John Dodsworth (actor)

John Cecil Dodsworth (17 September 1910 – 11 September 1964) was an English actor.[1]

John Dodsworth
Born
John Cecil Dodsworth

(1910-09-17)17 September 1910
London, England
Died11 September 1964(1964-09-11) (aged 53)
OccupationActor
Years active1934–1958
SpouseDonna Heydt (1961-1964) (his death)

Biography and career

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Born John Cecil Dodsworth in London, England. Dodsworth started his film career as an extra in British films of the 1930s before taking on small parts in The Next of Kin (1942), They Were Sisters and The Rake's Progress (both 1945). He had much larger roles in his next two films, as the romantic lead in the Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen comedy Here Comes the Sun (1946), and Who Killed Van Loon? (1948), an early film from Hammer Film Productions.

Like a lot of British actors of the period he moved to America in the 1950s, where he was usually cast as the archetypal English officer or aristocrat. He made his Hollywood film debut in Up Front (1951), followed by supporting roles in prestige films including Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) and Lust for Life (1956). Interspersed with these small parts were more substantial roles in modest scale productions, such as William Cameron Menzies' cult classic The Maze (1953) and the Bowery Boys comedies Loose in London (1953) and In the Money (1958). He also appeared in tv shows such as Jungle Jim, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip.

He married film production secretary Donna Hedyt in 1961. Dodsworth committed suicide in 1964 at the age of 53.[2]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1934 The Return of Bulldog Drummond Extra - Audience Member Leaving Auditorium Uncredited
1942 The Next of Kin Officer Giving Davis a Lift Uncredited
1945 They Were Sisters Cyril Uncredited
1945 The Rake's Progress Team Manager Uncredited
1946 Here Comes the Sun Roy Lucas
1948 Who Killed Van Loon Ian Ferguson
1951 Up Front British Officer Uncredited
1951 David and Bathsheba Ahithophel Uncredited
1952 Singin' in the Rain Baron de la Ma de la Toulon Uncredited
1952 Storm Over Tibet Malloy
1952 Les Misérables Sergeant Uncredited
1952 The Snows of Kilimanjaro Compton Uncredited
1952 Bwana Devil Sir William Drayton
1953 Rogue's March Major MacStreet
1953 The Magnetic Monster Dr. Carthwright
1953 Titanic Stoker Exclaiming 'For God's Sake!' Uncredited
1953 Loose in London Sir Edgar Whipsnade
1953 The Maze Dr. Bert Dilling
1954 Her Twelve Men Mr. Curtis Uncredited
1954 Charade Lieutenant Meyerdorf
1954 Bengal Brigade Captain Guy Fitz-Morell Uncredited
1955 Untamed Captain Richard Eaton Uncredited
1955 Escape to Burma Undetermined Role Uncredited
1955 The Sea Chase British Officer of the Watch Uncredited
1956 Gaby Broadcaster Uncredited
1956 Lust for Life Handsome Man Uncredited
1956 The Mole People Priest Uncredited
1957 Something of Value Doctor Uncredited
1957 The 27th Day BBC Newscaster Uncredited
1958 In the Money Blake Cummings
1958 Merry Andrew Lord Elmwood Uncredited

Television

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Year Title Role Episode
1952 Fireside Theater Undetermined Role Season 4 Episode 36: 'The Last Stop'
1952 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 40: 'The House of Death'
1952 Cavalcade of America Lt. Allen Season 1 Episode 2: 'All's Well With Lydia'
1953 Cavalcade of America Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 1: 'Sam and the Whale'
1953 Cavalcade of America Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 2: 'The Stolen General'
1953 Chevron Theatre Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 6: 'Adventure in Java'
1953 General Electric Theater Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 4: 'Best Seller'
1954 Cavalcade of America John Morley Season 2 Episode 21: 'The Splendid Dream'
1955 TV Reader's Digest Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 12: 'Incident on the China Coast'
1955 Climax! Major Adams Season 1 Episode 29: 'To Wake at Midnight'
1955 NBC Matinee Theater Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 14: 'The Aspern Papers'
1955 Jungle Jim Neil Croft Season 1 Episode 10: 'The Deadly Idol'
1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Calender Season 1 Episode 31: 'The Gentleman From America'
1956 Telephone Time Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 7: 'Time Bomb'
1956 General Electric Summer Originals Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 2: 'Duel at Dawn'
1958 Maverick Clayton Palmer Season 1 Episode 20: 'The Savage Hills'
1958 77 Sunset Strip Martin Melville Season 1 Episode 2: 'Lovely Lady, Pity Me'

References

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