Known primarily in Britain for his many "matinée idol" roles during the
1950s, Anthony Steel is perhaps best remembered in Hollywood and
elsewhere as the erstwhile husband of
Anita Ekberg.
His career never really took off in Hollywood; at one point during his
marriage to Ms. Ekberg, he was referred to as "Mr. Ekberg" - a slight
that reflected his success (or lack of it) in movies following the eventual
breakup of the marriage.
Steel was born in London and was the son of an Indian army officer. He
was educated at Cambridge and in World War II served as a Major in the
Grenadier Guards Parachute Regiment and for a time served in the infant
Special Air Service (S.A.S.) leaving in 1948.
It wasn't until after the war he decided to pursue acting, starring in such
adventure-charged films as
Malta Story (1953) for the J. Arthur
Rank studio. His career was at its pinnacle and he was lauded as one of
Britain's biggest movie stars when he married Ekberg in 1956 and set
out with her to break into Hollywood pictures. Finding Hollywood
unsatisfactory and even hostile, he turned primarily to making some
not-so-memorable European films in the '70s and '80s - including
The Story of O (1975) (The Story of O)
- and some guest spots on British TV.
He died on March 21, 2001, in Northwood, Middlesex, England.
The Broker's Man(1997)as Dr Harman
Robin of Sherwood(1984)as Earl Godwin
The Glory Boys(1984)as Director General
Bergerac(1981)as Harker Le Fevre
Looks Familiar(1970)as Self - Guest
Man Alive(1965)as Self
This Is Your Life(1955)as Self
The Steve Allen Show(1956)as Self - Guest
Franz Antel - Meister der Unterhaltung(2013)as Self
The 1950's: Music, Memories & Milestones(1988)as Self
Best of British(1987)as Self
Film Night(1968)as Various roles
