Evil in the successful Austin Powers film series, which primarily parodies it. At this point in my career, it doesn't bother me much that I'm probably hopelessly typecast. Donald Pleasence OBE's grandchildren: Donald Pleasence OBE's grandson is Jack O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Lily O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Zoe Wright Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Tallulah Wright [17] His body was cremated. His first marriage was to Mariam Raymond an English Actress who was born three years before Donald. I get the part. [10] In the 1950s, Pleasence's stage work included performing as Willie Mossop in a 1952 production of Hobson's Choice at the Arts Theatre, London and as Dauphin in Jean Anouilh's The Lark (1956). One of his closest friends in the acting industry was Peter Vaughan. Whether eccentric, sinister or given to pathos, Donald Pleasence was always great value-for-money and his performances have rarely failed to engage. Donald Henry Pleasence was born on October 5, 1919 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, to Alice (Armitage) and Thomas Stanley Pleasence. I like to work, and horror films definitely keep me working. According to one of his daughters, the actor had a battle with alcohol for many years. Pleasence starred as psychiatrist Dr Samuel Loomis in Halloween (1978) and four of its sequels, a role for which he was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actor. The Grove Family Monsieur Paul (1955) ... Donald Henry Pleasence October 5, 1919 Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. Married four times and had five daughters. On screen, he gave a perfectly plausible interpretation of the head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, in The Eagle Has Landed (1976). In 1971, he returned to the realm of the deranged, delivering a tour de force performance in the role of an alcoholic Australian doctor in Ted Kotcheff's nightmarish outback drama Wake in Fright. He also played the teacher, Kantorek in All Quiet on the Western Front (1979), Dr. Kobras in The Pumaman (1980) and the held-hostage President of the United States in Escape from New York (1981). I do a lot of horror films because I'm asked to do them, and I need to make money all the time, so ... For a while, I wore a toupee because I thought it would help me get work. Films of that nature are especially attractive to teenagers for the simple reason that they don't want to sit home with Mom and Dad and watch game shows. Donald Pleasence – family. Obituary for D. Pleasence, 'The Independent', 3 February 1995. The rather sinister accent which Pleasence employed in this and other films may be credited to the elocution lessons he had as a child. He also portrayed a murderer captured by Mrs. Columbo in "Murder Is a Parlor Game" (1979). In 1962, the producer of The Twilight Zone (1959), Buck Houghton, brought Donald to the United States ('damn the expense'!) Donald Pleasence OBE's grandchildren: Donald Pleasence OBE's grandson is Jack O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Lily O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Zoe Wright Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Tallulah Wright Blofeld is head of the global criminal organisation SPECTRE and is commonly referred to by the codename Number 1 within this organisation. He was given a mere five days to immerse himself in the part of a gentle school teacher, Professor Ellis Fowler, who, on the eve of Christmas is forcibly retired after fifty-one years of teaching. He was a convincingly devious Thomas Cromwell in Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972), disturbing in his portrayal of the crazed, bloodthirsty preacher Quint in Will Penny (1967); and as sexually depraved, alcohol-sodden 'Doc' Tydon in the brilliant Aussie outback drama Wake in Fright (1971). He has become an icon of both extravagant and lower budget movies, totalling something in the region of 135 films and numerous TV appearances. The 1998 film Halloween H20: 20 Years Later also features a dedication to Pleasence in the end credits, with sound-alike voice actor Tom Kane providing a voice-over for Loomis in the film. Upon hearing this, Fowler is now content to graciously accept his retirement. All kids love horror films. After working as the clerk-in-charge at Swinton railway station in South Yorkshire,[6] he decided that he wanted to be a professional actor, taking up a placement with the Jersey Repertory Company in 1939.[4]. Family drama, starring Donald Pleasence, Veronica Quilligan, Peter Vaughan and Arthur English. The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. His family worked on the railway; his grandfather had been a signal man and both his brother and father were station masters. In the crime drama Hell is a City (1960), shot in Manchester, he starred opposite Stanley Baker, while he was memorably cast in the horror comedy What a Carve Up! Remember this when it came out and not sure i fully understood it then as even now, one of the oddest films i have ever seen. Pleasence starred as the Reverend Septimus Harding in the BBC's TV series The Barchester Chronicles (1982). Even the Van Helsing-like psychiatrist Sam Loomis in the Halloween (1978) franchise seems only marginally more balanced than his prey. Donald Pleasence, actor: born Worksop, Nottinghamshire 5 October 1919; OBE 1994; author of Scouse The Mouse 1977, Scouse in New York 1978; … I'm interested in them, but if there were three kinds of film playing across the road at my local cinema, the horror film would not be the one I would go to see. On 31 August 1944, his Lancaster NE112, in which he was a crew member, was shot down during an attack upon Agenville,[8][9] and he was captured and imprisoned in the German prisoner-of-war camp Stalag Luft I. Pleasence produced and acted in many plays for the entertainment of his fellow captives. Meanwhile the excellent Donald Pleasence as Doctor Sam Loomis endeavours to track down his escaped patient. Shortly before his death in 1995, he was scheduled to star in a production of "King Lear" that would have featured daughters. Pleasence appeared as Dr. Samuel Loomis in John Carpenter's horror film Halloween (1978). According to the film critic Kim Newman on a DVD commentary for Halloween II, the reason for Pleasence's lengthy filmography was that he never turned down any role that was offered. For me, there is no Method. Born Donald Henry Pleasence on Oct. 5, 1919 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, he was the younger of two boys born to Alice and Thomas Pleasence. In the 2018 film, Halloween, sound-alike comedian Colin Mahan voiced Loomis. [citation needed], In 2010, Pleasence was identified as the IMDb member with the second-most impressive closeness centrality.[20]. Donald Pleasence was born in England. Jacinda Ardern has phoned Scott Morrison over the Australian prime minister's handling of the case of a dual-national accused ISIS bride caught fleeing Syria this week. Endowed with a bald head, a penetrating stare, and an intense voice, usually quiet but capable of a piercing scream, he specialised in portraying insane, fanatical, or evil characters, including the title role in Dr Crippen (1962), the frontier prophet Oracle Jones in Hallelujah Trail, the double agent Dr Michaels in the science-fiction film Fantastic Voyage (1966), the white trader who sells guns to the Cheyenne Indians in the revisionist western Soldier Blue (1970), the mad Doctor in the Bud Spencer–Terence Hill film Watch Out, We're Mad! |  The Grove Family (TV Series 1955) Monsieur Paul (1 episode, 1955) The Face of Love (TV Movie 1954) Alex Orders Are Orders (1954) L / Cpl. He had Angela and Jean with Miriam Raymond (m. 1941–1958); Lucy and Polly with Josephine Martin Crombie (m. 1959–1970); and Miranda with Meira Shore (m. 1970–1988). Donald Henry Pleasence OBE (/ ˈ p l ɛ z ə n s /; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. [14] The film was a major success and was considered the highest grossing independent film of its time, earning accolades as a classic of the horror genre. Movies. Director: Myron J. Pleasence was born in Chapeltown, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Miriam Raymond and actor Donald Pleasence. Hyde.[11][12]. Apart from America and Britain, Donald Pleasence made films in various other countries. In 1963, he appeared in an episode of The Outer Limits titled "The Man With the Power". Some notable early roles include Parsons in 1984 (1956), and minor roles opposite Alec Guinness in Barnacle Bill (1957) and Dirk Bogarde in The Wind Cannot Read (1958). Mally Veronica Quilligan. An actor of great intensity, Pleasence excelled on stage as Shakespearean villains. (1961) as the “horrible-looking zombie” solicitor opposite Shirley Eaton, Sid James, Kenneth Connor and Dennis Price. In his hale career, Pleasence appearit in ower 200 films. Donald Henry Pleasence OBE (/ˈplɛzəns/;[1] 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995)[2] was an English actor. He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1994 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to drama. [7] He served as aircraft wireless-operator with No. In Tony Richardson's film of Look Back in Anger (1959), he plays a vindictive market inspector opposite Richard Burton. When once asked why he kept making horror movies, the actor replied: "Because I have six daughters to support.". He was flying in a Lancaster NE112 "AS-M" when it was shot down on September 9, 1944. Was held at Stalag Luft I, near the Baltic Sea. When Donald failed to get a scholarship at RADA, he joined the family occupation working as a clerk at his father's station before becoming station master at Swinton, Yorkshire. [4] He received his formal education at Crosby Junior School, Scunthorpe[5] and Ecclesfield Grammar School, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. I.S.Mowis, Other Works Obituary for Pleasence, 'The Independent', 2 February 1995. An actor of variety, Donald Pleasence excelled at playing both villains and anti heroes. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF Flight Lieutenant Colin Blythe in The Great Escape (1963), the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), SEN 5241 in THX 1138 (1971), and the deranged Clarence "Doc" Tydon in Wake in Fright (1971). Dr. Donald Pleasence (born Donald Henry Samuel McGregor Puppleworth Blofeld Colin Blythe Loomis; October 5, 1843 - February 2, 2904) was a famous child psychiatrist, U.S. President, failed actor, World War II forger and flight lieutenant, priest, and lunatic bent on world domination. He has the kind of piercing stare which lifts enamel off saucepans.". Death Line is a 1972 horror film, distributed as Raw Meat in the United States, directed by American filmmaker Gary Sherman from his own story and starring Donald Pleasence. The eyes are mournful but they can also be sinister or seedy or just plain nutty. I read the script. He wanted to be an actor from an early age but was turned down by nearly 40 repertory companies before being accepted by a company in Jersey.A long slow climb with other companies followed before being accepted by Bristol Old Vic. He was shot down over France, incarcerated and tortured in a German POW camp. He appeared twice with Patrick McGoohan in the British spy series, Danger Man, in episodes "Position of Trust" (1960) and "Find and Return" (1961). Interview footage of the actor is almost non-existent, except for a brief excerpt of one given whilst filming "Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.". |  [10] Pleasence's later stage work included performing in a double bill of Pinter plays, The Basement and Tea Party, at the Duchess Theatre in 1970.[10]. February 2, 1995 (age 75) Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Alpes-Maritimes, France. Donald Pleasence OBE's grandchildren: Donald Pleasence OBE's grandson is Jack O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Lily O'Hare Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Zoe Wright Donald Pleasence OBE's granddaughter is Tallulah Wright In 1978, he played a scout, Sam Purchas in an adaptation of James A. Michener's Centennial. 20 Great Donald Pleasence Roles. I don't know if I'm the first actor people think of when it comes to horror films, but I do seem to get these calls pretty regularly. It's nice to know that, at some point, I'll have a month off to work in my garden or be with my grandchildren. Evil, the character played by Mike Myers in the Austin Powers comedy films (1997–2002), and Doctor Claw from Inspector Gadget are parodies of Pleasence's performance as Blofeld in You Only Live Twice. His last marriage was to Linda Kentwood (m. 1988–1995; his death). Pleasence married four times and had five daughters from his first three marriages. I've got homes in Spain and France, and I do tend to have, shall we say, extravagant ways. I don't like horror films. Publicity Listings I work all the time, and it's by choice. Donald Pleasence, Terry-Thomas, Shelley Winters, Clennery Tubbs, Michael Bates. The likes of Donald Pleasence and myself always stuck to the speed limit. Pleasence was the author of the children's book Scouse the Mouse (1977) (London: New English Library), which was animated by Canadian animator/film director Gerald Potterton (a friend of the actor, who directed him in the Canadian film The Rainbow Boys (1973), retitled The Rainbow Gang for VHS release in the United States) and also adapted into a children's recording (Polydor Records, 1977) with Ringo Starr voicing the book's title character, Scouse the Mouse. Starring: Donald Pleasence, Danielle Harris, Ellie Cornell, Don Shanks) Despite the whole being-shot-down a-mineshaft thing, it turns out that Michael Myers is still alive. Balding, quietly-spoken, of slight build and possessed of piercing blue eyes -- often peering out from behind round, steel-rimmed glasses -- Donald Pleasence had the necessary physical attributes which make a great screen villain. The widow of actor Donald Pleasence, Linda Pleasence , is comforted by her family and friends at Putney Vale Crematorium in South West London where the funeral service for the acting legend was held. Pleasence was born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, the son of Alice (née Armitage) and Thomas Stanley Pleasence, a railway station master. Biography. Pleasence was nominated four times for the Tony Award for best performance by a leading actor in a Broadway play: in 1962 for Harold Pinter's The Caretaker, in 1965 for Jean Anouilh's Poor Bitos, in 1969 for Robert Shaw's The Man in the Glass Booth, and in 1972 for Simon Gray's Wise Child. ", [from an interview in 1988] Being typed as the one who constantly plays the crazy, mixed-up person is something I vehemently deny. 1958) ( divorced) ( 2 children). Martin (as Donald Plesance) Pleasence played Lucifer in the religious epic The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). Its plot follows two university students who find themselves at the centre of an investigation involving a man who goes missing on the London Underground . (1974), Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler in The Eagle Has Landed (1976), and the Bond arch-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in You Only Live Twice (1967), the first film in which Blofeld's face is clearly seen. She appeared extensively in London theatre productions throughout the 1970s. His plane was shot down and was taken prisoner of war by the Nazis until his release in 1945. Donald Pleasence was a Libra and was born in the G.I. He was a wireless operator in Lancaster bombers in 166 Squadron, Royal Air Force. I have no theory about acting. I'm a professional actor. Also that year, he played a supporting role in David Winters' musical television adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. 10908, ; Maintained by Find A Grave Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend. He has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Won London Critics Award for The Caretaker' and the British Variety Award for Best Stage Actor for his performance in 'The Man in the Glass Booth. Sam Loomis and Tommy Doyle, a boy Laurie babysat during Michael's first rampage, are now out to stop Michael and the cult. During World War II, he was placed in a German prison camp, where he spent time producing and acting in his own plays. Children Angela Pleasence, Miranda Pleasence, Polly Jo Pleasence, Lucy Pleasance, Jean Pleasence Parents Alice Armitage, Thomas Stanley Pleasence IMDB http://imdb.com/name/nm0000587 Was known for his eye for details and authenticity, including in regards to his costumes. They were also released in the United States as Tale Spinners for Children by United Artists. Give them a film that's scary, violent, and a little bit funny and they'll be out of the house and into the theaters like a shot. They wedded in 1941 while World War 2 was raging. I just do it. In 1942, he played Curio in "Twelfth Night", but his career was then interrupted by military service in the RAF. Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Alpes-Maritimes, France, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro, (1959 - Donald's father, a strict Methodist, worked as a railway stationmaster, and the family traditionally lived in an apartment above the station. 1970) ( divorced) ( 2 children), (1941 - Pleasence played Prince John in several episodes of the ITV series The Adventures of Robin Hood (1956–1958). Managing to avoid maudlin sentimentality, Donald's performance was intuitive and, arguably, one of the most poignant ever accomplished in a thirty-minute television episode. Donald Henry Pleasence Wiki Biography Balding, quietly-spoken, of slight build and possessed of piercing blue eyes -- often peering out from behind round, steel-rimmed glasses -- Donald Pleasence had the necessary physical attributes which make a great screen villain. to guest star in the third season episode "The Changing of the Guard". Official Sites. He served in WWII as an RAF radio operator before being shot down over Germany and becoming a POW. During the early 1960s, Pleasence recorded several children's-story records on the Atlas Record label. While a POW during World War II, he organized a theatre company in order to pass the time. In 1991, Donald Pleasence appeared in another production of Harold Pinter's "The Caretaker.". He was good in school plays and won prizes. Nikola Pleasence lives in a grubby council flat, surviving on her earnings as a hooker and a small allowance from her family. In 1966, he also guest starred in an episode of The Fugitive entitled "With Strings Attached", In 1973, Pleasence played a sympathetic murderer in an episode of Columbo entitled "Any Old Port in a Storm". [10] In 1960, Pleasence gained excellent notices as the tramp in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker at the Arts Theatre, a role he would again play in a 1990 revival. [3] He was brought up as a strict Methodist in the small village of Grimoldby, Lincolnshire. In the course of his lengthy career, he relished playing the obsessed, the paranoid and the purely evil. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Devastated, and believing himself a failure who has made no mark on the world, he is about to commit suicide when the school's bell summons him to his classroom. Donald Pleasence, the intense, virtuosic actor who was acclaimed in London and on Broadway for his performance in the title role of Harold Pinter's … One of his biggest triumphs on stage was in Harold Pinter's play 'The Caretaker'in the West End then on Broadway, where he was nominated for a New York Critics Award, followed by the film version. But it didn't, so eventually I threw it away and said, "They'll have to take me the way I am. He hosted the 1981 Halloween episode of Saturday Night Live with music guest Fear. In this series, his daughter Angela Pleasence played his onscreen daughter Susan. Donald Pleasence was married four times. Pleasence made his television debut in I Want to Be a Doctor (1946). The descendants of Baron Frankenstein return to the family castle to search for the family fortune that is supposed to be hidden there. Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE (October 5, 1919 – Februar 2, 1995) wis an Inglis actor. Donald Henry Pleasence OBE (/ ˈ p l ɛ z ə n s /; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. [citation needed]. The series' popularity and critical success led to a resurgent career for Pleasence, who appeared in numerous American and European-produced horror and thriller films. He arrived in Sydney for the filming of. Ootthrou his career, Pleasence wis nominatit for fower Tony Awairds. He was initially a conscientous objector during World War II, but later changed his mind and joined the British Royal Air Force. In The Night of the Generals (1967), he played another uncharacteristically sympathetic role, this time as an old-school German general involved in a plot to kill Adolf Hitler. The Strode Family also moved into the Myers' house and are stalked by Michael. The ultimate 'Scream Queen' Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie winds up in the local hospital for treatment and it is this location where most of the action in the film takes place as Myers hunts her down and kills anyone who tries to get in his way. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. If I decide to do it, I learn the lines. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Donald Pleasence (5 Oct 1919–2 Feb 1995), Find a Grave Memorial no. Donald Pleasence Movies by Karl_Childers | created - 08 Apr 2016 | updated - 08 Apr 2016 | Public Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc Menu. Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m) Related News. Then from the early 1980s on-wards, he gave it up for good. In his book British Film Character Actors (1982), Terence Pettigrew describes Pleasence as "a potent combination of eyes and voice. Two years earlier, Pleasence did an amusingly broad impersonation of Olivier in the guise of a horror-film actor called "Valentine De'ath" in the film The Uncanny (1977). He was an unrelenting prosecutor in Jean Anouilh's "Poor Bitos" and made his theatrical reputation in the title role of the seedy, scheming tramp in Harold Pinter's "The Caretaker" (1960). Once repatriated, Donald returned to the stage in Peter Brook's 1946 London production of "The Brothers Karamazov" with Alec Guinness although he missed the opening due to measles, followed by a stint on Broadway with Laurence Olivier's touring company in "Caesar and Cleopatra" and "Anthony and Cleopatra". After the war and his release, he was discharged from the RAF in 1946. He portrayed SEN 5241 in THX 1138 (1971), opposite Robert Duvall which was the directorial debut of George Lucas. While there he wrote letters to theatre companies eventually being accepted by one on the island of Jersey in Spring 1939 as an assistant stage manager. The 1995 film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers was dedicated to Donald Pleasence. He wan a BAFTA TV Awaird for Best Actor in 1959. Daughter, Jean, is an occupational therapist at a psychiatric hospital. I love playing the heavies, like Blofeld in. It took several more years, until international recognition came his way: first, through the filmed adaptation of The Guest (1963); and, secondly, with his blind forger in The Great Escape (1963), a role imbued with added conviction due to his own wartime experience.Some of his best acting Donald reserved for the small screen. In 1952, Donald began his screen career, rather unobtrusively, in small parts. THE daughter of British film legend Donald Pleasence has been working as a prostitute. His interpretation of the character has become predominant in popular culture considering the popularity of the comic villain, Dr. These were marketed as the Talespinners series in the United Kingdom. In 1986, Pleasence joined Ronald Lacey and Polly Jo Pleasence for the television thriller Into the Darkness. He played Prince John in The Adventures of Robin Hood, which ran from 1956 to 1958. He collaborated with Halloween director John Carpenter twice more, as the President of the United States in Escape from New York (1981), and as the Priest in Prince of Darkness (1987). Among the possible actors for the roles of Dr. Hans Fallada and Sir Percy Heseltine in, He was considered for many guest roles in. Pleasence made his big-screen debut with The Beachcomber (1954). In the same year, Pleasence starred in the horror films Circus of Horrors directed by Sidney Hayers, playing the role of Vanet, the owner of a circus, and The Flesh and the Fiends as the real-life murderer William Hare, alongside Peter Cushing, George Rose and Billie Whitelaw.[13]. His character taking on many dark, shadowy human disguises throughout the film was unprecedented in breathing life into the Luke 4:13 phrase "... he left Him until an opportune time ..." He was one of many stars who were given cameos throughout the film. The stories included Don Quixote and the Brave Little Tailor. [10] He received positive critical attention for his role as Syme in the BBC version of Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954) from the novel by George Orwell. IMDB 5.6. Generation. The film, intended to warn children of the dangers of playing near water, attained notoriety for allegedly giving children nightmares.[16]. Ernst Stavro Blofeld is a fictional character and villain from the James Bond series of novels and films, created by Ian Fleming.A criminal mastermind with aspirations of world domination, he is the archenemy of the British Secret Service agent James Bond. He reprised his Dr. Sam Loomis role in Halloween II (1981), Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995). Died. His productions included "The Petrified Forest", in which he played the, Was nominated for four Tony Awards as Best Actor (Dramatic): in 1962 for "The Caretaker", a part he recreated in the film version also titled.