Graham Crowden
Graham Crowden | |
---|---|
Born | Clement Graham Crowden 30 November 1922 Edinburgh, Scotland |
Died | 19 October 2010 Edinburgh, Scotland | (aged 87)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1956–2008 |
Spouse |
Phyllida Hewat (m. 1952) |
Children | 4, including Sarah |
Clement Graham Crowden (30 November 1922 – 19 October 2010)[1][2] was a Scottish actor. He was best known for his many appearances in television comedy dramas and films, often playing eccentric scientist, teacher and doctor characters.
Early life
Crowden was born on 30 November 1922 in
Acting career
Crowden had a long theatrical career, most notably at Laurence Olivier's National Theatre where he performed as The Player King in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a play by Tom Stoppard.
He occasionally played mad scientists in film, taking the role of Doctor Millar in the
In 1975, he made an appearance in "No Way Out" – an episode of the British
, as the prison doctor when Fletcher was complaining of an injured leg.He was offered the role of the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who in 1974, when Jon Pertwee left the role but turned it down, informing producer Barry Letts that he was not prepared to commit himself to the series for three years. Crowden's potential hiring was the reason why Ian Marter was originally hired for a role, as the producers and directors considered Crowden too old to be seen running about and taking on a larger physical role. The role of the Doctor ultimately went to Tom Baker. Crowden appeared in The Horns of Nimon (1979–80) as a villain opposite Baker.
A regular role was in the BBC comedy-drama A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–1988) as the alcoholic Dr Jock McCannon. In 1990, he appeared as a lecherous peer in the BBC comedy Don't Wait Up and in 1991 he played a modest role in the Rumpole of the Bailey episode "Rumpole and the Quacks", playing Sir Hector MacAuliffe, the head of a medical inquest into the potential sexual misconduct on the part of Ghulam Rahmat (played by Saeed Jaffrey).
In 1990, he landed the role of Tom Ballard in the sitcom
In 2001, he guest-starred in the
Death
For many years in later life, Crowden lived in Mill Hill, London. Crowden died on 19 October 2010 in Edinburgh after a short illness, survived by his wife, Phyllida Hewat, whom he married in 1952, a son and three daughters, one of whom, Sarah Crowden, followed him into acting.[1]
Filmography
Television roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1956 | David Copperfield | Mr. Gulpidge | |
1957 | Nicholas Nickleby | Mr. Pyke | |
1958 | Charlesworth at Large | Landlord | |
1964 | HMS Paradise | Commander Shaw | |
1964 | Redcap | Major Fraser | Episode: "The Patrol" |
1965 | Danger Man | Commander Braithwaite | Episode: "That's Two Of Us Sorry" |
1965 | Edgar Wallace Mysteries | Murchie | Episode: "Dead Man's Chest |
1965 | The Sullavan Brothers | Mr. Cullinane | |
1970 | Catweazle | Gobbling | Episode: "The Enchanted King" |
1971 | The Guardians | The Dirtiest Man | Episode: "The Dirtiest Man in the World" |
1973 | The Adventures of Black Beauty | Mr. Crevace | Episode: "Goodbye Beauty" |
1974 | Father Brown | Colonel Bohun | Episode: "The Hammer of God" |
1975 | Porridge | Prison Physician | Christmas Special – "No Way Out" |
1977 | 1990 | Dr. Sondeberg | Episode: "Decoy" |
1977 | Raffles | Sir Arthur Rumbold | Episode: "Home Affairs" |
1979–1980 | Doctor Who | Soldeed | "The Horns of Nimon" |
1982 | The Brack Report | Max Challen | |
1985 | Bleak House | Lord Chancellor | |
1986–1988 | A Very Peculiar Practice | Dr. Jock McCannon | |
1986 | All Passion Spent | Herbert | |
1987 | Screen Two | Headmaster | Episode: "East of Ipswich" |
1990–1994 | Waiting for God | Tom Ballard | |
1991 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Sir Hector MacAuliffe | |
1992 | The Alleyn Mysteries |
Sir Henry Ancred | Episode: "Final Curtain" |
1994 | Love on a Branch Line | Professor Pollux | |
1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Professor of Politics | |
2000 | The 10th Kingdom | Old Retainer | |
2001 | Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible | Professor MacLewton | Episode: "Curse of the Blood of the Lizard of Doom" |
2001 | The Way We Live Now | The Marquis of Auld Reekie | |
2002 | Midsomer Murders | Reggie Barton | Episode: "Ring Out Your Dead" |
2007 | Waking the Dead | Sir Cyril Barrett | Episode: "Deus ex Machina" |
2008 | Foyle's War | Sir John Sackville | Episode: "Broken Souls" |
Film roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | The Bridal Path | Man Giving Directions to the Beach | Uncredited |
1961 | Don't Bother to Knock | Scoutmaster | Uncredited |
1962 | We Joined the Navy | Uncredited | |
1965 | One Way Pendulum | Prosecuting Counsel / Caretaker | |
1966 | Morgan - A Suitable Case for Treatment |
Counsel | |
1968 | If.... | History Master: Staff | |
1969 | The File of the Golden Goose | Smythe | |
1969 | The Virgin Soldiers | Medical Officer | |
1970 | Leo the Last | Max | |
1970 | The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer | Bishop of Cowley | |
1971 | Percy | Alfred Spaulton | |
1971 | The Night Digger | Mr. Bolton | |
1972 | Something to Hide | Lay Preacher | |
1971 | Up the Chastity Belt | Sir Coward de Custard | |
1972 | The Ruling Class | Kelso Truscott | |
1972 | The Amazing Mr Blunden |
Mr. Clutterbuck | |
1973 | O Lucky Man! | Stewart / Prof. Millar / Meths Drinker | |
1973 | The Final Programme | Dr. Smiles | |
1974 | The Abdication | Cardinal Barberini | |
1974 | The Little Prince | The General | |
1974 | Romance with a Double Bass | Count Alexei | |
1975 | The New Spartans | ||
1977 | Hardcore | Lord Yardarm | |
1977 | Jabberwocky | Fanatics' Leader | |
1977 | Three Dangerous Ladies | The Butler | (segment "The Island") |
1981 | For Your Eyes Only | First Sea Lord | |
1982 | Britannia Hospital | Professor Millar | |
1982 | The Missionary | The Reverend Fitzbanks | |
1984 | The Company of Wolves | Old Priest | |
1985 | Code Name: Emerald | Sir Geoffrey Macklin | |
1985 | Out of Africa | Lord Belfield | |
1988 | A Handful of Dust | Mr. Graceful | |
1996 | The Innocent Sleep | George | |
1998 | The Sea Change | Chairman of The Board | |
1998 | I Want You | Old Man | |
2002 | Possession | Sir George | |
2003 | Calendar Girls | Richard |
References
- ^ a b Randall, Nicholas (21 October 2010). "Stage and screen star Graham Crowden dies, aged 87". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
- ^ "Graham Crowden (obituary)". The Times. 21 October 2010. p. 65.
- ^ University of Edinburgh Journal, vol. 9, University of Edinburgh Graduates' Association, 1938, p. 287
- ^ The Newsroom (21 October 2010). "Obituary: Graham Crowden, actor". The Scotsman. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ a b Who's Who In The Theatre: a biographical record of the contemporary stage, seventeenth edition, vol. I, ed. Ian Herbert, Gale Research Company, 1981, p. 154
- ^ "Graham Crowden obituary". the Guardian. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- ^ BBC: Very quietly, Waiting For God became a huge success...
Michael Palin, Halfway to Hollywood, p. 162