
Willoughby Gray
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Willoughby Gray (5 November 1916 – 13 February 1993) was an English actor of stage and screen born in London. (Though several sources suggest he was born in Aberdeen, Scotland). He was the stepson of Henry Pownall, as his father, Captain John Gray, was killed in Iraq close to the time of his birth. John Willoughby Gray served with distinction during the Second World War with GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom). For most of the campaign in Europe he commanded a patrol with 11th Armoured Division. For his gallant and distinguished services in the North West Europe campaign, he was appointed MBE.
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His recommendation reads: "Captain Gray has commanded a divisional patrol with outstanding success throughout the campaign. The resource and initiative shown by him at all times has resulted in a great deal of vital information reaching Army and Corps HQ much more quickly than would otherwise have been the case, In addition, he has shown great enterprise and complete disregard for his own personal safety on many occasions, notably whilst carrying out reconnaissances in the Antwerp area during the advance through Belgium. The bearing of this officer under arduous conditions and his cheerfulness and willingness to do any work delegated to him unhesitatingly have been an example to those with whom he came in contact." He achieved popularity in the mid-1950s after making 38 appearances on the television series The Adventures of Robin Hood. He appeared as 'Pete' in Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party on its very first run in 1958, this being just one of countless stage performances he made. Though over-shadowed by his stage career, Gray made a handful of incredibly popular films, notably as a priest in Laurence Olivier's film Richard III (1955), The Mummy (1959), Absolution (1978), The Hit(1984), the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985) as retired Nazi doctor and Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) henchman Karl Mortner/Hans Glaub,[1] and as the elderly and kind king in The Princess Bride (1987). In the late 1980s, he appeared in the BBC drama Howards' Way as banker Sir John Stevens. In Sergei Bondarchuk's 1970 film Waterloo, he is credited as both an actor (playing Captain Ramsey) and a military consultant.[2] Gray died aged 76 in February 1993. His wife, who wrote as Felicity Gray,(Nee Margaret Andraea) was a choreographer, speaker and writer on ballet, who notably taught Gene Tierney for her role in Never Let Me Go. Description above from the Wikipedia article Willoughby Gray, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
The Princess BrideThe King7.7
A View to a KillDr. Carl Mortner6.3
The Dirty DozenGerman Officer (uncredited)7.6
The MummyDr. Reilly6.7
The HitJudge6.5
WaterlooRamsey7.1
The AvengersPadley7.8
SolarbabiesCanis5.3
Young WinstonGladstone (uncredited)6.2
AbsolutionBrigadier Walsh6.5
Stranger from VenusTom Harding5.2
The Adventures of Robin HoodMuch, Count de Waldern, Otto, Stationarius, Blondel, Arthur of Tetsbury, Major Domo, Master Giles, Aubrey, Tinker, Gilbert, Nailer, 1st Tax Collector (uncredited), Nailer (uncredited), Outlaw (uncredited), Craxton the Forester (uncredited), Bafe
Filmography
- 1987The Princess BrideFilm: The King
- 1986SolarbabiesFilm: Canis
- 1985Howards' WaySeries: Sir John Stevens (39 episodes)
- 1985A View to a KillFilm: Dr. Carl Mortner
- 1984The HitFilm: Judge
- 1980The GamekeeperFilm: The Duke
- 1980SheppeyFilm: Customer
- 1978AbsolutionFilm: Brigadier Walsh
- 1974Dead CertFilm: Coroner
- 1972Young WinstonFilm: Gladstone (uncredited)
- 1972The RegimentSeries: Dr Blaikie (1 episode)
- 1970Waugh on CrimeSeries (1 episode)
- 1970WaterlooFilm: Ramsey
- 1969W. Somerset MaughamSeries: Hannay (1 episode)
- 1969ITV Saturday Night TheatreSeries: Brigadier Perring (1 episode)
- 1967The Man OutsideFilm: Detective Inspector
- 1967The Dirty DozenFilm: German Officer (uncredited)
- 1965BBC Play of the MonthSeries: Col. Trex (1 episode)
- 1965Thirty-Minute TheatreSeries: Hopkins (1 episode)
- 1962Dr. Finlay's CasebookSeries (1 episode)
- 1961The AvengersSeries: Padley (1 episode)
- 1959The MummyFilm: Dr. Reilly
- 1958The Adventures of William TellSeries: Captain Frederick, Number One (1 episode)
- 1956The BuccaneersSeries: Harris, Pop, Man Shaving, Bosun, Old Pop (1 episode)
- 1955The Adventures of Robin HoodSeries: Much, Count de Waldern, Otto, Stationarius, Blondel, Arthur of Tetsbury, Major Domo, Master Giles, Aubrey, Tinker, Gilbert, Nailer, 1st Tax Collector (uncredited), Nailer (uncredited), Outlaw (uncredited), Craxton the Forester (uncredited), Bafe (1 episode)
- 1954Stranger from VenusFilm: Tom Harding
- 1952Top SecretFilm: British Officer
- 1950The Woman with No NameFilm: Group Captain
- 1950Guilt Is My ShadowFilm: Detective
- 1948PygmalionFilm: Man in the Bowler Hat
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