After leaving school at seventeen he followed a family tradition and became an engineering apprentice with Sentinel-Cammell in Shrewsbury, Shropshire earning a pound-a-week. However at the end of his two-year "privileged apprenticeship" he choose instead to apply to the RAF along with a close friend, John Hulton-Harrop. More was unsuccessful while Hulton-Harrop, who qualified as a first rate fighter pilot, was shot down and killed by his own coastal defences in one of the RAF's earliest sweeps over France.
Announced his retirement from acting in 1980 due to the onset of Parkinson's disease.
Despite being reluctant to become involved in television advertising he eventually endorsed "Birds Coffee" in the UK. Having been paid what he considered to be "an awful lot of money for half a days work" he asked why the offer was made to him? The answer came back that fourteen names went into a computer in America - measured against all the qualities of a typical Englishman, the qualities that would make the average housewife believe that this was someone whose word could be relied on, and your name came out of the computer.
Despite the fact that his film career had stalled by 1962, he played the lead in "Some People" (1962) for nothing, apart from expenses. The proceeds of the film were in aid of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and the National Playing Fields Association.
For much of his role as Bill Crichton in Paradise Lagoon (1957), he was filmed from the waist up to hide the fact that he was wearing shorts with his dinner-jacket because of the heat during filming. Although universally disliked by the critics this film went on to be the second biggest "grosser" at UK cinemas during 1957.
He fathered two daughters - Susan Jane More (1941 - ) from his first marriage to Beryl Johnstone and Sarah Elizabeth More (1954 - ) from his second marriage to "Bill" Barkby. Following his divorce from Beryl Johnstone, and her subsequent re-marriage it was decided that it would be in his daughters best interests if she grew up with only one father figure. As a result they did not meet again until 1957 when she had turned fifteen, although they had kept in touch throughout this period, writing regularly. His third wife, the actress Angela Douglas, was known to him simply as 'Shrimp'.
He was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1970 Queen's New Year's Honours List for his services to drama.
Ilford's civic theatre, The Kenneth More Theatre, opened on the very last day of 1974, is named in his honour. One of the few living English performers to have a theatre named after him, he made his first appearance at the theatre in April, 1977. It was an evening of poetry, prose and music entitled "Kenneth More Requests the Pleasure of Your Company". Appearing with him were Vivyan Ellacott, Roderick Elms, Edna Graham. Barbara Hills and Eleanor Thomas. An appearance scheduled for February 1979 in a programme called "Kenneth More and Friends" had to be cancelled at the last moment as he was too ill to appear. The "Kenneth More" is also home to the annual "Kenny Awards" centred on the ninety or so productions staged each year at the theatre. Voting for the awards is through a panel of independent reviewers and theatre audiences.
In 1957, he presented his old school, Victoria College, with an oil painting of King Charles I, which hangs prominently in College Hall. Equally lasting a legacy was his institution in 1962 of the annual Kenneth More Prize for Drama.
In 1972 More took part in a protest at the House of Commons against the proposed introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) into the United Kingdom. Amongst the other actors and actresses taking part were Charles Vance and Evelyn Laye. Despite the protest VAT was introduced into the UK on 1 April 1973, as a direct consequence of entry into the European 'Common Market'.
Like many film stars of the 1950s, More had a regular stand-in, Jack Manderville, who was also a personal friend.
Made his first appearance on the stage at the Windmill Theatre in August 1935, in a revue sketch. He returned to the stage, following his "demob" from the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, in November 1946 at the Aldwych.
More was granted one of showbusiness's highest accolades on 7th October 1975 when he was guest of honour at a special Variety Club of Great Britain luncheon. The event, held at the Savoy Hotel, in the company of most of Britain's top showbiz personalities was organised to celebrate his 40 years in the profession. Joining More and his wife Angela Douglas was Douglas Bader, the Royal Air Force fighter ace whom More portrayed in Reach for the Sky (1956).
Published two volumes of autobiography, Happy Go Lucky (1959) and More or Less (1978) and a book of reminiscences, Kindly Leave the Stage (1965).
Read the address at the memorial service for Jack Hawkins on 14 September 1973 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
Served throughout the Second World War in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR). He was "demobbed" in 1946 as a lieutenant having served on the light-cruiser HMS Aurora as a Watch Keeping Officer, and the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious as a Fighter Directions Officer.
Son of Charles Gilbert More and his wife Edith Winifred (nee Watkins). His mother, the daughter of a Cardiff solicitor was known affectionately as "Topsy". His sister Kate was 18 months his senior.
Spent part of his childhood in the Channel Islands where his father was general manager of Jersey Eastern Railways. He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey. It was there that he took part in his first school play, "The Sport of Kings" playing the part of a red-haired girl. His first male part at the school was in J.M. Barrie's "The Admirable Crichton". Years later he would play the lead in both the screen adaptation and the stage musical.
Tried unsuccessfully to join the Royal Air Force on a short service commission. Having been sent to what was then the RAF headquarters at Adastral House in Kingsway, London for a medical, he failed the test for equilibrium. After being strapped into a chair and spun round he was then required to get out of the chair and walk in a straight line. He got to his feet, but as soon as he tried to walk he fell flat on his face. In 1939, as war was declared, he made a renewed attempted to join up, this time with the Royal Navy. Again he was unsuccessful as the services had too many men applying and no where to put them. He returned to Rep in Birmingham only to find the "Closed" sign going up on the theatre door. Determined to do his bit he then volunteered to drive ambulances and this time he was successful. This was short-lived as he received a letter in the spring of 1940 to join Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships. He joined the "MV Lobus" and his naval career, which would progress to the Royal Navy, was finally underway.
Was a well known member of "The Garrick Club" in London and once claimed that if he only had enough money left in the world to pay the club subscription and nothing else, he would pay it.