Philip Arthur Reeves (29 May 18935 December 1971), known professionally as Kynaston Reeves, was an English

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

who appeared in numerous

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmospher ...

s and many

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

plays and series.

Early life

Reeves was born in London on 29 May 1893 and was the first of two sons of Arthur Robert Reeves (born 1855) and Clarissa Mary Kynaston (b. 1864). His brother was John Edward. He was married to the Australian Jewish stage actress Paula Sabina. They had two children, Thomas and Suzanne.

Career

Philip Arthur Reeves, professionally known as P. Kynaston Reeves or Kynaston Reeves, took his mother's maiden name as a middle name when commencing his film career with a small part in the 1931 film ''Many Waters'', before dispensing with the prefixed initial. He believed that having a name that reminded directors of the famous actor Edward Kynaston would help him to get work. In

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hir ...

, he progressed to a supporting role, playing an editor called Bob Mitchell alongside

Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born into a musical ...

and

Jack Hawkins John Edward Hawkins, CBE (14 September 1910 – 18 July 1973) was an English actor who worked on stage and in film from the 1930s until the 1970s. One of the most popular British film stars of the 1950s, he was known for his portrayal of mil ...

in '' The Lodger'' (renamed '' The Phantom Fiend'' in 1935). After playing the Reverend Edmund Ovington opposite

Otto Kruger Otto Kruger (September 6, 1885 – September 6, 1974) was an American actor, originally a Broadway matinee idol, who established a niche as a charming villain in films, such as Hitchcock's ''Saboteur''. He also appeared in CBS's ''Perry Mason'' a ...

in the

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the authoritarian regime. ** State-owned railway networks are created by merger, in France ...

film, ''Housemaster'', Reeves developed a speciality for portraying authority figures, such as

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

s, doctors,

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professo ...

s and

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

men. Television was to provide a valuable source of income. In 1950, Reeves was invited to voice the character of Mr Growser in a

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

children's show, ''The Cruise of The Toytown Belle''. This led to further work for the children's department at the BBC, namely in adaptations of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''The Tempest'' (as Alonso, King of Naples) and Philip Wade's ''Jenny Meade'' (as Mr Steele), both produced in 1951. Reeves was then offered one of his most notable acting parts on television, namely that of Henry Quelch, form master to the 'Fat Owl of the Remove',

Billy Bunter William George Bunter is a fictional schoolboy created by Charles Hamilton using the pen name Frank Richards. He features in stories set at Greyfriars School, a fictional English public school in Kent, originally published in the boys' weekly ...

, in the long-running television series '' Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School''. He recorded six episodes in 1952, after which fellow actors

Raf De La Torre Raf De La Torre (14 February 1905 –15 July 1975) was a British actor who was a member of the BBC Repertory Company. Born in 1905 in Paris, France as Rafael De La Torre, he appeared in the films '' The Pickwick Papers'' (1952), Italian Atta ...

John Woodnutt John Edward Arthur Woodnutt (3 March 1924 – 2 January 2006) was an English character actor, often cast in villainous roles. Early life and education The younger son of Harold Frederick Woodnutt and brother of the Conservative MP Mark Woodnutt ...

and Jack Melford began sharing the portrayal of this supporting character. Making just a single episode in 1954 ("Bunter Won't Go"), Reeves then returned to reprise the performance for two more episodes in 1956, and a further four in 1957, following which he gave up the role. This did not end his involvement with BBC productions however, and in 1958 he appeared in the six-part project ''Leave It To Todhunter'' (based on the 1937 book "Trial and Error" by Anthony Berkeley), playing Ambrose Chitterwick in an episode called "In Search Of A Corpse". In 1959 he played the Duke of Omnium in all six episodes of another series from the BBC, ''

The Eustace Diamonds ''The Eustace Diamonds'' is a novel by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1871 as a serial in the ''Fortnightly Review''. It is the third of the " Palliser" series of novels. Plot summary In this novel, the characters of Plantagenet Palliser, ...

'', adapted from the novel by

Anthony Trollope Anthony Trollope (; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among his best-known works is a series of novels collectively known as the '' Chronicles of Barsetshire'', which revolves ar ...

about the London society scandal caused in the 19th century when a diamond necklace goes missing. In 1962, he starred as Thomas Crawford in the Broadway play '' The Affair''. In a rare outing for

ABC Weekend TV ABC Weekend TV was the popular name of the British broadcaster ABC Television Limited, which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one ...

, he took the part of Major General Goddard in a 1966 episode of '' The Avengers'' TV series, entitled " What the Butler Saw" and starring

Patrick Macnee Daniel Patrick Macnee (6 February 1922 – 25 June 2015) was a British film and television actor. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he began his acting career in Canada. Despite having some small film roles, Macnee spent much ...

and Diana Rigg, but would go on to play an entirely different character called Dickens in the 1968 screening of "Legacy Of Death", by which time Linda Thorson was portraying John Steed's female sidekick. Reeves also appeared in seven of 26 episodes of the classic BBC television series '' The Forsyte Saga'', broadcast in early 1967, playing Nicholas Forsyte. He could be seen throughout the 1960s in a variety of other popular productions, such as the police serial '' No Hiding Place'', drama anthologies '' Armchair Theatre'' and '' The Wednesday Play'' and as "The Minister" in an episode of

Patrick McGoohan Patrick Joseph McGoohan (; March 19, 1928 – January 13, 2009) was an Irish-American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer of film and television. Born in the United States to Irish emigrant parents, he was raised in Ireland and Engl ...

's ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'' television series. Reeves' film career continued in parallel with his small screen contributions, and in

1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar E ...

he had portrayed Lord Stanley to John Gielgud's Disraeli in the biographical treatment '' The Prime Minister''. In

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

he played Dr Chawner in the

Peter Ustinov Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...

tour de force '' Vice Versa'' (Ustinov having written, co-produced and directed it), and in the same year he appeared as the Lord Chief Justice of the High Court in ''

The Winslow Boy ''The Winslow Boy'' is an English play from 1946 by Terence Rattigan based on an incident involving George Archer-Shee in the Edwardian era. The incident took place at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. Background Set against the strict c ...

'', which starred

Robert Donat Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939), winning for the latter the Academy Award for ...

. In 1950 he revisited the subject of Disraeli in the film '' The Mudlark'', when he took the part of General Sir Henry Ponsonby in the story of a street urchin (or "mudlark") who is found in

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original c ...

attempting to talk to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

. This time, Disraeli is played by

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including '' Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1 ...

. In

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year ...

, he took the role of Professor Walgate in the

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

B film ''

Fiend Without a Face ''Fiend Without a Face'' is a 1958 independently made British black-and-white science fiction-horror film drama from Amalgamated Productions. It was produced by John Croydon and Richard Gordon, directed by Arthur Crabtree, and stars Marshall Th ...

'', whose hero was played by Marshall Thompson, and whose plot had

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

attacked by mutated caterpillar-like creatures made of human spines and brains. During a period of steady cinematic work, he also found time to portray a "testy old millionaire" in ''

Carry On Regardless ''Carry On Regardless'' is a 1961 British comedy film, the fifth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). The film revolves loosely around the activities of a job agency, 'Helping Hands', run by Sid James's character, Bert Handy. ...

'' in

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba (Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 (K ...

. A year before his death in 1971, he made both his final television appearance and his last film. In a dramatic enactment during an edition of the BBC arts magazine '' Omnibus'', he took the part of

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

painter Renoir in a piece entitled "A Requiem for Modigliani", describing the final part of the Italian artist's life, and his love affairs. And in the cinema, he fulfilled a small role in '' The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'', the 1970 film which starred

Robert Stephens Sir Robert Graham Stephens (14 July 193112 November 1995) was a leading English actor in the early years of Britain's Royal National Theatre. He was one of the most respected actors of his generation and was at one time regarded as the nat ...

and

Geneviève Page Geneviève Page (born Geneviève Bonjean, 13 December 1927) is a French actress with a film career spanning fifty years and also numerous English-speaking film productions. She is the daughter of French art collector Jacques Paul Bonjean (1899– ...

Death

Reeves died of

cerebral thrombosis A thrombus (plural thrombi), colloquially called a blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. There are two components to a thrombus: aggregated platelets and red blood cells that form a plug, and a mesh of cr ...

Lewisham Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, at the age of 78.

Filmography

*''

Many Waters ''Many Waters'' is a 1986 novel by Madeleine L'Engle, part of the author's Time Quintet (also known as the Time Quartet). The title is taken from the Song of Solomon 8:7: "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. If a ...

'' (1931) – Minor Role (uncredited) *'' Frail Women'' (1932) – (uncredited) *'' The Sign of the Four'' (1932) – Bartholomew Sholto (uncredited) *'' The Lodger'' (1932) – Bob Mitchell *'' Puppets of Fate'' (1933) – John Heath *'' The Crimson Candle'' (1934) – Inspector Blunt *'' The Broken Melody'' (1934) – Colonel Fitzroy *'' Jew Süss'' (1934) – (uncredited) *'' Vintage Wine'' (1935) – Benedict Popinot *'' Dark World'' (1935) – John *'' Take a Chance'' (1937) – Blinkers Grayson *''

A Romance in Flanders ''A Romance in Flanders'' is a 1937 British drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Paul Cavanagh, Marcelle Chantal, Olga Lindo and Alastair Sim. It is set during the First World War with the British Expeditionary Force in Flanders. It ...

'' (1937) – Major Burke *'' Housemaster'' (1938) – The Rev. Ovington *'' The Citadel'' (1938) – Doctor (uncredited) *'' The Outsider'' (1939) – Sir Montague Tollemach *'' Dead Men are Dangerous'' (1939) – James Franklin *'' Inspector Hornleigh'' (1939) – Dr. Manners *'' Sons of the Sea'' (1939) – Prof Devar *''

The Stars Look Down ''The Stars Look Down'' is a 1935 novel by A. J. Cronin which chronicles various injustices in an English coal mining community. A film version was released in 1940, and television adaptations include both Italian (1971) and British (1975) v ...

'' (1940) – Strother *'' The Flying Squad'' (1940) – Magistrate *''

Two for Danger ''Two for Danger'' is a 1940 British crime film directed by George King and starring Barry K. Barnes, Greta Gynt and Ian McLean. It was made at Teddington Studios as a second feature by Warner Brothers.Chibnall & McFarlane p.3 Cast * Barry ...

'' (1940) – Dr. George Frencham *'' The Prime Minister'' (1941) – Lord Stanley (uncredited) *'' This England'' (1941) – (uncredited) *'' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) – Minor Role (uncredited) *''

They Met in the Dark ''They Met in the Dark'' is a 1943 British comedy thriller film directed by Karel Lamač and starring James Mason, Joyce Howard and Edward Rigby. The screenplay concerns a cashiered Royal Naval officer and a young woman who join forces to solve ...

'' (1943) – Naval Officer in Charge of Court Martial *''

The Night Invader ''The Night Invader'' is a 1943 British, black-and-white, drama, thriller, war film, directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Max Milder for Warner Bros. - First National Productions Ltd. the British subsidiary of Warner Bros. and starring Ronal ...

'' (1943) – Sir Michael *'' Strawberry Roan'' (1944) – Horse Dealer *''

Murder in Reverse? ''Murder in Reverse'' (also styled ''Murder in Reverse?'') is a 1945 British thriller film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring William Hartnell, Jimmy Hanley and Chili Bouchier. It is based on the story ''Query'' by "Seamark" ( Austin J. ...

'' (1945) – Crossley King's Counsel *''

The Rake's Progress ''The Rake's Progress'' is an English-language opera from 1951 in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings '' A Rake's Prog ...

'' (1945) – Oxford Dean (uncredited) *'' The Echo Murders'' (1945) – Beales *'' Bedelia'' (1946) – Mr. Bennett *''

This Was a Woman ''This Was a Woman'' is a 1948 British crime film directed by Tim Whelan and starring Sonia Dresdel, Walter Fitzgerald and Emrys Jones. It was made at the Riverside Studios with sets designed by the art directors Ivan King and Andrew Mazzei ...

'' (1948) – Dr. Morrison *'' Vice Versa'' (1948) – Dr. Chawner *''

Counterblast ''Counterblast'' is a 1948 British thriller film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Robert Beatty, Mervyn Johns and Nova Pilbeam. It was made by British National Films at Elstree Studios. Plot A Nazi scientist escapes from prison, murder ...

'' (1948) – Lucas' Butler (uncredited) *''

The Weaker Sex ''The Weaker Sex'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Ursula Jeans, Cecil Parker and Joan Hopkins. It was one of the most popular films at the British box office in 1948. The film's subject was what ''The Ne ...

'' (1948) – Captain Dishart *'' The Guinea Pig'' (1948) – The Bishop *''

'' (1948) – Lord Chief Justice *'' Badger's Green'' (1949) – Dr. Wetherby *'' For Them That Trespass'' (1949) – The Judge (uncredited) *'' Madness of the Heart'' (1949) – Sir Robert Hammond *''

The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery ''The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery'' is a 1950 British crime film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Robert Beatty, Rona Anderson, and Clifford Evans. The film is a strange hybrid: with the Twenty Questions sections being a true studio ...

'' (1950) – Gen. Maitland *'' Madeleine'' (1950) – Dr. Penny *'' Tony Draws a Horse'' (1950) – Dr. Bletchley *'' Trio'' (1950) – Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited) *'' Blackout'' (1950) – Mr. Dale *'' The Mudlark'' (1950) – General Sir Ponsonby (uncredited) *'' Smart Alec'' (1951) – Uncle Edward *'' Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N.'' (1951) – Adm. Lord Hood *''

Song of Paris ''Song of Paris'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Guillermin and starring Dennis Price, Anne Vernon and Hermione Baddeley. It was shot at Walton Studios outside London. It was distributed in the United States by Lippert Pictures ...

'' (1952) – Vicar *'' Penny Princess'' (1952) – Burgomaster – Policeman *''

Top Secret Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to kn ...

'' (1952) – Barworth Director *'' Top of the Form'' (1953) – The Dean *'' Laxdale Hall'' (1953) – Rev. Ian Macaulay *''

Four Sided Triangle ''Four Sided Triangle'' is a 1953 British science-fiction film directed by Terence Fisher, adapted from the 1949 novel by William F. Temple. It stars Stephen Murray, Barbara Payton and James Hayter. It was produced by Hammer Film Production ...

'' (1953) – Lord Grant *''

Eight O'Clock Walk ''Eight O'Clock Walk'' is a 1954 British drama film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Richard Attenborough, Cathy O'Donnell, Derek Farr and Maurice Denham. Its plot involves a taxi driver who is tried for the murder of a young girl on a bo ...

'' (1954) – Mr. Munro *''

The Crowded Day ''The Crowded Day'' is a 1954 British comedy drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice, Cyril Raymond and Josephine Griffin. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a London departm ...

'' (1954) – Mr. Ronson *'' Burnt Evidence'' (1954) – Pathologist *''

Fun at St. Fanny's ''Fun at St. Fanny's'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson and Vera Day. The film revolves around the teachers and students of St Fanny's private school, particularly the pupil Cardew ...

'' (1955) – Mc. Tavish *''Je plaide non coupable'' (1956) – Col. Wright *'' Brothers in Law'' (1957) – Mr. Justice Lawson *''Light Fingers'' (1957) – Sir Charles Shepley-Cooke *'' High Flight'' (1957) – Air Minister *''Prescription for Murder'' (1958) – Mr. Sparrow *''

'' (1958) – Prof. R.E. Walgate *'' A Question of Adultery'' (1958) – Judge *''

Carlton-Browne of the F.O. ''Carlton-Browne of the F.O.'' (U.S. title: ''Man in a Cocked Hat'') is a 1959 British comedy film made by the Boulting Brothers and starring Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, and Luciana Paluzzi. It centres on an inept Foreign Office (F.O.) diplom ...

'' (1959) – Sir Arthur Carlton-Browne *'' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) – General *''

In the Nick ''In the Nick'' is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Anthony Newley, Anne Aubrey, Bernie Winters, James Booth and Harry Andrews. In the film, a gang of incompetent criminals are placed in a special type of new prison ...

'' (1960) – Judge *'' The Night We Got the Bird'' (1961) – Mr. Warre-Monger *''

'' (1961) – Sir Theodore *'' Shadow of the Cat'' (1961) – The Grandfather *'' Don't Bother to Knock'' (1961) – Neighbor *''

Go to Blazes Go, GO, G.O., or Go! may refer to: Arts and entertainment Games and sport * Go (game), a board game for two players * ''Travel Go'' (formerly ''Go – The International Travel Game''), a game based on world travel * Go, the starting position lo ...

'' (1962) – 1st Clubman *''

In the Doghouse IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Inde ...

'' (1961) – Colonel *''

Hide and Seek Hide-and-seek (sometimes known as hide-and-go-seek) is a popular children's game in which at least two players (usually at least three) conceal themselves in a set environment, to be found by one or more seekers. The game is played by one chose ...

'' (1964) – Hunter *''

The Caramel Crisis ''The Caramel Crisis'' was a one-off BBC television drama by Simon Gray, produced as part of the BBC's ''Thirty-Minute Theatre'' series. It was Simon Gray's first dramatic work, adapted from his own short story, and was first broadcast live on 25 ...

'' (1966) *''

Gates to Paradise ''Gates to Paradise'' is a 1968 film by Polish director Andrzej Wajda. The film is set in medieval France and is based on a novel by Polish writer Jerzy Andrzejewski (1960) that seeks to expose the motives behind youthful religious zeal. It was ...

'' (1968) – Superior *'' Hot Millions'' (1968) – Quayle (uncredited) *'' Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969) – Willoughby (uncredited) *'' The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'' (1970) – Old Man (uncredited)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Reeves, Kynaston 1893 births 1971 deaths English male film actors English male television actors Male actors from London 20th-century English male actors Deaths from cerebral thrombosis