Ernest Frederic Graham Thesiger (15 January 1879 – 14 January 1961) was an English stage and film actor. He is noted for his performance as

Doctor Septimus Pretorius Doctor Septimus Pretorius is a fictional character who appears in the Universal film ''Bride of Frankenstein'' (1935) as the main antagonist. He is played by British stage and film actor Ernest Thesiger. Some sources claim he was originally to ha ...

James Whale James Whale (22 July 1889 – 29 May 1957) was an English film director, theatre director and actor, who spent the greater part of his career in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. He is best remembered for several horror films: ''Fra ...

's film ''

Bride of Frankenstein ''Bride of Frankenstein'' is a 1935 American Gothic science fiction horror film, and the first sequel to Universal Pictures' 1931 film ''Frankenstein''. As with the first film, ''Bride of Frankenstein'' was directed by James Whale starring ...

'' (1935). Ernest Thesiger by William Ranken

Early life

Ernest Thesiger was born 15 January 1879 in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. He was the third of four children of Hon. Sir Edward Peirson Thesiger (1842–1928), KCB, Clerk Assistant to Parliament, and Georgina Mary, daughter of William Bruce Stopford Sackville, of Drayton House,

Thrapston Thrapston is a market town and civil parish in the North Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. It was the headquarters of the former East Northamptonshire district, and at the time of the 2021 census, had a pop ...

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...

, of the family of the

Earl of Courtown The Earl of Courtown, in the County of Wexford, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 12 April 1762 for James Stopford, 1st Baron Courtown. He had previously represented County Wexford and Fethard in the Irish House of Commo ...

. He was the grandson of the 1st Lord Chelmsford, first cousin once removed of the explorer and author

Wilfred Thesiger Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger (3 June 1910 – 24 August 2003), also known as Mubarak bin Landan (, ''the blessed one of London'') was a British military officer, explorer, and writer. Thesiger's travel books include '' Arabian Sands'' (1959), ...

(1910–2003), and the nephew of the 2nd Lord Chelmsford. Thesiger attended

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English private boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. It was founded as Marlborough School in 1843 by the Dean of Manchester, George ...

and the Slade School of Art with aspirations of becoming a painter, but quickly switched to

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

, making his professional debut in a production of ''Colonel Smith'' in 1909. He also processed with the Men's League for Women's Suffrage at the mass rally in 1909. After the outbreak of

World War I 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 ...

, on 31 August 1914, he volunteered with the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...

, enlisting into the 2nd Battalion of the 9th London Regiment ( Queen Victoria's Rifles), as Rifleman No.2546 at its Regimental Headquarters in London's West End. After training in England for three months, he was sent to the Western Front in late 1914 with the Q.V.R.'s 1st Battalion. On 1 January 1915, he was wounded in the trenches, and medically evacuated back to England. His interest in

needlework Needlework refers to decorative sewing and other textile arts, textile handicrafts that involve the use of a Sewing needle, needle. Needlework may also include related textile crafts like crochet (which uses a crochet hook, hook), or tatting, ( ...

had begun with buying and repairing pieces of historical embroidery with his brother in law William Ranken while in France. After the incident in a barn explosion, his hands had been damaged and on return home, despite the Ministry of Pensions declaring it "too effeminate an occupation for men", Thesiger developed small sewing kits for soldiers similarly injured to provide activity and pain relief. This became The Disabled Soldiers' Embroidery Industry, 42 Ebury Street, London. As Honorary Secretary Cross-Stitch, Thesiger was convinced that needlework could improve injured men's morale and earn some money, as he also obtained commissions, including an altar frontal for private use in

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. At a dinner party shortly after his return, someone asked him what it had been like in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, to which he is supposed to have responded "Oh, my dear, the noise! and the people!" In 1917, he married Janette Mary Fernie Ranken (1877–1970), sister of his close friend and fellow Slade graduate William Bruce Ellis Ranken. In her

biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...

of Thesiger's friend, Ivy Compton-Burnett, Hilary Spurling suggests that Thesiger and Janette wed largely out of their mutual adoration of William, who shaved his head when he learned of the engagement. Another source states more explicitly that Thesiger made no secret of his

bisexuality Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or Human sexual activity, sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, ...

. Thesiger moved in several artistic, literary and theatrical circles, and is reported to have spent time with Queen Mary, both doing needlework and commenting on the sexuality of proposed honours nominees. At various times, he frequented the studio of

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era, Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil ...

, befriended Mrs. Patrick Campbell, visited and corresponded with

Percy Grainger Percy Aldridge Grainger (born George Percy Grainger; 8 July 188220 February 1961) was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist who moved to the United States in 1914 and became an American citizen in 1918. In the course of a long and ...

and worked closely with

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

, who wrote the role of the Dauphin in '' Saint Joan'' for him.

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

, on the other hand, responded to Thesiger's inquiry as to why he wrote no parts for him with the quip, "But I am always writing parts for you, Ernest. The trouble is that somebody called Gladys Cooper will insist on playing them." Thesiger was in the cast of Maugham's highly successful 1921 play '' The Circle'', produced at the Haymarket Theatre (also with Fay Compton and Leon Quartermaine).

Early stage career

Thesiger first came to public notice in the farce '' A Little Bit of Fluff'' by Walter W. Ellis at the Criterion Theatre in 1915–18. He played the comic hero Bertrand Tully over 1,200 times, and received very favourable reviews. The '' London Standard'' wrote, "The character of Bertram Tully...is one of the happiest seen on the stage for a decade past...Mr. Ernest Thesiger achieved a real triumph." He reprised the role in the 1919 film version, and in a 1923 revival at the Ambassadors Theatre. In 1925, Thesiger appeared in drag in

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 '' On with the Dance'', and later played the Dauphin in Shaw's '' Saint Joan''. This highlighted his ability to play camp-like roles, which would eventually catch the eye of the similarly camp-leaning James Whale. He wrote an autobiography ''Practically True'', published in 1927, which covers his stage career. An unpublished memoir written near the end of his life is housed in the Ernest Thesiger Collection at the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

Theatre Collection.

Film career

Thesiger made his film debut in 1916 in '' The Real Thing at Last'', a spoof presenting ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' as it might be done by an American company, in which he did a drag turn as one of the

Witches Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Enc ...

. Thesiger also played the First Witch in a 1941 production of ''Macbeth'' directed by

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...

. He performed more small roles in films during the silent era, but worked mainly on the stage. He had a larger role in an early film for director

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 ...

, the silent '' Number 13'' (1922), but this was never completed due to lack of funds.

Work with James Whale

When he appeared in a Christmas production of ''

The Merry Wives of Windsor ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'' or ''Sir John Falstaff and the Merry Wives of Windsor'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. The Windsor of the play's title is a ref ...

'' in 1919, Thesiger met and befriended

. After Whale moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

and had found success with the films '' Journey's End'' (1930) and ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

'' (1931), the director was commissioned to direct the screen adaptation of J. B. Priestley's ''Benighted'' as '' The Old Dark House'' (1932), starring

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...

in his first American film, together with top-billed

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...

Melvyn Douglas Melvyn Douglas (born Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg, April 5, 1901 – August 4, 1981) was an American actor. Douglas came to prominence in 1929 as a suave leading man, perhaps best typified by his performance in the romantic comedy '' Ninotchka'' ( ...

Gloria Stuart Gloria Frances Stuart (born Gloria Stewart; July 4, 1910 – September 26, 2010) was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. She was known for her roles in pre-code films, and garnered renewed fame late in life for her portrayal of Ro ...

Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...

and Lillian Bond. Whale immediately cast Thesiger in the film as Horace Femm, launching his Hollywood career. The following year Thesiger appeared (as a Scottish butler) with Karloff in a British film, '' The Ghoul''. When Whale agreed to direct ''

'' in 1935, he insisted on casting Thesiger as Dr. Septimus Pretorius, instead of the studio's choice of

Claude Rains William Claude Rains (10 November 188930 May 1967) was a British and American actor whose career spanned almost seven decades. He was the recipient of numerous accolades, including four Academy Award nominations for Academy Award for Best Supp ...

. Partly inspired by

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

's friend

John Polidori John William Polidori (7 September 1795 – 24 August 1821) was a British writer and physician. He is known for his associations with the Romanticism, Romantic movement and credited by some as the creator of the vampire genre of fantasy fiction. ...

and largely based on the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

physician and botanist

Paracelsus Paracelsus (; ; 1493 – 24 September 1541), born Theophrastus von Hohenheim (full name Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim), was a Swiss physician, alchemist, lay theologian, and philosopher of the German Renaissance. H ...

, it became Thesiger's most famous role. Arriving in the United States for the filming of ''

'', Thesiger immediately set up a display of all his needlework in his hotel suite, each with a price tag, and during the making of the film he would work on needlework, one of his hobbies.

After ''Bride''

Originally cast to play the

Luddite The Luddites were members of a 19th-century movement of English textile workers who opposed the use of certain types of automated machinery due to concerns relating to worker pay and output quality. They often destroyed the machines in organ ...

sculptor Theotocopolous in

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer, prolific in many genres. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, hist ...

's ''

Things to Come ''Things to Come'' is a 1936 British science fiction film produced by Alexander Korda, directed by William Cameron Menzies, and written by H. G. Wells. It is a loose adaptation of Wells' book '' The Shape of Things to Come''. The film stars Ra ...

'' (1936), Thesiger's performance was deemed unsuitable by the author, and so was replaced by

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned over 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and hi ...

, although he was retained on the parallel production of Wells's '' The Man Who Could Work Miracles''. Around this same time Thesiger published a book, ''Adventures in Embroidery'', about

, which was his expert hobby. The remainder of Thesiger's career was centered on the theatrical stage, though he did appear in supporting roles in films, prominent among which is ''

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), starring

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. In the BFI, British Film Institute listing of 1999 of BFI Top 100 British films, the 100 most important British films of the 20th century ...

. He plays "Sir John," the most powerful, the richest, and the oldest of the industrialists (jointly with the trade unions) trying to suppress Guinness's invention of a fabric that never wears out and never gets dirty. He also made a notable appearance in 1953 in the Golden Globe-winning '' The Robe'' as the Emperor Tiberius. Thesiger made several appearances on Broadway, notably as Jacques to

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...

's Rosalind in the longest-running production of ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral Shakespearean comedy, comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wil ...

'' ever produced on Broadway. Later films included ''

The Horse's Mouth ''The Horse's Mouth'' is a 1944 novel by Anglo-Irish writer Joyce Cary, the third in his ''First Trilogy'', whose first two books are ''Herself Surprised'' (1941) and ''To Be a Pilgrim'' (1942). ''The Horse's Mouth'' follows the adventures o ...

'' (1958) with

, '' Sons and Lovers'' (1960), and '' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'', with

Vivien Leigh Vivien Leigh ( ; born Vivian Mary Hartley; 5 November 1913 – 8 July 1967), styled as Lady Olivier after 1947, was a British actress. After completing her drama school education, Leigh appeared in small roles in four films in 1935 and progress ...

and

Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty (né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career has spanned over six decades, and he has received an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. He also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memor ...

(1961). That same year he made his final stage appearance—a mere week before his death—in ''The Last Joke'', with

and

Ralph Richardson Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor who, with John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, was one of the trinity of male actors who dominated the British stage for much of the 20th century. He wo ...

Later life

In 1960, Thesiger was appointed a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE). He was Vice Patron of the Embroiderers Guild. His last film appearance was a small role in '' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'' (1961). Shortly after completing it, Thesiger died in his sleep from natural causes on the eve of his 82nd birthday. His body was buried in

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is since 1852 the first (and only) London cemetery to be Crown Estate, Crown property, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington a ...

in London.

Legacy

In the fictionalised

biopic '' Gods and Monsters'' (1998), Thesiger was portrayed by

Arthur Dignam Arthur Dignam (9 September 1939 – 9 May 2020) was an Australian actor. Early life Dignam was born on Lord Howe Island. He attended Newington College in Sydney as a boarder in 1955 and 1956 and then the University of Sydney. Career He was be ...

. The real Thesiger is seen in the film when

Brendan Fraser Brendan James Fraser ( ; born December 3, 1968) is an American-Canadian actor. List of awards and nominations received by Brendan Fraser, His accolades include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a nomination for a Golden Globe A ...

, as Whale's gardener, sits at a bar watching a televised showing of the original 1935 ''Bride of Frankenstein''.

Filmography

* '' The Real Thing at Last'' (1916) – Witch * ''

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

'' (1918) – William Pitt, the Younger * ''

The Life Story of David Lloyd George ''The Life Story of David Lloyd George'' (originally titled ''The Man Who Saved The Empire'')Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 – 2 July 1914) was a British statesman who was first a radical Liberal Party (UK), Liberal, then a Liberal Unionist after opposing home rule for Ireland, and eventually was a leading New Imperialism, imperial ...

* '' A Little Bit of Fluff'' (1919) – Bertram Tully * '' The Bachelor's Club'' (1921) – Israfel Mondego * '' The Adventures of Mr. Pickwick'' (1921) – Mr. Jingle * '' Number 13'' (1922, Unfinished) – Mr. Peabody * '' Week-End Wives'' (1928) – Bertram * '' The Vagabond Queen'' (1929) – Lidoff * '' The Old Dark House'' (1932) – Horace Femm * '' The Ghoul'' (1933) – Laing * '' The Only Girl'' (1933) – The Chamberlain * ''

My Heart is Calling ''My Heart Is Calling'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Jan Kiepura, Mártha Eggerth and Sonnie Hale. It is the English-language version of the German film ''My Heart Calls You'' and the French film ''Mon ...

'' (1935) – Fevrier * ''

'' (1935) – Dr. Pretorius * ''

The Night of the Party ''The Night of the Party'' is a 1934 British mystery thriller film directed by Michael Powell and starring Leslie Banks, Ian Hunter, Jane Baxter, Ernest Thesiger and Malcolm Keen. In the United States it was released as ''The Murder Party'' ...

'' (1935) – Chiddiatt * '' The Man Who Could Work Miracles'' (1936) – Maydig * '' They Drive by Night'' (1938) – Walter Hoover * '' The Ware Case'' (1938) – Carter * ''

Lightning Conductor A lightning rod or lightning conductor (British English) is a metal rod mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. If lightning hits the structure, it is most likely to strike the rod and be conducted ...

'' (1938) – Professor * '' My Learned Friend'' (1943) – Ferris * '' The Lamp Still Burns'' (1943) – Chairman * ''

Don't Take It to Heart ''Don't Take It to Heart'' is a 1944 British comedy film directed by Jeffrey Dell and starring Richard Greene, Alfred Drayton, Patricia Medina, Moore Marriott and Richard Bird. It was shot at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith with set ...

'' (1944) – Justices' Clerk * ''

Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281 ...

'' (1944) – Duke of Berri – French Ambassador. * '' A Place of One's Own'' (1945) – Dr. Marsham * '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' (1945) – Theodotus * '' Beware of Pity'' (1946) – Baron Emil de Kekesfalva * '' The Man Within'' (1947) – Farne * '' Jassy'' (1947) – Sir Edward Follesmark * '' The Ghosts of Berkeley Square'' (1947) – Dr. Cruickshank of Psychical Research Society * ''

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 cod ...

'' (1948) – Mr. Ridgeley Pierce * ''

Quartet In music, a quartet (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations of four instruments in chamber music is the string quartet. String quar ...

'' (1948) – Henry Dashwood (segment "The Colonel's Lady") * '' Brass Monkey'' (1948) – Ryder-Harris * ''

The Bad Lord Byron ''The Bad Lord Byron'' is a 1949 British historical drama film about the life of Lord Byron. It was directed by David MacDonald (director), David MacDonald and starred Dennis Price as Byron with Mai Zetterling, Linden Travers and Joan Greenwood. ...

'' (1949) – Count Guiccioli * '' Last Holiday'' (1950) – Sir Trevor Lampington * ''

Laughter in Paradise ''Laughter in Paradise'' is a 1951 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi, starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton. It was written by Jack Davies and Michael Pertwee. The film was remade as '' Some Will, S ...

'' (1951) – Endicott * ''

'' (1951) – Sir John Kierlaw * '' Scrooge'' (1951) – The Undertaker * ''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivie ...

'' (1951) – Earl * ''

The Woman's Angle ''The Woman's Angle'' is 1952 British drama film directed by Leslie Arliss and starring Edward Underdown, Cathy O'Donnell and Lois Maxwell. It was written by Arliss, Mabbie Pool and Frederick Gotfurt based on the 1940 novel ''Three Cups of Coffe ...

'' (1952) – Judge * '' The Robe'' (1953) –

Emperor Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius ...

* '' Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (1953) – Mr. Macdonald * ''

The Million Pound Note ''The Million Pound Note'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Gregory Peck, Ronald Squire, Wilfrid Hyde-White and Jane Griffiths (actress), Jane Griffiths. It is based on the 1893 Mark Twain short story "The Mi ...

'' (1954) – Mr. Garrett, Bank Director (uncredited) * ''

Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective. He is featured in 53 short stories by English author G. K. Chesterton, published between 1910 and 1936. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuition and ...

'' (1954) – Vicomte de Verdigris * '' Make Me an Offer'' (1954) – Sir John * ''

Value for Money In economics, economic value is a measure of the benefit provided by a good or service to an economic agent, and value for money represents an assessment of whether financial or other resources are being used effectively in order to secure such ...

'' (1955) – Lord Dewsbury * '' Quentin Durward'' (1955) – Lord Crawford * '' An Alligator Named Daisy'' (1955) – Notcher * '' Who Done It?'' (1956) – Sir Walter Finch * ''

Three Men in a Boat ''Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)'',The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: ''Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog!'' published in 1889, is a humorous novel by English writer Jerome K. Jerome describing ...

'' (1956) – 3rd Old Gentleman * '' Doctor at Large'' (1957) – First Examiner * '' The Truth About Women'' (1958) – Judge * ''

'' (1958) – Hickson * '' The Battle of the Sexes'' (1959) – Old Macpherson * '' Armchair Theatre; Lord Arthur Savile's Crime'' (TV, 1960, TV Series)Duguid, Mark
"''Lord Arthur Savile's Crime'' (1960)"
''BFI screenonline''. * '' The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone'' (1961) – Stefano (posthumous release; final film role)

References

External links

* *
Ernest Thesiger archive at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection

The Disabled Soldiers' Embroidery Industry, introduced by Ernest Thesiger
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thesiger, Ernest 1879 births 1961 deaths 20th-century English male actors Actors from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea British Army personnel of World War I British embroiderers Burials at Brompton Cemetery Commanders of the Order of the British Empire English bisexual male actors English male film actors English male silent film actors English male stage actors LGBTQ people from London Male actors from London Military personnel from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Needlework People educated at Marlborough College People from Chelsea, London Queen Victoria's Rifles soldiers Territorial Force soldiers

Ernest Ernest is a given name derived from the Germanic languages, Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious", often shortened to Ernie. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), ...