Reginald Purdell
Reginald Purdell | |
---|---|
UK | |
Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, film director |
Years active | 1930 – 1952 |
Reginald Purdell (4 November 1896 – 22 April 1953) was an English actor and screenwriter who appeared in over 40 films between 1930 and 1951.[1] During the same period he also contributed to the screenplays of 15 feature films, such as The Dark Tower, and had a brief foray into directing with two films in 1937.
Early life
Purdell was born in
In 1892, Grasdorff was listed as "Grasdorff, Carl H. W., Newport, Monmouthshire, and Bute Docks, Cardiff, Sailing and Steamship Broker, Coal Exporter, and Managing Steamship Owner".[6][7]
Both parents were living in Clapham in 1901.[8]
Career
As a young man, under the name of Reginald Grasdorff, he served in the
Purdell's first screen appearance was in the 1930 comedy
Purdell soon began to accumulate screen credits in a wide variety of films ranging from cheaply made
In the 1940s Purdell's acting career diversified, with fewer throwaway comedies and more appearances in high-quality dramatic vehicles. His credits included war dramas
Personal life
In the summer of 1928, under his real name of Reginald William Henry Grasdorff, Purdell married May Watson at Wandsworth.[14] They had a son in 1932, born in Kensington and registered under the name of John R. W. Grasdorff.[15]
Purdell died on 22 April 1953,[13] at Kensington, London. His death was registered under the name of Reginald Purdell and his age stated as 57.[16]
Partial filmography
- The Middle Watch (1930) - Cpl. Duckett
- A Night in Montmartre (1931) - Tino
- A Night Like This (1932) - Waiter (uncredited)
- Congress Dances (1932) - Pepi
- My Lucky Star (1933) - Artist
- Crime on the Hill (1933) - Reporter
- Up to the Neck (1933) - Jimmy Catlin
- Three Men in a Boat (1933)
- On the Air (1934) - Reggie
- The Queen's Affair (1934) - Soldier
- The Luck of a Sailor (1934) - Jenkins
- What's in a Name? (1934) - Harry Stubbs
- The Old Curiosity Shop (1934) - Dick Swiveller
- Key to Harmony (1935) - Tom Kirkwood
- Royal Cavalcade (1935) - Radio Listener
- Get Off My Foot (1935) - Joe
- Debt of Honour (1936) - Pedro Salvas
- Where's Sally? (1936) - Dick Burgess
- Crown v. Stevens (1936) - Alf
- Hail and Farewell (1936) - Nobby
- Side Street Angel (1937) - McGill
- Ship's Concert (1937, Short) - Reggie
- The Dark Stairway (1938) - Askew
- Quiet Please (1938) - Algy Beresford
- The Viper (1938) - Announcer
- Simply Terrific (1938) - Sam Todd
- Many Tanks Mr. Atkins (1938) - Pvt. Nuts Nutter
- It's in the Blood (1938)
- Q Planes (1939) - Pilot (uncredited)
- His Brother's Keeper (1940) - Bunny Reeves
- Pack Up Your Troubles (1940) - Tommy Perkins
- The Middle Watch (1940) - Cpl Duckett
- Busman's Honeymoon (1940) - MacBride
- Fingers (1941) - Creeper
- We Dive at Dawn (1943) - Coxwain - C / P.O. Dabbs
- Variety Jubilee (1943) - Joe Swan
- It's in the Bag (1944) - Joe
- Bell-Bottom George (1944) - Birdie Edwards
- Love Story (1944) - Albert
- Two Thousand Women (1944) - Alec Harvey
- Candles at Nine (1944) - Charles Lacey
- Dreaming (1944)
- London Town (1946) - Stage Manager
- The Root of All Evil (1947) - Perkins
- Holiday Camp(1947) - Redcoat
- Captain Boycott (1947) - American reporter
- A Man About the House(1947) - Higgs
- Brighton Rock(1948) - Frank
- Stage Fright (1950) - Police Car Driver (uncredited)
- Files from Scotland Yard (1951) - Inspector Gower
References
- ^ "Reginald Purdell". BFI. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012.
- ^ "Grasdorff, Reginald W H", in Register of Births for Wandsworth Registration District, vol. 1d (December 1896), p. 694
- ^ Marriages Mar 1881: GRASDORFF, Charles William, and PIDDILL, Mary Ann, in Register of Marriages for Newport Monmouthshire, vol. 11a (1881), p. 191
- ^ 1891 Census for Monmouthshire, Wales, household of Carl H W Grasdorff and Mary A Grasdorff
- ^ "Grasdorff, Carl H. W". In United Kingdom Naturalisation Certificates and Declarations, 1870-1916
- ^ The Weekly Notes, Volume 27 (Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales, 1892) p. 131
- ^ James William Dawson, "Commerce and customs: a history of the ports of Newport and Caerleon" (1932), p. 114
- ^ Carl H W Gerasdorff, Spouse Mary A Gerasdorff, Census for 1901
- ^ "Reginald Purdell - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ "The Middle Watch (1940)". Archived from the original on 17 June 2017.
- ^ "The Congress Dances (1931)". Archived from the original on 13 October 2018.
- ^ "Der Kongress Tanzt (1931) - Eric Charell - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
- ^ a b "Reginald Purdell, British Actor, Dead" New York Times, 23 April 1953. (Subscription required to read online)
- ^ "Grasdorff, Reginald W H, & Watson, May" in Register of Marriages for Wandsworth Registration District, vol. 1d (September 1928), p. 169
- ^ Births 1932: John R W Grasdorff, mother’s maiden name Watson, in Register of Births for Kensington Rrgistration District, vol. 1a (1932), p. 114
- ^ Deaths 1953: PURDELL, Reginald, aged 57, in Register of Deaths for Kensington Registration District, vol. 5c (1953), p. 896
External links
- Reginald Purdell at BFI Film & TV Database
- Reginald Purdell at IMDb