John Carson (actor)
John Carson | |
---|---|
Born |
John Derek Carson-Parker 28 February 1927 Colombo, Ceylon |
Died |
5 November 2016 89) Cape Town, South Africa | (aged
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1946-2016 |
Spouse(s) | Luanshya Greer |
Children | 6 |
John Derek Carson-Parker (28 February 1927 – 5 November 2016), known as John Carson, was an English actor known for his appearances in film and television.
Born to English parents in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where his father worked on tea and rubber plantations, he was educated in Australia and went to Britain to do national service as an artillery officer in an anti-aircraft regiment between 1944 and 1945. He then studied law at Queen's College, Oxford before leaving for New Zealand, where he worked in amateur theatre before returning to Britain to begin his professional career. His stage appearances included the original productions of A Man For All Seasons and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg.
Making his film debut in 1947, Carson carved out a career appearing in low-budget British films such as Seven Keys (1961); Smokescreen (1964); and Master Spy (1964). His saturnine looks and sinister voice (sometimes compared with James Mason) led to him starring in a number of horror films including The Night Caller (1965); The Plague of the Zombies (1966); The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970); Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970); and Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1972).[1]
Beside his appearances in horror films he was also known for his many villainous turns in adventure series of the 1960s, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood; The Avengers; The Saint; Adam Adamant Lives!; The Baron; Man in a Suitcase; The Champions and Department S.
His long and varied list of television credits include Emergency - Ward 10; Ivanhoe; William Tell; Armchair Theatre; Maigret; Out of the Unknown; Emma (as Mr. Knightley); Dixon of Dock Green; Crown Court; The New Avengers; Telford's Change; Secret Army; The Professionals; Tales of the Unexpected; Hammer House of Horror; Doctor Who (Snakedance); Shaka Zulu and Poirot. He was also the voice-over performer in Sunsilk TV commercials.[2]
Carson moved with his family to South Africa in 1983 and continued to work in film and television. He died at his home in Cape Town on 5 November 2016 at the age of 89. Married twice and divorced once, he was survived by his second wife, the novelist Luanshya Greer, their two children Ben and Suzanna, and his four children from his first marriage, Richard, Chris, Katie and Harry.[3]
Selected filmography
- Conspiracy in Teheran (1946)
- Quentin Durward (1955) - Duke of Orléans
- Ramsbottom Rides Again (1956) - (uncredited)
- Intent to Kill (1958) - Hospital Receptionist
- The Lady Is a Square (1959) - Reporter (uncredited)
- Seven Keys (1961) - Norman
- Locker 69 (1962) - Miguel Terila
- Guns of Darkness (1962) - First Officer
- The Set Up (1963) - Insp. Jackson
- Master Spy (1963) - Richard Colman
- Accidental Death (1963) - Paul Lanson
- Smokescreen (1964) - Trevor Bayliss
- Act of Murder (1964) - Tim Ford
- The Night Caller (1965) - Major
- The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - Squire Clive Hamilton
- Thunderbird 6 (1968)
- The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970)
- Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)
- Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1974)
- City of Blood (1987)
- Coastwatcher (1989)
- Schweitzer (1990)
- The Sheltering Desert (1992)
- Woman of Desire (1993)
- Mandela and de Klerk (1997)
- I Dreamed of Africa (2000) - Pembroke Headmaster
- The Deal (2008) - Nigel Bland
- Doomsday (2008) - George Dutton
TV
- Emergency - Ward 10
- Ivanhoe
- The Adventures of William Tell
- Caves of Steel
- Armchair Theatre
- The Avengers
- Maigret
- Out of the Unknown
- Emma (as Mr. Knightley)
- Dixon of Dock Green
- Crown Court
- The New Avengers
- Telford's Change
- Secret Army
- The Professionals
- Tales of the Unexpected
- Hammer House of Horror
- Doctor Who (Snakedance)
- Shaka Zulu
- Poirot
References
- ↑ Madeline Smith and John Carson Join Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years Documentary
- ↑ Hadoke, Toby (8 November 2016). "John Carson obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
- ↑ Carson
External links
- John Carson on IMDb
- John Carson at the Internet Broadway Database