Richard Shelton (actor)

Richard Shelton
Born
Wolverhampton, England
OccupationsActor and singer
Years active1984–present
WebsiteOfficial website

Richard Shelton is a British actor and singer. He has performed in television and film, most notably in the television series Emmerdale.[1] His theater credits include playing Frank Sinatra in Rat Pack Confidential where he was recognized as 'Best Actor in a Leading Role.' As a jazz singer he has released numerous albums, including An Englishman In Love In L.A. which was recorded with surviving members of Sinatra's band.

Early life and education

Shelton is from Wolverhampton, England.[2] He has said he became interested in performing as a young boy after watching The Sound of Music and Oliver!, and that his first public performance was at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre with a local dance school.[3] At age 16, he enrolled at what is now University College Birmingham. He graduated in 1981 with an OND in Hotel and Catering Management.[4] During his studies, he appeared in a production of Cabaret at the Crescent Theatre.[4] Following a nine-month placement at London's Grosvenor House Hotel, he spent several years working in hotels in London and the Middle East, eventually serving as a director at InterContinental Hotels.[4]

Career

At age 32, he co-founded London's Bridewell Theatre with a group of acting friends, and left the hotel business after an agent signed him.[3] His professional acting debut was for the part of Edmund Sweetenham in the UK tour of the play A Murder is Announced.[5] In 2002, Shelton was recognized as 'Best Actor in a Leading Role' for his portrayal of Frank Sinatra in Rat Pack Confidential, a play adapted from the Shawn Levy book of the same name.[6][7] Shelton wrote and starred in Sinatra and Me for 2 consecutive seasons at the Edinburgh Festival to critical acclaim.[8][9] In 2018, Shelton wrote and starred in Sinatra: RAW.[10] His performance earned a nomination for 'Best Male Performance in a Musical at The Offies 2020.[11]

Beginning in 2005, Shelton became a series regular as Dr. Adam Forsythe in Emmerdale.[12] Earlier credits in British television included EastEnders and Family Affairs.[12] In the United States, he has guest-starred in House of Lies and Jane the Virgin.[4]

Shelton's film credits include Simon Curtis's 2011 biographical drama My Week with Marilyn.[12] In 2015, he appeared in the British crime film Brash Young Turks[13] and in the short thriller Do Not Disturb, for which he received 'Best Supporting Actor' nominations at the British Horror Film Festival and the Chicago Horror Film Festival.[14] In 2019, he co-starred in the biographical film Palau the Movie.[14]

Shelton is also a jazz singer. He has performed on the UK jazz circuit, and recorded his debut album Top Cat at London's Abbey Road Studios with a 65-piece orchestra.[15] He later moved to Los Angeles, and in 2020 recorded An Englishman in Love in LA with members of Sinatra's surviving band, including bassist Chuck Berghofer, drummer Gregg Field and pianist Mike Lang.[16][15] The album won an International Talent Award.[17]

Partial filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2000Silent WitnessSimon LittleTelevision short
2011My Week with MarilynWaiter[12]
2015Do Not DisturbDetective ForbesShort film[14]
Brash Young TurksConrad Holmes[13]
2019Palau the MovieMajor Ian Thomas[14]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
1997EastEndersPoliceman 31 episode[12]
Family AffairsTrevor1 episode[12]
2005-2006EmmerdaleDr. Adam ForsytheSeries regular[12]
2014House of LiesMr. Benson1 episode (s3e10 "Comeuppance")[4]
2016-2017Jane the VirginArnaud2 episodes ("Chapter Fifty-One", "Chapter Fifty-Two")[18]

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenueNotesRef
A Murder is AnnouncedEdmund SweetenhamUK tourProduced by Bill Kenwright; professional debut[5]
2002Rat Pack ConfidentialFrank SinatraNottingham PlayhouseManchester Evening News Theatre Awards nomination, Best Actor in a Leading Role; based on the book by Shawn Levy, adapted by Paul Sirett[6][7]
2016Sinatra and MeFrank SinatraEdinburgh Festival FringeWritten by Shelton[8]
2017Sinatra and Me (Again)Frank SinatraFrankenstein Pub, Edinburgh Festival Fringe[9]
2018-2019Sinatra: RAWFrank SinatraEdinburgh Festival FringeWritten by Shelton; The Offies 2020 nomination, Best Male Performance in a Musical[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ Livingstone, Hannah (29 August 2011). "Standing up with stamina at the fringe". BBC Online. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Wolverhampton actor Richard Shelton to bring critically-acclaimed Frank Sinatra show to Birmingham". Express & Star. January 15, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Sisley, Polly. "Interview - singer Richard Shelton brings his show Sinatra and Me to Live At Zédel". Musical Theatre Review.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Stage and TV star Richard Shelton returns to UCB ahead of Frank Sinatra show in Birmingham". University College Birmingham. January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Production of A Murder is Announced | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  6. 1 2 "Sinatra without the sin". The Telegraph.
  7. 1 2 Billington, Michael (2002-09-12). "Rat Pack Confidential, Nottingham Playhouse". The Guardian.
  8. 1 2 Murray, John (22 August 2016). "Rev. of Sinatra and Me". Broadway Baby.
  9. 1 2 "Sinatra and Me (Again), Frankenstein Pub, Review | Edinburgh Guide". edinburghguide.com.
  10. 1 2 Hutera, Donald. "Sinatra: Raw review - Richard Shelton's mesmerising take on Ol' Blue Eyes is a must-see". The Times.
  11. 1 2 "10th Anniversary Offies 2020 - Nominations - Winners". offies.london. 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Former Emmerdale star Richard Shelton on playing Frank Sinatra laid bare... even his dark side". The Sunday Post.
  13. 1 2 "Brash Young Turks". British Council Films.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Richard Shelton talks about bringing you the closest you'll ever come to Frank Sinatra at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival". West End Wilma. July 20, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Richard Shelton: An Englishman In Love In LA". Jazz Journal. 29 November 2023.
  16. ↑ Blanco, Edward. "Richard Shelton: An Englishman In Love In L.A." All About Jazz.
  17. ↑ Burley, Rupert (16 May 2022). "Richard Shelton (Album: 'An Englishman In Love In LA')". London Jazz News.
  18. ↑ "Jane the Virgin - Chapter Fifty-One - Review". SpoilerTV. January 22, 2017.
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