Cec Linder

Cec Linder as paleontologist Doctor Matthew Roney in the BBC Television serial Quatermass and the Pit (1958-59)

Cec Linder (sometimes credited as Cecil Linder) (March 10, 1921 - April 10, 1992) was a Polish-born Canadian film and television actor. In the 1950s and 1960s he worked extensively in the United Kingdom, often playing American characters in various films and television programmes.

In film, he is probably best remembered for his role as James Bond's CIA counterpart Felix Leiter in Goldfinger (1964). Another well-known film in which he appeared was Lolita (1962), as Doctor Keegee.

Early life

He was born in Galicia, Poland. His family moved to Canada when Linder was very young, and he became a naturalised Canadian citizen.

Career

Linder enjoyed an extensive and successful television career on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, probably his most prominent role was as the archeologist Roney in the original BBC version of Quatermass and the Pit (1958-59). In the United States, he was a regular in the soap opera The Secret Storm on the CBS network from 1960 to 1964, playing Peter Ames. In 1974 he replaced William Prince as the character of Ben Travis in another CBS (later ABC) soap opera, The Edge of Night, and in the 1980s appeared in several of the Perry Mason revival TV movies, as District Attorney Jack Welles.

During his career he also had guest roles in episodes of a variety of other popular British, American and Canadian television programmes, including: Doomwatch, The Littlest Hobo, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ironside, The Saint and The New Avengers.

During his time in Canada, Linder worked as an announcer at CKGB in Timmins, Ontario.

Linder's last work was as Syd Grady in two episodes of the television series Sweating Bullets in 1991. He died the following year at home in Toronto, Ontario, of complications from emphysema.

External links

• Cec Linder at the Internet Movie Database
• Cec Linder at FelixLeiter.com