Hugh Sinclair (19 May 1903 – 29 December 1962) was a British actor. He trained for the stage at the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in Bloomsbury, Central London ...

in London and had a career spanning forty years in theatre, film and television. He worked in Britain and America with some of the 20th Century's most highly regarded actors and directors, including

Ray Milland Ray Milland (born Alfred Reginald Jones; 3 January 1907 – 10 March 1986) was a Welsh-American actor and film director. He is often remembered for his portrayal of an alcoholic writer in Billy Wilder's ''The Lost Weekend'' (1945), which wo ...

Elisabeth Bergner Elisabeth Bergner (22 August 1897 – 12 May 1986) was an Austrian-British actress. Primarily a stage actress, her career flourished in Berlin and Paris before she moved to London to work in films. Her signature role was Gemma Jones in '' Esca ...

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...

and

Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for '' Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), '' The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded th ...

. His principal work was made in the theatre and he headed the cast of two landmark plays in London, Noël Coward's ''

Private Lives ''Private Lives'' is a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts by Noël Coward. It concerns a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Despite a perpetuall ...

'' in 1945 and the original London production of TS Eliot's ''

The Cocktail Party ''The Cocktail Party'' is a verse drama in three acts by T. S. Eliot written in 1948 and performed in 1949 at the Edinburgh Festival. It was published in 1950. It was the most popular of Eliot's seven plays in his lifetime, although his 1935 pl ...

'' in 1950. However notable films include '' Escape Me Never'', '' A Girl Must Live'', '' The Rocking Horse Winner'' and ''

Circle of Danger ''Circle of Danger'' (also known as ''White Heather'') is a 1951 British thriller film directed by Jacques Tourneur starring Ray Milland, Patricia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair and Naunton Wayne. The screenplay was by Philip MacDonald ...

''. He excelled in light comedy and was known for his comic timing, often playing handsome, debonair characters.

Early life

Hugh Sinclair was born in London on 19 May 1903 to the Rev Robert Sinclair and his wife Francesca Sheldon.Parker ''et al'', pp. 2197–2198 He was educated at

Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...

before studying for the stage at the

. He played the piano from the age of seven and became an accomplished musician, enabling him to take on the roles of composers and musicians in his career. He credits his decision to become an actor to seeing

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

’s early films as a child.

Career

Theatre

Hugh Sinclair made his stage debut in 1922 at The Theatre Royal, Portsmouth, playing Freddy Eynsford-Hill in '' Pygmalion'' with the Macdona Players and remained with the company for nearly two years, playing all the Shaw plays. He made his first appearance in London at Wyndham’s Theatre in December 1923 in ''

The Rose and The Ring ''The Rose and The Ring'' is a satirical work of fantasy fiction written by William Makepeace Thackeray, originally published on Christmas in 1854, though the first edition is dated 1855. It criticises, to some extent, the attitudes of the monar ...

''. He appeared in ''Charlot’s Revue'' with

Gertrude Lawrence Gertrude Lawrence (4 July 1898 – 6 September 1952) was an English actress, singer, dancer and musical comedy performer known for her stage appearances in the West End of London and on Broadway in New York. Early life Lawrence was born in 1 ...

Jack Buchanan Walter John Buchanan (2 April 1890 – 20 October 1957) was a Scottish theatre and film actor, singer, dancer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Gr ...

and

Beatrice Lillie Beatrice Gladys Lillie, Lady Peel (29 May 1894 – 20 January 1989) was a Canadian-born British actress, singer and comedy performer. She began to perform as a child with her mother and sister. She made her West End debut in 1914 and soon gain ...

at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London in 1924 and made his first appearance in America with the same company at the Selwyn Theatre, New York the following year. He worked in New York, Boston and Chicago for eight years, returning to Britain in 1933 to play the composer Sebastian Sanger opposite Elizabeth Bergner in '' Escape Me Never.'' The play opened at The Opera House, Manchester in November of that year before transferring to The Apollo Theatre, London and then to the Shubert Theatre, New York.

Peter Bull Peter Cecil Bull, (21 March 1912 – 20 May 1984) was a British actor who appeared on the stage and in supporting roles in such films as '' The African Queen'', '' Tom Jones'' and '' Dr. Strangelove''. Peter Bull wrote twelve books. Biograph ...

, writing in his autobiography ''I Know The Face, But...'', recalls “The first night in London was one of those legendary affairs that really happened. We opened at the Apollo Theatre on December 8th 1933, and it was very difficult to get the audience to leave the theatre. I remember Elizabeth Bergner in the coffee scene saying under her breath “They don’t like it, they don’t like it” but within minutes it was patent that she had made one of the biggest successes in theatrical history”. On its opening night in London the play received forty two curtain calls, setting a record at the time, and it played to packed houses on both sides of the Atlantic. Hugh Sinclair considered Elizabeth Bergner to be the best actress he ever worked with. “She had a phenomenal sense of humour. She was very vulnerable. She would go inside herself when she was working, into the emotion of the character. She was a star, a natural born star. I loved her vulnerability”. He remained in New York for the following three years, working with

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lifeboat (194 ...

and

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. A major leading man during the Golden Age of Hollywood, known for his "portrayals of men who prove both sturdy and wise," Pidgeon earned two Academy ...

at the Morosco Theatre in ''Something Gay'' in 1935. He returned to Britain in 1938 to appear as Mrs. Priskin's Other Guest in '' Goodness, How Sad!'' at the Vaudeville Theatre, London, written by

Robert Morley Robert Adolph Wilton Morley (26 May 1908 – 3 June 1992) was an English actor who enjoyed a lengthy career in both Britain and the United States. He was frequently cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment, often in ...

and directed by

Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at ...

. The play's title was considered misleading by critics because it suggested a frivolous story but the play itself received consistently good reviews. Writing in

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

, 19 October 1938, W. A. Darlington described it as having “an unpretentious charm which may very easily give it a long run…Robert Morley has the sure touch of an actor-dramatist, and as he is here writing of a subject he knows thoroughly, his play achieves both humour and sincerity with equal ease…In this he owes a good deal to the playing of Jill Furse, a youthful actress who has a power of emotional intensity and integrity very impressive in anybody so young. In consequence this part may have been written for her. Hugh Sinclair makes an admirable foil for her, suggesting the meretriciousness of the film star’s charm without ever stressing it unduly”. He was cast as David Naughton in ''Claudia'', with Pamela Brown in the title role, at The St. Martin's Theatre, London, playing nearly five hundred performances between September 1942 and January 1944, making it his longest run in the West End. ''Theatre World,'' in its November 1942 edition, reported “Big hit of the season is Rose Franklin’s play ''Claudia'' which has already achieved a phenomenal run in America. The London production, presented by Lee Ephraim and Emile Littler, is brilliantly done, and has introduced to West End audiences an outstanding young actress in Pamela Brown. It is certain that London has found a new star, yet Miss Brown’s performance does not overshadow the clever acting of the supporting cast, among whom Hugh Sinclair is particularly outstanding”. He played Elyot Chase 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 ''

'' at The Apollo Theatre, London from 1945 to 1946 with

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette "Googie" Withers (12 March 191715 July 2011) was an English entertainer. She was a dancer and actress, with a lengthy career spanning some seventy-three years in theatre, film, and television. She was a well-known actress and ...

playing the part of Amanda. She recalled “Noel loved our playing and was most flattering to both of us. Hugh was superb in these kind of roles and had the added advantage of being able to play the piano, so the scene in the second act was lovely to play with him as he used to accompany me when I sang ''Someday I’ll Find You''. Then, while some of the dialogue went on, he continued to play, all of which added to the charm of the scene”. He followed his success in ''

'' with the role of Gary Essendine in the first revival of ''

Present Laughter ''Present Laughter'' is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1939 but not produced until 1942 because the Second World War began while it was in rehearsal, and the British theatres closed. The title is drawn from a song in Shakespeare's ''Tw ...

'' at The Haymarket Theatre, London in 1947. Noël Coward directed and starred in this production which ran for a total of 528 performances, handing the lead role to Hugh Sinclair in July 1947. Sinclair was adept at rapid exchanges of dialogue between actors, where split second timing and clarity of diction are essential to the play's rhythm and pace. His role in ''Present Laughter'' demanded this level of precision acting and made him a natural choice for the part. The play is now recognised as one of Coward's great comedies. He appeared as CK Dexter Haven in '' The Philadelphia Story'' in 1949 at the Duchess Theatre, London with Margaret Leighton playing the role of Tracy Lord. He succeeded

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French W ...

as the unidentified guest in the original London production of ''

'' at The New Theatre in 1950. It was the most popular of

TS Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...

’s seven plays during his lifetime and focuses on a troubled married couple who, through the intervention of a mysterious stranger, settle their problems and move on with their lives. The play starts out as a satire on the drawing room comedies of the 1940s but, as it progresses, becomes a darker, philosophical and psychological treatment of human relations. He appeared with

David Tomlinson David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English stage, film and television actor, singer and comedian. Having been described as both a leading man and a character actor, he is primarily remembered for his roles wit ...

in ''The Little Hut'' at The Lyric Theatre, London in 1951, directed by

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Shak ...

and with sets by

Oliver Messel Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel (13 January 1904 – 13 July 1978) was an English artist and one of the foremost stage designers of the 20th century. Early life Messel was born in London, the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard Messel a ...

. He was

Roy Plomley Francis Roy Plomley ( ; 20 January 1914 – 28 May 1985) was an English radio broadcaster, producer, playwright and novelist. He is best remembered for creating the BBC Radio series ''Desert Island Discs'', which he hosted from its inception in ...

’s guest on ''

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight audio recordin ...

'' on September 4th 1953 and in 1954 he introduced

Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however, Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...

at The Café de Paris in London. Seven of Britain’s leading actors were chosen for this role, including

Paul Scofield David Paul Scofield (21 January 1922 – 19 March 2008) was an English actor. During a six-decade career, Scofield achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, winning an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award for his work. Scofield ...

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 ...

and

, and Dietrich’s performance was recorded for an album ''Marlene Dietrich Live At The Café de Paris'' with an introduction by Noel Coward. His final appearance on the West End stage was in ''Guilty Party'' with Donald Sinden at The St Martin’s Theatre in 1961, written by Campbell Singer and George Rossand and produced by Peter Bridge. The play ran for a year in London before touring the UK.

Film

Hugh Sinclair made his film debut in Hollywood in 1933 in ''

Our Betters ''Our Betters'' is a 1933 American pre-Code satirical comedy film directed by George Cukor and starring Constance Bennett, Anita Louise and Gilbert Roland. The screenplay by Jane Murfin and Harry Wagstaff Gribble is based on the 1917 play of ...

'', based on the play by

W. 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 ...

, directed by

and starring

Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Cinema of the United States, Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 193 ...

Mordaunt Hall Mordaunt Hall (1 November 1878 – 2 July 1973) was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for ''The New York Times'', working from October 1924 to September 1934.Escape Me Never'', was an adaptation of the stage play, made in 1935 and directed by

Paul Czinner Paul Czinner (30 May 1890 – 22 June 1972) was a Hungarian-born British writer, film director, and producer. Biography Czinner was born to a Jewish family in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. After studying literature and philosophy at the Universi ...

, in which Sinclair reprised his role as Sebastian Sanger. Elizabeth Bergner was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance, but lost to

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympatheti ...

. The film was shot on location in Venice and the Dolomites and was the 19th most popular film at the British box office in 1935/36. It was edited by

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of Cinema of the United Kingdom, British cinema. He directed the large-scale epi ...

with music by

William Walton Sir William Turner Walton (29 March 19028 March 1983) was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best-known works include ''Façade'', the cantat ...

. In 1936 he starred opposite

Constance Cummings Constance Cummings CBE (May 15, 1910 – November 23, 2005) was an American-British actress with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life Cummings was born on 15 May 1910 in Seattle, Washington, the only daughter and younger child of Kate ...

in the

Gainsborough Pictures Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, east London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The co ...

comedy '' Strangers on Honeymoon,'' directed by

Albert de Courville Albert Pierre de Courville (26 March 1887 – 15 March 1960) (born in Croydon, England) was a writer and director of theatrical revues, many of which featured the actress and singer Shirley Kellogg, whom he married in June 1913. Career In abo ...

and based on the 1926 novel '' The Northing Tramp'' by

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

. In 1939 he was cast as the Earl of Pangborough in '' A Girl Must Live'', a British romantic comedy film directed by

and starring

Margaret Lockwood Margaret Mary Day Lockwood, CBE (15 September 1916 – 15 July 1990), was a British actress. One of Britain's most popular film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, her film appearances included ''The Lady Vanishes'' (1938), '' Night Train to Munich ...

, Renee Houston and

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...

. This was one of a series of films Carol Reed made with Margaret Lockwood featuring comic dialogue with double entendres, considered unsuitable for an American audience at the time. This was followed by '' The Four Just Men'', made the same year and directed by

Walter Forde Walter Forde (born Thomas Seymour Woolford, 21 April 1898 – 7 January 1984) was a British actor, screenwriter and Film director, director. Born in Lambeth, South London in 1898, he directed over fifty films between 1919 from the silent era ...

, in which Hugh Sinclair starred with Griffith Jones, Edward Chapman and

Frank Lawton Frank Lawton Mokeley (30 September 1904 – 10 June 1969) was an English actor. Biography Frank Lawton was born in St Giles, London, on 30 September 1904. His parents were stage players Daisy May Collier and Frank Mokely Lawton. His first ...

. It was the first film to give him top billing and demonstrates his range as an actor. He takes on various roles throughout the story and his performance concludes with an address to the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

in which his disguise as a Foreign Office minister is so convincing that only his distinctive vocal delivery suggests his true identity. His performance was noted at the time of the film's release for the way he transitioned seamlessly between characters, adopting accents and mannerisms to portray different social classes. Writing in

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

on the film's release to DVD in 2013,

Philip French Philip Neville French (28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015) was an English film critic and radio producer. French began his career in journalism in the late 1950s, before eventually becoming a BBC Radio producer, and later a film critic. H ...

described the film as “an enjoyable thriller in which a quartet of suave patriotic vigilantes plan the death of a treacherous MP to save the empire on the eve of the second world war”. It was based on the 1905 novel by

, produced by

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in west London, England. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on th ...

and then re released in 1944 with an updated ending featuring newsreel of

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

and the Allied war effort as a fulfilment of the ideals of the Four. He made five films during World War II, including '' The Saint’s Vacation'' and '' The Saint Meets the Tiger'', in which he played the title role. Both films were made in 1941, the release of ''The Saint Meets the Tiger'' being delayed until 1943. These were the final two films in

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, is an American film production and distribution company, historically one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Kei ...

’s series about the character created by

Leslie Charteris Leslie Charteris (; born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin; 12 May 1907 – 15 April 1993), was a British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter.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 ...

. He also made ''Alibi'' in 1942 with Margaret Lockwood and James Mason, '' Tomorrow We Live'', with John Clements and Greta Gynt in 1943, and ''

Flight From Folly ''Flight from Folly'' is a 1945 British musical comedy film directed and produced by Herbert Mason, in his last directorial credit before moving onto production, for Warner Bros. The cast includes Pat Kirkwood, Hugh Sinclair and Tamara Desni a ...

'', a musical comedy with Pat Kirkwood, released in May 1945. This was the last film to be made at

Teddington Studios Teddington Studios was a large British television studio in Teddington, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky One and others. The complex also prov ...

before it was bombed in 1944 and is currently missing from the

BFI National Archive The BFI National Archive is a department of the British Film Institute, and one of the largest film archives in the world. It was founded as the National Film Library in 1935; its first curator was Ernest Lindgren. In 1955, its name became th ...

. It is listed as one of the

British Film Institute's The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves Cinema of the United Kingdom, filmmaking and Television in the United Kingdom, television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds ...

75 Most Wanted lost films. In 1945 he appeared in ''

They Were Sisters ''They Were Sisters'' is a 1945 British melodrama film directed by Arthur Crabtree for Gainsborough Pictures and starring Phyllis Calvert and James Mason. The film was produced by Harold Huth, with cinematography from Jack Cox and screenpla ...

'', a

film starring

Phyllis Calvert Phyllis Hannah Murray-Hill (née Bickle; 18 February 1915 – 8 October 2002), known professionally as Phyllis Calvert, was an English film, stage and television actress. She was one of the leading stars of the Gainsborough melodramas of the 1 ...

and

James Mason James Neville Mason (; 15 May 190927 July 1984) was an English actor. He achieved considerable success in British cinema before becoming a star in Hollywood. He was nominated for three Academy Awards, three Golden Globes (winning once) and two ...

. The film was noted for its frank, unsparing depiction of marital abuse at a time when the subject was rarely discussed openly and became one of the biggest box office hits of the year. The Times wrote “the merit of this long and intelligent film lies in the skill with which it establishes the personalities of the sisters...the acting throughout has strength and sincerity”. In 1949 he was cast as the father in '' The Rocking Horse Winner'', written and directed by

Anthony Pelissier Harry Anthony Compton Pelissier (27 July 1912 – 2 April 1988) was an English actor, screenwriter, producer and director. Biography Pelissier was born in Barnet, north London, and came from a theatrical family. His parents were the theatr ...

and starring Valerie Hobson, John Howard Davies and

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

. The film was overlooked at the time of its release, but is now regarded as a classic of British cinema, a dark, atmospheric and complex psychological drama, adapted from

DH Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English novelist, short story writer, poet, playwright, literary critic, travel writer, essayist, and painter. His Literary modernism, modernist works reflect on modernity ...

’s story about a young boy who receives a rocking horse for Christmas and soon learns that he is able to pick the winning horse at the races.

Simon Heffer Simon James Heffer (born 18 July 1960) is an English historian, journalist, author and political commentator. He has published several biographies and a series of books on the social history of Great Britain from the mid-nineteenth century unti ...

, writing in

in 2023, described it as “a truly great film. Not only does it comment on the nature of wealth and its relation to morality, as well as the class system in mid-20th century England; it also makes a point about illusion and reality. Pelissier’s script and the stunning performances are matched by

Desmond Dickinson Desmond Evelyn Otho Cockburn Dickinson B.S.C. (1902–1986) was a British cinematographer. He was cinematographer on ''Such Is the Law'' (1930). He directed ''Detective Lloyd'' (1932), notable as Britain's only talkie serial. During World War I ...

’s at times radical cinematography and a superb score by

William Alwyn William Alwyn (born William Alwyn Smith; 7 November 1905 – 11 September 1985), was a prolific English composer, Conducting, conductor, and music teacher who composed over 200 cinematic scores, of which some 70 were for full-length features, ...

. It is a feast in every respect, and essential viewing”. Hugh Sinclair is described by Simon Heffer as “one of the finest character actors of the 1940s”. He appeared in the thriller ''

'' in 1951, directed by

Jacques Tourneur Jacques Tourneur (; ; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French-American filmmaker, active during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known as an auteur of stylish and atmospheric genre films, many of them for RKO Pictures, including ...

and starring

and Patricia Roc. On its release to DVD in 2024

Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...

, film critic for

, gave it a 5 star review, describing it as “a gem: focused, fast-moving and a little eccentric. It is a British-set movie that takes us on a travelogue tour from the coast of Tampa, Florida, to London – and from there to Wales, the Scottish Highlands and Birmingham. There is a lovely scene shot on location in London’s Covent Garden, in the days of the fruit and veg market, with crowds of real people looking on… It is an endlessly watchable and entertaining film, with a tense and eerie final confrontation scene: an impromptu “shooting party” which is the only sequence where firearms make an appearance, all accompanied by the thin howling of the wind. And it's wrapped up in a tight 86 minutes: a really sharp and elegant piece of storytelling”. He continued to make films in the 1950s, including the courtroom drama '' Never Look Back'' with Rosamund John in 1952 and '' Man Trap'' with Paul Henreid and

Kay Kendall Justine Kay Kendall McCarthy (21 May 1927 – 6 September 1959) was an English actress and singer. She began her film career in the musical film ''London Town (1946 film), London Town'' (1946), a financial failure. Kendall worked regularly unti ...

in 1953, released in the US as ''Man in Hiding.''

Television

Hugh Sinclair made the transition to television in the 1950s, a relatively new medium at the time, broadcast live, requiring performers to deliver their lines flawlessly and technical crews to work seamlessly to bring the shows to audiences in real-time. He appeared in '' The Royalty'' in 1957, a six part series with

, in an adaptation of

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

's ''

Pride and Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is the second published novel (but third to be written) by English author Jane Austen, written when she was age 20-21, and later published in 1813. A novel of manners, it follows the character development of Elizabe ...

'' in 1958 and the BBC comedy ''A Life of Bliss'' in 1960 - 1961 with George Cole and

Moira Lister Moira Lister Gachassin-Lafite, Viscountess of Orthez (6 August 192327 October 2007) was a South African-British film, stage and television actress and writer. Early life Born in Cape Town to Major James Lister and Margaret (née Hogan), Liste ...

Vere Lorrimer Vere Lorrimer (8 June 1920 – 1 October 1998) was a British television producer and director. His work as director included many BBC dramas including ''Compact'', '' Doomwatch'', ''Dixon of Dock Green'', and ''Blake's 7''. He later moved on to ...

, Director of Drama and Serials at BBC Television in 1958, recalled an incident during the broadcast of ''You are There,'' a series in which historical events were relived. “Hugh was playing Marshal Ney at the Congress of Vienna, wearing long lace cuffs, and reading a letter by candle light. As he read, one of the cuffs caught fire. It was ‘live’ in those days so you couldn't stop. The producer, Michael Mills, yelled at the camera man to get in close on Hugh and I crawled in, out of shot, on hands and knees and somehow doused the flames. All the time, Hugh kept on reading the letter without batting an eyelid and the scene was successfully finished. His arm was slightly burned but he never stopped.” He made two feature films for television, '' The Face of Love'' in 1954, a modern day adaptation of ''

Troilus and Cressida ''The Tragedy of Troilus and Cressida'', often shortened to ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ), is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forc ...

'', produced and directed by

Alvin Rakoff Alvin Rakoff (February 6, 1927 – October 12, 2024) was a Canadian director of film, television and theatre productions. He worked with actors including Laurence Olivier, Peter Sellers, Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Rex Harrison, Rod Steiger, Henry ...

, and ''Mr. Bowling Buys a Newspaper'' in 1957, a psychological thriller written by

Donald Henderson Donald Ainslie Henderson (September 7, 1928 – August 19, 2016) was an American physician, educator, and epidemiologist who directed a 10-year international effort (1967–1977) that eradicated smallpox throughout the world and launched int ...

, directed by Stephen Harrison with Hugh Sinclair in the title role and

Beryl Reid Beryl Elizabeth Reid (17 June 1919 – 13 October 1996) was a British actress. She won the 1967 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for '' The Killing of Sister George'', the 1980 Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for '' Born in th ...

as Alice. He made his final appearance on British television on December 11th 1962 in ''Alida'', a drama made for the

Associated Television ATV Network Limited, originally Associated TeleVision (ATV), was a British broadcaster, part of the ITV (TV network), ITV (Independent Television) network. It provided a service to London at weekends from 1955 to 1968, to the Midlands on week ...

series ''Play of the Week''.

Personal life

Hugh Sinclair married the actress Valerie Taylor in 1930. After the birth of their son, Hugh Duncan, in New York in May 1935, the couple appeared together at the John Golden Theatre, New York in ''Love of Women'' in 1937, in '' Dear Octopus'' as it toured the UK in 1940, and in ''Skylark'' at the Duchess Theatre, London, in 1942. They divorced in 1946. He married the artist Rosalie Williams in 1949 and they had two children, Nicholas (born 1954) and Christina (born 1955).

Death

Hugh Sinclair died on December 29th, 1962 in Slapton, Devon, where he was on holiday with his family. His death was announced on

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

television and radio and his obituary appeared in both

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

and

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

. In his Times obituary he was described as having “a reputation for exceptional generosity among those with whom he worked, and on many occasions gave valuable help and support to younger members of a company”.

Selected filmography

* ''

'' (1933) * '' Escape Me Never'' (1935) * '' Strangers on Honeymoon'' (1937) * '' The Prisoner of Corbal'' (1939) * '' The Four Just Men'' (1939) * '' A Girl Must Live'' (1939) * '' The Saint's Vacation'' (1941) * ''

The Alibi ''The Alibi'' is a 2006 American film directed by Kurt Mattila and Matt Checkowski and written by Noah Hawley. It stars Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, and Selma Blair. The film was shown at 2006 CineVegas. The film was released to DVD on Decemb ...

'' (1942) * '' Tomorrow We Live'' (1943) * '' The Saint Meets the Tiger'' (1943) * ''

'' (1945) * ''

Flight from Folly ''Flight from Folly'' is a 1945 British musical comedy film directed and produced by Herbert Mason, in his last directorial credit before moving onto production, for Warner Bros. The cast includes Pat Kirkwood, Hugh Sinclair and Tamara Desni a ...

'' (1945) * '' Corridor of Mirrors'' (1948) * '' Don't Ever Leave Me'' (1949) * '' Trottie True'' (aka ''The Gay Lady'') (1949) * '' The Rocking Horse Winner'' (1950) * '' No Trace'' (1950) * ''

'' (1951) * '' Judgment Deferred'' (1952) * '' Never Look Back'' (1952) * ''

The Second Mrs Tanqueray ''The Second Mrs. Tanqueray'' is a problem play by Arthur Wing Pinero. It utilises the "Woman with a past" plot, popular in nineteenth century melodrama. The play was first produced in 1893 by the actor-manager George Alexander and despite c ...

'' (1953) * '' Three Steps in the Dark'' (1953)

References

External links

* *
Hugh Sinclair as The Saint
!colspan="3" style="background:#C1D8FF;", The Saint Records {{DEFAULTSORT:Sinclair, Hugh 1903 births 1962 deaths English male stage actors English male film actors English male television actors 20th-century English male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art People educated at Charterhouse School