Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the staunch Detective Taylor in "Child in the House" (1956). A character actor who worked predominantly from the 1950s into the 1980s, he became one of the most recognizable faces in post war British cinema. During his acting career, he appeared in almost 70 films. Born in London, England, he served in the British Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II and spent four years in the notorious Japanese prisoner of war camp Changi, in the eastern part of Singapore. After the Japanese surrender in September 1945, he returned to England and obtained a scholarship with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His acting career began in the theatre, which included working at John Gielgud's Old Vic Company. In the early 1950s he began appearing in films, often playing soldiers, most notably in "The Cockleshell Heroes" (1955), "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957, for which he also worked as a consultant), "Sea of Sand" (1958), "Tunes of Glory" (1960), "The Guns of Navarone" (1961), "Guns at Batasi" (1964), "Tobruk" (1967) and "The Wild Geese" (1978). He also appeared in the comedy films "Barnacle Bill" (1957), "Casino Royale" (1967), the science fiction films "Mysterious Island" (1961) and "One Million Years B.C." (1966), and the drama films "Becket" (1964) and "Bunny Lake is Missing" (1965). His television credits include British television series "Danger Man," "The Saint," "Z-Cars," "Dixon of Dock Green," and "Worzel Gummidge," and the American Western CBS television drama series "Cimarron Strip" that aired from September 1967 until March 1968.
Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the staunch Detective Taylor in "Child in the House" (1956). A character actor who worked predominantly from the 1950s into the 1980s, he became one of the most recognizable faces in post war British cinema. During his acting career, he appeared in almost 70 films. Born in London, England, he served in the British Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II and spent four years in the notorious Japanese prisoner of war camp Changi, in the eastern part of Singapore. After the Japanese surrender in September 1945, he returned to England and obtained a scholarship with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His acting career began in the theatre, which included working at John Gielgud's Old Vic Company. In the early 1950s he began appearing in films, often playing soldiers, most notably in "The Cockleshell Heroes" (1955), "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957, for which he also worked as a consultant), "Sea of Sand" (1958), "Tunes of Glory" (1960), "The Guns of Navarone" (1961), "Guns at Batasi" (1964), "Tobruk" (1967) and "The Wild Geese" (1978). He also appeared in the comedy films "Barnacle Bill" (1957), "Casino Royale" (1967), the science fiction films "Mysterious Island" (1961) and "One Million Years B.C." (1966), and the drama films "Becket" (1964) and "Bunny Lake is Missing" (1965). His television credits include British television series "Danger Man," "The Saint," "Z-Cars," "Dixon of Dock Green," and "Worzel Gummidge," and the American Western CBS television drama series "Cimarron Strip" that aired from September 1967 until March 1968.
Bio by: Lowell Thurgood
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