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George Hall, who has died aged 101, was an extraordinary life force – a composer, performer, teacher, director and raconteur, with an encyclopedic knowledge of cabaret and musical theatre.

From 1964 until 1987, George was head of acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Working with many theatre greats over the years, in 2010 he published an account of his life: An Untidy Career: Conversations with George Hall and last year was dubbed the oldest podcaster in Britain, recording the series George Hall at 100.

Born in Edinburgh, George was an only child. His father, William, was the manager of a Co-op grocery store, where his mother, Annie (nee McCallum), also worked, as a clerk. He was educated at George Heriot’s school in Edinburgh and learned the piano there.

After serving in the RAF in the second world war, he trained as an actor at the Old Vic theatre in London, where he was taught by Michel Saint-Denis, George Devine and Glen Byam Shaw, and formed lifelong friendships with Joan Plowright, Casper Wrede and Michael Elliott. He appeared in variety, revue and rep and spent a year as resident composer at the Old Vic. In 1961 he also composed the music for Elliott’s RSC production of As You Like It, starring the young Vanessa Redgrave as Rosalind.

In 1964 he went to the Central School, taking with him the movement teacher Litz Pisk and innovative directors including Elliott, with whom he would collaborate again in the 1970s at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. When Laurence Olivier played King Lear for Granada Television in 1983, George was his voice coach.

He was adored by his students throughout his long career – it was my privilege to be one of his first in 1964. His energy and passion, combined with his immense charm and patience, made him an inspirational teacher.

In the early 1960s George anticipated the explosion of new musicals that was to revolutionise British theatre and with his expertise and vision trained his students to interrogate lyrics with the same forensic intellectual precision as they would a classical text. In this way he prepared a generation of gifted actor-singers.

On his retirement in 1987, a surprise gala was held in the West End with performances from former students and a presentation by Redgrave and Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who said that George had transformed the quality of acting at Central.

Moving to Brighton with his longtime partner John Jones, whom he married in 2006, he continued to teach in London at the Poor School and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also taught cabaret skills at Yale University and was made an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music, where he continued to teach on Zoom until the week before his death.

He celebrated his 101st birthday around the piano with friends and champagne.

John died in 2023. George is survived by his cousin’s daughter, Fiona, whom he always regarded as a niece, and her family.