
Person
Christopher Gable
Acting · 1940–1998
Biography
Christopher Michael Gable, CBE (13 March 1940 – 23 October 1998) was an English ballet dancer, choreographer and actor. Born in London, Gable studied at the Royal Ballet School, joining the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet in 1957. He was promoted to soloist in 1959 and principal in 1961. Gable's roles included Romeo in the Kenneth MacMillan production of Romeo and Juliet, Mercury in Offenbach's comic operetta Orpheus in the Underworld, and Colas in La fille mal gardée. Gable frequently partnered with Lynn Seymour. Gable suffered from a chronic rheumatoid condition in his feet and left the Royal Ballet in 1967 to pursue a career in acting. Gable appeared in a number of television and film productions directed by Ken Russell. These included Song of Summer (1968) and Dance of the Seven Veils (1970) for BBC television, and the films Women in Love (1969), The Music Lovers (1971), The Boy Friend (1971), The Lair of the White Worm (1988), and The Rainbow (1989). His other roles included John, valet and friend of Prince Edward, in the Cinderella film musical The Slipper and the Rose (1976), the composer Peter Cornelius in Wagner (1983), Mercury in the BBC television production of Orpheus in the Underworld (1983), ambiguous villain Sharaz Jek in the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani (1984), and Arthur Ainsley in the miniseries A Woman of Substance (1985).
Known for

Doctor Who
Sharaz Jek

BBC Play of the Month
Trofimov

ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Willy

Churchill's People
Jack Cleveland

A Woman of Substance
Arthur Ainsley

The Lair of the White Worm
Joe Trent

Tycoon
Charles Clark

Women in Love
Tibby Lupton

The Boy Friend
Tony

Armchair Theatre
Jack
Filmography
- 2025Twiggy(archival footage)
- 2001Creating Sharaz Jek
- 1994A Christmas CarolDirector
- 1992Northern Ballet's A Christmas CarolDirector
- 1989The RainbowWill Brangwen
- 1988The Lair of the White WormJoe Trent
- 1987A Simple ManL.S. Lowry
- 1985A Woman of SubstanceArthur Ainsley
- 1984Doctor Who: The Caves of AndrozaniSharaz Jek
- 1983Orpheus in the UnderworldMercury
- 1978TycoonCharles Clark
- 1978The Devil's CrownPhilippe Auguste
- 1976The Hunchback of Notre DamePierre Gringoire
- 1976The Slipper and the RoseJohn
- 1974Churchill's PeopleJack Cleveland
- 1972High SummerJack
- 1972The Merchant of VeniceBassanio
- 1971The Cherry OrchardTrofimov
- 1971The Boy FriendTony
- 1971The Music LoversCount Anton Chiluvsky
- 1970Dance of the Seven VeilsRichard Strauss
- 1969Women in LoveTibby Lupton
- 1969ITV Saturday Night TheatreWilly
- 1968Song of SummerEric Fenby
- 1965BBC Play of the MonthTrofimov
- 1963Doctor WhoSharaz Jek
- 1956Armchair TheatreJack
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