Cecil Parker

Cecil Parker
Born	Cecil Schwabe September 3, 1897(1897-09-03) Hastings, Sussex, England
Died	April 20, 1971 (aged 73) Brighton, Sussex, England
Years active	1928 - 1969

Cecil Parker (3 September, 1897 – 20 April, 1971) was an English character and comedy actor with a distinctive husky voice, who usually played supporting roles in his 91 films made between 1928 and 1969.

Born Cecil Schwabe in Hastings, Sussex, he began his theatrical career in London in 1922 after serving in World War I. He made his first film appearance in 1928 and subsequently became a familiar face in British, and occasionally American films, until his death. He appeared less often on television, but many of his films have remained popular and are often shown.

He acted in two adaptations of A. J. Cronin's novels, The Citadel (1938) and The Stars Look Down (1940), in addition to appearing in The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Under Capricorn (1949), both of the later films were directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Other roles were in 23 Paces to Baker Street (1956), Dangerous Moonlight (1941), Swiss Family Robinson (1960), and I Was Monty's Double (1958), as well as the comedies A French Mistress (1960), The Ladykillers (1955), The Man in the White Suit (1951), The Court Jester (1955), Indiscreet (1958) and I Believe in You (1952). Parker was also the original Charles Condomine in the American production of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit. The role was originated in London by Clifton Webb and played in the 1945 film by Rex Harrison.

Often playing a touchy senior officer or British upper-class character, his last two films were true to form; The Magnificent Two (1967) with the British comedy double act Morecambe and Wise and Richard Attenborough's version of Oh! What A Lovely War (1969).

Filmography

External links

• Cecil Parker at the Internet Movie Database
• Cecil Parker's performances in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol