Finlay Currie

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Finlay Currie
Trailer for Ivanhoe (1952)
Born
William Finlay Currie

(1878-01-20)20 January 1878
Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
Died9 May 1968(1968-05-09) (aged 90)
Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England
Resting placeBreakspear Crematorium, Ruislip, London, England
NationalityScottish
OccupationActor
Years active1898–1968
Spouse
Maude Courtney
​
​
(m. 1905; died 1959)​
Children2

William Finlay Currie

Balthazar in the American film Ben-Hur (1959).[4][5]

In his career spanning 70 years, Currie appeared in seven films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, of which Around the World in 80 Days (1956) and Ben-Hur (1959) were winners.[6][7]

Career

Currie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.[1] He attended George Watson's College and worked as organist and choir director.[4] In 1898 he got his first job in Benjamin Fuller's theatre group, and appeared with them for almost 10 years.[8]

After emigrating to the United States in the late 1890s, Currie and his wife, Maude Courtney, did a song-and-dance act on the stage.

Second World War film Undercover (1943).[9] His most famous film role was the convict, Abel Magwitch, in David Lean's Great Expectations (1946).[8] He also earned praise for his portrayal of Queen Victoria's highland attendant John Brown in The Mudlark (1950).[1]

In the following years he appeared in

Balthazar, one of the Three Magi, in the multi-Oscar-winning Ben-Hur (1959); the Pope in Francis of Assisi (1961); and an aged, wise senator in The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964). He appeared in People Will Talk with Cary Grant; and portrayed Robert Taylor's embittered father, Sir Cedric, in MGM's Technicolor version of Ivanhoe (1952).[3]
But Ivanhoe also gave Currie one of his most delightful roles, highlighting his comic capabilities, as well as a willingness to still do some action scenes, even in his 70s.

Television roles included Sir Gideon Murray in

A.J. Cronin's novel, Shannon's Way
.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in February 1963, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre in London.[citation needed]

In 1966, Currie played Mr. Lundie, the minister, in the television adaptation of the musical

boss in the two-part episode "Vendetta for the Saint", which was shown posthumously in 1969.[12]

Late in life, he became a much respected

antiques dealer, specialising in coins and precious metals. He was also a longtime collector of the works of Robert Burns.[1]

Personal life and death

Currie was married to American actress Maude Courtney.[1][4] They had two children, George and Marion.[1]

Currie died on 9 May 1968 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire at age 90.[3] His ashes were scattered in Breakspear Crematorium, Ruislip, Middlesex.

Complete filmography

Partial television credits

  • The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou (1953) as Sir Gideon Murray
  • Danger Man – Episodes: "The Gallows Tree" (1961) as Jock "That's Two of Us Sorry" (1965) as Jock (NOTE: apparently both times he appeared in that series, his character was named "Jock"!
  • Dixon of Dock Green Episode "A Home of One's Own" (1962) as Mr Caldicott
  • Alice in Wonderland (1966) as the Dodo
  • Gideon's Way Episode "The Thin Red Line" (1966) as the General
  • The Prisoner – Episode "The Chimes of Big Ben" (1967) as General
  • The Saint – Episode "Vendetta for the Saint" (1968) as Don Pasquale (final television appearance)

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/55968. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ISBN 9781526111968
  3. ^ a b c d "Finlay Currie". BFI. Archived from the original on 9 May 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d "BFI Screenonline: Currie, Finlay (1878–1968) Biography". Screenonline.org.uk.
  5. ^ "Ben-Hur (1959) – William Wyler – Review". AllMovie.
  6. ^ "1957: Around the World in 80 Days | The Oscars, from Wings to Spotlight: the 88 films to win Best Picture - Film". 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  7. ^ "1960: Ben-Hur | The Oscars, from Wings to Spotlight: the 88 films to win Best Picture - Film". 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Finlay Currie – Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  9. ^ "Undercover (1943) – Sergei Nolbandov – Cast and Crew". AllMovie.
  10. ^ The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou, Scotland On-Air
  11. ^ "Brigadoon (1966)". BFI. Archived from the original on 3 December 2018.
  12. ^ "Finlay Currie – Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Finlay Currie.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Finlay_Currie&oldid=1213031443"