Hugh Archibald Nairn Burden''The Daily Telegraph'', 25 July 1962 (3 April 1913 – 16 May 1985) was a British actor and playwright.

Early life

Hugh Archibald Nairn Burden was born as the eldest son of Harry Archibald Burden, a colonial official, and Caro Cecil née Jackson, on 3 April 1913 in

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Ceylon Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. He was educated at Beaumont College in Berkshire, England, and trained in London at the Central School of Speech and Drama and RADA. He appeared on stage in

repertory A repertory theatre, also called repertory, rep, true rep or stock, which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom ...

theatre in

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and in

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's West End before military service in the Hampshire Regiment and the

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

from 1939 to 1942.

Career

Burden made appearances in many UK television plays and series including ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'': '' Spearhead from Space'' (1970), '' The Crezz'' (1976), '' Sykes'' (1979), '' Strange Report'' (1968) and '' The Avengers'' (1963). He played the title role in '' The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder'' (1969). His many film appearances include '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942), '' The Way Ahead'' (1944), '' Fame Is the Spur'' (1947), '' Malta Story'' (1953), '' Funeral in Berlin'' (1966), '' Blood from the Mummy's Tomb'' (1971) and '' The Ruling Class'' (1972). Burden acted in radio plays and was known for readings of the works of T. S. Eliot and

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

. He also wrote several television and stage plays and was an Equity council member.

Personal life

Burden married actress Joy Hodgkinson in 1950, and had a daughter with her, but the marriage was dissolved in 1955 on the grounds of her desertion. A subsequent marriage to Margaret de Lobera in 1957 was dissolved in 1962 on the grounds of his desertion.

Selected filmography

* '' Death Croons the Blues'' (1937) as Viscount Brent * '' Ships with Wings'' (1942) as Sub.Lt. Weatherby * '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942) as John Glyn Haggard—Pilot in B for Bertie * '' The Way Ahead'' (1944) as Pvt. Bill Parsons * '' Fame Is the Spur'' (1947) as Arnold Ryerson * '' Sleeping Car to Trieste'' (1948) as Mills * ''

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'' (1952) as Dr. Fawcett * '' Malta Story'' (1953) as Eden, Security * '' No Love for Johnnie'' (1961) as Tim Maxwell * '' The Secret Partner'' (1961) as Charles Standish * '' Funeral in Berlin'' (1966) as Hallam * ''The Inn Way Out'' (1967) as Husband, and Bastard Son (30 minute Short), with

John le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation com ...

* '' The Best House in London'' (1969) as Lord Tennyson * '' The Statue'' (1971) as Sir Geoffrey * '' Blood from the Mummy's Tomb'' (1971) as Geoffrey Dandridge * '' The Ruling Class'' (1972) as Matthew Peake * '' The House in Nightmare Park'' (1973) as Reggie Henderson * '' One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing'' (1975) as Haines

References

External links

* 1913 births 1985 deaths 20th-century British male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama British Army personnel of World War II British Indian Army soldiers British male film actors British male television actors Ceylonese military personnel Indian Army personnel of World War II People educated at Beaumont College Royal Hampshire Regiment soldiers {{england-actor-stub