][3] He attended St George's RC Primary School,^[4] then St Michael's Jesuit College in Leeds.^[2]

He found work as a stagehand at the Theatre Royal in Leeds, and made his theatrical debut in 1945 in the play The Corn Is Green^[3] before performing his national service in the Royal Navy.^[2] After leaving the military he returned to the st