Derrick Capel Farr (7 February 191221 March 1986) was an English actor who appeared regularly in British films and television from 1938 until his death in 1986. His more famous roles include Group Captain John Whitworth in '' The Dam Busters''.

Career

After working as a schoolteacher, he took to the stage in 1937, and in 1938 got his first film role. He served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and after the war resumed his acting career, mainly in character parts. He did, however, continue to appear as male leads and second male leads (with above-the-title billing) in a number of films in the late 1940s and 1950s, including ''

Noose A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot tightens under load and can be loosened without untying the knot. The knot can be used to secure a rope to a post, pole, or animal but only where the end is in a position that the loop can ...

'' (1948), '' Murder Without Crime'' (1950) and '' Young Wives' Tale'' (1951). In 1952 he appeared in the West End in the thriller '' Murder Mistaken'' by Janet Green. In the early 1980s he played 16 roles in ''The War of the Roses'' cycle in the ''

BBC Television Shakespeare The ''BBC Television Shakespeare'' is a series of British television adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, the plays of William Shakespeare, created by Cedric Messina and broadcast by BBC Television. Transmitted in the UK from 3 December 1978 to ...

'' series.

Personal life

His second marriage was in 1947 to actress Muriel Pavlow, whom he met in 1941 while filming '' Quiet Wedding'', and again on the set of '' The Shop at Sly Corner'' (1947). Their

maid of honour A maid of honour is a junior attendant of a queen in royal households. The position was and is junior to the lady-in-waiting. The equivalent title and office has historically been used in most European royal courts. Tudors and Stuarts Traditi ...

was

Glynis Johns Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (5 October 1923 – 4 January 2024) was a British actress. In a career exceeding seven decades on stage and screen, Johns appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays. She received various accolades throughout her ca ...

, with whom they had both performed in ''Quiet Wedding''. They remained married until Farr's death in March 1986, aged 74.IMDb entry
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Partial filmography

* '' Miracles Do Happen'' (1938) – Greenlaw's Secretary (uncredited) * '' The Outsider'' (1939) – (uncredited) * ''

Q Planes ''Q Planes'' (known as ''Clouds Over Europe'' in the United States) is a 1939 British comedy film, comedy spy film starring Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier and Valerie Hobson. Olivier and Richardson were a decade into their fifty-year friends ...

'' (1939) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Black Eyes'' (1939) – Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday ''Inspector Hornleigh on Holiday'' is a 1939 British detective film directed by Walter Forde and starring Gordon Harker, Alastair Sim and Linden Travers. It is the sequel to the 1938 film '' Inspector Hornleigh'', and both films are based ...

'' (1939) – Bridge Club Member (uncredited) * '' Freedom Radio'' (1941) – Hans * '' Quiet Wedding'' (1941) – Dallas Chaytor * '' Spellbound'' (AKA ' Passing Clouds ') (1941) – Laurie Baxter * '' Wanted for Murder'' (1946) – Jack Williams * '' Quiet Weekend'' (1946) – Denys Royd * ''

Teheran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9.8 million in the city as of 2025, ...

'' (1946) – Pemberton Grant * '' Code of Scotland Yard'' (1947) – Robert Graham * ''

Bond Street Bond Street in the West End of London links Piccadilly in the south to Oxford Street in the north. Since the 18th century the street has housed many prestigious and upmarket fashion retailers. The southern section is Old Bond Street and the l ...

'' (1948) – Joe Marsh * ''

'' (1948) – Capt. Jumbo Hyde * '' The Story of Shirley Yorke'' (1948) – Gerald Ryton * '' Silent Dust'' (1949) – Maxwell Oliver * '' Man on the Run'' (1949) – Sgt. Peter Burden, alias Brown * '' Double Confession'' (1950) – Jim Medway * '' Murder Without Crime'' (1950) – Stephen * '' Young Wives' Tale'' (1951) – Bruce Banning * ''

Reluctant Heroes ''Reluctant Heroes'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Ronald Shiner, Derek Farr and Christine Norden. It is based on the popular farce of the same title by Colin Morris. The play, which had its West En ...

'' (1952) – Michael Fone * '' Little Big Shot'' (1952) – Sergeant Wilson * '' Front Page Story'' (1954) – Teale * '' Eight O'Clock Walk'' (1954) – Peter Tanner * '' Bang! You're Dead'' (1954) – Detective Grey * '' The Dam Busters'' (1955) –

Group Captain Group captain (Gp Capt or G/C) is a senior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many Commonwealth of Nations, countries that have historical British influence. Group cap ...

J. N. H. Whitworth, D.S.O., D.F.C. * '' Value for Money'' (1955) – Duke Popplewell * '' The Man in the Road'' (1956) – Ivan Mason / Dr. James Paxton * '' Town on Trial'' (1957) – Mark Roper * '' Doctor At Large'' (1957) – Dr. Potter-Shine * '' The Vicious Circle'' (1957) – Kenneth Palmer * '' The Truth About Women'' (1957) – Anthony * '' Attempt to Kill'' (1961) – Det. Insp. Minter * '' Deadline Midnight'' (1961) – Paul Vetter * '' The Saint'' (1962, TV Series) – John Clarron / Mrs. Jafferty * '' The Human Jungle'' * '' The Projected Man'' (1966) – Inspector Davis * '' 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia'' (1968) – TV Announcer * ''The Johnstown Monster'' (1971) – Hamer * '' Pope Joan'' (1972) – Count Brisini * '' Crossroads'' (1972–1973, TV Series) – Timothy Hunter * '' Nightingale's Boys'' (1975, TV Series) – Bill Nightingale * '' Star Maidens'' (1976, TV series) – Professor Evans * ''

Blake's 7 ''Blake's 7'' is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. Four series of thirteen 50-minute episodes were broadcast on BBC1 between 1978 and 1981. It was created by Terry Nation, who also wrote the first series, prod ...

'' (1978, TV series) – Professor Ensor * ''

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC1, created and written by Raymond Allen (scriptwriter), Raymond Allen and starring Michael Crawford and Michele Dotrice. It was first broadcast in 1973 and ran for two series, inc ...

'' (1978, TV Series) – Dr Mender *

Rumpole of the Bailey ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, ...

- Rumpole and the Man of God - (1979) - Rev Mordred Skinner * '' We, the Accused'' (1980, TV series) – Sir Kenneth Eddy

References

External links

* 1912 births 1986 deaths English male film actors Military personnel from the London Borough of Hounslow 20th-century English male actors British military personnel of World War II Actors from the London Borough of Hounslow People from Brentford {{England-film-actor-stub