Donald Gray
Encyclopedia
Donald Gray was a South Africa
n actor, probably best remembered for providing the voices to Colonel White
, Captain Black
and the Mysteron
s in the TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
and for being the reason that Donald Marshall Gray changed his name to Charles Gray
when he became an actor. Coincidentally, in some spin-off media, Colonel White's real name is stated as Charles Grey.
In 1933 Paramount Pictures of Hollywood were keen to infuse new blood into its contract players and advertised what was known as the Search For Beauty and heats took place throughout the English speaking world. Elred Tidbury entered in his native South Africa and beat off firce competition to be selected with Lucille Du Toit a Pretoria Dental Nurse as the South African winners. Heats took place in other parts of the Empire and in the USA and Colin Tapley his later co-star in Mark Saber was the New Zealand male winner and Texas female winner Ann Sheriden became a famous actress as a direct result of Search For Beauty. In all there were 30 finalists from throughout the world and over 6 weeks at the end of 1933 they were screen tested not only had they to be beautiful but they had to be able to act. Of the 30, bit player contracts were awarded to 10 of the 30 and Eldred Tidbury (Hollywood added a D) was selected as overall male winner with a $1000 bonus which he used to buy a car. The overall female winner was Scottish Gwenllien Gill who later followed Tidbury to England and became engaged to him but their romance ended with the second world war. All the winners took part in the 1933 film the Search For Beauty which landed up on the shelf as it broke the Hays code. It has recently been re-released as pre-code Hollywood but its pretty tame by todays standards and would probably only result in an A or AA certificate. Paramount held onto their option on Tidbury's contact throughout 1934 but he had to leave in 1935 when his passport expired and he didn't wish to be an American citizen. In late 1935 he had reappeared in England calling himself Don Tidbury but by 1936 he was calling himself Donald Gray. He became an engineering salesman selling a boiler preparation acted in repertory and Paramount still held an option onto his contract and he appeared in several films for their English subsidiary British and Dominion Films then run by Irishman Herbert Wilcox later to become Dame Anna Neagle's husband. Gray claimed later to have been involved in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. In 1936 he was rediscovered by Albert Parker
, director for Fox's Wembley
studios and was given the leading role in trange Experiment] only after actor James Mason had a tantrum and stormed off the set.] In 1938 he was selected as juvenile lead in Sir Alexander Korda's film The Four Feathers and made several more films before acting in repertory in Aberdeen in 1939/1940. Initially turned down for the services due to Duodenal ulcer he was able to impress himself on the Gordon Highlanders who had their barracks in Aberdeen and he was successful beoming what he called an ordinary Jock having claimed some Scottish ancestry. In 1941 he was commissioned into the Kings Own Scottish Borderers becoming batallion Education Officer at LLanberis. He left the services temporarily to appear with Dame Vera Lynn in We'll Meet Again and 6 weeks after D Day in 1944 he lost his left arm to a German anti tank shell at Caen.
After the war he toured South Africa with his own repertory company, appeared in several more films and was put under conntract to BBC in their radio repertory company. He left BBC to star in 1951 film Saturday Island USA Island of Desire and returned to the BBC this tim as a continuity announcer and Newsreader on the television service at Alexandra Palace. Gray then starred as one-armed detective Mark Saber in the British
series which ran for 156 episodes from 1955 to 1961. The series was originally called The Vise
in the United States
and Mark Saber in the UK, but was later called Detective's Diary and Saber of London. Gray had lost an arm during World War II
. In 1957, The Vise was renamed, renovated, and switched from ABC
to NBC
as Saber of London
.
After Mark Saber he appeared in some episodes of Dixon of Dock Green, and later in Emmerdale Farm and there is a rumour he was a continuity announcer on ATV in the 1960's but in his latter years his voice based on fellow South African Sir Basil Rathbone brought him work doing voice overs and television adverts and has been mentined before Colonel White in Captain Scarlet
A biography of Gray has been written by Trevor Jordan, titled Colonel White meets Mark Saber. This is being currently revised for release in 2012.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n actor, probably best remembered for providing the voices to Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
, Captain Black
Captain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet and recurring Mysteron agent in the 1960s British supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet...
and the Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
s in the TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
and for being the reason that Donald Marshall Gray changed his name to Charles Gray
Charles Gray (actor)
Charles Gray was an English actor who was well-known for roles including the arch-villain Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes in the Granada television series, and as The Criminologist in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in...
when he became an actor. Coincidentally, in some spin-off media, Colonel White's real name is stated as Charles Grey.
In 1933 Paramount Pictures of Hollywood were keen to infuse new blood into its contract players and advertised what was known as the Search For Beauty and heats took place throughout the English speaking world. Elred Tidbury entered in his native South Africa and beat off firce competition to be selected with Lucille Du Toit a Pretoria Dental Nurse as the South African winners. Heats took place in other parts of the Empire and in the USA and Colin Tapley his later co-star in Mark Saber was the New Zealand male winner and Texas female winner Ann Sheriden became a famous actress as a direct result of Search For Beauty. In all there were 30 finalists from throughout the world and over 6 weeks at the end of 1933 they were screen tested not only had they to be beautiful but they had to be able to act. Of the 30, bit player contracts were awarded to 10 of the 30 and Eldred Tidbury (Hollywood added a D) was selected as overall male winner with a $1000 bonus which he used to buy a car. The overall female winner was Scottish Gwenllien Gill who later followed Tidbury to England and became engaged to him but their romance ended with the second world war. All the winners took part in the 1933 film the Search For Beauty which landed up on the shelf as it broke the Hays code. It has recently been re-released as pre-code Hollywood but its pretty tame by todays standards and would probably only result in an A or AA certificate. Paramount held onto their option on Tidbury's contact throughout 1934 but he had to leave in 1935 when his passport expired and he didn't wish to be an American citizen. In late 1935 he had reappeared in England calling himself Don Tidbury but by 1936 he was calling himself Donald Gray. He became an engineering salesman selling a boiler preparation acted in repertory and Paramount still held an option onto his contract and he appeared in several films for their English subsidiary British and Dominion Films then run by Irishman Herbert Wilcox later to become Dame Anna Neagle's husband. Gray claimed later to have been involved in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. In 1936 he was rediscovered by Albert Parker
Albert Parker
Albert Parker was the owner of The Claxton Bakery and creator of the Old Fashion Claxton Fruitcake. Parker got his start working with Savino Tos, the founder and previous owner of The Claxton Bakery, in 1927 when he was eleven years old. In 1945, Tos sold the bakery to Albert Parker and retired...
, director for Fox's Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
studios and was given the leading role in trange Experiment] only after actor James Mason had a tantrum and stormed off the set.] In 1938 he was selected as juvenile lead in Sir Alexander Korda's film The Four Feathers and made several more films before acting in repertory in Aberdeen in 1939/1940. Initially turned down for the services due to Duodenal ulcer he was able to impress himself on the Gordon Highlanders who had their barracks in Aberdeen and he was successful beoming what he called an ordinary Jock having claimed some Scottish ancestry. In 1941 he was commissioned into the Kings Own Scottish Borderers becoming batallion Education Officer at LLanberis. He left the services temporarily to appear with Dame Vera Lynn in We'll Meet Again and 6 weeks after D Day in 1944 he lost his left arm to a German anti tank shell at Caen.
After the war he toured South Africa with his own repertory company, appeared in several more films and was put under conntract to BBC in their radio repertory company. He left BBC to star in 1951 film Saturday Island USA Island of Desire and returned to the BBC this tim as a continuity announcer and Newsreader on the television service at Alexandra Palace. Gray then starred as one-armed detective Mark Saber in the British
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...
series which ran for 156 episodes from 1955 to 1961. The series was originally called The Vise
The Vise
The Vise is a half-hour dramatic anthology television series which aired at 9:30 p.m. EST on Fridays on ABC from December 1955 to June 1957....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mark Saber in the UK, but was later called Detective's Diary and Saber of London. Gray had lost an arm during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1957, The Vise was renamed, renovated, and switched from ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
to NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as Saber of London
Saber of London
Saber of London is a half-hour 1950s detective television series about a British police captain named Mark Saber, who works, in the original version of the program, in the homicide department of a large American city. Tom Conway portrayed Mark Saber from October 1951 to June 1954...
.
After Mark Saber he appeared in some episodes of Dixon of Dock Green, and later in Emmerdale Farm and there is a rumour he was a continuity announcer on ATV in the 1960's but in his latter years his voice based on fellow South African Sir Basil Rathbone brought him work doing voice overs and television adverts and has been mentined before Colonel White in Captain Scarlet
A biography of Gray has been written by Trevor Jordan, titled Colonel White meets Mark Saber. This is being currently revised for release in 2012.
Selected filmography
- Wagon WheelsWagon WheelsWagon Wheels are a snack food sold in Australia, Canada, Iran, United Kingdom, Russia, Malta and the Republic of Ireland. They are biscuits topped with marshmallow and covered in a chocolate flavoured coating. The biscuit itself is round to represent the wheel of a wagon .Wagon Wheels were created...
(1934) (as Elred Tidbury) - Father Brown Detective (1934) (as Elred Tidbury)
- Well Done Henry (1936)
- The Belles Of St Clements (1936) (as Don Tidbury)
- Strange ExperimentStrange ExperimentStrange Experiment is a 1937 British drama film directed by Albert Parker and starring Donald Gray, Ann Wemyss and Mary Newcomb. It was an adaptation of the play Two Worlds by John Golden and Hubert Osborne.-Cast:* Donald Gray - James Martin...
(1937) - Murder In The FamilyMurder in the FamilyMurder in the Family is a 1938 British crime film directed by Albert Parker and starring Barry Jones, Jessica Tandy and Evelyn Ankers. It was adapted from a novel by James Ronald...
(1938) - 13 Men And A Gun13 Men and a Gun13 Men and a Gun is a 1938 British-Italian war film directed by Mario Zampi and starring Arthur Wontner, Clifford Evans and Howard Marion-Crawford...
(1938) - The Four FeathersThe Four FeathersThe Four Feathers is a 1902 adventure novel by British writer A.E.W. Mason that has inspired many films of the same title.-Plot summary:...
(1939) - Sword of HonourSword of Honour (film)Sword of Honour is a 1939 British drama film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Geoffrey Toone, Sally Gray, Wally Patch and Peter Gawthorne...
(1939) - We'll Meet AgainWe'll Meet Again (film)We'll Meet Again is a 1943 British musical film directed by Philip Brandon and starring Vera Lynn.-Plot summary:The film is about a young dancer trying to make it in London during World War II and then discovers that people like her singing voice. Although she's reluctant at first to sing, she...
(1943) - Idol of Paris (1948)
- Saturday IslandSaturday IslandSaturday Island is a 1952 British romantic war film directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Linda Darnell, Tab Hunter, Donald Gray and John Laurie, Lloyd Lamble and Peter Butterworth....
(1952) - Burnt EvidenceBurnt EvidenceBurnt Evidence is a 1954 British drama film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Jane Hylton, Duncan Lamont and Donald Gray. A man accidentally kills another and is hunted down by the police.-Cast:* Jane Hylton - Diana Taylor...
(1954) - The Secret TentThe Secret TentThe Secret Tent is a 1956 film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars Donald Gray and Andrée Melly.-Cast:*Donald Gray as Chris Martyn*Andree Melly as Ruth Martyn*Jean Anderson as Mrs. Martyn*Sonia Dresdel as Miss Mitchum-Browne...
(1956) - Out of the ShadowOut of the Shadow (film)Out of the Shadow is a 1961 British thriller film directed by Michael Winner and starring Terence Longdon, Donald Gray, Diane Clare and Robertson Hare.-Cast:* Terence Longdon as Mark Kingston* Donald Gray as Inspector Wills* Diane Clare as Mary Johnson...
(1961) - Captain Scarlet and the MysteronsCaptain Scarlet and the MysteronsCaptain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
(1967–1968)
External links
Mark Saber:- http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/adults/other/marksaber.htm
- http://www.78rpm.co.uk/tvs.htm
- http://www.thrillingdetective.com/eyes/saber.html
- http://www.tv.com/mark-saber/show/9423/summary.html