Nigel McGown Green (15 October 1924 – 15 May 1972) was an English character actor. Because of his strapping build, commanding height (6 ft 4 in or 1.93 m) and regimental demeanour he would often be found playing military types and men of action in such classic 1960s films as Jason and the Argonauts, Zulu, Tobruk and The Ipcress File.
Nigel Green | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Nigel McGown Green 15 October 1924 Pretoria, South Africa |
| Died | 15 May 1972 (aged 47) |
| Years active | 1952–1972 |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Marmont (m. 1952; div.) Pamela Gordon (1956–1972; his death) (1 child) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and education
editNigel Green was born in Pretoria, South Africa, son of pioneering animal health biochemist Henry Hamilton Green, DSc, and Katherine Laura, née McGown, daughter of printer John McGown. In Pretoria, his father was employed as professor of biochemistry and sub-director of the Veterinary Research Laboratories at Onderstepoort[1] (he was later a researcher at New Haw in Surrey, having been director of the Scottish Dairy Research Institute). Green's elder brother, Kenneth Gillies Green (1918-1990), was a medical doctor, an adviser to companies including Imperial Chemical Industries, and in 1959 a founder of the Association of Medical Advisers in the Pharmaceutical Industry, now the British Association for Pharmaceutical Physicians.[2] Green was subsequently raised in London, attending King's College School, Wimbledon and the University of London, followed by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.[3][4] During the Second World War he trained as an Observer in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
Early stage career
editAmong early stage appearances, he was at London's New Theatre (now the Noël Coward Theatre) in October 1948, playing multiple roles in John Burrell's Old Vic company revival of The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. At the Stratford Memorial Theatre in 1950, he was cast as Sir Thomas Lovell in Henry VIII (directed by Tyrone Guthrie), Abhorson in Peter Brook's production of Measure for Measure (which also went on tour in Germany), Decius Brutus in Julius Caesar (directed by Anthony Quayle), and — most notably — Edmund in King Lear, starring and co-directed by John Gielgud.[5]
Subsequent West End appearances included Come Live With Me (directed by Roy Rich: Vaudeville Theatre, June 1951),[6] Heloise (directed by Michael Powell: Duke of York's Theatre, November 1951),[7] Vernon Sylvaine's As Long as They're Happy, opposite Jack Buchanan (directed by Roy Rich: Garrick Theatre, July 1953),[8] Félicien Marceau's The Egg (directed by Charles Frank: Saville Theatre, October 1957))[9] and Agatha Christie's Go Back for Murder (directed by Hubert Gregg: Duchess Theatre, March 1960).[10]
In his second volume of autobiography, Michael Powell pointed out that, though the play they collaborated on was a failure, "Nigel Green, with his great face and towering figure, would soon make a name for himself in movies. Who could ever forget him in Zulu? He was an almost mythical figure, like Harry Andrews and Victor McLaglen, and later John Wayne, all of them genuine and generous artists. Among other men they were like Norse gods, mythical, large and gentle, suddenly exploding into rage and performing fabulous feats of strength."[11]
Screen career
editEarly film roles included Reach for the Sky (1956), The Criminal (1960), The League of Gentlemen (1960) and Beat Girl (1960).[12] His large physique led to his being cast as Little John in the film Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960).
He had one of his most memorable roles as Hercules in Jason and the Argonauts (1963), followed by his co-starring role as Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne in Zulu (1964).[13] He had a leading role as Inspector Sir Denis Nayland Smith in The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) and the supporting role of Major Dalby in The Ipcress File (also 1965).[14][15] Other roles include Carl Petersen in the Bulldog Drummond film Deadlier Than the Male (1967), as McCune, a devious Australian in the 1967 comedy-adventure The Pink Jungle, Count Contini in the Matt Helm film The Wrecking Crew (1969), and 'Lord Ashley's Whore' in John Huston's The Kremlin Letter (1969).[12] His many military roles included parts in Khartoum (1966), Tobruk (1967), Fräulein Doktor and Play Dirty (both 1969).[16]
Green also appeared in a number of horror films, including Corridors of Blood (1958), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), The Skull (1965), Let's Kill Uncle (1966) and Countess Dracula (1971).[17] His penultimate role was as McKyle the 'Electric Messiah', a mental patient believing himself to be God, in The Ruling Class (1972).[18]
His television appearances included The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, The Adventures of William Tell, The Other Man, Danger Man, The Power Game, The Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, Jason King, The Protectors and The Persuaders!.[19]
Personal life
editGreen's first wife was the actress Patricia Marmont. His second wife was the actress Pamela Gordon, with whom he had one daughter.
Death
editGreen died following an overdose of sleeping pills in 1972, aged 47.[4] It is unknown if his death was intentional. Peter O'Toole said on his commentary on The Ruling Class that he believed Green was very depressed and that his death shortly after filming ended was a suicide, although Green's family believed it to be accidental. He was separated from his wife Pamela Gordon at the time.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Meet Mr. Malcolm | ||
| Stranger from Venus | Second Police Officer | ||
| The Sea Shall Not Have Them | Met Officer Howard | ||
| 1955 | As Long as They're Happy | Peter Pember | |
| 1956 | Reach for the Sky | Streatfield | |
| Find the Lady | Photographer | Uncredited | |
| 1957 | Bitter Victory | Private Wilkins | |
| 1958 | The Gypsy and the Gentleman | Game Pup | |
| Corridors of Blood | Inspector Donovan | ||
| 1959 | Witness in the Dark | The Intruder | |
| 1960 | League of Gentlemen | Kissing man in truck | Uncredited |
| Beat Girl | Simon | ||
| Sword of Sherwood Forest | Little John | ||
| The Criminal | Ted | ||
| 1961 | Man at the Carlton Tower | Lew Daney | Edgar Wallace Mysteries |
| Gorgo | Bulletin Announcer | Uncredited | |
| Pit of Darkness | Jonathan | ||
| The Queen's Guards | Abu Sibdar | ||
| 1962 | The Spanish Sword | Baron Breaute | |
| Playback | Ralph Monk | Edgar Wallace Mysteries | |
| The Durant Affair | Sir Patrick | ||
| 1963 | Mystery Submarine | Chief ERA Lovejoy | |
| Jason and the Argonauts | Hercules | ||
| The Man Who Finally Died | Sergeant Hirsch | ||
| 1964 | Zulu | Colour Sergeant Bourne | |
| Saturday Night Out | Paddy | ||
| The Masque of the Red Death | Ludovico | ||
| 1965 | The Ipcress File | Major Dalby | |
| The Face of Fu Manchu | Sir Denis Nayland Smith | ||
| The Skull | Inspector Wilson | ||
| 1966 | Khartoum | General Wolseley | |
| Let's Kill Uncle | The Uncle-Major Kevin Harrison | ||
| 1967 | Tobruk | Lieutenant-Colonel John Harker | |
| Deadlier Than the Male | Carl Petersen | ||
| The Queen's Traitor | John Hawkins | ||
| Africa Texas Style | Karl Bekker | ||
| 1968 | The Pink Jungle | Crowley | |
| The Wrecking Crew | Count Massimo Contini | ||
| 1969 | Play Dirty | Colonel Masters | |
| Fräulein Doktor | Colonel Mathesius | ||
| 1970 | The Kremlin Letter | The Whore | |
| 1971 | Countess Dracula | Captain Dobi the Castle Steward | |
| 1972 | The Ruling Class | McKyle | |
| 1973 | Gawain and the Green Knight | Green Knight | (final film role) |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Suspense | Mr Williams | |
| 1953 | Broadway Television Theatre | Prince Sirki of Vitalba Alexa | |
| 1956 | The Adventure of Robin Hood | Prival | |
| 1956-1957 | The Adventures of Sir Launcelot | Jailer / 2nd thief / farmer | |
| 1958 | Ivanhoe | Timon | |
| 1958-1959 | William Tell | Fertog (The Bear) | |
| 1959 | The Flying Doctor | Haggerty | |
| World Theatre | Recruiting officer | mini series | |
| 1967/1969 | The Avengers | Sir Lexius Cray/Sir Geoffrey Armstrong | Episode: The Winged Avenger/Fog |
| 1972 | Clochemerle | ||
| The Protectors | Krassinkov | Episode: Balance of Terror |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ South African Journal of Science, vol. 31, South African Association for the Advancement of Science, 1931, p. xxxi
- ^ "Kenneth Gillies Green | RCP Museum".
- ^ "Green, Nigel McGown (1924–1972), actor | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/94147. ISBN 9780198614111. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ a b McFarlane, Brian; Slide, Anthony (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526111968 – via Google Books.
- ^ Shakespeare Memorial Theatre 1948-1950: A Photographic Record (Reinhardt & Evans 1951), pages unnumbered
- ^ Frances Stephens, Theatre World Annual (London) # 3 (Rockliff 1952), page 20
- ^ Frances Stephens, Theatre World Annual (London) # 3 (Rockliff 1952), page 21
- ^ Frances Stephens, Theatre World Annual (London) # 5 (Rockliff 1954), page 38
- ^ Frances Stephens, Theatre World Annual (London) # 9 (Rockliff 1958), page 66
- ^ Frances Stephens, Theatre World Annual (London) # 11 (Barrie & Rockliff 1960), page 23
- ^ Michael Powell, Million Dollar Movie (Random House 1995), page 162
- ^ a b "Nigel Green". BFI. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016.
- ^ "Nigel Green | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Face of Fu Manchu, The (1965)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Ipcress File, The (1965)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- ^ "Nigel Green | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
- ^ "Nigel Green | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
- ^ "The Ruling Class (1972) - Peter Medak | Cast and Crew". AllMovie.
- ^ "Nigel Green". www.aveleyman.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
Sources
edit- Sheldon Hall (2014). "Green, Nigel McGown (1924–1972)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/94147. ISBN 9780198614111.
- David McGillivray (1988). "Now you know". Films and Filming. 34 (April 1988). London: 47. ISSN 0015-167X.
- Terence Pettigrew (1982). British Character Actors (Rowman & Littlefield).
External links
edit- Nigel Green at IMDb