William Reginald Beckwith (2 November 190826 June 1965) was an English film and television

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), l ...

, who made over one hundred film and television appearances in his career. He died of a heart attack aged 56. Beckwith was also a

film critic Film criticism is the analysis and evaluation of films and the film medium. In general, film criticism can be divided into two categories: journalistic criticism that appears regularly in newspapers, magazines and other popular mass-media outl ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

before the war, and from 1941–45, was a BBC war correspondent. His play '' Boys in Brown'' was filmed in 1949, and he co-wrote the film '' You're Only Young Twice'' in 1952, based on James Bridie's play.

Selected filmography

* '' Freedom Radio'' (1941) as Emil Fenner * ''

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) as 1st Barber (uncredited) * '' Scott of the Antarctic'' (1948) as Bowers / Lt. H.R. Bowers R.I.M. * ''

Miss Pilgrim's Progress ''Miss Pilgrim's Progress'' is a 1949 black-and-white British comedy film by producer Nat Cohen and director Val Guest. Plot Laramie Pilgrim (Yolande Donlan) is an American exchange factory worker who trades places with an upper class British gi ...

'' (1949) as Mr. Jenkins * '' The Body Said No!'' (1950) as Benton * '' Mister Drake's Duck'' (1951) as Mr. Boothby * '' Circle of Danger'' (1951) as Oliver * ''

Another Man's Poison ''Another Man's Poison'' is a 1951 British drama film directed by Irving Rapper and starring Bette Davis, Gary Merrill and Emlyn Williams. The screenplay by Val Guest is based on the play ''Deadlock'' by Leslie Sands. Plot Successful mystery ...

'' (1951) as Mr. Bigley * '' Whispering Smith Hits London'' (1952) as Manson * ''

Brandy for the Parson ''Brandy for the Parson'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Kenneth More, Charles Hawtrey, James Donald and Jean Lodge. It was based on a short story by Geoffrey Household from ''Tales of Adventurers'' (1 ...

'' (1952) as Scout Master * '' You're Only Young Twice'' (1952) as BBC Commentator * '' Penny Princess'' (1952) as Minister of Finance - Blacksmith * '' The Titfield Thunderbolt'' (1953) as Coggett * ''

Genevieve Genevieve (french: link=no, Sainte Geneviève; la, Sancta Genovefa, Genoveva; 419/422 AD – 502/512 AD) is the patroness saint of Paris in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Her feast is on 3 January. Genevieve was born in Nanterre and ...

'' (1953) as J. C. Callahan * '' Innocents in Paris'' (1953) as Photographer (uncredited) * '' The Million Pound Note'' (1953) as Rock * '' Don't Blame the Stork'' (1954) * '' Fast and Loose'' (1954) as Reverend Tripp-Johnson * '' The Runaway Bus'' (1954) as Telephone Man * '' Dance, Little Lady'' (1954) as Poldi * ''

Lease of Life ''Lease of Life'' is a 1954 British drama film made by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend. The film was designed as a star-vehicle for Robert Donat, representing his return to the screen after an absence of over three years during w ...

'' (1954) as Foley * '' The Men of Sherwood Forest'' (1954) as Friar Tuck * '' Aunt Clara'' (1954) as Alfie Pearce * '' The Lyons in Paris'' (1955) as Capt. Le Grand * '' Break in the Circle'' (1955) as Dusty * '' They Can't Hang Me'' (1955) as Harold * ''

A Yank in Ermine ''A Yank in Ermine'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Peter Thompson, Noelle Middleton, Harold Lloyd Jr. and Diana Decker, and featuring Jon Pertwee and Sid James. It was adapted by John Paddy Carstairs from h ...

'' (1955) as Kimp * '' Jumping for Joy'' (1956) as Smithers * '' The March Hare'' (1956) as J. Blacker Insurance Brocker * '' Charley Moon'' (1956) as Vicar * '' It's a Wonderful World'' (1956) as Professional Manager * '' A Touch of the Sun'' (1956) as Herbert Hardcastle * '' Carry On Admiral'' (1957) as Receptionist * '' These Dangerous Years'' (1957) as Hairdresser * ''

Lucky Jim ''Lucky Jim'' is a novel by Kingsley Amis, first published in 1954 by Victor Gollancz. It was Amis's first novel and won the 1955 Somerset Maugham Award for fiction. The novel follows the exploits of the eponymous James (Jim) Dixon, a relucta ...

'' (1957) as University Porter * ''

Night of the Demon ''Night of the Demon'' (in the United States, released as ''Curse of the Demon'') is a 1957 British horror film, produced by Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall Ma ...

'' (1957) as Mr. Meek * '' Up the Creek'' (1958) as Publican * '' Law and Disorder'' (1958) as Vickery * '' Next to No Time'' (1958) as Warren * ''

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) as Capt. Jones * '' Rockets Galore!'' (1958) as Mumford * '' The Navy Lark'' (1959) as CNI * '' The Captain's Table'' (1959) as Burtweed * '' The 39 Steps'' (1959) as Lumsden * ''

The Ugly Duckling "The Ugly Duckling" ( da, Den grimme ælling) is a Danish literary fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875). It was first published on 11 November 1843 in '' New Fairy Tales. First Volume. First Collection'' ...

'' (1959) as Reginald * '' Friends and Neighbours'' (1959) as Wilf Holmes * '' Upstairs and Downstairs'' (1959) as Parson * '' Expresso Bongo'' (1959) as Reverend Tobias Craven * ''

Desert Mice ''Desert Mice'' is a 1959 British comedy film featuring Alfred Marks, Sid James, Dora Bryan, Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier and Liz Fraser. A group of ENSA entertainers with the British army in the North Africa desert during the Second World W ...

'' (1959) as Fred * '' Bottoms Up'' (1960) as Bishop Wendover * '' Doctor in Love'' (1960) as Wildewinde * ''

Dentist in the Chair ''Dentist in the Chair'' is a 1960 British comedy film, directed by Don Chaffey and starring Bob Monkhouse, Ronnie Stevens (actor), Ronnie Stevens, Eric Barker and Vincent Ball. The screenplay was written by Val Guest, and based on a novel by M ...

'' (1960) as Mr. Watling * '' There Was a Crooked Man'' (1960) as Station Master * '' The Girl on the Boat'' (1961) as Barman * '' Five Golden Hours'' (1961) as Brother Geronimo * '' The Night We Got the Bird'' (1961) as Chippendale Charlie * '' Double Bunk'' (1961) as Harper * '' Dentist on the Job'' (1961) as Mr. Duff * '' The Day the Earth Caught Fire'' (1961) as Harry * ''

Hair of the Dog "Hair of the dog", short for "hair of the dog that bit you", is a colloquial expression in the English language predominantly used to refer to alcohol that is consumed with the aim of lessening the effects of a hangover. Many other languages ha ...

'' (1962) as Fred Tickle * '' Night of the Eagle'' (1962) as Harold Gunnison * '' The Password Is Courage'' (1962) as Unterofficer * ''

The King's Breakfast The King's Breakfast may refer to: *The King's Breakfast (poem), A. A. Milne poem *The King's Breakfast (film) ''The King's Breakfast'' is a 1963 British musical film, musical family film directed by Wendy Toye and starring Maurice Denham, Misch ...

'' (1963) as Magician * '' Just for Fun'' (1963) as Opposition Leader * '' The V.I.P.s'' (1963) as Head Waiter (uncredited) * '' Lancelot and Guinevere'' (1963) as Sir Dagonet * '' Doctor in Distress'' (1963) as Meyer * '' Never Put It in Writing'' (1964) as Lombardi * '' A Shot in the Dark'' (1964) as Receptionist at nudist camp * '' The Yellow Rolls-Royce'' (1964) as Reporter (uncredited) * ''

Gonks Go Beat ''Gonks Go Beat'' is a 1964 British science fiction/musical fantasy film, directed by Robert Hartford-Davis. It stars Kenneth Connor and Frank Thornton. ''Gonks Go Beat'' is loosely based on the ''Romeo and Juliet'' storyline and features 16 mu ...

'' (1965) as Professor * '' The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders'' (1965) as Doctor * ''

Mister Moses ''Mister Moses'' is a 1965 American adventure film about a con man blackmailed into persuading an entire African village into relocating for their own safety. It was directed by Ronald Neame and stars Robert Mitchum and Carroll Baker. The film ...

'' (1965) as Parkhust * '' The Secret of My Success'' (1965) as Gen. Ferdinand Velez * '' The Big Job'' (1965) as Register Office Official * '' Thunderball'' (1965) as Kenniston * '' How to Undress in Public Without Undue Embarrassment'' (1965) * '' Where the Spies Are'' (1966) as Mr. Kahn (final film role)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Beckwith, Reginald 1908 births 1965 deaths Male actors from York English male film actors English male television actors 20th-century English male actors