Alan MacNaughtan
Encyclopedia
Alan MacNaughtan was a Scottish actor, born in Bearsden
, Dunbartonshire
, Scotland
. An experienced Old Vic
, West End
and Broadway
actor
, he became active in television and certain films between 1954 and 1999.
productions of the 1960s and 1970s including The Avengers
, The Baron
, "The Maze" (ATV/ITC, 1966), Department S
, Who Plays the Dummy? (ATV/ITC, 1969), The Saint
, The Professionals
, and A Stirring of Dust (LWT/Avengers Mark 1, 1978). He also played Major Brenan, a deceptive MI5 agent in The Ghost Talks (Randall and Hopkirk Deceased)
in 1969. MacNaughtan's sharp blue eyes and features meant that he often played a villain in such ITC series.
In 1972 he appeared at Sir Laurence Olivier's National Theatre
in the play The Front Page.
MacNaughtan played Sir Geoffrey Wellingham in The Sandbaggers
, and portrayed the acerbic teacher Howarth in the 1981 BBC serial To Serve Them All My Days
. He played the role of Sir Percy Browne, head of MI5, in A Very British Coup
in 1988.
His last role was an appearance in Kavanagh QC
in 1999.
as his disapproving brother-in-law in the then controversial Victim (1961). He also had a small role in the 1970 film Patton
.
He was a friend of actor Alec McCowen
.
MacNaughtan died of cancer
on 29 August 2002, aged 82.
Bearsden
Bearsden ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately from the City Centre, and is effectively a suburb, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name...
, Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. An experienced Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
, West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, he became active in television and certain films between 1954 and 1999.
Television career
MacNaughtan played many guest roles in ITCITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
productions of the 1960s and 1970s including The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, The Baron
The Baron
The Baron is a British television series, made in 1965/66 based on the book series by John Creasey, written under the pseudonym Anthony Morton, and produced by ITC Entertainment. It was the first ITC show without marionettes to be produced entirely in colour...
, "The Maze" (ATV/ITC, 1966), Department S
Department S
Department S is a United Kingdom spy-fi adventure series produced by ITC Entertainment. The series consists of 28 episodes which originally aired in 1969–1970. It starred Peter Wyngarde as author Jason King , Joel Fabiani as Stewart Sullivan, and Rosemary Nicols as computer expert Annabelle Hurst...
, Who Plays the Dummy? (ATV/ITC, 1969), The Saint
The Saint (TV series)
The Saint was an ITC mystery spy thriller television series that aired in the UK on ITV between 1962 and 1969. It centred on the Leslie Charteris literary character, Simon Templar, a Robin Hood-like adventurer with a penchant for disguise. The character may be nicknamed The Saint because the...
, The Professionals
The Professionals (TV series)
The Professionals was a British crime-action television drama series produced by Avengers Mk1 Productions and London Weekend Television that aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. In all, 57 episodes were produced, filmed between 1977 and 1981. It starred Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins and Gordon...
, and A Stirring of Dust (LWT/Avengers Mark 1, 1978). He also played Major Brenan, a deceptive MI5 agent in The Ghost Talks (Randall and Hopkirk Deceased)
The Ghost Talks (Randall and Hopkirk Deceased)
"The Ghost Talks" is the twenty-first episode of the popular 1969 ITC British television series Randall and Hopkirk starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope and Annette Andre. The episode was first broadcast on February 6, 1970, on the ITV...
in 1969. MacNaughtan's sharp blue eyes and features meant that he often played a villain in such ITC series.
In 1972 he appeared at Sir Laurence Olivier's National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in the play The Front Page.
MacNaughtan played Sir Geoffrey Wellingham in The Sandbaggers
The Sandbaggers
The Sandbaggers is a British television drama series about men and women on the front lines of the Cold War. Set contemporaneously with its original broadcast on ITV in 1978 and 1980, The Sandbaggers examines the effect of the espionage game on the personal and professional lives of British and...
, and portrayed the acerbic teacher Howarth in the 1981 BBC serial To Serve Them All My Days
To Serve Them All My Days
To Serve Them All My Days is a novel by British author R. F. Delderfield.First published in 1972, the book was adapted for television in 1980...
. He played the role of Sir Percy Browne, head of MI5, in A Very British Coup
A Very British Coup
A Very British Coup is a 1982 novel by British politician Chris Mullin. In 1988, the novel was adapted for television, directed by Mick Jackson, with a screenplay by Alan Plater and starring Ray McAnally...
in 1988.
His last role was an appearance in Kavanagh QC
Kavanagh QC
Kavanagh QC is a British television series made by Carlton Television for ITV between 1995 and 2001. It has been shown on ITV3 as recently as August 2011; series 1–6 are available on Region 2 DVDs....
in 1999.
Films
He made few appearances in films but starred alongside Dirk BogardeDirk Bogarde
Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol in such films as Doctor in the House and other Rank Organisation pictures, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death in Venice...
as his disapproving brother-in-law in the then controversial Victim (1961). He also had a small role in the 1970 film Patton
Patton (film)
Patton is a 1970 American biographical war film about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II. It stars George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates, and Karl Michael Vogler. It was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner from a script by Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H...
.
He was a friend of actor Alec McCowen
Alec McCowen
Alexander Duncan "Alec" McCowen CBE is an English actor. He is known for his work in numerous film and stage productions. He was awarded the CBE in the 1985 New Year's Honours List.-Personal:...
.
MacNaughtan died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on 29 August 2002, aged 82.