Clifford McLaglen
Encyclopedia
Clifford McLaglen was a Stepney, London-born British
film actor. He was the brother of several actors including Victor McLaglen, Oscar winner for best actor, The Informer (director John Ford), and nominated for best supporting actor The Quiet Man.
The other brothers were Leopold McLaglen, wrestler and inventor of a form of Jiu Jitsu which he taught to the armed forces and police in the old Empire and America; Lewis McLaglen actor and solder; Cyril McLaglen actor and horseman; Arthur Actor and unarmed combat professional, and sculptor; Kenneth McLaglen Actor and mineralogist; sister Lily Marian McLaglen (Mrs Lance Tweedy) actress Singer and pianist).
Clifford McLaglen was born Clifford Henrich McLaglen from Scottish Irish and Dutch ancestry. He, like all his brothers except the youngest two, Cyril and Kenneth, served in the First World War. He also served in the Second World War going out to Iceland to help guard Sir Winston Churchill for which he obtained a bulldog and polar bear badge. He also was part of a film unit at that time in the Army. His father was born in Cape Town and came to London to study as Clerk in Orders, eventually becoming Titular Bishop of Claremont in Cape Town but foregoing this to help with the work he dedicated to the helping of poverty stricken children in London and beggars. Lily often helped with this. Clifford worked in a tin mine in Cornwall before joining up in 1914. Later he worked for Sangers Circus riding horses and doing rope tricks and worked in vaudeville with his various brothers.
He starred in many silent films in Britain, in "Boadicea" (where he rode Roman style learnt in the army and Circus); France and Germany, making the reputedly first German Talkie with Conrad Veidt, "Bride 68" or "Das Land Ohne Frauen" set in Australia with camels and the desert but all filed in a Berlin studio with a tank of water spilling from overhead and an aeroplane propeller. Clifford also filmed in Majorca,in "Die Schmugglerbraut von Sorrento" ( various versions changed Majorca to Sorrento), bringing over horses with him, which he said were sea sick. The film was made in Majorca but meant to be Sorrento. Cavalcanti made two prize winning films in France with Clifford McLaglen: "Yvette" and "Rien Que Les Heures". He made a few talkies and was on the stage in America, on Broadway with Frederick Marche's wife Florence Edridge. He was going to make a film called "Ropes of Sand" but nothing came of it. Some said there was not room for two McLaglens. He acting was often praised and one recorded in the book, "The History of British Film" 1918 -1929 by Rachel Low, p184 about "The Flag Lieutenant", from critic Hugh Castle who was not given to approving of British films wrote in "Close Up" "the memory of Clifford McLaglen as the Sargeant lingers. Not, I repeat, a great film. But very nearly..... "
I know these things to be true because I am Clifford McLaglen's daughter.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film actor. He was the brother of several actors including Victor McLaglen, Oscar winner for best actor, The Informer (director John Ford), and nominated for best supporting actor The Quiet Man.
The other brothers were Leopold McLaglen, wrestler and inventor of a form of Jiu Jitsu which he taught to the armed forces and police in the old Empire and America; Lewis McLaglen actor and solder; Cyril McLaglen actor and horseman; Arthur Actor and unarmed combat professional, and sculptor; Kenneth McLaglen Actor and mineralogist; sister Lily Marian McLaglen (Mrs Lance Tweedy) actress Singer and pianist).
Clifford McLaglen was born Clifford Henrich McLaglen from Scottish Irish and Dutch ancestry. He, like all his brothers except the youngest two, Cyril and Kenneth, served in the First World War. He also served in the Second World War going out to Iceland to help guard Sir Winston Churchill for which he obtained a bulldog and polar bear badge. He also was part of a film unit at that time in the Army. His father was born in Cape Town and came to London to study as Clerk in Orders, eventually becoming Titular Bishop of Claremont in Cape Town but foregoing this to help with the work he dedicated to the helping of poverty stricken children in London and beggars. Lily often helped with this. Clifford worked in a tin mine in Cornwall before joining up in 1914. Later he worked for Sangers Circus riding horses and doing rope tricks and worked in vaudeville with his various brothers.
He starred in many silent films in Britain, in "Boadicea" (where he rode Roman style learnt in the army and Circus); France and Germany, making the reputedly first German Talkie with Conrad Veidt, "Bride 68" or "Das Land Ohne Frauen" set in Australia with camels and the desert but all filed in a Berlin studio with a tank of water spilling from overhead and an aeroplane propeller. Clifford also filmed in Majorca,in "Die Schmugglerbraut von Sorrento" ( various versions changed Majorca to Sorrento), bringing over horses with him, which he said were sea sick. The film was made in Majorca but meant to be Sorrento. Cavalcanti made two prize winning films in France with Clifford McLaglen: "Yvette" and "Rien Que Les Heures". He made a few talkies and was on the stage in America, on Broadway with Frederick Marche's wife Florence Edridge. He was going to make a film called "Ropes of Sand" but nothing came of it. Some said there was not room for two McLaglens. He acting was often praised and one recorded in the book, "The History of British Film" 1918 -1929 by Rachel Low, p184 about "The Flag Lieutenant", from critic Hugh Castle who was not given to approving of British films wrote in "Close Up" "the memory of Clifford McLaglen as the Sargeant lingers. Not, I repeat, a great film. But very nearly..... "
I know these things to be true because I am Clifford McLaglen's daughter.
Selected filmography
- The Chinese BungalowThe Chinese Bungalow (1926 film)The Chinese Bungalow is a 1926 British silent drama film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Matheson Lang, Genevieve Townsend and Juliette Compton. It was based on the play The Chinese Bungalow which was adapted for further films in 1930 and 1940....
(1926) - The White SheikThe White Sheik (1928 film)The White Sheik is a 1928 British adventure film directed by Harley Knoles and starring Lillian Hall-Davis, Jameson Thomas and Warwick Ward. It was based on the novel King's Mate by Rosita Forbes.-Cast:* Lillian Hall-Davis - Rosemary Tregarthen...
(1928) - BoadiceaBoadicea (film)Boadicea is a 1928 British historical film directed by Sinclair Hill and starring Phyllis Neilson-Terry, Lillian Hall-Davis and Clifford McLaglen...
(1928) - The Lost Patrol (1929)
- The Bermondsey KidThe Bermondsey KidThe Bermondsey Kid is a 1933 British drama film directed by Ralph Dawson and starring Esmond Knight, Pat Peterson, Ellis Irving and Ernest Sefton...
(1933) - The Mystery of the Marie CelesteThe Mystery of the Marie CelesteThe Mystery of the Marie Celeste is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions and was directed by Denison Clift. The leading actor is Béla Lugosi....
(1935) - The Marriage of Corbal (1936)