David Ogden Stiers was born in Peoria, Illinois, moved with his family to Eugene, Oregon during high school. He began his acting career in Northern California, acting in San Francisco at the Actors' Workshop. He later moved to New York, where he studied drama at Juilliard, and joined the Houseman Acting Company at its outset, working on such productions as The Beggar's Opera, Measure for Measure, The Hostage and the hit musical The Magic Show. He often lends his voice to animated films, with _Lilo & Stitch .
Has conducted 70 orchestras in over 100 appearances. He is resident conductor of the Newport Symphony Orchestra in Newport, Oregon.
Some of the "M
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Was a high school classmate of Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert.
Provided the voice of Cogsworth the clock in Disneys Beauty and the Beast . His advice to the Beast on what to give Belle, "Flowers, chocolates, promises you dont intend to keep..." was his own creation.
Provided several other voices for Disney: Gov. Ratcliffe & Wiggins in Pocahontas and Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World ; Cogsworth and the narrator in Beauty and the Beast ; and the Archdeacon in The Hunchback of Notre Dame .
He is often given small roles in Woody Allen films for which he receives high billing considering his screen time.
On "M
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Didnt learn to drive until 1975, when his role on the "Kojak" episode, "Kojak" {Money Back Guarantee (#3.12)} , called for him to be seen driving.
Has a son from a relationship in the 1960s.
Graduated High School at North Eugene High School, Oregon.
Played French horn in the orchestra at Juilliard, which is rather more amusing considering an episode of "M
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His last name is pronounced "styers".
Best known by the public for his role as Major Charles Winchester on "M
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His acting mentor was the late Harry Morgan.
Originally went into audition for the role of Lumiere the Candlestick in Disneys Beauty and the Beast. He got the role of Cogsworth the clock instead.
Is the only actor to be a part of both the cast of Beauty and the Beast and its 1994 Broadway cast. In both he provides the atmospheric narration for the respective prologues.
He appeared in five films directed by Woody Allen : Another Woman , Shadows and Fog , Mighty Aphrodite , Everyone Says I Love You and The Curse of the Jade Scorpion .
Why he chose to come out as gay, May, 2009: I could claim noble reasons,as coming out in order to move gay rights forward, but I must admit it,is for far more selfish reasons. Now is the time I wish to find someone,and I do not desire to force any potential partner to live a life of,extreme discretion for me.
[on creating the voice of Cogsworth in,Beauty and the Beast (1991) ] I, at first, imagined a grandfather,clock with a deep booming voice. Because he was smaller his vocal,chords were also smaller and so the vocal quality became tighter. Then,I tried to add a little bit of an uptight, pompous aspect and so that,was the voice.
What they might allow in a more known actor, they prefer not having to,deal with in minor players.
Fun can happen on the interior. Nobody knows about it, but there are fireworks going on inside your spirit when you hear a great orchestra playing great music.
Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.
My father, who died a few years ago, was a good, simple, very honest man. His faith and affection for his family was just unassailable, without question. .
