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Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Michael Crawford.

Michael Patrick Smith, CBE was born on 19 January 1942 he is known professionally as Michael Crawford an English tenor, actor, singer and comedian.

Michael Crawford is best known as the original Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.

The dark angel of music actually made his name in musical comedy before leading the longest-running Broadway show in history.

Crawford has received international critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his acting career.

He has appeared in film and television performances as well as stage on both London’s West End and on Broadway in New York City.

For years an accomplished British actor in films, television, and stage musicals, Michael Crawford blossomed into full theatre legend in the late 1980s with his impassioned performance as the Phantom in composer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production of The Phantom of the Opera.

Audiences and critics seem to agree that Crawford was tailor-made for the phantom role. Now to the 10 outstanding facts about Michael Crawford.

1. Crawford Liked Doing  His Own Stunts.

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Crawford playing Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (1973), did many stunts, some quite hazardous to the normal person, in portraying a certain scene or part.

So much so did people associate him with this image that they literally thought he was as clumsy in real life as he was on the show.

But in reality, although he admitted to a few comical episodes in real life in the past, he is in no way anywhere near as clumsy as his character Frank is.

2. Crawford Helped Torvill and Dean Win Ice Dancing Gold.

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Torvill and Dean asked Crawford to be their coach. They were preparing for the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki.

He helped them with choreography and the creation of custom made music for the dancer(a first in ice dancing).

Crawford, the orchestra and musical director all pitched in for free ( for the country) and came up with a beautiful performance for which they won in the free programme category.

The British skaters went ahead to win the Olympic Gold medal in ice dance at Sarajevo 1984 with 12 perfect 6.0s from every judge, for their interpretation of Maurice Ravel’s µþ´Ç±ôé°ù´Ç, an important member of their team was singer-actor, Michael Crawford.

He had become a mentor to the pair in 1981 and went on to help them create their Olympic routine.

Crawford said he “taught them how to act”. He was present with their trainer Betty Callaway at the ringside at Sarajevo as they created one of the most iconic moments in Olympic games history.

3. Michael Crawford Contact Lenses Troubles.

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Originally, in the role of the Phantom, he wore contact lenses (for a greater effect of the character) on stage – one dark blue and the other opaque.

But the contact lenses severely diminished his vision.

He had to be led around backstage by some of the crew and needed flashlights to be shown where to step and go.

During the New York run, Lucille Ball came to see the show and demanded him to take them out or ruin his eyesight, which he did.

Upon leaving, she replied, “And I don’t want to hear that you’ve put them back on again, once I leave”

4. Michael Crawford  Made his Debut  Stage and Screen Appearance  While Still a Schoolboy.

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He sang and performed dramatic operas as a young boy. He played Sammy the Sweepboy in “Let’s Make an Opera” and then Benjamin Britten hired him to play Japeth in “Noye’s Fludde”, based on the Biblical story of Noah’s Flood in Genesis.

When he returned to studying singing seriously, he took up singing operatic arias to get his voice in shape, especially for the role of the Phantom.

His film debut was at the tender age of 15 in the British children’s film, “Soapbox Derby” for the Children’s Film Foundation.

He also did his very first stunt work in this film, diving off into the River Thames to rescue a boy from drowning.  Later he had to have his stomach pumped to get rid of the filthy water from the Thames.

5. Crawford Changed Name to Avoid Confusion With another Ingram

In 1958 he was hired by the English Opera Group to create the role of Jaffet in another Britten opera, Noye’s Fludde, based on the story of Noah and the Great Flood.

Crawford remembers that it was while working in this production that he realised he seriously wanted to become an actor.

It was in between performances of Let’s Make an Opera and Noye’s Fludde that he was advised to change his name, “to avoid confusion with a television newsman called Michael Ingram[s] who was registered with British Equity”.

6. Michael Crawford Performed in Over 100 radio Broadcasts.

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Early in his career, he used to do heavy dramatic plays such as Shakespeare, French tragedy, satire etc.

One of his first dramatic roles was when he played the part of Henry the 8th on an early BBC Radio show, and later on, performed in more than 100 radio broadcasts.

He also was on the early “live” BBC soap operas playing motorcycle accident victims, bad guys, drug addicts and such.

7. Michael Crawford is a Philanthropist.

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He is known to work hard for his charities involving health care for children and teens in life-threatening situations. “The Sick Children’s Trust”, “The Lighthouse Foundation”, “National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children”, among others.

Once treated a little girl named Vanessa, who was suffering from the final stages of leukaemia to a very rare, private performance of “Barnum” (which he had been doing at the time) as a special treat for her.

Additionally, she had the theatre remove some of the seats to make way for her nurses, hospital bed and family to come and watch and Michael and the entire cast performed the show just for her.

Vanessa later died of the disease.

8. Michael Crawford Played as Phantom of the Opera in 1300 Performances.

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Crawford landed the role because he shared a vocal coach with that Sarah Brightman (Llyod Webber’s wife).

After hearing Crawford practising the aria Care Selve, he was auditioned and hired v on the spot.

Many critics were sceptical about Crawford’s ability to manage such a vocally and dramatically demanding role.

 In 1986, he began his performance in London at Her Majesty’s Theatre, continuing on to Broadway in 1988, and then Los Angeles in 1989.

He played the role for two and a half years with over 1,300 performances, winning an Olivier Award (Best Actor in a Musical), a Tony Award (Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role, Musical) and many others.

9. Michael Crawford was Injured in a Stage  Performance Accident.

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In 1995, Crawford created the high-profile starring role in EFX, the $70 million production which officially opened the 1,700-seat MGM Grand Theatre in Las Vegas.

Early into the run, Crawford suffered an accident during a performance. It involved him sliding from a wire hanger from the back of the theatre all the way to the stage and then jumping down 12 feet to the stage.

His injury resulted in an early hip replacement operation forcing him to leave the show for recuperation.

10. Crawford Bounced Back from a Debilitating Illness.

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The actor suffered from Chronic  Fatigue Syndrome around 2007-8 while performing in the Musical Woman in White in London.

He got a viral illness that was resistant to drugs. The affliction interfered with the normal functioning he had to come out of the show.

He moved to New Zealand and changed his routine by engaging in activities like sailing, fishing etc. It took him three years to get better.

 Michael Crawford is a legend, he has been entertaining us  for like forever.

He has performed in almost all mediums of entertainment, including Radio, Television, Recordings, Films, Theater, Musicals, and even Opera. He also has dabbled in writing and directing.

Crawford originated the part of the Wizard in the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical version of The Wizard of Oz  which opened at the London Palladium in March 2011.

 Russell Grant took over the role after he left the production in 2012.