Frank Finlay
Frank Finlay CBE | |
---|---|
Born | Francis Finlay 6 August 1926 Farnworth, Lancashire, England |
Died | 30 January 2016 , Surrey, England | (aged 89)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1958–2009 |
Spouse |
Doreen Shepherd
(m. 1954; died 2005) |
Children | 3 |
Website | Official website |
Francis Finlay,
Early life
Finlay was born in
Stage career
Finlay made his first stage appearances at the local Farnworth Little Theatre, in plays that included Peter Blackmore's Miranda in 1951.
There followed several parts in productions at the
At the Chichester Festival Theatre, Finlay played roles ranging from the First Gravedigger in Hamlet to Josef Frank in Weapons of Happiness. He also appeared in The Party, Plunder, Saint Joan, Hobson's Choice, Amadeus (as Salieri),[9] Much Ado About Nothing (as Dogberry), The Dutch Courtesan, The Crucible, Mother Courage, and Juno and the Paycock.
Finlay made appearances on
Screen
This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (January 2016) |
One of his earliest television roles was in the family space adventure serial Target Luna (1960), as journalist Conway Henderson. Finlay's first major television success was as Jean Valjean in the BBC's 1967 ten-part adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. He played the title role of Dennis Potter's BBC 2 series Casanova (1971).[1] Following this, he portrayed Adolf Hitler in The Death of Adolf Hitler (1972) for London Weekend Television.
Finlay portrayed Richard Roundtree's nemesis, Amafi, in the film Shaft in Africa (1973), before playing Porthos for director Richard Lester in The Three Musketeers (also 1973),[1] The Four Musketeers (1975) and The Return of the Musketeers (1989).[1] He appeared in several additional films, including The Wild Geese (1978)[1] and The Key by Tinto Brass.
Finlay starred as the father in the once-controversial
In 1994 he played Howard Franklin in fourth-series Heartbeat episode "Lost and Found".
Finlay played
Finlay played the role of
Private life and honours
Finlay met his future wife Doreen Shepherd when both belonged to Farnworth Little Theatre. They had three children, Stephen, Cathy, and Daniel,
Finlay was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year's Honours of 1984[1][15] and an honorary doctor of the University of Bolton in 2009.[6]
Death
Finlay died on 30 January 2016 at his home in Weybridge, Surrey, England, aged 89, from heart failure.[1][16][17][18][9]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1962 | Life for Ruth | Henry – Teddy's father | ||
The Longest Day | Private Coke | Uncredited | ||
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner | Booking Office clerk | Uncredited | [9] | |
Private Potter | Captain Patterson | |||
1963 | Doctor in Distress | Corsetiere | [9] | |
The Informers | Leon Sale | |||
1964 | Hot Enough for June | British Embassy porter | Uncredited | |
The Comedy Man | Prout | |||
1965 | A Study in Terror | Inspector Lestrade | Reprised the role fourteen years later in Murder by Decree | [9] |
The Wild Affair | Drunk | |||
Othello | Iago | San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actor Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated — BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture |
[1] | |
1966 | The Sandwich Man | Second fish porter | ||
The Deadly Bees | H.W. Manfred | |||
1967 | The Jokers | Harassed man | ||
Robbery | Robinson | |||
I'll Never Forget What's'isname | Chaplain | |||
The Spare Tyres | Council foreman | Short | ||
1968 | Inspector Clouseau | Superintendent Weaver | ||
The Shoes of the Fisherman
|
Igor Bounin | |||
Twisted Nerve | Henry Durnley | |||
1970 | The Molly Maguires | Davies | ||
Cromwell | John Carter | |||
1971 | Assault | Det. Chief Supt. Velyan | ||
Gumshoe | William Ginley | |||
1972 | Sitting Target | Marty Gold | ||
Danny Jones | Mr. Jones | |||
Neither the Sea Nor the Sand | George Dabernon | |||
1973 | Shaft in Africa | Amafi | ||
The Three Musketeers | Porthos / O'Reilly | [1][9][17] | ||
1974 | The Four Musketeers | Porthos | Sequel to The Three Musketeers | [1][9][17] |
1978 | The Wild Geese | Father Geoghagen | [1] | |
1979 | Murder by Decree | Inspector Lestrade | ||
Ring of Darkness | Paul | aka Satan's Wife | ||
1982 | The Return of the Soldier | William Grey | Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role | |
Enigma | Canarsky | |||
1983 | The Ploughman's Lunch | Matthew Fox | ||
The Key | Nino Rolfe | |||
1985 | 1919 | Sigmund Freud | Voice | |
Lifeforce | Dr. Hans Fallada | |||
1989 | The Return of the Musketeers | Porthos | Final film in the Musketeers trilogy | [1][9] |
1990 | King of the Wind | Edward Coke | ||
1992 | Cthulhu Mansion | Chandu | ||
Stalin | Sergei Alliluyev | TV movie | ||
1993 | Sparrow | Father Nunzio | ||
1995 | Gospa | Monsignor | ||
1996 | Tiré à part | John Rathbone | ||
1997 | For My Baby | Rudi Wittfogel | ||
So This Is Romance? | Mike's dad | |||
The Road to Glory | Yudah Lieb Gold | |||
Put K Slave | ||||
1998 | Stiff Upper Lips | Hudson Junior | ||
1999 | Dreaming of Joseph Lees | Father | ||
2000 | Ghosthunter | Charlie Fielding | Short | |
2001 | The Martins | Mr. Heath | ||
2002 | The Pianist | Samuel Szpilman | [1][6][9] | |
Silent Cry | Dr. Robert Barrum | |||
2003 | The Statement | Commissaire Vionnet | ||
2004 | Lighthouse Hill | Alfred | ||
2007 | The Waiting Room | Roger |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | ITV Sunday Night Theatre | Adolf Hitler | Episode: "The Death of Adolf Hitler" | [9] |
1976 | Bouquet of Barbed Wire | Peter Manson | TV mini-series | [4][9][17] |
1977 | Count Dracula
|
Abraham Van Helsing | TV movie | [9] |
1983 | The Black Adder | The Witchsmeller Pursuivant | Episode: "Witchsmeller Pursuivant" | [1][9] |
1984 | Sakharov | Kravtsov | TV movie | |
A Christmas Carol | Jacob Marley's Ghost | TV movie | [9] | |
1987 | Casanova | Razetta | TV movie | [17] |
1988 | Erebus: The Aftermath | Justice Peter Mahon | TV Mini-Series | |
1998–1999 | How Do You Want Me? | Astley Yardley | 10 episodes | |
2000 | The Sins | 'Uncle' Irwin Green | BBC drama series | |
2003 | Eroica | Joseph Haydn | TV movie | |
The Lost Prince | H.H. Asquith | TV movie | ||
2004 | Life Begins | Eric | ITV Series | |
2008 | Merlin | Anhora | Episode: "The Labyrinth of Gedref" | [1] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w BBC News, "Actor Frank Finlay dies aged 89", 31 January 2016. Accessed 1 February 2016.
- ^ "Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show 1978". YouTube. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
- ^ Gary Morecambe, Eric Morecambe: Life's Not Hollywood It's Cricklewood. BBC Books, 2004, p. 210.
- ^ a b Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "Frank Finlay profile". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Family pays tribute to 'loving grandfather' and 'damn fine actor' Frank Finlay". The Bolton News.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ^ "Awards listing". Awardsdatabase.oscars.org. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Obituary: Frank Finlay". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
- ^ The Broadway League. "Frank Finlay profile". IBDB.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "Beyond Reasonable Doubt". FrankFinlay.Net. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ Josephdreams. "Frank Finlay website". Frank Finlay. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "BAFTA Television Awards". Bafta.org. 31 July 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ Deborah Ross (24 February 1998). "Interview: Frank Finlay: Getting to over the barbed wire". The Independent. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
- ^ "No. 49583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1983. p. 8.
- ^ Josephdreams. "Frank Finlay". frankfinlay.net.
- ^ a b c d e "Frank Finlay dead: British Oscar-nominated actor who played opposite Olivier dies aged 89". The Independent. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ^ "Actor Frank Finlay dies aged 89". BBC News. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Frank Finlay at IMDb
- Frank Finlay at the Internet Broadway Database
- Obituary at the Bolton News [1 February 2016] Retrieved 7 February 2016.