Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor. Although primarily a stage actor he made numerous appearances on television and in cinema films, generally in comedies. His stage career was mainly in the West End, but he was seen in the provinces in some touring productions.
Biography Early years Gordon was born in British Ceylon, the son of William Arthur Gordon and his wife Lily Vera, née Troup. He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford.Herbert, pp. 843–844 He first appeared on the professional stage in repertory at the Palace Theatre, Watford from January to December 1934. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of Alfred, the carthorse, in a production of Toad of Toad Hall at the Royalty Theatre. At the same theatre he played James in Frolic Wind (March 1935, described by The Stage as "a distinguished failure"),"Colin Gordon", The Stage, 12 October 1972, p. 20 and Peter in Closing At Sunrise (September 1935). From 1936 to 1939 he directed the Fred Melville Repertory Company in Brixton. He served in the army during the Second World War for six years.
Gordon was taken ill whilst working in South Africa and brought home to Surrey, where he died at the age of 61. He was buried with his wife at St Andrew's Church, Didling in West Sussex.
Stage roles 1948–1970 DateTheatrePlayRoleNotes Mar 1948 Apollo The Happiest Days of Your Life Rupert Billings received the Clarence Derwent Award Mar 1951 Wyndham's The Love of Four Colonels Colonel Desmond De S Rinder-Sparrow Mar 1953 Globe The White Carnation Sir Horace Duncan Oct 1953 Coronet The Little Hut Henry Broadway debut Mar 1955 Duchess Misery Me! Julius Ring Jul 1955 Duke of York's Wild Thyme Seymour Verity Dec 1956 Aldwych The Touch of Fear Alec Barnes Mar 1957 Arts The Wit to Woo Percy Trellis Mar 1959 Guildford Repertory Members Only Percy Also director Nov 1959 Theatre Royal, Windsor Break for Commercials Gregory Drake May 1960 Theatre Royal, Windsor Handful of Tansy Sir Matthew Carr Jun 1960 Everyman, Cheltenham I Seem to Know Your Face Percy Also director Oct 1961 Theatre Royal, Windsor Mr Rhodes Dr Jameson Mar 1964 On tour March Hares Dr Unwin Aug 1964 On tour Alibi for a Judge Thomas Empton QC Aug 1965 Savoy Alibi for a Judge Thomas Empton QC Nov 1967 Duke of York's Relatively Speaking Philip took over the part from Michael Hordern Jun 1969 Belgrade, Coventry Never Say Die Richard Blake Mar 1970 Royal Court A Who's Who of Flapland Cast member Source: Who's Who in the Theatre
Screen Gordon had a long career in British cinema and television from the 1940s to the 1970s, often playing government officials. His films include The Pink Panther and Casino Royale (both with Peter Sellers, alongside whom he made five films). In the ITC series The Prisoner (1967) he portrayed Number Two twice, in "The General" and "A. B. and C." . Gordon was a regular in another ITC production, The Baron, playing civil servant Templeton-Green opposite Steve Forrest. He also starred in The Invisible Man (1958 TV series) episode "Play to Kill", (series 1, episode 6, 1959); was the host and occasional narrator of the 1969 London Weekend Television series The Complete and Utter History of Britain, (which arose from a pre-Monty Python collaboration between Michael Palin and Terry Jones); and was the airport commandant in the 1967 Doctor Who story The Faceless Ones. He was also in Bachelor Father and made two guest appearances in Steptoe and Son. In 1961 he appeared as the doctor in "The Lift" episode of Hancock's Half Hour. In 1970 he appeared in the UFO episode "The Cat with Ten Lives". He also appeared as Walpole Gibb in the ATV/ITC series Hine in 1971.
Radio For many years, from 1953 onwards, he played Tony Fellows, fictional husband to wife 'Ann ', played by Diana Churchill (actress), and brother-in-law to David Alexander Bliss, (played by George Cole (actor)), in ' A Life of Bliss '.
Film roles
Jim the Penman (1947) (by Charles Lawrence Young) as Roberts Bond Street (1948) as Clerk in Travel Agency The Winslow Boy (1948) (uncredited) It's Hard to Be Good (1948) as Neighbour with Baby (uncredited) Edward, My Son (1949) as Ellerby Helter Skelter (1949) as Chadbeater Longwick Golden Arrow (1949) as Connelly Traveller's Joy (1949) as Tom Wright The Third Visitor (1951) as Bill Millington The Long Dark Hall (1951) as Pound Circle of Danger (1951) as Col. Fairbairn Laughter in Paradise (1951) as Station Constable The Man in the White Suit (1951) as Hill The Lady with a Lamp (1951) Green Grow the Rushes (1951) as Roderick Fisherwick Mandy (1952) as Woollard (Junior) The Hour of 13 (1952) as MacStreet Folly to Be Wise (1952) as Prof. James Mutch Grand National Night (1953) as Buns Darling Innocents in Paris (1953) as Customs Officer The Heart of the Matter (1953) as Secretary (uncredited) Up to His Neck (1955) as Lt. Cmdr. Sterning Little Red Monkey (1955) as Harry Martin, reporter John and Julie (1955) as Mr. Swayne Escapade (1955) as Deeson, reporter Jumping for Joy (1956) as Max, 1st Commentator Keep It Clean (1956) as Peter, Marquess of Hurlingford The Green Man (1956) as Reginald Willoughby-Cruft A Touch of the Sun (1956) as Cecil Flick Up in the World (1956) as Fletcher Hetherington The Extra Day (1956) as Sir George Howard The Key Man (1957) as Larry Parr The One That Got Away (1957) as Army Interrogator The Safecracker (1958) as Dakers Virgin Island (US: Our Virgin Island, 1958) as The Commissioner The Doctor's Dilemma (1958) as Newspaper Man The Crowning Touch (1959) as Stacey Alive and Kicking (1959) as Bird Watcher The Mouse That Roared (1959) as BBC Announcer Bobbikins (1959) as Dr. Phillips Please Turn Over (1959) as Maurice Carry On Constable (1960) (uncredited) The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) as Benge The Big Day (1960) as George Baker Make Mine Mink (1960) (uncredited) His and Hers (1961) as TV Announcer Seven Keys (1961) as Mr. Barber House of Mystery (1961) as Burdon Very Important Person (1961) as Briggs Don't Bother to Knock (1961) as Rolsom Three on a Spree (1961) as Mitchell Crooks Anonymous (1962) as Drunk Night of the Eagle (1962) as Lindsay Carr Strongroom (1962) as Mr. Spencer In the Doghouse (1962) as Dean The Devil's Agent (1962) as Count Dezsepalvy The Boys (1962) as Gordon Lonsdale The Running Man (1963) as Solicitor Heavens Above! (1963) as Prime Minister Bitter Harvest (1963) as Charles The Pink Panther (1963) as Tucker The Counterfeit Constable (1964) as Le dentiste W. Martin The Liquidator (1965) as Vicar The Psychopath (1966) as Dr. Glyn The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966) as Noakes The Trygon Factor (1966) as Dice The Family Way (1966) as Mr. Hutton Casino Royale (1967) as Casino Director Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1968) as Mr. Hartford Subterfuge (1968) as Kitteridge Mischief (1969) as Mr. Crawford The Body Beneath (1970) as Graham Ford
References
Sources
Obituary, The Stage, 12 October 1972, page 20.
External links