Beverley Cross is famous as the English playwright, librettist, and writer who devoted his life in equal measure to his career and pursuit of love. Born in London into a theatrical family and educated at the Nautical College Pangbourne, Cross started by writing children’s plays in the 1950s. However, his first adult play, One More River, became an instant success and shot him to stardom.
Following the success of his first adult play, which opened in 1959, his boisterous musical comedy Half a Sixpence opened in 1963, and like his first play, it ran in London for more than a year. Aside from his legacy as a successful playwright and screenwriter, Beverley Cross is remembered for his long pursuit of Maggie Smith, who later became his wife.
Who Is Maggie Smith’s Spouse, Beverley Cross?
Beverley Cross was born on April 13, 1931. His mom, Eileen Dale, was a dancer and actress, and his father, George Cross, was a theatrical manager. Although there are no details about his early life, reports suggest he had a happy childhood. After he graduated from the Pangbourne Nautical College, Beverley Cross enlisted in the British army.
In the army, Cross worked in the Norwegian Merchant Navy before studying history at Balliol College, Oxford. Afterward, he tried acting at the Shakespeare Memorial Theater Company in Stratford-on-Avon, where he played minor roles for two seasons. However, the iconic writer soon discovered he wasn’t cut out for the job.
Cross did not leave the entertainment scene despite his failure as an actor. He worked as a production assistant for children’s drama at the BBC, then started writing children’s plays. His first children’s play, The Singing Dolphin, was produced in 1959; his second, The Three Cavaliers, was also created the following year.
Although his children’s plays just took off, Cross tried his hands at adult plays. His first adult play, One More River, became a success. It debuted in Liverpool in 1959, starring some of the notable faces in the entertainment industry at the time. Following the success of his first adult play, the prolific writer became a force in the entertainment world.
How Did Beverley Cross, Meet Maggie Smith?
Beverley Cross met his heartthrob, Maggie Smith, at a student revue at Oxford, where he was an undergraduate. Smith immediately smote the playwright. Although he was married to Elizabeth Clunies-Ross, a classmate from Oxford, he couldn’t let go of Smith. Hopelessly in love, Cross expressed his feelings to Smith, a character in his second play.
The two started an affair while Cross divorced his wife to be with Smith. Unfortunately, fate intervened, and things didn’t go as planned. As urged by Cross, Smith joined Laurence Olivier’s new National Theater, where Smith met and fell in love with fellow actor Robert Stephens. Smith and Stephens tied the knot, and Cross loathed Stephens. However, the playwright eventually married a model, Gayden Collins.
Although Smith’s marriage to Stephens was happy for the first few years, life with him soon became unbearable. Several reports claim Stephens was unfaithful and battled alcohol. The couple parted ways in 1975, making Smith a prime target for her former lover, Cross.
When Did Beverley Cross Tie the Knot With Maggie Smith?
Immediately after Smith’s divorce in 1975, Cross filed for divorce from his second wife, Gayden Collins. The successful playwright tied the knot with Smith that same year and raised Maggie Smith’s two sons, Chris and Toby, as his. Although Cross and Smith never had kids together, their years as a couple were the best years of their lives.
Beverley Cross and Smith spent the next 23 years of their life together. However, Smith later opened up about missing her ex-husband, Stephen. She disclosed that she still loved him for being the father of her children. Nevertheless, she added that she valued life with Cross and counts herself fortunate to have met again the man she should have married in the first place.
Why Did Beverley Cross and Maggie Smith’s Marriage End Abruptly?
Beverley Cross fought all odds to have Maggie as his wife. However, after spending 23 years together as a couple, death robbed the two of what would have been a happy ever after. Beverley Cross died in 1998. His death was not only a shock to fans but was life-shattering for his wife.
Years after his death, Smith opened up about life without her long-time lover, Cross. She disclosed that she could only cope after she turned her focus to her work. Since losing her second husband, the Harry Potter actress has remained single. When asked if she would consider love again, Smith said she wasn’t sure she would find anyone like Cross.
What Is Beverley Cross’ Cause Of Death?
Although his cause of death remains a mystery, reports claim he had been in and out of the hospital before his death. The playwright received treatment for a series of aneurysms, a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall before he died.
In addition to Maggie Smith, Beverley Cross is survived by two daughters from his first marriage, a son from his second marriage, and two stepsons from his third marriage. Like Michael Galeotti, he lives on through his works.