Wensley Pithey
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Wensley Pithey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 21 June 1914 |
| Died | 10 November 1993 (aged 79) London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Notable work | Sunday Night Theatre |
Wensley Ivan William Frederick Pithey (21 June 1914 – 10 November 1993) was a British character actor who had a long stage and film career.[1][2]
Pithey was born in Cape Town, South Africa.[1] A graduate of the University of Cape Town where he studied music and drama, he travelled to Britain in 1947.[3] He appeared in various Shakespearean roles in his long career (memorably as Sir Toby Belch) and appeared in Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie.[3] He also directed and produced plays in the West End and appeared in a range of roles on television including the 1976 drama Edward and Mrs Simpson (as Winston Churchill – a role he also played in the miniseries Ike) and Special Branch and Poldark.[1][4] His British television appearances included Danger Man (1961) among others.[5] He also played the title role of Detective Superintendent Charlesworth in a number of BBC series including Charlesworth at Large (1958) and its sequel Charlesworth the following year. In 1964 he played a ballistics expert in the BBC series Call the Gun Expert.
Between 1961 and 1976, Pithey appeared in German TV commercials as a fake coffee expert for Tchibo.[6]
Filmography
Film
- The Mark of Cain (1947) as Opera House Attendant (uncredited)
- London Belongs to Me (1948) as First Warden
- It's Hard to Be Good (1948) as Vicar (uncredited)
- Cardboard Cavalier (1949) as Jailer
- Your Witness (1950) as Alfred
- Guilt Is My Shadow (1950) as Tillingham
- The Woman's Angle (1952) (uncredited)
- Brandy for the Parson (1952) as Circus Owner
- Father's Doing Fine (1952) as Policeman (uncredited)
- Lady in the Fog (1952) as Sid - the Barman
- The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953) as A Policeman
- The Diamond (1954) as Springwell Police Sergeant (uncredited)
- The Men of Sherwood Forest (1954) as Hugo
- Isn't Life Wonderful! (1954) as Sam
- You Can't Escape (1956) as Constable Wagstaff
- Tiger in the Smoke (1956) as Detective Sergeant Pickett
- Doctor at Large (1957) as Sam - Poacher
- Kill Me Tomorrow (1957) as Inspector Lane
- Hell Drivers (1957) as Pop
- The Long Haul (1957) as Minor Role
- Blue Murder at St. Trinian's (1957) as Brigadier (uncredited)
- Serious Charge (1959) as Police Sergeant
- Make Mine Mink (1960) as Superintendent (uncredited)
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) as Chief Constable
- Snowball (1960) as Jim Adams
- The Barber of Stamford Hill (1962) as Mr. O
- The Boys (1962) as Mr. Coulter
- The Knack ...and How to Get It (1965) as Teacher
- Oliver! (1968) as Dr. Grimwig
- Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) as Archduke Franz Ferdinand (uncredited)
- One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) as Bromley
- The Saint and the Brave Goose (1979) as Franklyn
- Red Monarch (1983) as Voroshilov
- White Mischief (1987) as Sheridan
- American Friends (1991) as Cave
