Raymond Francis
Raymond Francis | |
|---|---|
 Publicity still for No Hiding Place | |
| Born | 6 October 1911 |
| Died | 24 October 1987 (aged 76) |
Raymond Francis (6 October 1911- 24 October 1987) was a British actor best known for his role as Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart in the Associated-Rediffusion detective series Murder Bag, Crime Sheet and No Hiding Place.[1] He played the role of Lockhart in these series from 1956 to 1967, and the character was one of the first recurring television detectives.[2]
Born in London as Reginald George Thompson, his first listed television role was as Dr. Watson alongside Alan Wheatley's Holmes in a 1951 BBC TV series entitled We Present Alan Wheatley as Mr Sherlock Holmes in..., the earliest TV adaptation of the tales.[3] He later reprised the role in a 1984 film The Case of Marcel Duchamp.[4]
His distinguished appearance often led to roles as senior policemen, military men and English aristocrats; he played such parts in series including Dickens of London, Edward & Mrs. Simpson, The Cedar Tree, Tales of the Unexpected, After Julius, Drummonds, the first Joan Hickson Miss Marple episode "The Body in the Library" as Sir Henry Clithering, and his final appearance was in a 1987 Ruth Rendell Mysteries adaptation.[2][5]
He also appeared as Clement Lawrence in the 1973 episode 'The Windsor Royal' of the long running TV series Public Eye.[6]
He was also a noted stage actor and made several appearances in films such as Carrington V.C. and Reach for the Sky.[2][7] He was married to actress Margaret Towner and had three children; his son Clive Francis is also an actor.[8]
Filmography
- Mr. Denning Drives North (1951) as Clerk of the Court
- Carrington V.C. (1955) as Major Mitchell
- Above Us the Waves (1955) as Officer on Towing Sub. (I)
- The Deep Blue Sea (1955) as RAF Officer Jackie Jackson (uncredited)
- Storm Over the Nile (1955) as Colonel's Aide
- Portrait of Alison (1955) as Police Inspector - Interpol Division (uncredited)
- Doublecross (1956) as Inspector Harris
- Bhowani Junction (1956) as Captain Cumberly (uncredited)
- Reach for the Sky (1956) as Wing Commander Hargreaves (uncredited)
- The Man in the Sky (1957) as Jenkins
- The Steel Bayonet (1957) as General
- Just My Luck (1957) as Ritchie
- Carve Her Name with Pride (1958) as S.O.E. Officer (uncredited)
- No Hiding Place (1959-1967, TV Series) as Chief Supt. Tom Lockhart
- Hell Is Empty (1967) as Defence Counsel
- It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet (1977) as Colonel Bosworth
- The Case of Marcel Duchamp (1984) as Dr. Watson
References
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: No Hiding Place (1959-67)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- ^ a b c Raymond Francis at IMDb
- ^ "A Scandal in Bohemia (1951)". BFI.
- ^ "The Case of Marcel Duchamp (1983)". BFI.
- ^ "Raymond Francis". www.aveleyman.com.
- ^ "The Windsor Royal (1973)". BFI.
- ^ "Raymond Francis". BFI.
- ^ "Margaret Towner, veteran actress who appeared in Star Wars franchise – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
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