George Hume

Published Tuesday 16 September 2008 at 12:20 by Patrick Newley

George Hume was, from 1948, general manager for ten years of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (now the RSC) at Stratford-upon-Avon. Later in his career, he became head of drama at Rediffusion Television.

Born in London on June 23, 1914, he began his theatre career working in box offices in the West End. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at 22 and, during the war, served in intelligence as part of the team preparing the D-Day landings.

Demobbed in 1946, he returned to the theatre and worked as a box office manager at the New Theatre (now the Coward Theatre) during the famous Old Vic season, which starred Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson and Peggy Ashcroft.

In 1948 he was invited by Anthony Quayle to become general manager of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, whose company then included John Gielgud, Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Peter Brook and Michael Redgrave.

After Stratford Hume returned to London, where he briefly went into theatre management. Among the plays he produced was Strip the Willow, which launched Maggie Smith’s career.

He joined Rediffusion TV in the mid-sixties as head of drama, but the company was forced by the ITA to merge with ABC Television in 1968.

Later he became the highly successful entertainments officer for Brighton council and, in more recent years, he ran an antiques business.

He died on August 3, aged 94. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.