Fred Groves (8 August 1880 – 4 June 1955) was a British actor of the celebrated Groves acting family. On stage from 1896, he appeared in the original

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

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'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

's ''

Cavalcade A cavalcade is a procession or parade on horseback, or a mass trail ride by a company of riders. The focus of a cavalcade is participation rather than display. Often, the participants do not wear costumes or ride in formation. Often, a cav ...

'' (1931-2); and was a leading man in silent films, latterly becoming a character player in movies. He appeared in the 1925 play '' Number 17'' in the West End. He was a son of

Charles Groves Sir Charles Barnard Groves CBE (10 March 191520 June 1992) was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors. After accompanying positions and conducting ...

(1843-1909), a well-known Victorian and Edwardian comedic actor who made appearances on Broadway and in London's West End. He was also a nephew of the

Fred Karno Frederick John Westcott (26 March 1866 – 17 September 1941), best known by his stage name Fred Karno, was an English theatre impresario of the British music hall. As a comedian of slapstick he is credited with popularising the custar ...

comedian Walter Groves (1856-1906), and a half-brother to the film and stage actor Charles Groves (1875-1955). Among his feature film appearances was the comedy ''Sally In Our Alley''. It marked the screen debut of Gracie Fields, an established music hall star. Gracie's husband, the screenwriter

Archie Pitt Archie Pitt (1882 – 12 November 1940) was a British music hall performer, showman and talent agent. He is best known for his marriage to Gracie Fields whose career he managed.Babington p.57 Selected filmography Actor * ''Danny Boy'' (1934) * ...

was set to play the leading role of Alf Cope, but during the first week of filming, as Fields and Pitt were travelling back from shooting, their car crashed. Though Fields escaped injury, Pitt was forced to withdraw from the cast in order to recuperate. Due to his experience and availability, the role was quickly recast with Groves taking Pitt's place.

Selected filmography

* '' Maria Marten'' (1913, Short) - William Corder * ''Popsy Wopsy'' (1913) * '' The Suicide Club'' (1914) - The President * '' The Loss of the Birkenhead'' (1914) - Seth * '' Her Luck in London'' (1914) - Richard Lenowen * ''

The Idol of Paris ''Idol of Paris'' is a 1948 film based on the novel ''Paiva, Queen of Love'' by Alfred Schirokauer, about a mid-19th century French courtesan Theresa who sleeps her way from poverty to the top of Second Empire society. It was an attempt by its ...

'' (1914) - Philippe Castelle * '' Honeymoon for Three'' (1915) - Cornelius V. Van Dam * '' Gilbert Gets Tiger-It is'' (1915, Short) - Gilbert * '' Gilbert Dying to Die'' (1915, Short) - Gilbert * ''

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, i ...

'' (1915) - Doctor * '' From Shopgirl to Duchess'' (1915) - Duke of St. Baynum * ''

The World's Desire ''The World's Desire'' is a fantasy novel first published in 1890 and written by H. Rider Haggard and Andrew Lang. It was published in paperback by Ballantine Books as the fortieth volume of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series in January 197 ...

'' (1915) - Sir Richard Bennett * ''

Her Nameless Child ''Her Nameless Child'' is a 1915 British silent drama film directed by A. V. Bramble, Fred Groves and M. Gray Murray. It was based on a play by Madge Duckworth. Cast * A. V. Bramble - Lord Harry Woodville * Fred Groves - Arthur Ford * M. Gr ...

'' (1915) - Arthur Ford * ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it ...

'' (1915) - Steven Armitage * ''

Mr. Lyndon at Liberty ''Mr. Lyndon at Liberty'' is a 1915 British silent thriller film directed by Harold M. Shaw and starring Edna Flugrath, Fred Groves and Charles Rock. It was based on the 1915 novel by Victor Bridges. Plot summary With the help of a secret ...

'' (1915) - Tom Morrison * '' Fine Feathers'' (1915) - Richard Dean * ''

Charity Ann ''Charity Ann'' is a 1915 British silent drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Elisabeth Risdon, Fred Groves and Chappell Dossett.Murphy p.179 Cast * Elisabeth Risdon as Ann Charity * Fred Groves as Graham Trevor * Chappell Dos ...

'' (1915) - Graham Trevor * ''

A Will of Her Own ''A Will of Her Own'' is a 1915 British silent drama film directed by Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 ...

'' (1915) - Dr. Blake * ''

The Firm of Girdlestone ''The Firm of Girdlestone'' is a novel by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in 1890 by Chatto and Windus in London, England. In 1915 a silent film adaptation '' The Firm of Girdlestone'' was made. A 1958 BBC television ...

'' (1915) - Ezra Girdlestone * '' Meg the Lady'' (1916) - Giles Curwen * ''

Esther Esther is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther. In the Achaemenid Empire, the Persian king Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, is deposed for disobeying him. Hadassah, a Jewess who goes by the name of Esther, is chose ...

'' (1916, Short) - Haman * '' Driven'' (1916) - John Staffurth * ''The Two Roads'' (1916) - Reverend Basil Egerton * ''

The Manxman ''The Manxman'' is a 1929 British silent romance film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anny Ondra, Carl Brisson and Malcolm Keen. The film is based on a popular 1894 romantic novel '' The Manxman'' by Hall Caine, which had previous ...

'' (1916) - Pete Quillian - A fisherman * '' Mother Love'' (1916) - Alfie * ''Smith'' (1917) - Tom Freeman * ''

Drink A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies ...

'' (1917) - Coupeau * ''

The Grit of a Jew ''The Grit of a Jew'' is a 1917 British silent drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Augustus Yorke, Manora Thew and Fred Groves.Murphy p.179 Cast * Augustus Yorke as Moses Levi * Manora Thew as Leah * Fred Groves as Russell ...

'' (1917) - Russell * ''

The Labour Leader ''The Labour Leader'' is a 1917 British silent drama film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Fred Groves, Fay Compton and Owen Nares. The film was based on an original screenplay by Kenelm Foss.Low p.70 Plot summary After his friend imp ...

'' (1917) - John Webster * '' Castle of Dreams'' (1919) - John Morton * '' London Pride'' (1920) - Cuthbert Tunks * '' Garryowen'' (1920) - Michael French * ''

Judge Not Judge Not may refer to: * "Judge Not" (song), a single by Bob Marley * ''Judge Not'' (1914 film), a 1914 Swedish film directed by Victor Sjöström * ''Judge Not'' (1920 film), a 1920 British silent drama film * ''Judge Not; or The Woman of Mona ...

'' (1920) - Burke * '' Squibs'' (1921) - PC Charlie Lee * ''

The Mayor of Casterbridge ''The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character'' is an 1886 novel by the English author Thomas Hardy. One of Hardy's Wessex novels, it is set in a fictional rural England with Casterbridge standing in for Dorchester in D ...

'' (1921) - Michael Henchard * ''

A Master of Craft ''A Master of Craft'' is a 1922 British silent comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Fred Groves, Mercy Hatton and Judd Green. It was based on a 1900 novel by W. W. Jacobs. Cast * Fred Groves - Captain Flower * Mercy Hatt ...

'' (1922) - Captain Flower * '' The Crimson Circle'' (1922) - Inspector Parr * '' Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep'' (1922) - P. C. Lee * ''

Rogues of the Turf ''Rogues of the Turf'' is a 1923 British silent sports film directed by Wilfred Noy and starring Fred Groves, Olive Sloane and James Lindsay.Low p.438 The screenplay involves a plot to kidnap a race horse. Cast * Fred Groves as Bill Higgins ...

'' (1923) - Bill Higgins * '' Squibs M.P.'' (1923) - PC Charlie Lee * ''

Squibs' Honeymoon ''Squibs' Honeymoon'' is a 1923 British silent film, silent comedy film directed by George Pearson (filmmaker), George Pearson and starring Betty Balfour, Hugh E. Wright and Fred Groves (actor), Fred Groves. It was the last of the silent film ser ...

'' (1923) - PC Charlie Lee * ''

Memories Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...

'' (1925, Short) - The Husband * ''

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it ...

'' (1930) - Pvt. Lomax * ''

Escape Escape or Escaping may refer to: Computing * Escape character, in computing and telecommunication, a character which signifies that what follows takes an alternative interpretation ** Escape sequence, a series of characters used to trigger some so ...

'' (1930) - Shopkeeper * '' Sally in Our Alley'' (1931) - Alf Cope * ''

Out of the Blue Out of the Blue may refer to: Film and television Film * ''Out of the Blue'' (1931 film), a British musical by Gene Gerrard * ''Out of the Blue'' (1947 film), an American comedy directed by Leigh Jason *'' Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley'', a ...

'' (1931) - Bannister Blair * ''

The World, the Flesh, the Devil ''The World, the Flesh, the Devil'' is a 1932 British crime film directed by George A. Cooper and starring Harold Huth, Isla Bevan and Victor Stanley. It was based on a play by Laurence Cowen. It was shot at Beaconsfield and Twickenham Studio ...

'' (1932) - Dick Morgan * ''

The Ghost Camera ''The Ghost Camera'' is a 1933 British mystery film directed by Bernard Vorhaus, starring Henry Kendall, Ida Lupino and John Mills, and based on "A Mystery Narrative", a short story by Joseph Jefferson Farjeon. Despite being made quickly on a ...

'' (1933) - Innkeeper * '' Puppets of Fate'' (1933) - Arthur Brandon * ''

A Glimpse of Paradise ''A Glimpse of Paradise'' is a 1934 British crime film directed by Ralph Ince and starring George Carney, Eve Lister and Wally Patch. It was made as a quota quickie at Teddington Studios by the British subsidiary of Warner Brothers.Wood p.82 It ...

'' (1934) - Joshua Ware * ''

The Old Curiosity Shop ''The Old Curiosity Shop'' is one of two novels (the other being ''Barnaby Rudge'') which Charles Dickens published along with short stories in his weekly serial ''Master Humphrey's Clock'', from 1840 to 1841. It was so popular that New York r ...

'' (1934) - Showman (uncredited) * '' Dance Band'' (1935) - Pantomime Act * ''

Beloved Imposter ''Beloved Imposter'' is a 1936 British musical film directed by Victor Hanbury and starring Rene Ray, Fred Conyngham and Germaine Aussey. It was made at Welwyn Studios and released as a quota film by RKO Pictures.Chibnall p.287 It was based ...

'' (1936) - Jack Harding * ''

Royal Cavalcade ''Royal Cavalcade'', also known as ''Regal Cavalcade'', is a 1935 British, black-and-white, drama film directed by six separate directors: Thomas Bentley (Supervising Director), Herbert Brenon, Norman Lee, Walter Summers, W. P. Kellino and Ma ...

'' (1936) - Sam Waldock * '' Second Bureau'' (1936) - Sgt. Colleret * '' The Squeaker'' (1937) - Martin (uncredited) * ''

Vessel of Wrath ''Vessel of Wrath'' is a 1938 British film directed by Erich Pommer, produced by Pommer, and starring Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester. It was based on the 1931 Somerset Maugham short story "The Vessel of Wrath". The film is also known as '' ...

'' (1938) - Dutch Sea Captain (uncredited) * '' The Viper'' (1938) - Inspector Bradlaw * '' The Challenge'' (1938) - Favre * ''

Strange Boarders ''Strange Boarders'' is a 1938 British comedy thriller film, directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Edward Black for Gainsborough Pictures, and starring Tom Walls, Renée Saint-Cyr, Googie Withers and Ronald Adam. The film is an adaptati ...

'' (1938) - (uncredited) * ''

No Parking A parking violation is the act of parking a motor vehicle in a restricted place or in an unauthorized manner. It is against the law virtually everywhere to park a vehicle in the middle of a highway or road; parking on one or both sides of a roa ...

'' (1938) - Walsh * ''

Climbing High ''Climbing High'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Carol Reed and produced by Michael Balcon with a screenplay by Sonnie Hale, Marion Dix and Lesser Samuels. It stars Jessie Matthews, Michael Redgrave, Noel Madison, Margaret Vyner an ...

'' (1938) - Doorman (uncredited) * ''

21 Days ''21 Days'' (also known as ''21 Days Together'', ''The First and the Last'' and ''Three Weeks Together'') is a 1940 British drama film based on the short 1919 play '' The First and the Last'' by John Galsworthy. It was directed by Basil Dean an ...

'' (1940) - Barnes * ''

An Ideal Husband ''An Ideal Husband'' is a four-act play by Oscar Wilde that revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It was first produced at the Haymarket Theatre, London in 1895 and ran for ...

'' (1947) - Phipps, Goring's Butler * '' Night Beat'' (1947) - PC Kendall * ''

My Brother Jonathan ''My Brother Jonathan'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold French and starring Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Ronald Howard and Beatrice Campbell. It is adapted from the 1930 novel '' My Brother Jonathan'' by Francis Brett Young, l ...

'' (1948) - Lisha Hodgkiss * ''

My Brother's Keeper "Am I my brother's keeper?" is a saying from the Bible. It comes from the story of Cain and Abel. After Cain murdered his brother Abel, God asked him where his brother was, and Cain answered: "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" This quote enter ...

'' (1948) - Landlord * ''

Old Mother Riley's New Venture ''Old Mother Riley's New Venture'' is a low-budget black-and-white 1949 British comedy film, starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and Chili Bouchier. It is the twelfth in the long-running Old Mother Riley films, and was the first of the series to ...

'' (1949) - Grigsby * '' Your Witness'' (1950) - Dart Player #6 (uncredited) * ''

The Girl Who Couldn't Quite ''The Girl Who Couldn't Quite'' is a 1950 British drama film directed by Norman Lee and starring Bill Owen, Elizabeth Henson and Iris Hoey. It is based on a play by Leo Marks, with its title thought up during a conversation he had with Noor ...

'' (1950) - Manservant * '' Up for the Cup'' (1950) - Hardcastle (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Groves, Fred Groves family 1880 births 1955 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors English male silent film actors Male actors from London 20th-century English male actors