Alastair Sim on stage and screen
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The Scottish actor Alastair Sim (1900–1976) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including theatre, film and television.[1] His career spanned from 1930 until his death. During that time he was a "memorable character player of faded Anglo-Scottish gentility, whimsically put-upon countenance, and sepulchral, sometimes minatory, laugh".[2]
After studying chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, he was employed, between 1925 and 1930, as a lecturer in elocution at New College, Edinburgh, and also established his own school of drama and speech training.[3] In 1930 he made his professional stage debut as a messenger in Othello at the Savoy Theatre, London[4]—with Paul Robeson and Peggy Ashcroft in the lead roles.[3] During the next five years he appeared on stage in New York and the UK, and spent two years at the Old Vic.[5]
In 1935 he made his film debut, appearing in The Riverside Murder (dir. Albert Parker); he appeared in four films that year, and five the following.[6] His film career progressed and by the mid 1940s he was a well-known figure in the theatre and cinema.[2] The Times highlighted some of his more notable films, including Green for Danger (1946), The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950), Scrooge (1951), An Inspector Calls (1954), The Green Man (1956) and School for Scoundrels (1960).[1]
Sim had been Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1951, and was awarded CBE in 1953, although he turned down a knighthood that was offered to him by Edward Heath.[3] His biographer, Bruce Babington, considered that "Sim was the paradigm – authority figure, yes, but often shadily duplicitous, often a manipulator of official rhetoric, his sexless bachelor persona containing strains of sexual ambiguity, his jolliness a latent vampirism."[2] Sim died in August 1976.[3]
Stage credits
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Production[7][8] | Date | Theatre (London, unless otherwise noted) |
Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Othello | 19 May 1930 | Savoy Theatre | Messenger | |
Caviare | December 1930 | Little Theatre | Revue | |
Betrayal | January 1931 | Little Theatre | Vasiliy | |
The Venetian | February 1931 | Little Theatre | Cardinal Medici | |
The Venetian | 31 October 1931 | Masque Theatre, New York | Cardinal Medici | |
Julius Caesar | January 1932 | The Old Vic | Trebonius/Lucilius | |
Lincoln | February 1932 | The Old Vic | John Wilkes Booth | |
Othello | March 1932 | The Old Vic | Duke of Venice | |
Twelfth Night | March 1932 | The Old Vic | Antonio | |
Hamlet | April 1932 | The Old Vic | King Claudius | |
Caesar and Cleopatra | September 1932 | The Old Vic | Pothinus | |
Cymbeline | October 1932 | The Old Vic | Cymbeline | |
As You Like It | October 1932 | The Old Vic | Duke Senior | |
Macbeth | November 1932 | The Old Vic | Banquo | |
The Winter's Tale | January 1933 | The Old Vic | Polixenes | |
The Admirable Bashville Or, Constancy Rewarded | February 1933 | The Old Vic | Cetewayo | [9] |
Mary Stuart | February 1933 | The Old Vic | Sir Thomas Randolf | |
Romeo and Juliet | March 1933 | The Old Vic | Apothecary | |
The School for Scandal | March 1933 | The Old Vic | Crabtree | |
The Tempest | April 1933 | The Old Vic | Antonio | |
As You Desire Me | September 1933 | Gate Theatre | Carl Salter | |
The Rose Without a Thorn | November 1933 | Duke of York's Theatre | Sir Thomas Audley | |
The Man Who Was Fed Up | November 1933 | Vaudeville Theatre | Donald Geddes | |
The Devil in the News | June 1934 | Grafton Theatre | Dominican Friar | [10] |
Volpone | October 1934 | Fortune Theatre | Voltore | One performance[11] |
The Life That I Gave Him | October 1934 | Little Theatre | Don Giorgio | |
Murder Trial | October 1934 | Little Theatre | The Judge | |
Youth at the Helm | November 1934 | Westminster Theatre | Ponsonby | |
Lady Precious Stream | November 1934 | Little Theatre | General Wei | |
Alice in Wonderland | December 1934 | Duke of York's Theatre | The Mad Hatter | |
Youth at the Helm | February 1935 | Globe | Ponsonby | |
The Squeaker | March 1937 | Strand Theatre | Collie | |
The Gusher | July 1937 | Prince's Theatre | Peter Bogle | |
What Say They? | 1939 | Malvern Festival | Professor Hayman | |
Old Master | 1939 | Malvern Festival | Vane Barra | |
You of all People | November 1939 | Prince of Wales Theatre | Portwine | |
What Say They? | March 1940 | Golders Green Theatre | Professor Hayman | |
Cottage to Let | July 1940 | Wyndham's Theatre | Charles Dimble | |
Cottage to Let | May 1941 | Wyndham's Theatre | Charles Dimble | |
Peter Pan | December 1941 | Adelphi Theatre | Captain Hook & Mr Darling | |
Peter Pan | December 1942 | Winter Garden Theatre | Captain Hook & Mr Darling | |
Mr Bolfry | August 1943 | Westminster Theatre | Mr McCrimmon | Also director |
It Depends What You Mean | October 1944 | Westminster Theatre | Reverend William Paris | Also director |
The Forrigan Reel | October 1945 | Sadler's Wells Theatre | Old MacAlpin | Also director |
Death of a Rat | January 1946 | Lyric Theatre | Wouterson | |
Peter Pan | December 1946 | Scala Theatre | Captain Hook | |
Dr Angelus | July 1947 | Phoenix Theatre | Dr Angelus | Also director |
The Anatomist | November 1948 | Westminster Theatre | Dr Knox | Also director |
Mr Gillie | March 1950 | Garrick Theatre | Mr Gillie | Also director |
Mr Bolfry | August 1956 | Aldwych Theatre | Mr Bolfry | Also director |
The Brass Butterfly | April 1958 | Strand Theatre | Emperor | Also director |
The Bargain | January 1961 | St Martin's Theatre | George Selwyn | Also director |
The Tempest | May 1962 | The Old Vic | Prospero | |
Windfall | July 1963 | Lyric Theatre | Alexander Lindsay | Also director |
Peter Pan | 14 December 1963 | Scala Theatre | Captain Hook | |
The Merchant of Venice | September 1964 | Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham | Shylock | |
Peter Pan | December 1964 | Scala Theatre | Captain Hook | |
The Elephant's Foot | April 1965 | Touring | Freer | Also director |
Too True to Be Good | September 1965 | Edinburgh Festival, then Strand Theatre | Colonel Tallboys | |
The Clandestine Marriage | 1966 | Chichester Festival Theatre | Lord Ogleby | |
Number Ten | August 1967 | Strand Theatre | Prime Minister | |
Peter Pan | December 1968 | Scala Theatre | Captain Hook | |
The Magistrate | September 1969 | Chichester Festival Theatre | Mr Poskitt | |
The Jockey Club Stakes | October 1970 | Vaudeville Theatre | Marquess of Candover | |
Siege | February 1972 | Cambridge Theatre | Willy | |
A Private Matter | January 1973 | Vaudeville Theatre | Marvyn Dakyns | |
Dandy Dick | 1973 | Chichester Festival Theatre | Augustine Judd | |
Dandy Dick | October 1973 | Garrick Theatre | Augustine Judd | |
The Clandestine Marriage | April 1975 | Savoy Theatre | Lord Ogleby |
Filmography
![](../I/m/Sim-mills-mitchell-escapade.jpg)
Film[12][13] | Year | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
The Riverside Murder | 1935 | Sgt 'Mack' McKay | [14] |
The Private Secretary | 1935 | Mr Nebulae | [15] |
Late Extra | 1935 | Mac | [16] |
A Fire Has Been Arranged | 1935 | Cutte | [17] |
The Case of Gabriel Perry | 1935 | [18] | |
Wedding Group | 1936 | Angus Graham | [19] |
Troubled Waters | 1936 | Mac MacTavish | [20] |
The Man in the Mirror | 1936 | Mannering | [21] |
Keep Your Seats, Please | 1936 | A. S. Drayton | [22] |
The Big Noise | 1936 | Finny | [23] |
Strange Experiment | 1937 | 'Pop' Lawler | [24] |
A Romance in Flanders | 1937 | Colonel Wexton | [25] |
Melody and Romance | 1937 | Professor Williams | [26] |
Clothes and the Woman | 1937 | Francois | [27] |
Gangway | 1937 | Taggett | [28] |
The Squeaker | 1937 | Joshua Collie | [29] |
This Man Is News | 1938 | Lochlan Macgregor | [30] |
The Terror | 1938 | Soapy Marks | [31] |
Sailing Along | 1938 | Sylvester | [32] |
Alf's Button Afloat | 1938 | The Genie of the Button | [33] |
Climbing High | 1938 | Max | [34] |
This Man in Paris | 1939 | Lochlan Macgregor | [35] |
The Mysterious Mr. Davis | 1939 | George, the lunatic | [36] |
Inspector Hornleigh | 1939 | Sergeant Bingham | [37] |
Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday | 1939 | Sergeant Bingham | [38] |
Law and Disorder | 1940 | Samuel Blight | [39] |
Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It | 1941 | Sergeant Bingham | [40] |
Cottage to Let | 1941 | Charles Dimble | [41] |
Her Father's Daughter | 1941 | Mr McForrest | [42] |
Let the People Sing | 1942 | Professor Ernst Kronak | [43] |
Nero[lower-alpha 1] | 1943 | Nero | [44] |
Waterloo Road | 1945 | Dr Montgomery | [45] |
Green for Danger | 1946 | Inspector Cockrill | [46] |
Captain Boycott | 1947 | Father McKeogh | [47] |
Hue and Cry | 1947 | Felix H. Wilkinson | [48] |
London Belongs to Me | 1948 | Henry Squales | [49] |
Stage Fright | 1950 | Commodore Gill | [50] |
The Happiest Days of Your Life | 1950 | Wetherby Pond | [51] |
Laughter in Paradise | 1951 | Deniston Russell | [52] |
Lady Godiva Rides Again | 1951 | Mr. Murington | [53] |
Scrooge | 1951 | Ebenezer Scrooge | [54] |
Innocents in Paris | 1952 | Sir Norman Barker | [55] |
Folly to Be Wise | 1953 | Rev. William Paris | [56] |
The Belles of St Trinian's | 1954 | Miss Millicent Fritton/Clarence Fritton | [57] |
An Inspector Calls | 1954 | Inspector Poole | [58] |
Geordie | 1955 | The Laird | [59] |
Escapade | 1955 | Dr Skillingsworth | [60] |
The Green Man | 1956 | Harry Hawkins | [61] |
Blue Murder at St Trinian's | 1957 | Miss Amelia Fritton | [62] |
The Doctor's Dilemma | 1958 | Cutler Walpole | [63] |
Left Right and Centre | 1959 | Lord Wilcot | [64] |
The Millionairess | 1960 | Julius Sagamore | [65] |
School for Scoundrels | 1960 | Stephen Potter | [66] |
The Anatomist | 1961 | Doctor Knox | [67] |
A Christmas Carol | 1971 | Voice of Scrooge | [68] |
The Ruling Class | 1972 | Bishop Lampton | [69] |
Royal Flash | 1975 | Mr Greig | [70] |
Escape from the Dark | 1976 | Lord Harrogate | [71] |
Television
![](../I/m/Alastair_Sim_memorial_plaque.jpg)
Programme[12][13] | Date | Channel | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mr. Gillie | 25 July 1950 | BBC Television | Mr Gillie | |
Misleading Cases | 20 June 1967 – 25 July 1967 | BBC Television | Mr Justice Swallow | Six episodes |
Cold Comfort Farm | 22 June 1968 – 6 July 1968 | BBC Television | Amos | Three episodes |
Misleading Cases | 18 September 1968 – 30 October 1968 | BBC Television | Mr Justice Swallow | Six episodes |
Misleading Cases | 30 July 1971 – 10 September 1971 | BBC Television | Mr Justice Swallow | Six episodes |
Play for Today: "The General's Day" | 20 November 1972 | BBC Television | General Suffolk | |
The Prodigal Daughter | 5 January 1975 | ITV | Father Perfect | |
Rogue Male | 22 September 1976 | BBC Television | Earl | |
To See Such Fun | 25 December 1977 | ITV | As himself |
Notes and references
Notes
- ↑ Short film on behalf of the Ministry of Fuel[44]
References
- 1 2 "Obituary: Mr Alastair Sim". The Times (59788). London. 21 August 1976. p. 14.
- 1 2 3 Babington, Bruce. "Sim, Alastair (1900–1976)". Screenonline. British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Gilbert 2010.
- ↑ Simpson 2009, p. 38.
- ↑ Herbert 1978, p. 1128.
- ↑ Simpson 2009, pp. 193–197.
- ↑ Herbert 1978, pp. 1128–29.
- ↑ Simpson 2009, pp. 219–21.
- ↑ Rowell 1993, p. 116.
- ↑ Wearing 2014, p. 369.
- ↑ Wearing 2014, p. 390.
- 1 2 "Alastair Sim". British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
- 1 2 Simpson 2009, pp. 193–218.
- ↑ "The Riverside Murder". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Private Secretary". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Late Extra". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "A Fire Has Been Arranged". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ Simpson 2009, p. 49.
- ↑ "Wedding Group". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Troubled Waters". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Man in the Mirror". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Keep Your Seats, Please!". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Big Noise". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Strange Experiment". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ Simpson 2009, p. 199.
- ↑ "Melody and Romance". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Clothes and the Woman". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Gangway". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Squeaker". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "This Man Is News". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Terror". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Sailing Along". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Alf's Button Afloat". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Climbing High". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "This Man in Paris". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Mysterious Mr. Davis". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Inspector Hornleigh". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Law and Disorder". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Inspector Hornleigh Goes to It". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Cottage to Let". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Her Father's Daughter". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Let the People Sing". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- 1 2 "Nero". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Waterloo Road". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Green for Danger". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Captain Boycott". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Hue and Cry". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "London Belongs to Me". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Stage Fright". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Happiest Days of Your Life". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Laughter in Paradise". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Lady Godiva Rides Again". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Scrooge". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Innocents in Paris". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Folly to Be Wise". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Belles of St. Trinian's". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "An Inspector Calls". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Geordie". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Escapade". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Green Man". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Blue Murder at St. Trinian's". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Doctor's Dilemma". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Left Right and Centre". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Millionairess". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "School for Scoundrels Or How to Win without Actually Cheating". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Anatomist". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "A Christmas Carol". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "The Ruling Class". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Royal Flash". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
- ↑ "Escape from the Dark". British Film Institute. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
Sources
- Gilbert, Michael (2010). "Sim, Alastair George Bell (1900–1976)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31686. Retrieved 3 July 2014. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
- Herbert, Ian (1978). Who's Who in the Theatre: a Biographical Record of the Contemporary Stage. London: Pitman Publishing. ISBN 978-0-273-01195-8.
- Rowell, George (1993). The Old Vic Theatre: A History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-34625-2.
- Simpson, Mark (2009). Alastair Sim: The star of Scrooge and The Belles of St Trinian's. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-5372-9.
- Wearing, J. P. (2014). The London Stage 1930–1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Lanham, MA: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-0-8108-9304-7.
External links
- Alastair Sim at the BFI
- Alastair Sim at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
- Alastair Sim at the Internet Movie Database
- Alastair Sim at the TCM Movie Database