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Laurence Naismith (born Lawrence Johnson; 14 December 1908 – 5 June 1992) was an English actor. He made numerous film and television appearances, including starring roles in the musical films '' Scrooge'' (1970) and the children's ghost film ''
The Amazing Mr Blunden ''The Amazing Mr. Blunden'' is a 1972 British family mystery film involving ghosts directed by Lionel Jeffries. It was based on the 1969 novel ''The Ghosts'' by Antonia Barber. It stars Laurence Naismith, Lynne Frederick, Garry Miller, Rosa ...
'' (1972). He also had memorable roles as Captain Edward Smith of the RMS ''Titanic'' in '' A Night to Remember'' (1958), the First Sea Lord in ''
Sink the Bismarck! ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book '' The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H ...
'' (1960), and Argus in '' Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963).


Early life and career

Naismith was born as Lawrence Johnson in Thames Ditton, Surrey, in 1908. He attended All Saints Choir School, Margaret Street, London, and was a chorus member for a 1927 production of the
George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
musical ''
Oh, Kay! ''Oh, Kay!'' is a musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and a book by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse. It is based on the play ''La Présidente'' by Maurice Hennequin and Pierre Veber. The plot revolves around the advent ...
.'' He later worked in
repertory theatre A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawin ...
and ran a repertory company of his own.Laurence Naismith profile
Masterworksbroadway.com; retrieved 2 January 2016.
At the outbreak of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
he joined the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
where he became an officer in the
Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
.


Film

His film roles included '' Carrington V.C.'' (1954), ''
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...
'' (1955), '' The Man Who Never Was'' (1956), '' A Night to Remember'' (1958), ''
Sink the Bismarck! ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book '' The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H ...
'' (1960), '' The World of Suzie Wong'' (1960) and '' Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963). He played the non-singing role of
Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and leg ...
in the 1967 film version of the musical ''
Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as th ...
'' and appeared in the
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors hav ...
film '' Diamonds Are Forever'' (1971) as the chairman of the diamond trading syndicate.


Television

In 1965, Naismith played the title role of the
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
statesman
George Mason George Mason (October 7, 1792) was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of the three delegates present who refused to sign the Constitution. His writings, including ...
in the NBC documentary series, '' Profiles in Courage''. William Bakewell played George Wythe in the episode, and
Arthur Franz Arthur Sofield Franz (February 29, 1920 – June 17, 2006) was an American actor whose most notable feature film role was as Lieutenant, Junior Grade, H. Paynter Jr. in ''The Caine Mutiny'' (1954). Early life Franz was born in Perth Amboy, ...
was cast as
James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for h ...
. In 1965, Naismith guest-starred as barber Gilly Bright in episode 25, "The Threat" of the ABC military drama, ''
12 O'Clock High ''Twelve O'Clock High'' is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War ...
'' and Dr. McCallister in the ABC action drama, '' The Fugitive'', starring David Janssen. In 1969 he played Don Q Hought in an episode of ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...
''. He played Judge Fulton in the television series '' The Persuaders!'' (1971), with Tony Curtis and
Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore (14 October 192723 May 2017) was an English actor. He was the third actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in seven feature films between 1 ...
. He portrayed Emperor of Austria Franz Joseph in the BBC production '' Fall of Eagles'' (1974). Naismith played the ''Prince of Verona'' in the BBC Television Shakespeare version of ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...
''. He also appeared in the BBC sitcom '' Oh, Father!'' (1972) and played in '' The Invaders'' (1967–68) with Roy Thinnes.


Stage

In 1934 he appeared alongside Jack Buchanan in the musical '' Mr. Whittington'' in London's West End. He appeared on Broadway in the Meredith Willson musical '' Here's Love'' in 1963, opposite Janis Paige.


Filmography

* '' A Piece of Cake'' (1948) as Merlin Mound * ''
Trouble in the Air ''Trouble in the Air'' is a 1948 British comedy film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Freddie Frinton, Jimmy Edwards and Bill Owen.Chibnall & MacFarlane p. It was made at Highbury Studios as a second feature. The film's sets were des ...
'' (1948) as Tom Hunt * '' Badger's Green'' (1949) as Mr. Butler * '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) as Warder in Jail (uncredited) * ''
Train of Events ''Train of Events'' is a 1949 British portmanteau film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Sidney Cole, Charles Crichton and Basil Dearden. It begins with a train that is heading for a crash into a stalled petrol tanker at a level crossing a ...
'' (1949) as Joe Hunt (segment "The Actor") * '' The Chiltern Hundreds'' (1949) as Reporter (uncredited) * '' Room to Let'' (1950) as Editor * '' The Happiest Days of Your Life'' (1950) as Dr. Collet * ''
Pool of London The Pool of London is a stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Limehouse. Part of the Tideway of the Thames, the Pool was navigable by tall-masted vessels bringing coastal and later overseas goods—the wharves there were th ...
'' (1951) as Commissionaire (uncredited) * ''
Hell is Sold Out ''Hell Is Sold Out'' is a 1951 British drama film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Mai Zetterling, Herbert Lom and Richard Attenborough. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Maurice Dekobra. Plot A Swedish-born woman, V ...
'' (1951) as Dr. Monceau * '' There Is Another Sun'' (1951) as Riley * ''
Chelsea Story ''Chelsea Story'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Henry Mollison, Sydney Tafler and Ingeborg von Kusserow. Selected cast * Henry Mollison - Mike Harvey * Sydney Tafler - Fletcher Gilchrist * Ingeborg ...
'' (1951) as Sergeant Matthews * ''
Calling Bulldog Drummond ''Calling Bulldog Drummond'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Victor Saville and featuring Walter Pidgeon, Margaret Leighton, Robert Beatty, David Tomlinson and Bernard Lee.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; 20 October 1951, page 16 ...
'' (1951) as Hardcastle, Card Player (uncredited) * ''
High Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
'' (1951) as Reginald Gordon-Wells * ''
His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style given to certain high-level officers of a sovereign state, officials of an international organization, or members of an aristocracy. Once entitled to the title "Excellency", the holder usually retains the ri ...
'' (1952) as First Soldier * '' Whispering Smith Hits London'' (1952) as Parker * '' The Happy Family'' (1952) as Councillor * '' I Believe in You'' (1952) as Sergeant Braxton * ''
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire ''Mother Riley Meets the Vampire'', also known as ''Vampire Over London'' or ''My Son, the Vampire'', is a 1952 British horror comedy film directed by John Gilling, starring Arthur Lucan and Bela Lugosi that was filmed at Nettlefold Studios. ...
'' (1952) as Police Sergeant at Desk (uncredited) * '' Penny Princess'' (1952) as Louis the Jailkeeper (uncredited) * ''
A Killer Walks ''A Killer Walks'' is a 1952 British film noir directed by Ronald Drake and starring Laurence Harvey, Trader Faulkner and Susan Shaw. Plot This is a story about two brothers, Ned (Laurence Harvey) and Frankie (Trader Faulkner), living on a ...
'' (1952) as Doctor James * '' The Long Memory'' (1952) as Hasbury * ''
Cosh Boy ''Cosh Boy'' (released in the United States as ''The Slasher'') is a 1953 British film noir directed by Lewis Gilbert and starring James Kenney and Joan Collins. It was made at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. Plot Based on an original play by ...
'' (1953) as Inspector Donaldson * '' Time Bomb'' (1953) as Ambulance Man (uncredited) * '' Rough Shoot'' (1953) as Blossom * '' The Beggar's Opera'' (1953) as Matt of the Mint * '' Mogambo'' (1953) as Skipper * '' Love in Pawn'' (1953) as Uncle Ramos * '' The Million Pound Note'' (1954) as Walter Craddock (uncredited) * '' The Black Knight'' (1954) as Major Domo * '' Carrington V.C.'' (1954) as Major Panton * '' The Dam Busters'' (1955) as Farmer * ''
Josephine and Men ''Josephine and Men'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Roy Boulting and starring Glynis Johns, Jack Buchanan, Donald Sinden and Peter Finch. It also features William Hartnell, Gerald Sim, Thorley Walters, Victor Maddern and John Le ...
'' (1955) as Porter * ''
Richard III Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Bat ...
'' (1955) as The Lord Stanley * '' The Man Who Never Was'' (1956) as Adm. Cross * '' The Weapon'' (1956) as Jamison * '' Lust for Life'' (1956) as Dr. Bosman * '' Tiger in the Smoke'' (1956) as Canon Avril * '' The Extra Day'' (1956) as Kurt Von * '' The Barretts of Wimpole Street'' (1957) as Dr. Chambers * ''
Seven Waves Away ''Seven Waves Away'' (alternate U.S. titles: ''Abandon Ship!'' and ''Seven Days From Now'') is a 1957 British adventure film directed by Richard Sale and starring Tyrone Power, Mai Zetterling, Lloyd Nolan, and Stephen Boyd. When his ship goes ...
'' (1957) as Captain Paul Darrow * ''
Boy on a Dolphin ''Boy on a Dolphin'' is a 1957 American romantic adventure film from 20th Century Fox set in Greece and shot in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. It was directed by Jean Negulesco and produced by Samuel G. Engel from a screenplay by Ivan Moffat and ...
'' (1957) as Dr. Hawkins * '' Robbery Under Arms'' (1957) as Ben Marston * '' The Gypsy and the Gentleman'' (1958) as Dr. Forrester * '' I Accuse!'' (1958) as Judge, Esterhazy Trial * ''
Gideon's Day ''Gideon's Day'' is the first in a series of police procedural novels by John Creasey writing as J.J. Marric. Published in 1955, it features a day in the professional life of Detective Superintendent George Gideon of the C.I.D., Scotland Y ...
'' (1958) as Arthur Sayer * '' A Night to Remember'' (1958) as Capt. Edward John Smith * '' The Two-Headed Spy'' (1958) as Gen. Hauser * '' Tempest'' (1958) as Maj. Zurin * '' Solomon and Sheba'' (1959) as Hezrai * ''
Third Man on the Mountain ''Third Man on the Mountain'' is a 1959 American family adventure film by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Ken Annakin and starring Michael Rennie, James MacArthur and Janet Munro. Set during the golden age of alpinism, its plot concerns a yo ...
'' (1959) as Teo Zurbriggen * ''
Sink the Bismarck! ''Sink the Bismarck!'' is a 1960 black-and-white CinemaScope British war film based on the 1959 book '' The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck'' by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert.Weiler, A.H ...
'' (1960) as First Sea Lord * ''
The Angry Silence ''The Angry Silence'' is a 1960 black-and-white British drama film directed by Guy Green and starring Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, Michael Craig and Bernard Lee. The film marked the first release through screenwriter Bryan Forbes's prod ...
'' (1960) as Martindale * '' The Trials of Oscar Wilde'' (1960) as
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rule ...
* '' Village of the Damned'' (1960) as Doctor Willers * '' The Criminal'' (1960) as Mr. Town * '' The World of Suzie Wong'' (1960) as O'Neill * '' The Singer Not the Song'' (1961) as Old Uncle * '' Greyfriars Bobby'' (1961) as
Mr. Traill John Traill (11 January 1835 – 8 June 1897) was the owner of Traill's Temperance Coffee House which was regularly visited by Greyfriars Bobby. Early and personal life Traill was born in 1835 in Dunfermline and was the son of a weaver. He ...
* '' The Valiant'' (1962) as Admiral * '' I Thank a Fool'' (1962) as O'Grady * ''
The 300 Spartans ''The 300 Spartans'' is a 1962 CinemaScope epic film depicting the Battle of Thermopylae. Made with the cooperation of the Greek government, it was shot in the village of Perachora in the Peloponnese. The working title was ''Lion of Sparta''. It ...
'' (1962) as First Delegate * ''
We Joined the Navy ''We Joined the Navy'' is a 1962 British comedy film directed by Wendy Toye and starring Kenneth More, Lloyd Nolan, Joan O'Brien, Derek Fowlds, Graham Crowden, Esma Cannon and John Le Mesurier. Produced by Daniel M. Angel, it was based on th ...
'' (1962) as Admiral Blake * ''
Cleopatra Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
'' (1963) as Arachesilaus (uncredited) * '' Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963) as Argus * '' The Three Lives of Thomasina'' (1963) as Reverend Angus Peddie * '' Sky West and Crooked'' (1965) as Edwin Dacres * '' Deadlier Than the Male'' (1967) as Sir John Bledlow * ''
Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as th ...
'' (1967) as
Merlyn Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
* '' The Scorpio Letters'' (1967) as Burr * ''
The Long Duel ''The Long Duel'' is a 1967 British adventure film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Charlotte Rampling and Harry Andrews. It is set in British-ruled India of the 1920s but was filmed in Spain. Plot Superintendent ...
'' (1967) as McDougal * ''
Fitzwilly ''Fitzwilly'' is a 1967 American romantic comedy film directed by Delbert Mann, based on Poyntz Tyler's 1960 novel ''A Garden of Cucumbers'' (the title refers tIsaiah 1:8 and adapted for the screen by Isobel Lennart. Its title refers to the nic ...
'' (1967) as Mr. Cotty (uncredited) * ''
Eye of the Cat ''Eye of the Cat'' is a 1969 American horror film directed by David Lowell Rich and starring Michael Sarrazin, Gayle Hunnicutt, and Eleanor Parker. The screenplay is by Joseph Stefano, best known as the co-creator of the tv-series ''The Outer L ...
'' (1969) as Dr. Mills * ''
The Valley of Gwangi ''The Valley of Gwangi'' is a 1969 American fantasy Western film produced by Charles H. Schneer and Ray Harryhausen, directed by Jim O'Connolly, written by William Bast, and starring James Franciscus, Richard Carlson, and Gila Golan. Creat ...
'' (1969) as Professor Bromley * ''
The Bushbaby ''The Bushbaby'' is a 1969 American film based on the novel ''The Bushbabies'' (1965) by William Stevenson and adapted by Robert Maxwell. It was directed and produced by John Trent and stars Margaret Brooks and Lou Gossett in the leading roles, ...
'' (1969) as Prof. 'Cranky' Crankshaw * ''
Run a Crooked Mile ''Run a Crooked Mile'' is a 1969 British made-for-television thriller film starring Louis Jourdan as Richard Stuart, an ordinary schoolteacher who, whilst on holiday, is a witness to a murder in a private secluded mansion. When he reports this ho ...
'' (1969) as Lord Dunnsfield * '' Scrooge'' (1970) as Mr. Fezziwig * '' Quest for Love'' (1971) as Sir Henry Larnstein * '' Diamonds Are Forever'' (1971) as Sir Donald Munger * '' Young Winston'' (1972) as Lord
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
* ''
The Amazing Mr Blunden ''The Amazing Mr. Blunden'' is a 1972 British family mystery film involving ghosts directed by Lionel Jeffries. It was based on the 1969 novel ''The Ghosts'' by Antonia Barber. It stars Laurence Naismith, Lynne Frederick, Garry Miller, Rosa ...
'' (1972) as Mr. Blunden


Television

* ''
The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia d ...
'' (1956) as Sir William de Courcier * ''
Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again b ...
'' (1960) as Spooner * ''
The Prince and the Pauper ''The Prince and the Pauper'' is a novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. The novel represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction. Set in 1547 ...
'' (1962) as Earl of Hertford * '' Profiles in Courage'' (1965) as
John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States ...
/
George Mason George Mason (October 7, 1792) was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of the three delegates present who refused to sign the Constitution. His writings, including ...
* '' The Fugitive'' (1965-1967) as Major Fielding/Dr. Andrew Emmett McAllister/John Mallory * '' The Invaders'' (1967) as Professor Curtis Lindstrom/Cyrus Stone * ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on ...
'' (1969) as Don Q. Hought * ‘’ The Persuaders!’’ (1971) as Judge Fulton * '' Fall of Eagles'' (1974) as
Emperor Franz Josef Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
* ''
Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with ''Ham ...
'' (1978) as Prince Escalus * ''
I Remember Nelson ''I Remember Nelson'' is a British historical television series portraying the relationship between Horatio Nelson and Emma Hamilton in the period leading up the Battle of Trafalgar. It first aired in four parts on ITV between 21 February and 18 ...
'' (1982) as Rev. Edmund Nelson


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Naismith, Laurence 1908 births 1992 deaths English male film actors English male television actors People from Thames Ditton People from Queensland Male actors from Los Angeles 20th-century American male actors 20th-century English male actors British expatriate male actors in the United States British Army personnel of World War II Royal Artillery officers