Walter Peter Swanwick (29 September 1922 – 14 November 1968) was a British actor best remembered as the "Supervisor" (sometimes called the Controller) in the 1967 TV series, ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a British television series created by Patrick McGoohan. McGoohan portrays Number Six (The Prisoner), Number Six, an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a The Village (The Prisoner), mysteri ...

''. Swanwick's film career began with bit parts in films such as '' The African Queen'' (1951), and he became a recognisable face on British TV during the mid-1960s when he featured in a number of series, including ''

The Avengers Avenger(s) or The Avenger(s) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of "The Infinity Sag ...

'' and ''

Danger Man ''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again ...

'' where he first worked with later ''Prisoner'' star and co-creator,

Patrick McGoohan Patrick Joseph McGoohan (; March 19, 1928 – January 13, 2009) was an Irish-American actor of film, television, and theatre. Born in New York City to Irish parents, he was raised in Ireland and England. He began his career in England during t ...

. According to several biographies Swanwick endured major health problems in the 1960s that resulted in his undergoing undisclosed operations that left him with a short time to live. Swanwick played the non-singing part of Herr Zeller in the original London stage production of ''

The Sound of Music ''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...

''.

Selected filmography

* ''

Lilli Marlene ''Lilli Marlene'' is a 1950 British war film aimed for the US market and directed by Arthur Crabtree. It was written by Leslie Wood and stars Lisa Daniely, Hugh McDermott, and Richard Murdoch. Stanley Baker is seen in one of his early support ...

'' (1950) – Chief Interrogator * ''

Madame Louise ''Madame Louise'' (also known as ''The Madame Gambles''), is a 1951 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and produced by Ernest G. Roy, starring Richard Hearne, Petula Clark, Garry Marsh and Richard Gale. It is loosely based on the 1 ...

'' (1951) – Bradford businessman (uncredited) * '' The African Queen'' (1951) – First Officer of Fort Shona * ''

Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure ''Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure'' is a low budget 1951 British comedy film, the penultimate in the long running Old Mother Riley series starring Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane. It features an early appearance by future ''Carry On'' regula ...

'' (1951) – Mr. Benson * ''

Salute the Toff ''Salute the Toff'' is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley and Carol Marsh. The film was based on the 1941 novel of the same name by John Creasey, the sixth in the series featuring upper-class sleut ...

'' (1952) – Night Porter (uncredited) * ''Private Information'' (1952) – Minor Role (uncredited) * ''

Emergency Call An emergency telephone number is a number that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assistance. The emergency number differs from country to country; it is typically a three-digit number so that it can be easily remembered and ...

'' (1952) – Police Sergeant * '' Time Gentlemen, Please!'' (1952) – Jeremiah Higgins * ''No Haunt for a Gentleman'' (1952) – Brother Ravioli * ''

Circumstantial Evidence Circumstantial evidence is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a conclusion of fact, such as a fingerprint at the scene of a crime. By contrast, direct evidence supports the truth of an assertion directly, i.e., without need ...

'' (1952) – Charley Pott * ''

Lady in the Fog ''Lady in the Fog'' (U.S. title: ''Scotland Yard Inspector'') is a 1952 British mystery film directed by Sam Newfield and starring Cesar Romero, Lois Maxwell and Bernadette O'Farrell. It was written by Orville H. Hampton based on the 1947 BBC r ...

'' (1952) – Smithers * ''

Cosh Boy ''Cosh Boy'' (released in the United States as ''The Slasher'') is a 1953 British film noir based on an original play by Bruce Walker. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and featured James Kenney and Joan Collins. It was made at Riverside Studios ...

'' (1953) – Mr. Wimbush (uncredited) * '' Street Corner'' (1953) – Mr. Propert (uncredited) * ''

The Red Beret ''The Red Beret'' (aka ''The Red Devils'', ''The Big Jump'' and retitled ''Paratrooper'' for the US release) is a 1953 British-American war film directed by Terence Young and starring Alan Ladd, Leo Genn and Susan Stephen. ''The Red Beret'' ...

'' (1953) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Albert R.N.'' (1953) – Obergefreiter * ''

Stryker of the Yard ''Stryker of the Yard'' (also known as ''Stryker of Scotland Yard'', ''Scotland Yard Cases'' and ''Inspector Stryker'') is a 1953 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Clifford Evans, Susan Stephen, ...

'' (1953) * ''

Devil on Horseback ''Devil on Horseback'' is a 1954 British sports drama film directed by Cyril Frankel and starring Googie Withers, John McCallum and Jeremy Spenser. The screenplay was by Scottish writer Neil Paterson. Plot Fourteen-year-old Moppy Parfit pur ...

'' (1954) – Mr. Parfitt * ''

Conflict of Wings ''Conflict of Wings'' (also known as ''Norfolk Story''; U.S. title: ''Fuss Over Feathers'' ) is a 1954 British comedy film, comedy drama film directed by John Eldridge (director), John Eldridge and starring John Gregson, Muriel Pavlow and Kieron ...

'' (1954) – Sergeant, Working Party * '' Betrayed'' (1954) – Fat Major (uncredited) * ''

The Black Rider ''The Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets'' is a self-billed "musical fable" in the avant-garde tradition created through the collaboration of theatre director Robert Wilson, musician Tom Waits and writer William S. Burroughs. Wils ...

'' (1954) – Holiday-maker * ''

Delavine Affair ''The Delavine Affair'' is a 1955 British second feature crime film directed by Douglas Peirce and starring Peter Reynolds, Honor Blackman and Gordon Jackson. The screenplay was by George Fisher and Basil Boothroyd, based on the 1952 novel '' ...

'' (1955) – Meyerling * ''

The Colditz Story ''The Colditz Story'' is a 1955 British prisoner of war film starring John Mills and Eric Portman and directed by Guy Hamilton. It is based on the 1952 memoir written by Pat Reid, a British army officer who was imprisoned in Oflag IV-C, Coldit ...

'' (1955) – Lutyens * ''

The Love Match ''The Love Match'' is a 1955 British black and white comedy film directed by David Paltenghi and starring Arthur Askey, Glenn Melvyn, Thora Hird and Shirley Eaton. A football-mad railway engine driver and his fireman are desperate to get back ...

'' (1955) – Mr. Hall * '' Windfall'' (1955) – (uncredited) * ''

Passport to Treason ''Passport to Treason'' is a 1956 British second feature mystery thriller directed by Robert S. Baker and starring Rod Cameron, Lois Maxwell, and Clifford Evans. It was written by Kenneth R. Hayles and Norman Hudis, based on the Manning O'Brin ...

'' (1955) – Cafe Proprietor * '' The March Hare'' (1956) – Nils Svenson * ''

Bond of Fear ''Bond of Fear'' is a 1956 British 'B' crime drama film directed by Henry Cass and starring Dermot Walsh, Jane Barrett, and John Colicos. The screenplay was by John Gilling and Norman Hudis. Premise John Sewell and his family are taken hosta ...

'' (1956) – Travelling Salesman * ''

Assignment Redhead ''Assignment Redhead'' (U.S. title: ''Million Dollar Manhunt'') is a 1956 British second feature ('B') crime thriller film written and directed by Maclean Rogers. It was based on the novel ''Requiem for a Redhead'' by Lindsay Hardy. Synopsis ...

'' (1956) – Mons. Paul Bonnet * '' Ill Met by Moonlight'' (1957) – German Officer with Gen. Brauer (uncredited) * ''

You Pay Your Money ''You Pay Your Money'' is a 1957 British 'B' crime drama film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Hugh McDermott, Jane Hylton and Honor Blackman. It was written by Michael Cronin and Rogers. Plot On a visit to Belgium, married couple Bob ...

'' (1957) – Hall Porter * ''

Murder Reported ''Murder Reported'' is a 1957 British second feature ('B') film directed by Charles Saunders and starring Paul Carpenter, Melissa Stribling and John Laurie. It was written by Doreen Montgomery based on the 1953 novel ''Murder for the Million ...

'' (1957) – Hatter * ''

Kill Me Tomorrow ''Kill Me Tomorrow'' is a 1957 British crime film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Pat O'Brien and Lois Maxwell. It was written by Robert Falconer and Manning O'Brine and made by Tempean Films at Southall Studios in West London. The f ...

'' (1957) – Harrison * '' The Big Chance'' (1957) – Passport Official * ''

Death Over My Shoulder ''Death Over My Shoulder ''is a 1958 British 'B' crime film directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Keefe Brasselle, Bonar Colleano and Jill Adams. It was written by Norman Hudis based on a story by Alyce Canfield. Plot When Jack Regan is un ...

'' (1958) – Nick Dayton * ''

The Two-Headed Spy ''The Two-Headed Spy'' is a 1958 British spy thriller film directed by Andre de Toth and starring Jack Hawkins, Gia Scala, Erik Schumann, Donald Pleasence and Alexander Knox. The film, which has elements of film noir and is set in the Second Wo ...

'' (1958) – Gen. Toppe * ''

Operation Amsterdam ''Operation Amsterdam'' is a 1959 black and white British action film, directed by Michael McCarthy (film director), Michael McCarthy, and featuring Peter Finch, Eva Bartok and Tony Britton. It is based on a true story as described in the book ' ...

'' (1959) – Peter * ''

Life in Danger Life, also known as biota, refers to matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes. It is defined descriptively by the capacity for homeostasis, organisation, metabolism, growth, adaptation, respons ...

'' (1959) – Dr. Nichols * '' The Desperate Man'' (1959) – Hoad * ''

Circus of Horrors ''Circus of Horrors'' is a 1960 British horror film directed by Sidney Hayers, and starring Anton Diffring, Yvonne Monlaur, Erika Remberg, Kenneth Griffith, Jane Hylton, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Romain, and Donald Pleasence. It follows a d ...

'' (1960) – German Police Inspector Knopf * '' The Trunk'' (1961) – Nicholas Steiner * '' Double Bunk'' (1961) – Freighter Pilot * ''

The Devil's Daffodil ''The Devil's Daffodil'' (also known as ''Daffodil Killer'' or / ''Secret of the Yellow Daffodils'') is a 1961 British-West German black-and-white crime film directed by Ákos Ráthonyi. The film was produced in an English and a German version, ...

'' (1961) – Polizist (uncredited) * ''

Invasion Quartet ''Invasion Quartet'' is a 1961 British World War II comedy-drama film directed by Jay Lewis and starring Bill Travers and Spike Milligan. It was publicised as a parody of ''The Guns of Navarone (film), The Guns of Navarone''. The screenplay was ...

'' (1961) – Gun Commander * ''

Fate Takes a Hand ''Fate Takes a Hand'' is a 1961 British anthology drama film directed by Max Varnel and starring Ronald Howard and Christina Gregg. It was written by Brian Clemens and produced by The Danzigers. Plot The recovery of a post bag stolen in a ro ...

'' (1961) – Preeny * '' Mystery Submarine'' (1963) – Lt. Lyncker * ''

The Gentle Terror ''The Gentle Terror'' is a 1961 British second feature ('B') thriller film directed by Frank Marshall and starring Terence Alexander and Angela Douglas. It was written by Mark Grantham and produced by The Danzigers. Plot A mild mannered book ...

'' (1963) – 1st Auditor * ''

Secrets of a Windmill Girl ''Secrets of a Windmill Girl'' is a 1966 British exploitation film directed by Arnold L. Miller and starring Pauline Collins, April WIlding and Renée Houston. It recounts the road to ruin of a young woman who becomes involved with the stripteas ...

'' (1966) – Len Mason * ''

The Devil Rides Out ''The Devil Rides Out'' is a 1934 horror novel by Dennis Wheatley, telling a disturbing story of black magic and the occult. The four main characters, the Duke de Richleau, Rex van Ryn, Simon Aron and Richard Eaton, appear in a series of nov ...

'' (1968) – Satanist (uncredited) * ''

The Looking Glass War ''The Looking Glass War'' is a 1965 spy novel by John le Carré. Written in response to the positive public reaction to his previous novel, ''The Spy Who Came in from the Cold'', the book explores the unglamorous nature of espionage and the da ...

'' (1970) – Finnish Policeman (final film role)

References

External links

* 1922 births 1968 deaths 20th-century English male actors English male stage actors English male film actors English male television actors Male actors from Nottingham {{england-actor-stub