Alexander Knox (16 January 1907 – 25 April 1995) was a Canadian actor on stage, screen, and occasionally television. He was nominated for an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

and won a Golden Globe for his performance as

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

in the film '' Wilson'' (1944). Although his liberal views forced him to leave Hollywood because of McCarthyism, Knox had a long career. He starred in ''

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ''Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'' is a 1974 spy novel by British author John le Carré. It follows the endeavours of taciturn, aging spymaster George Smiley to uncover a Soviet mole in the British Secret Intelligence Service. The novel has receive ...

'' (1979 BBC mini-series) as Control, Chief of the Circus and George Smiley's mentor. He was also an author, writing adventure novels set in the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lak ...

area during the 19th century as well as plays and detective novels.

Life and career

Knox was born in Strathroy, Ontario, where his father was the minister of the Presbyterian Church. He graduated from the

University of Western Ontario The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a public research university in London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and the Thames R ...

. He moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to perform on stage with the

Boston Repertory Theatre The Boston Repertory Theatre was founded in Hyannis, on Cape Cod, in the summer of 1971 by Esquire Jauchem; the company was dissolved in 1978. Jauchem recruited a group of local theater artists to form a true repertory acting company (performing s ...

. After the company folded following the stock market crash of 1929, Knox returned to London, Ontario, where, for the next two years, he worked as a reporter for '' The London Advertiser'' before moving to London, England, where, during the 1930s, he appeared in several films. He starred opposite

Jessica Tandy Jessie Alice Tandy (7 June 1909 – 11 September 1994) was a British-American actress. Tandy appeared in over 100 stage productions and had more than 60 roles in film and TV, receiving an Academy Award, four Tony Awards, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe ...

in the 1940 Broadway production of '' Jupiter Laughs'' and, in 1944, he was chosen by

Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of ...

to star in '' Wilson'' (1944), the biographical film about American President

, for which he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. However, during the

McCarthy Era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

, his liberal views and work with the Committee for the First Amendment hurt his career, but he was not blacklisted, and he returned to Britain. Alexander Knox in Paula (1952) trailer

Knox had major roles in ''

The Sea Wolf Seawolf, Sea wolf or Sea Wolves may refer to: Animals * Sea wolf, a wolf subspecies found in the Vancouver coastal islands * Seawolf (fish), a marine fish also known as wolffish or sea wolf * A nickname of the killer whale * South American sea ...

'' (1941), ''

None Shall Escape ''None Shall Escape'' is a 1944 war film. Even though the film was made during World War II, the setting is a post-war Nuremberg-style war crimes trial. Alexander Knox plays Wilhelm Grimm, a Nazi officer who is on trial, and the story unfolds th ...

'' (1944), '' Over 21'' (1945), ''

Sister Kenny ''Sister Kenny'' is a 1946 American biographical film about Sister Elizabeth Kenny, an Australian bush nurse, who fought to help people who suffered from polio, despite opposition from the medical establishment. The film stars Rosalind Russell, ...

'' (1946), '' Paula'' (1952), '' Europa '51'' (1952), and '' The Vikings'' (1958), as well as supporting roles late in his career, such as in '' The Damned'' (1963), ''

Modesty Blaise ''Modesty Blaise'' is a British comic strip featuring a fictional character of the same name, created by author Peter O'Donnell and illustrator Jim Holdaway in 1963. The strip follows Modesty Blaise, an exceptional young woman with many talents ...

'' (1966), '' Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971), '' Joshua Then and Now'' (1985; his last film role) and the miniseries ''

''. He depicted Governor Hudson Inverest in "The Latin Touch", the second episode of the first season of '' The Saint'' in 1962. He wrote six adventure novels: ''Bride of Quietness'' (1933), ''Night of the White Bear'' (1971), ''The Enemy I Kill'' (1972), ''Raider's Moon'', ''The Kidnapped Surgeon'' and ''Totem Dream''. He also wrote plays and at least three detective novels under a pseudonym before 1945.Clara Thomas, ''Canadian Novelists 1920-1945'', Toronto: Longmans, Green & Company, 1946, p. 75. Thomas notes, "he refuses to divulge" his pen name.

Personal life

Knox was married to American actress Doris Nolan (1916–1998) from 1944 until his death in 1995. They starred together in the 1949 Broadway play ''The Closing Door'', which Knox also wrote. They had a son Andrew Joseph Knox (born 1947; died by suicide in 1987) who became an actor and appeared in '' Doctor on the Go'', and who was married to

Imogen Hassall Imogen Hassall (25 August 1942 – 16 November 1980) was an English actress who appeared in 33 films during the 1960s and 1970s. Early life Named after Shakespeare's ''Cymbeline'' heroine, she was born in Woking, Surrey, to a financially comf ...

. Knox died in

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...

from bone cancer on April 25, 1995.

Complete filmography

* '' The Ringer'' (1931) (uncredited) * '' Rembrandt'' (1936) as Ludwick's Assistant (uncredited) * ''The Tiger'' (1936 TV movie) as American Liaison Officer * ''Everyman'' (1937 TV movie) as Everyman * ''Polly'' (1937 TV movie) as Cawwawkee * ''Deirdre'' (1938 TV movie) as Naisi * ''

The Gaunt Stranger ''The Gaunt Stranger'' (released as ''The Phantom Strikes'' in the US) is a 1938 British mystery thriller film directed by Walter Forde. It stars Sonnie Hale, Wilfrid Lawson and Alexander Knox. Plot A notorious killer, long believed to have ...

'' (1938) as Dr. Lomond * ''

The Four Feathers ''The Four Feathers'' is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A. E. W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title. In December 1901, ''Cornhill Magazine'' announced the title as one of two new serial stories to be published in th ...

'' (1939) (uncredited) * '' Cheer Boys Cheer'' (1939) as Saunders * ''

'' (1941) as Humphrey Van Weyden * '' This Above All'' (1942) as Rector * ''

Commandos Strike at Dawn ''Commandos Strike at Dawn'' is a 1942 war film directed by John Farrow and written by Irwin Shaw from a short story entitled "The Commandos" by C. S. Forester that appeared in ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in June 1942. Filmed in Canada, it starred ...

'' (1942) as German Captain * ''

'' (1944) as Wilhelm Grimm * '' Wilson'' (1944) as

* '' Over 21'' (1945) as Max W. Wharton * ''

'' (1946) as Dr. McDonnell * '' The Judge Steps Out'' (1948) as Judge Thomas Bailey * '' The Sign of the Ram'' (1949) as Mallory St. Aubyn * '' Tokyo Joe'' (1949) as Mark Landis * '' I'd Climb the Highest Mountain'' (1951) as Tom Salter * '' Two of a Kind'' (1951) as Vincent Mailer * ''

Saturday's Hero ''Saturday's Hero'' is a 1951 American film noir drama sports film directed by David Miller. It is also known as ''Idols in the Dust'', and stars John Derek and Donna Reed. ''Saturday's Hero'' was the first film for Aldo Ray, who was still goin ...

'' (1951) as Professor Megroth * '' The Son of Dr. Jekyll'' (1951) as Dr. Curtis Lanyon * '' Man in the Saddle'' (1951) as Will Isham * '' Paula'' (1952) as Dr. Clifford Frazer * '' Europa '51'' (1952) as George Girard * '' The Sleeping Tiger'' (1954) as Dr. Cilve Esmond * '' The Divided Heart'' (1954) as The Chief Justice * '' The Night My Number Came Up'' (1955) as Owen Robertson * '' Alias John Preston'' (1955) as Dr. Peter Walton * '' Reach for the Sky'' (1956) as Mr. Joyce * ''

High Tide at Noon ''High Tide at Noon'' is a 1957 British drama film directed by Philip Leacock. It was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. ''High Tide at Noon'' was based on the first of a series of novels by Elisabeth Ogilvie, set in Maine. Location w ...

'' (1957) as Stephen MacKenzie * '' Hidden Fear'' (1957) as Hartman * '' Davy'' (1958) as Sir Giles * ''

Chase a Crooked Shadow ''Chase a Crooked Shadow'' ( ''Sleep No More'') is a 1958 British suspense film starring Richard Todd, Anne Baxter and Herbert Lom. Michael Anderson directed ''Chase a Crooked Shadow'', the first film produced by Associated Dragon Films, a busi ...

'' (1958) as Chandler Brisson * '' The Vikings'' (1958) as Father Godwin * '' Intent to Kill'' (1958) as Dr. McNeil * ''

Passionate Summer ''Passionate Summer'' is a 1958 British drama film directed by Rudolph Cartier and starring Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers and Yvonne Mitchell. It is also known by the alternative title ''Storm Over Jamaica''. It was based on a best-selling 19 ...

'' (1958) as Leonard Pawley * ''

The Two-Headed Spy ''The Two-Headed Spy'' is a 1958 British spy thriller film directed by Andre DeToth and starring Jack Hawkins, Gia Scala, Erik Schumann and Alexander Knox. The film, which has elements of film noir and is set in the Second World War, was based ...

'' (1958) as Gestapo Leader Müller * ''

Operation Amsterdam ''Operation Amsterdam'' is a 1959 black and white British action film, directed by Michael McCarthy, and featuring Peter Finch, Eva Bartok and Tony Britton. It is based on a true story as described in the book ''Adventure in Diamonds'', by Da ...

'' (1959) as Walter Keyser * '' The Wreck of the Mary Deare'' (1959) as Petrie * '' Oscar Wilde'' (1960) as Sir Edward Clarke * '' Crack in the Mirror'' (1960) as President * ''The Share Out'' (1962) as Col. Calderwood * '' The Longest Day'' (1962) as Maj. Gen.

Walter Bedell Smith General Walter Bedell "Beetle" Smith (5 October 1895 – 9 August 1961) was a senior officer of the United States Army who served as General Dwight D. Eisenhower's chief of staff at Allied Forces Headquarters (AFHQ) during the Tunisia Campai ...

* '' The Damned'' (1963) as Bernard * '' In the Cool of the Day'' (1963) as Frederick Bonner * '' Man in the Middle'' (1964) as Col. Burton * '' Woman of Straw'' (1964) as Detective Inspector * ''

Crack in the World ''Crack in the World '' is a 1965 American science-fiction doomsday disaster movie filmed in Spain. It is about scientists who launch a nuclear missile into the Earth's crust, to release the geothermal energy of the magma below; but accidentally ...

'' (1965) as Sir Charles Eggerston * '' Mister Moses'' (1965) as Rev. Anderson * ''

The Psychopath Psychopath can refer to: * Psychopathy Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Diffe ...

'' (1966) as Frank Saville * ''

'' (1966) as Minister * ''

Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...

'' (1966) as Sir Evelyn Baring * ''

Accident An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term ''accident'' implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks. Most researche ...

'' (1967) as University Provost * ''

The 25th Hour ''The 25th Hour'' is the 2001 debut novel by David Benioff. A film adaptation, for which Benioff wrote the screenplay, was directed by Spike Lee and released in 2002. Background The idea for the book came when Benioff returned home to New York ...

'' (1967) as D.A. * '' Bikini Paradise'' (1967) as Commissioner Lighton * '' You Only Live Twice'' (1967) as American President (uncredited) * ''

How I Won the War ''How I Won the War'' is a 1967 British black comedy film starring Michael Crawford, Jack MacGowran, Roy Kinnear, Lee Montague, and John Lennon in his only non-musical acting role. The film, which was directed and produced by Richard Lester, is b ...

'' (1967) as American General * ''

Villa Rides ''Villa Rides'' is a 1968 American Technicolor Western war film in Panavision directed by Buzz Kulik and starring Yul Brynner as Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa and Robert Mitchum as an American adventurer and pilot of fortune. The supporting ...

'' (1968) as President Madero * '' Shalako'' (1968) as Henry Clarke * '' Fräulein Doktor'' (1969) as Gen. Peronne * '' Run a Crooked Mile'' (1969 TV movie) as Sir Howard Nettleton * '' Skullduggery'' (1970) as Buffington * ''When We Dead Awaken'' (1970 TV movie) as Rubek * '' Puppet on a Chain'' (1971) as Colonel De Graaf * '' Nicholas and Alexandra'' (1971) as The American Ambassador * ''Truman at Potsdam'' (1976 TV movie) as Henry L. Stimson * ''

Holocaust 2000 ''Holocaust 2000'' (also released as ''The Chosen'' and ''Rain of Fire'') is a 1977 horror film directed by Alberto De Martino, written by De Martino, Michael Robson, and Sergio Donati, and starring Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli, Ant ...

'' (1977) as Meyer * '' Churchill and the Generals'' (1979 TV movie) as Henry Stimson - Secretary of War * ''Suez 1956'' (1979 TV movie) as John Foster Dulles * ''

'' (1979 TV mini-series) as Control - Chief of Circus * ''Cry of the Innocent'' (1980 TV movie) as Thornton Donegin * '' Gorky Park'' (1983) as General * ''Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues'' (1984 TV movie) as Mr. Gilman * '' The Last Place on Earth'' (1985 TV serial as Sir Clements Markham * '' Joshua Then and Now'' (1985) as Senator Hornby

Selected stage roles

* ''

Smoky Cell ''Smoky Cell'' is a thriller play by the British writer Edgar Wallace first staged in 1930. In America a group of detectives hunt down a notorious racketeer. It ran for 103 performances at Wyndham's Theatre in the West End from 16 December 1930 ...

'' by

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was a war correspondent during th ...

(1930) * '' Jupiter Laughs'' by

A.J. Cronin Archibald Joseph Cronin (19 July 1896 – 6 January 1981), known as A. J. Cronin, was a Scottish physician and novelist. His best-known novel is ''The Citadel'' (1937), about a Scottish doctor who serves in a Welsh mining village before achievi ...

(1944) * ''

Return to Tyassi ''Return to Tyassi'' is a 1950 play by the British writer Benn Levy. The plot concerns a woman with a shady past who attempts to redeem herself. Levy directed the play, which featured his wife Constance Cummings in the lead role. It premiered at ...

'' by

Benn Levy Benn Wolfe Levy (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a Labour Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons (1945–1950), and a successful playwright. He was educated at Repton School and University College, Oxford and served in uniform ...

(1950)

References

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Knox, Alexander 1907 births 1995 deaths Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Canadian male stage actors Canadian male film actors Canadian male novelists Canadian expatriate male actors in the United States Canadian expatriate male actors in the United Kingdom Hollywood blacklist People from Strathroy-Caradoc Deaths from bone cancer Deaths from cancer in England University of Western Ontario alumni 20th-century Canadian male actors 20th-century Canadian novelists 20th-century Canadian male writers