Felix Aylmer
| Sir Felix Aylmer OBE | |
|---|---|
 Felix Aylmer, 1938 | |
| Born |
Felix Edward Aylmer Jones 21 February 1889 Corsham, Wiltshire, England |
| Died |
2 September 1979 (aged 90) Surrey, England |
| Years active | 1911–68 |
| Spouse(s) | Cecily Byrne (1915-75; 2 children) |
Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones, OBE (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979), known as Felix Aylmer, was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby.
Early life
Felix Aylmer was born in Corsham, Wiltshire, the son of Lilian (Cookworthy) and Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Edward Aylmer Jones.[1][2] He was educated at King James's Grammar School, Almondbury, near Huddersfield, where he was a boarder from 1897 to 1900,[3] Magdalen College School, and Exeter College, Oxford, where he was a member of Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS).[2] He trained under the Victorian-era actress and director Rosina Filippi before securing his first professional engagement at the London Coliseum in 1911.[2] He appeared in the world premiere of The Farmer's Wife by Eden Phillpotts at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1917.
Career
He acted with Sir Laurence Olivier in Shakespearean films, appearing as Polonius in Hamlet (1948), and often played wise old men, such as Merlin in Knights of the Round Table (1953). He played the Archbishop of Canterbury in the film adaptation of Becket (1964), with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole and gave elocution lessons to the young Audrey Hepburn.[4]
His memorable style of delivery—dignified and learned—[5] was frequently mimicked by comedians such as Peter Sellers and Kenneth Williams. Indeed, as dramatist and barrister John Mortimer noted, the mannerisms Aylmer brought to bear in his roles came to be imitated in the real-life performances of judges on the bench.[6] Williams observed that an impersonation of Aylmer was a speciality of a colleague during his days with ENSA, the Armed Forces Entertainment Association, but he was certain that none of the troops knew who was being impersonated.
Aylmer was President of Equity from 1950 to 1969. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire[7] in the 1950 King's Birthday Honours and knighted[8][9] in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours.
At the age of 80 Felix Aylmer played a villain in an episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) entitled "It's Supposed to be Thicker than Water". His last major screen role was as the Abbot in the sitcom Oh, Brother!, opposite Derek Nimmo (1968–70). Aylmer died in a nursing home in Pyrford, Surrey in 1979.
Personal life
One of his younger siblings was Air Chief Marshal Sir John Whitworth-Jones.[10]
Publications
- Dickens Incognito (1959)
- The Drood Case (1964)
Filmography
1930-1940
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Escape | Governor | |
| The Temporary Widow | Public Prosecutor | ||
| 1932 | The World, the Flesh, the Devil | Sir Henderson Trent | |
| 1933 | Home Sweet Home | Robert Wilding KC | |
| The Ghost Camera | Coroner | ||
| The Shadow | Sir Richard Bryant | ||
| The Wandering Jew | Ferera | ||
| 1934 | The Clairvoyant | Prosecutor | (uncredited) |
| Whispering Tongues | Supt. Fulton | ||
| The Night Club Queen | Prosecution | ||
| The Path of Glory | President of Thalia | ||
| The Iron Duke | Lord Uxbridge | ||
| My Old Dutch | Judge | ||
| Doctor's Orders | Sir Daniel Summerfield | released as The Doctor's Secret in USA | |
| 1935 | She Shall Have Music | Donald Black | |
| Hello, Sweetheart | Peabody | ||
| Old Roses | Lord Sandelbury | ||
| Checkmate | Henry Nicholls | ||
| The Divine Spark | Butler | ||
| The Ace of Spades | Lord Yardleigh | ||
| The Price of a Song | Graham | ||
| 1936 | In the Soup | Counsel | (uncredited) |
| The Improper Duchess | Count Seidel | ||
| Rhodes of Africa | Johannesburg Diplomat | (uncredited) released as Rhodes in USA | |
| Tudor Rose | Edward Seymour | released as Nine Days a Queen in USA | |
| Her Last Affaire | Lord Carnforth | ||
| Royal Eagle | Windridge | ||
| Seven Sinners | Sir Charles Webber | ||
| As You Like It | Duke Frederick | ||
| Dusty Ermine | Police commissioner | ||
| The Man in the Mirror | The Earl of Wigan | ||
| Sensation | Lord Bouverie | ||
| Jack of All Trades | Managing director | ||
| 1937 | The Mill on the Floss | Mr Wakem | |
| The Live Wire | |||
| Dreaming Lips | Sir Robert Blaker | ||
| The Frog | John Bennett | ||
| Glamorous Night | Diplomat | ||
| The Vicar of Bray | Earl of Brendon | ||
| Action for Slander | Sir Eustace Cunninghame | ||
| Victoria the Great | Lord Palmerston | ||
| The Rat | Prosecuting Counsel | ||
| 1938 | South Riding | Chairman of counsel | |
| Bank Holiday | Surgeon | ||
| Kate Plus Ten | Bishop | ||
| Break the News | Sir George Bickory | ||
| I've Got a Horse | Lovatt | ||
| Sixty Glorious Years | Lord Palmerston | released as Queen of Destiny in USA | |
| The Citadel | Mr Boon | ||
| 1939 | Just like a Woman | Sir Robert Hummel | |
| Young Man's Fancy | Sir Caleb Crowther | ||
| 1940 | Night Train to Munich | Dr John Fredericks | |
| Girl in the News | Prosecuting counsel | ||
| Spies of the Air | Colonel Cairns | ||
| Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt | The Proctor | ||
| Dr. O'Dowd | President | ||
| The Briggs Family | Mr Sand | ||
| The Case of the Frightened Lady | Dr Amersham | released as The Frightened Lady in USA | |
| Saloon Bar | Mayour | ||
1941-1950
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | The Seventh Survivor | Sir Elmer Norton | |
| The Saint's Vacation | Leighton | ||
| The Ghost of St. Michael's | Dr Winter | ||
| Spellbound | Mr Morton | released as The Spell of Amy Nugent in USA | |
| Major Barbara | James | ||
| Kipps | |||
| Once a Crook | King's counsel | ||
| Atlantic Ferry | bank president | ||
| I Thank You | Henry Potter | ||
| Hi Gang! | Lord Amersham | ||
| South American George | Mr Appleby | ||
| 1942 | The Peterville Diamond | President | |
| The Black Sheep of Whitehall | Crabtree | ||
| Sabotage at Sea | John Dighton | ||
| The Young Mr Pitt | Lord North | ||
| Uncensored | Colonel von Hohenstein | ||
| 1943 | The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | The Bishop | |
| Thursday's Child | Mr Keith | ||
| The Demi-Paradise | Mr Runalow | ||
| Escape to Danger | Sir Alfred Horton | ||
| 1944 | English Without Tears | ||
| Time Flies | The Professor | ||
| Mr. Emmanuel | Mr Emmanuel | ||
| Henry V | Archbishop of Canterbury | ||
| 1945 | The Way to the Stars | Reverend Charles Moss | |
| The Wicked Lady | Hogarth | ||
| Caesar and Cleopatra | First nobleman | ||
| 1946 | The Years Between | Sir Enrst Forster | |
| The Magic Bow | Signor Fazzini | ||
| The Laughing Lady | Sir Felix Mountroyal | ||
| 1947 | Green Fingers | Daniel Booth | |
| The Man Within | Priest | ||
| The October Man | Dr Martin | ||
| A Man About the House | Richard Sanctuary | ||
| The Ghosts of Berkeley Square | Col. H. "Bulldog" Kelsoe | ||
| 1948 | Hamlet | Polonius | [11] |
| Quartet | Martin | [12] | |
| 1949 | Edward, My Son | Mr Hanray | |
| Alice in Wonderland | Dr Liddel/The Chesire Cat (voice) | ||
| Christopher Columbus | Father Perez | ||
| Prince of Foxes | Count Marc Antonio Verano | ||
| 1950 | Your Witness | The British judge | released as Eye Witness in USA |
| So Long at the Fair | British consul | ||
| Trio | Bank manager | ||
| She Shall Have Murder | Mr Playfair | ||
1951-1960
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | No Highway | Sir Philip | (uncredited) |
| The Lady with a Lamp | Lord Palmerston | ||
| Quo Vadis | Plautius | ||
| The House in the Square | Sir William, the Physician | (uncredited) released as I'll Never forget You in USA | |
| 1952 | Ivanhoe | Isaac | |
| The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By | Mr Merkemans | released as The Paris Express in USA | |
| 1953 | Knights of the Round Table | Merlin | |
| The Master of Ballantrae | Lord Durrisdeer | ||
| 1954 | The Love Lottery | Winant | |
| The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp | Joshua Webman | ||
| 1956 | Loser Takes All | The Other | |
| Anastasia | Chamberlain | ||
| 1957 | Saint Joan | Inquisitor | |
| 1958 | I Accuse! | Edgar Demange | |
| The Two-Headed Spy | Cornaz | ||
| The Doctor's Dilemma | Sir Patrick Cullen | ||
| Separate Tables | Mr Fowler | ||
| 1959 | The Mummy | Stephen Banning | [13] |
| 1960 | Never Take Sweets from a Stranger | Clarence Olderberry Sr. | |
| From the Terrace | James Duncan MacHardie | ||
| Exodus | Dr Liberman | ||
| The Hands of Orlac | Dr Francis Cochrane | ||
1961-1968
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | The Road to Hong Kong | Grand Lama | |
| The Boys | The Judge | ||
| 1963 | The Affair | ||
| The Running Man | Parson | ||
| 1964 | Becket | Archbishop of Canterbury | |
| The Thief and the Cobbler | |||
| The Chalk Garden | Judge McWhirrey | ||
| 1965 | Masquerade | Henrickson | |
| 1968 | Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher | Judge | |
| Hostile Witness | Justice Osborne | ||
References
- ↑ Lundy, Darryl. "Person Page 14172". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
- 1 2 3 Nimmo, Derek (2004). "'Aylmer, Sir Felix (1889–1979)'". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30776. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
- ↑ Hinchliffe, Gerald (1963). A history of the King James's Grammar School in Almondbury. Huddersfield: Advertiser Press. p. 234.
- ↑ "Unseen Audrey Hepburn letters up for auction". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
her mentor and lifelong friend Sir Felix Aylmer.
- ↑ Darlington, William A. (4 February 1979). "Sir Felix Aylmer, distinguished actor". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ↑ Mortimer, John (24 January 2001). "Dodgy wigs, extravagant costumes, over-the-top speeches? You'd never get away with that on stage". The Guardian. p. G2–14.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38929. pp. 2786–2786. 2 June 1950. Retrieved 2009-03-09.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 43667. p. 5471. 4 June 1965. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 43720. p. 7029. 23 July 1965. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ↑ Lundy, Darryl. "Person Page 14172". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
- ↑ Campbell Dixon (23 April 2014). "Shakespeare: Laurence Olivier as Hamlet: original 1948 Telegraph review". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ↑ Simon Heffer (21 August 2015). "The unsung greatness of George Cole". telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ↑ Henry Barnes (11 June 2015). "Christopher Lee: a career in clips". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
bumbling archaeologists (Felix Aylmer...
External links
- Felix Aylmer at the Internet Movie Database
- Performances in the theatre archive, University of Bristol
- Felix Aylmer at the Internet Broadway Database
- Felix Aylmer at Find a Grave