Cecil Parker (born Cecil Schwabe; 3 September 1897 – 20 April 1971) was an English actor with a distinctively husky voice, who usually played supporting roles, often characters with a supercilious demeanour, in his 91 films made between 1928 and 1969.

Career

Parker was born in

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

, the second son (and fifth of six children) of German-born Charles August Schwabe, manager of the Albany Hotel, Hastings, and his English wife, Kate (née Parker), a church organist. He was educated at St Francis Xavier College, and at

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

.Who's Who in the Theatre by John Parker (11th Edition) (1952) (London) He served with the

Royal Sussex Regiment The Royal Sussex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foo ...

in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, reaching the rank of

sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...

. He began his theatrical career in London in 1922, adopting the surname "Parker" from his mother's maiden name. He made his first film appearance in 1933 and subsequently became a familiar face in British and occasionally American films until his death. He appeared less often on television, but many of his films have remained popular and are often shown. He acted in two adaptations of

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

's novels, '' The Citadel'' (1938) and '' The Stars Look Down'' (1940), in addition to appearing in ''

The Lady Vanishes ''The Lady Vanishes'' is a 1938 British Mystery film, mystery Thriller (genre), thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave. Written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, based on the 1936 novel '' ...

'' (1938) and '' Under Capricorn'' (1949). Both of these latter films were directed by

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

. Other roles were in '' Storm in a Teacup'' (1937), '' The Weaker Sex'' (1948), '' 23 Paces to Baker Street'' (1956), '' Dangerous Moonlight'' (1941), '' Swiss Family Robinson'' (1960), and '' I Was Monty's Double'' (1958), as well as the comedies '' A French Mistress'' (1960), '' The Ladykillers'' (1955), ''

The Man in the White Suit ''The Man in the White Suit'' is a 1951 British satirical science fiction comedy film made by Ealing Studios. It stars Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood and Cecil Parker and was directed by Alexander Mackendrick. The film was nominated for an ...

'' (1951), '' The Court Jester'' (1955) (in which he played an evil, usurping king of England), '' Indiscreet'' (1958) and '' I Believe in You'' (1952). Parker was also the original Charles Condomine in the West End production of

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

's '' Blithe Spirit''. He often played a touchy senior officer or British

upper class Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status. Usually, these are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper cla ...

character, and his last two films were true to form: '' The Magnificent Two'' (1967) with the British comedy double act Morecambe and Wise and

Richard Attenborough Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough (; 29 August 192324 August 2014) was an English actor, film director, and Film producer, producer. Attenborough was the president of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the British Acade ...

's version of '' Oh! What a Lovely War'' (1969). On November 20, 1950, he co-starred with Margaret O'Brien in " The Canterville Ghost", on '' Robert Montgomery Presents'' on TV. He played a butler on one episode of ''The Avengers'' ("The £50,000 Breakfast"). In 1957 he played Dr. Morelle in BBC radio series, "A Case for Dr. Morelle" (13 episodes).

Personal life

Parker was married to Muriel Anne Randell-Brown (born in Seacombe,

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...

), from September 1927 until his death in 1971, in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

Filmography

* '' The Golden Cage'' (1933) * '' A Cuckoo in the Nest'' (1933) as Claude Hickett * '' The Silver Spoon'' (1934) as Trevor * '' Flat Number Three'' (1934) as Hilary Maine * '' Nine Forty-Five'' (1934) as Robert Clayton * '' Princess Charming'' (1934) as Mr. Thompson (uncredited) * '' The Blue Squadron'' (1934) as Bianci * '' Little Friend'' (1934) as Mason * '' Lady in Danger'' (1934) as Piker * '' Dirty Work'' (1934) as Gordon Bray * '' Me and Marlborough'' (1935) as Colonel of the Greys * ''

Crime Unlimited ''Crime Unlimited'' is a 1935 British crime film that was made as a Cinematograph Films Act 1927, Quota quickie. It was directed by Ralph Ince. The film marked the English-language debut of Lilli Palmer. Plot The Maddick gang pull off a diamond ...

'' (1935) as Assistant Commissioner * ''The Guv'nor'' (1935) as Bank Director (uncredited) * '' Her Last Affaire'' (1935) as Sir Arthur Harding * '' Foreign Affaires'' (1935) as Lord Wormington * '' Men of Yesterday'' (1936) * '' The Man Who Changed His Mind'' (1936) as Dr. Gratton * '' Dishonour Bright'' (1936) as Vincent Crane * '' Jack of All Trades'' (1936) as Sir Charles Darrington * '' Dark Journey'' (1937) as Captain of Q-Boat * '' Storm in a Teacup'' (1937) as Provost William Gow * '' Housemaster'' (1938) as Sir Berkeley Nightingale * ''

'' (1938) as Mr. Todhunter * '' The Citadel'' (1938) as Charles Every * '' Old Iron'' (1938) as Barnett * '' Sons of the Sea'' (1939) as Commander Herbert * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1939) as Jimmy Reeves * '' The Stars Look Down'' (1940) as Stanley Millington * '' The Spider'' (1940) as Lawrence Bruce * '' Under Your Hat'' (1940) as Sir Jeffrey Arlington * '' Two for Danger'' (1940) as Sir Richard * '' The Saint's Vacation'' (1941) as Rudolph * '' Dangerous Moonlight'' (1941) as Specialist * '' Ships with Wings'' (1942) as German Air Marshal * '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945) as Britannus * '' The Magic Bow'' (1946) as Luigi Germi * '' Hungry Hill'' (1947) as Copper John * '' Captain Boycott'' (1947) as Captain Charles C. Boycott * ''

The Woman in the Hall ''The Woman in the Hall'' is a 1947 British drama film directed by Jack Lee and starring Ursula Jeans, Jean Simmons, Cecil Parker. The screenplay was written by Lee, Ian Dalrymple Ian Dalrymple (26 August 190328 March 1989) was a British ...

'' (1947) as Sir Halmar Barnard * '' The First Gentleman'' (1948) as The Prince Regent * '' The Weaker Sex'' (1948) as Geoffrey Radcliffe * '' Quartet'' (1948) as Colonel Peregrine (segment "The Colonel's Lady") * '' Dear Mr. Prohack'' (1949) as Arthur Prohack * '' Under Capricorn'' (1949) as The Governor * '' The Chiltern Hundreds'' (1949) as Benjamin Beecham * '' Tony Draws a Horse'' (1950) as Dr. Howard Fleming * ''

'' (1951) as Alan Birnley * '' The Magic Box'' (1951) as First Platform Man * ''

His Excellency Excellency is an honorific style (manner of address), 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 ...

'' (1951) as Sir James Kirkman * '' I Believe in You'' (1952) as Phipps * '' Father Brown'' (1954) as The Bishop * '' For Better, for Worse'' (1954) as Anne's Father * '' Isn't Life Wonderful!'' (1954) as Father * '' The Constant Husband'' (1955) as The Professor * '' The Ladykillers'' (1955) as Claude Courtney * '' The Court Jester'' (1955) as King Roderick I * '' 23 Paces to Baker Street'' (1956) as Bob Matthews * '' It's Great to Be Young'' (1956) as Mr. Frome, Headmaster * '' True as a Turtle'' (1957) as Dudley Partridge * ''

The Admirable Crichton ''The Admirable Crichton'' is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. Origins Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scotland, Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th-century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving E ...

'' (1957) as Lord Loam * ''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by English author Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long impr ...

'' (1958) as Jarvis Lorry * '' Happy Is the Bride'' (1958) as Arthur Royd * '' Indiscreet'' (1958) as Alfred Munson * '' I Was Monty's Double'' (1958) as Colonel Logan * '' The Navy Lark'' (1959) as Commander Stanton * '' The Night We Dropped a Clanger'' (1959) as Air Vice-Marshal Sir Bertram Bukpasser * '' The Wreck of the Mary Deare'' (1959) as The Chairman * '' Sotto dieci bandiere'' (1960) as Colonel Howard * '' Follow That Horse!'' (1960) as Sir William Crane * '' A French Mistress'' (1960) as John Crane M.A., Headmaster of Melbury School * '' Swiss Family Robinson'' (1960) as Captain Moreland * '' The Pure Hell of St Trinian's'' (1960) as Professor Canford * ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' (1961) (Season 7 Episode 9: "I Spy") as Lawyer * '' On the Fiddle'' (1961) as Gr / Captain Bascombe * '' Petticoat Pirates'' (1961) as C-in-C * '' The Brain'' (1962) as Stevenson * ''

The Iron Maiden ''The Iron Maiden'' is a 1963 British comedy film. The film was directed by Gerald Thomas, and stars Michael Craig (actor), Michael Craig, Anne Helm, Jeff Donnell and Alan Hale Jr. There are minor roles for ''Carry On (series), Carry On'' stal ...

'' (1962) as Sir Giles Thompson * '' The Amorous Prawn'' (1962) as General Sir Hamish Fitzadam * '' Heavens Above!'' (1963) as Archdeacon Aspinall * '' Carry On Jack'' (1963) as First Sealord * '' Guns at Batasi'' (1964) as Fletcher * '' The Comedy Man'' (1964) as Thomas Rutherford * '' The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders'' (1965) as The Mayor * '' A Study in Terror'' (1965) as Prime Minister * '' Lady L'' (1965) as Sir Percy * ''

A Man Could Get Killed ''A Man Could Get Killed'' is a 1966 American Adventure film, adventure comedy film directed by Ronald Neame and Cliff Owen, shot on various locations in Portugal and starring James Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee, Anthony Franciosa, and Rob ...

'' (1966) as Sir Huntley Frazier * '' Circus of Fear'' (1966) as Sir John * '' The Magnificent Two'' (1967) as Sir John / British Ambassador * '' The Avengers'' (1967) (TV Series) (Season 6 Episode 3: "The £50,000 Breakfast") as Glover * '' Oh! What a Lovely War'' (1969) as Sir John (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Cecil Parker's performances in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, Cecil 1897 births 1971 deaths Military personnel from East Sussex 20th-century English male actors British Army personnel of World War I English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English people of German descent Male actors from Hastings Royal Sussex Regiment soldiers