Howard Lang (born Donald Yarranton; 20 March 1911 – 11 December 1989) was an English actor known for playing Captain William Baines in the BBC nautical drama The Onedin Line.
Early life Lang was born in Marylebone, London, the son of Edward John Yarranton (1884–1954) and Clara Ann (née Malkin) (1888–1921).Donald Yarranton Family Entry on Ancestry.com His father had left the family's bookbinding business to become a senior commercial traveller for Winsor & Newton, the manufacturer of artists' materials.
Lang served for seven years in the Royal Navy including during World War II. In January 1941 he was appointed Temporary Sub-Lieutenant,UK Navy Lists, 1888–1970 (1941) for Donald Yarranton – Ancestry.com and in January 1942 Temporary Lieutenant,UK Navy Lists, 1888–1970 (1942) for Donald Yarranton – Ancestry.com a position he held until the end of the war.UK Navy Lists, 1888–1970 (1945) for Donald Yarranton – Ancestry.com
His younger brother from his father's second marriage was Sir Peter Yarranton (1924–2003), chairman of the United Kingdom Sports Council from 1989 to 1994, and a notable figure in the world of rugby union, both as a player and as an administrator, for more than 40 years.
Acting career For his role as seafaring Captain Baines in The Onedin Line (1971–1980) he gained international attention. In a 1977 interview in Radio Times Lang recalled a personal appearance in Norway: When the series was first shown in Norway I was asked to make a personal appearance in a small shipbuilding town. As I was brought into Grimstad by sea I caught sight of huge crowds – all of 3,000 townsfolk out on the quay to greet me. I learned afterwards that I had been received as family because almost every home had an ancient photograph of an uncle, cousin or grandfather dressed and sideburned precisely as I appear on The Onedin Line."Life On The Ocean Wave", Radio Times, 25 June – 1 July 1977 as reproduced on the Peter Gilmore-Anne Stallybrass website
Lang's other parts included roles in The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970), Z-Cars, Softly, Softly, The Vise, and an appearance as caveman Horg in three of the four episodes of the first Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child. He also played Winston Churchill in the 1983 TV miniseries The Winds of War.
He also played the role of Bert Hudd in the first production of Harold Pinter's first play,The Room.
In an early seafaring role, he had a cameo in Ben-Hur as the hortator aboard a Roman galley leading up to the epic battle with an enemy fleet.
Howard Lang died in West Hampstead, London in 1989.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1940The Middle WatchSailorUncreditedConvoyGunnery officerNight Train to MunichConcentration camp guardNeutral PortGerman naval officer1941Freedom RadioRadio operator1946Great ExpectationsMan at Magwitch's Trial1947So Well RememberedMan at Royal Opera HouseJassyJuryman1948Nothing VentureHenchman in restaurantHamletServantThe Last LoadSenior police officer1950The MudlarkFootman1951Pool of LondonDetective detaining suspectCaptain Horatio HornblowerOfficer aboard CassandraThe Lavender Hill MobPoliceman at windowHigh TreasonPoliceman1953Street of ShadowsCard playerThe Missing ManInspector Haslett Counterspy Policeman1954The Floating DutchmanGaolerUncreditedThe Blazing CaravanPublican The House Across the LakeInspector Edgar The Rainbow JacketPolice ConstableBeau BrummellHecklerThe Men of Sherwood ForestTown CrierDevil's PointMarne, company executiveUncreditedFabian of the Yard - Bombs in PiccadillyHarry1955The Mysterious BulletDavy CharlesworthStolen TimeScotland Yard detective1956Keep It CleanPolice SergeantEyewitnessCinema Commissionaire UncreditedDestination DeathPolice SgtThe Battle of the River PlateGuns – HMS ExeterTiger in the SmokeDetectiveThe HideoutGreeko1957The Crooked SkyCommissionerThe Big ChanceSaw Mill ManThe Birthday PresentCellblock Officer UncreditedThe One That Got AwaySergeant, Welsh Guards1958DunkirkChief, Sheerness DockyardA Night to RememberChief Officer Henry Wilde – TitanicLinks of JusticeCourt UsherCorridors of BloodChief InspectorUncreditedNowhere to GoSergeant at safe deposit facility1959Behemoth the Sea MonsterNaval Commander Innocent MeetingMaceyFour Desperate MenWhitsunUncreditedA Woman's TemptationRadio operatorMan AccusedPolice SergeantBen-HurHortatorDate at MidnightInspector1960Night Train for InvernessSergeantJackpotGeorgeThe Day They Robbed the Bank of EnglandBank security officerUncreditedThe Trials of Oscar WildeCourt UsherMake Mine MinkPoliceman on beatUncreditedThe World of Suzie WongDinner guest1961GorgoFirst ColonelFeet of ClayWarderNo Love for JohnnieLabour Party memberUncreditedThe Curse of the WerewolfIrate FarmerOn the FiddleRecruiting officerThe Court Martial of Major KellerSergeant Purvey1962The BoysCommissionaire at cinema1963The HauntingHugh Crain1964The RunawayNorringNothing but the BestJutson1965He Who Rides a TigerPrison Governor The Scales of Justice - Personal and ConfidentalAbbott1967Frankenstein Created WomanGuardUncredited1970Perfect FridayBank Commissionaire 197110 Rillington PlaceMan in PubUncreditedMacbethOld Soldier
Television