Oliver Johnston (actor)
Oliver Johnston | |
|---|---|
 Publicity still, 1960 | |
| Born | Oliver Griffen Johnston 30 April 1888 Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Died | 22 December 1966 (aged 78) Westminster, London, England |
| Years active | 1938–1966 |
Oliver Griffen Johnston (30 April 1888 – 22 December 1966) was an English actor.
Stage
[edit]After training at RADA, his theatre work included the original production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street at Malvern (1930) and its subsequent West End transfer (1930–1932).[1][2][3]
Film and television
[edit]Johnston started his film career in 1938, when he was already 50 years old.[4] Working until shortly before his death, he appeared in nearly 90 film and television productions, where he often portrayed meek or mild-mannered types in supporting roles.[5]
Johnston had a rather unremarkable acting career in film until he was nearly 70 years, when he was discovered by Charlie Chaplin.[1] He is perhaps best-remembered for his role in Chaplin's A King in New York (1957), where he played a large supporting role as the "faithful ambassador and solemn-serious straight man" to Chaplin's King.[6] Afterwards he got more film offers, including the literature adaption Kidnapped (1960) and fantasy/horror pictures like The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963), The Tomb of Ligeia (1964) and It! (1967).[4]
One of his last roles, released after his death in December 1966 at age 78, was in Chaplin's last film A Countess from Hong Kong (1967).[7] Here Johnston portrayed an old British businessman in Hong Kong, who introduces the leading characters of Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren to each other in the opening scenes.
Selected filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Kate Plus Ten | Cunningham | |
| 1939 | Stolen Life | Prof. Bardesley | |
| 1953 | The Good Beginning | Owen | Uncredited |
| 1954 | Dangerous Voyage | Dr. Waverley | |
| 1954 | Tale of Three Women | Butler | (segment "Wedding Gift") |
| 1955 | Room in the House | ||
| 1957 | The Hypnotist | Doctor Kenyon | |
| 1957 | You Can't Escape | Meadows | |
| 1957 | A King in New York | Ambassador Jaume | |
| 1958 | Indiscreet | Mr. Finleigh | Uncredited |
| 1958 | The Son of Robin Hood | Apothecary | |
| 1958 | Nowhere to Go | Mr. Hopkins | Uncredited |
| 1959 | Beyond This Place | Prusty | |
| 1959 | The Night We Dropped a Clanger | Air Commodore Turner | |
| 1960 | A Touch of Larceny | Minister | |
| 1960 | Kidnapped | Mr. Campbell | |
| 1960 | The 3 Worlds of Gulliver | Mr. Grinch | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Francis of Assisi | Father Livoni | |
| 1961 | Raising the Wind | Prof. Parkin | |
| 1962 | Backfire! | Bernard Curzon | Edgar Wallace Mysteries |
| 1963 | The Fast Lady | Bulmer | |
| 1963 | Island of Love | Prof. Krumwitz | |
| 1963 | Dr. Crippen | Lord Chief Justice | |
| 1963 | The Three Lives of Thomasina | Mr. Dobbie | |
| 1964 | The Tomb of Ligeia | Kenrick | |
| 1965 | You Must Be Joking! | Angry Tweedles Club Member | Uncredited |
| 1967 | A Countess from Hong Kong | Clark | |
| 1967 | It! | Curator Trimingham | (final film role) |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Name, Your Museum. "A King in New York : Oliver Johnston - ECCI00010328". www.charliechaplinarchive.org.
- ^ "Production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- ^ Wearing, J. P. (15 May 2014). The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893047 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Oliver Johnston". BFI. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019.
- ^ "Oliver Johnston". IMDb.
- ^ Kenneth Lynn: Charlie Chaplin and His Times, page 500
- ^ "A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) - Charlie Chaplin | Cast and Crew". AllMovie.
