Nigel Bruce
Encyclopedia
William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953), best known as Nigel Bruce, was a British character actor
on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Doctor Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
(starring Basil Rathbone
as Sherlock Holmes
). Bruce is also remembered for his roles in the Alfred Hitchcock
films Rebecca and Suspicion
.
. Bruce was born in Ensenada
, Baja California
, Mexico
while his parents were on holiday there. He was educated at the Grange, Stevenage
and at Abingdon School
, Oxfordshire
. He served in France from 1914 as a lieutenant in the 10th Service Battalion - Somerset Light Infantry and the Honourable Artillery Company
, but was severely wounded at Cambrai the following year, with eleven bullets in his left leg, and spent most of the remainder of the war in a wheelchair.
He made his first appearance on stage on 12 May 1920 at the Comedy Theatre as a footman in Why Marry?. In October that year, he went to Canada
as stage manager to Henry V. Esmond
and Eva Moore
and also playing "Montague Jordan" in Eliza Comes to Stay; upon returning to England, he toured in the same part. He appeared constantly on stage thereafter, and eight years later, also started working in silent films. In 1934, he moved to Hollywood, later setting up home at 701 North Alpine Drive, Beverly Hills.
Nigel Bruce typically played buffoonish, fuzzy-minded gentlemen. During his film career, he worked in 78 films, including Treasure Island
(1934), The Scarlet Pimpernel
(1934), The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
(1936), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion
(1941), Lassie Come Home
(1943), and The Corn Is Green
(1945). Bruce participated in two landmark films: Becky Sharp
, the first feature film in full Technicolor
, and Bwana Devil
, the first 3-D
feature. He uncharacteristically played a detestable figure in 1939's The Rains Came
which became the first film to win an Oscar for special effects.
as Holmes. Bruce starred as Watson in all 14 films of the series and over 200 radio programs of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
. Although Watson often appears to be the older of the two main characters, Bruce was actually three years younger than his co-star Rathbone.
Though for most viewers Nigel Bruce formed their vision of Dr. Watson, Holmes purists have long objected that the Watson of the books was intelligent and capable (although not an outstanding detective), and that Bruce's portrayal made Watson far dimmer and more bumbling than his literary original. (A nickname resulting from this portrayal was "Boobus Britannicus.") Loren D. Estleman
wrote of Bruce: "If a mop bucket appeared in a scene, his foot would be inside it, and if by some sardonic twist of fate and the whim of director Roy William Neill
he managed to stumble upon an important clue, he could be depended upon to blow his nose on it and throw it away."
Rathbone, however, spoke highly of Bruce's portrayal, saying that Watson was one of the screen's most lovable characters. The Rathbone-Bruce film series lapsed with the death of producer-director Roy William Neill in 1946. Since then, most major modern adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle
's Sherlock Holmes stories, especially since the 1970s, have consciously defied the popular stereotype to depict Watson faithfully as a capable man of action.
.
. Unlike some of his contemporaries, and along with other British actors such as Basil Rathbone and Charlie Chaplin, Bruce maintained his British citizenship, despite long residence in the United States. He also retained his membership of London's Garrick Club
and Buck's Club until his death. His final film, World for Ransom
, was released posthumously in 1954.
in Santa Monica, California
in 1953, aged 58. He was cremated, and his ashes stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory
in Los Angeles
.
He wrote an autobiography called Games, Gossip and Greasepaint which has never been published; however, excerpts have been printed in the Sherlock Holmes Journal, and these have been posted online, with permission.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Doctor Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was an old-time radio show which aired in the USA from October 2, 1939 to July 7, 1947. Most episodes were written by the team of Dennis Green and Anthony Boucher....
(starring Basil Rathbone
Basil Rathbone
Sir Basil Rathbone, KBE, MC, Kt was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films...
as Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
). Bruce is also remembered for his roles in the Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
films Rebecca and Suspicion
Suspicion (film)
Suspicion is a romantic psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple. It also stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, Isabel Jeans, Heather Angel, and Leo G...
.
Biography
Bruce was the second son of Sir William Waller Bruce, 10th Baronet (1856–1912) and his wife Angelica (died 1917), daughter of General George Selby, Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. Bruce was born in Ensenada
Ensenada, Baja California
Ensenada is a coastal city in Mexico and the third-largest city in Baja California. It is located south of San Diego on the Baja California Peninsula. The city is locally referred to as La Cenicienta del Pacífico, or, The Cinderella of the Pacific...
, Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
while his parents were on holiday there. He was educated at the Grange, Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
and at Abingdon School
Abingdon School
Abingdon School is a British day and boarding independent school for boys situated in Abingdon, Oxfordshire , previously known as Roysse's School. In 1998 a formal merger took place between Abingdon School and Josca's, a preparatory school four miles to the west at Frilford...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He served in France from 1914 as a lieutenant in the 10th Service Battalion - Somerset Light Infantry and the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
, but was severely wounded at Cambrai the following year, with eleven bullets in his left leg, and spent most of the remainder of the war in a wheelchair.
He made his first appearance on stage on 12 May 1920 at the Comedy Theatre as a footman in Why Marry?. In October that year, he went to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as stage manager to Henry V. Esmond
Henry V. Esmond
Henry Vernon Esmond was an English actor and playwright.Born Jack Esmond he began his career as an actor in London in 1889 where he had several successes in comedies. He began writing plays, usually comedies, while in his early twenties...
and Eva Moore
Eva Moore
Eva Moore was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement.-Early life and career:...
and also playing "Montague Jordan" in Eliza Comes to Stay; upon returning to England, he toured in the same part. He appeared constantly on stage thereafter, and eight years later, also started working in silent films. In 1934, he moved to Hollywood, later setting up home at 701 North Alpine Drive, Beverly Hills.
Nigel Bruce typically played buffoonish, fuzzy-minded gentlemen. During his film career, he worked in 78 films, including Treasure Island
Treasure Island (1934 film)
Treasure Island is a 1934 movie adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous 1883 novel Treasure Island. Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map and travels on a sailing ship to a remote island, but pirates led by Long John Silver threaten to take away the honest seafarers’ riches and...
(1934), The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934 film)
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1934 adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel, the classic adventure novel by Baroness Orczy. It was produced by Alexander Korda, directed by Harold Young and stars Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon, along with Raymond Massey.-Plot:...
(1934), The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936 film)
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is a 1936 romance film based on the novel of the same name. It was directed by Henry Hathaway. It was the second full length feature film to be shot in three-strip Technicolor and the first in color to be shot outdoors, with the approval of the Technicolor Corporation...
(1936), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion
Suspicion (film)
Suspicion is a romantic psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple. It also stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, Isabel Jeans, Heather Angel, and Leo G...
(1941), Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home
Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie...
(1943), and The Corn Is Green
The Corn Is Green (1945 film)
The Corn Is Green is a 1945 drama film starring Bette Davis as a schoolteacher determined to bring education to a Welsh coal mining town, despite great opposition...
(1945). Bruce participated in two landmark films: Becky Sharp
Becky Sharp (film)
Becky Sharp is a 1935 film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Miriam Hopkins. Other supporting cast were Frances Dee, Cedric Hardwicke, Billie Burke, Alison Skipworth, Nigel Bruce, and Alan Mowbray. It is based on the play of the same name by Langdon Mitchell, which in turn is based on...
, the first feature film in full Technicolor
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
, and Bwana Devil
Bwana Devil
Bwana Devil is a 1952 drama based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters. It was written, directed, and produced by Arch Oboler, and is considered the first color, American 3-D feature. It started the 3-D boom in the U.S. film making industry from 1952 to 1954...
, the first 3-D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
feature. He uncharacteristically played a detestable figure in 1939's The Rains Came
The Rains Came
The Rains Came is the title of a novel by Louis Bromfield, published in 1937, as well as the 1939 20th Century Fox film version which followed it...
which became the first film to win an Oscar for special effects.
Watson role
Bruce's signature role was that of Doctor Watson in the 1939-1946 Sherlock Holmes film series with his good friend Basil RathboneBasil Rathbone
Sir Basil Rathbone, KBE, MC, Kt was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films...
as Holmes. Bruce starred as Watson in all 14 films of the series and over 200 radio programs of The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was an old-time radio show which aired in the USA from October 2, 1939 to July 7, 1947. Most episodes were written by the team of Dennis Green and Anthony Boucher....
. Although Watson often appears to be the older of the two main characters, Bruce was actually three years younger than his co-star Rathbone.
Though for most viewers Nigel Bruce formed their vision of Dr. Watson, Holmes purists have long objected that the Watson of the books was intelligent and capable (although not an outstanding detective), and that Bruce's portrayal made Watson far dimmer and more bumbling than his literary original. (A nickname resulting from this portrayal was "Boobus Britannicus.") Loren D. Estleman
Loren D. Estleman
Loren D. Estleman is an American writer of detective and Western fiction. He writes with a manual typewriter....
wrote of Bruce: "If a mop bucket appeared in a scene, his foot would be inside it, and if by some sardonic twist of fate and the whim of director Roy William Neill
Roy William Neill
Roy William Neill was a film director best known today for directing several of the Sherlock Holmes films starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, made between 1943 and 1946 and released by Universal Studios....
he managed to stumble upon an important clue, he could be depended upon to blow his nose on it and throw it away."
Rathbone, however, spoke highly of Bruce's portrayal, saying that Watson was one of the screen's most lovable characters. The Rathbone-Bruce film series lapsed with the death of producer-director Roy William Neill in 1946. Since then, most major modern adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
's Sherlock Holmes stories, especially since the 1970s, have consciously defied the popular stereotype to depict Watson faithfully as a capable man of action.
Family
Nigel Bruce was married from 1921 until his death to British actress Violet Campbell (née Violet Pauline Shelton; 1892–1970); they had two daughters, Jennifer and Pauline. In 1946 Pauline married the British flying ace Alan Geoffrey PageGeoffrey Page
Alan Geoffrey Page DSO, OBE, DFC & Bar was a British flying ace of the Second World War, and a founding member of the Guinea Pig Club.-Early life:...
.
Later life
Bruce, known as "Willie" to his friends, was a leading member of the British film colony in Los Angeles, and was captain of the (mostly British) Hollywood Cricket ClubHollywood Cricket Club
The Hollywood Cricket Club is an amateur cricket club in Los Angeles, California. It is a member of the Southern California Cricket Association. The club was formed in 1932 by British actor and cricketer Aubrey Smith....
. Unlike some of his contemporaries, and along with other British actors such as Basil Rathbone and Charlie Chaplin, Bruce maintained his British citizenship, despite long residence in the United States. He also retained his membership of London's Garrick Club
Garrick Club
The Garrick Club is a gentlemen's club in London.-History:The Garrick Club was founded at a meeting in the Committee Room at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on Wednesday 17 August 1831...
and Buck's Club until his death. His final film, World for Ransom
World for Ransom
World for Ransom is an American film directed by Robert Aldrich, who was uncredited for his work.Many of the actors and sets used in the film were from the Dan Duryea television show China Smith. Duryea, Patric Knowles, Gene Lockhart, Reginald Denny, and Nigel Bruce starred in the film...
, was released posthumously in 1954.
Death
Bruce died from a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
in 1953, aged 58. He was cremated, and his ashes stored in the vault at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Chapel of the Pines Crematory
Chapel of the Pines Crematory is a crematory and columbarium located at 1605 South Catalina Street Los Angeles, California, in the historic West Adams District a short distance southwest of Downtown...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
He wrote an autobiography called Games, Gossip and Greasepaint which has never been published; however, excerpts have been printed in the Sherlock Holmes Journal, and these have been posted online, with permission.
Filmography
| Year | |Title | |Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1929 | Red Aces | Kinsfeather, T.B. |
| 1930 | The Squeaker | Collie |
| Escape Escape (1930 film) Escape is a 1930 British crime film directed by Basil Dean and starring Gerald du Maurier, Edna Best, Gordon Harker and Austin Trevor. A man escapes from Dartmoor Prison and is hunted across the moors by policemen to whom it is an unpleasant reminder of their experiences during the First World War.... |
Constable | |
| Birds of Prey | Manager | |
| 1931 | The Calendar The Calendar (1931 film) The Calendar is a 1931 British drama film directed by T. Hayes Hunter and starring Herbert Marshall, Edna Best and Anne Grey. Racehorse owner Anson is swindled by a woman named Wenda and goes up in front of the Jockey Club where he is disqualified on race fixing allegations. He decides to get his... |
Lord Willie Panniford |
| 1932 | The Midshipmaid The Midshipmaid The Midshipmaid is a 1932 British comedy film directed by Albert de Courville and starring Jessie Matthews, Frederick Kerr, Basil Sydney and Nigel Bruce.-Cast:* Jessie Matthews - Celia Newbiggin* Frederick Kerr - Sir Percy Newbiggin... |
Major Spink |
| Lord Camber's Ladies Lord Camber's Ladies Lord Camber's Ladies is a British drama film directed by Benn W. Levy, produced by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Gerald du Maurier, Gertrude Lawrence, Benita Hume, and Nigel Bruce.-Plot:... |
Lord Camber | |
| 1933 | I Was a Spy I Was a Spy I Was a Spy is a 1933 British thriller film directed by Victor Saville and starring Madeleine Carroll, Herbert Marshall and Conrad Veidt. A Belgian woman who nurses injured German soldiers during World War I passes intelligence to the British.... |
Scottie |
| Channel Crossing Channel Crossing Channel Crossing is a 1933 British crime film and starring Milton Rosmer and starring Matheson Lang, Constance Cummings, Anthony Bushell and Nigel Bruce.-Cast:* Matheson Lang - Jacob Van Eeden* Constance Cummings - Marion Slade... |
Nigel Guthrie | |
| 1934 | Coming-Out Party | Troon, the Butler |
| Stand Up and Cheer! Stand Up and Cheer! Stand Up and Cheer! is a 1934 American musical film directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The screenplay by Lew Brown and Ralph Spence was based upon a story idea by Will Rogers and Philip Klein. The film is about efforts undertaken during the Great Depression to boost the morale of the country... |
Eustis Dinwiddle | |
| Murder in Trinidad Murder in Trinidad Murder in Trinidad is an American drama film directed by Louis King and starring Nigel Bruce, Heather Angel, Victor Jory, and Murray Kinnell.-Cast:* Nigel Bruce - Bertram Lynch* Heather Angel - Joan Cassell* Victor Jory - Howard Sutter... |
Bertram Lynch | |
| Treasure Island Treasure Island (1934 film) Treasure Island is a 1934 movie adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous 1883 novel Treasure Island. Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map and travels on a sailing ship to a remote island, but pirates led by Long John Silver threaten to take away the honest seafarers’ riches and... |
Squire Trelawney Squire Trelawney Squire John Trelawney is a supporting character from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is a bombastic and excitable landowner who is sought out by the book's heroic protagonist, Jim Hawkins as a sanctuary from pirates who seek the treasure map that has fallen into Hawkins's... |
|
| The Lady Is Willing The Lady Is Willing (1934 film) The Lady Is Willing is a 1934 British film directed by Gilbert Miller, based on a comedy by French playwright Louis Verneuil. The cast includes Leslie Howard, Cedric Hardwicke, and Binnie Barnes.-Plot:... |
Welton | |
| Springtime for Henry Springtime for Henry Springtime for Henery is a 1934 American comedy film directed by Frank Tuttle and starring Otto Kruger, Nancy Carroll and Nigel Bruce. It was based on a play of the same name by Benn W. Levy which enjoyed an eight month run on Broadway.-Plot:... |
Johnny Jewlliwell | |
| The Scarlet Pimpernel The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934 film) The Scarlet Pimpernel is a 1934 adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel, the classic adventure novel by Baroness Orczy. It was produced by Alexander Korda, directed by Harold Young and stars Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon, along with Raymond Massey.-Plot:... |
The Prince of Wales George IV of the United Kingdom George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later... |
|
| 1935 | Becky Sharp Becky Sharp (film) Becky Sharp is a 1935 film directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Miriam Hopkins. Other supporting cast were Frances Dee, Cedric Hardwicke, Billie Burke, Alison Skipworth, Nigel Bruce, and Alan Mowbray. It is based on the play of the same name by Langdon Mitchell, which in turn is based on... |
Joseph Sedley |
| She She (1935 film) She is a 1935 film produced by Merian C. Cooper. The film is based on H. Rider Haggard's novel of the same name. It stars Helen Gahagan, Randolph Scott and Nigel Bruce, with music by Max Steiner... |
Horace Holly | |
| Jalna | Maurice Vaughn | |
| The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo is a 1935 American romantic comedy film made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Stephen Roberts, and starred Ronald Colman, Joan Bennett, and Colin Clive. The screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson and Howard Smith, based on play by Ilya Surguchev... |
Ivan | |
| 1936 | The Trail of the Lonesome Pine The Trail of the Lonesome Pine (1936 film) The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is a 1936 romance film based on the novel of the same name. It was directed by Henry Hathaway. It was the second full length feature film to be shot in three-strip Technicolor and the first in color to be shot outdoors, with the approval of the Technicolor Corporation... |
Thurber |
| Under Two Flags | Capt. Menzies | |
| The White Angel The White Angel (1936 film) The White Angel is a 1936 American historical drama film directed by William Dieterle and starring Kay Francis, Ian Hunter, Donald Woods and Nigel Bruce... |
Dr. West | |
| Follow Your Heart Follow Your Heart (1936 film) - Cast :*Marion Talley as Marian Forrester*Michael Bartlett as Michael Williams*Nigel Bruce as Henri Forrester*Luis Alberni as Tony Masetti*Henrietta Crosman as Madame Bovard*Vivienne Osborne as Gloria Forrester*Walter Catlett as Joe Sheldon... |
Henri Forrester | |
| The Charge of the Light Brigade The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936 film) The Charge of the Light Brigade is a 1936 historical film made by Warner Bros. It was directed by Michael Curtiz and produced by Samuel Bischoff, with Hal B. Wallis as executive producer, from a screenplay by Michael Jacoby and Rowland Leigh, from a story by Michael Jacoby based on the poem The... |
Sir Benjamin Warrenton | |
| 1936 | The Man I Marry | Robert Hartley |
| 1937 | Thunder in the City Thunder in the City Thunder in the City is a 1937 British drama film directed by Marion Gering and starring Edward G. Robinson, Luli Deste, Nigel Bruce and Ralph Richardson.- Plot summary :... |
Duke Of Glenavon |
| The Last of Mrs. Cheyney The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937 film) The Last of Mrs. Cheyney is a 1937 drama/comedy motion picture starring Joan Crawford, William Powell, Robert Montgomery and Frank Morgan. The film tells the story of a chic jewel thief in England, who falls in love with one of her marks.... |
Lord Willie Winton | |
| 1938 | The Baroness and the Butler | Major Andros |
| Kidnapped Kidnapped (1938 film) Kidnapped is a 1938 adventure film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Warner Baxter and Freddie Bartholomew. It is based on the book Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson.- Plot :... |
Neil MacDonald | |
| Suez Suez (film) Suez is a 1938 film account of the building of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand de Lesseps, played by Tyrone Power. It was so highly fictionalized that de Lesseps' descendants sued for libel.... |
Sir Malcolm Cameron | |
| 1939 | The Hound of the Baskervilles The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 film) The Hound of the Baskervilles 1939 mystery film based on the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and is directed by Sidney Lanfield and produced by 20th Century Fox.... |
Dr. Watson |
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (film) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a 1939 film featuring the characters of the Sherlock Holmes series of books as created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was the second film to feature Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Doctor Watson, the final one they would make for 20th Century Fox, and... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| The Rains Came The Rains Came The Rains Came is the title of a novel by Louis Bromfield, published in 1937, as well as the 1939 20th Century Fox film version which followed it... |
Lord Albert Esketh | |
| 1940 | The Blue Bird The Blue Bird (1940 film) The Blue Bird is a 1940 American fantasy film directed by Walter Lang. The screenplay by Walter Bullock was adapted from the 1908 play of the same name by Maurice Maeterlinck... |
Mr. Luxury |
| Adventure in Diamonds Adventure in Diamonds Adventure in Diamonds is a 1940 American crime film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring George Brent, Isa Miranda, John Loder and Nigel Bruce... |
Col. J.W. Lansfield | |
| Rebecca | Major Giles Lacy | |
| Lillian Russell Lillian Russell (film) Lillian Russell is a 1940 biographical film of the life of the singer and actress. The screenplay was by William Anthony McGuire. The film was directed by Irving Cummings and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. It starred Alice Faye in the title role, Don Ameche, Henry Fonda and Edward Arnold as Diamond... |
William S. Gilbert | |
| Susan and God Susan and God Susan and God is a 1940 comedy-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Joan Crawford and Fredric March in a story about a matron who finds religion. The screenplay by Anita Loos was based upon a 1937 play by Rachel Crothers. The film was directed by George Cukor and produced by Hunt... |
Hutchins Stubbs | |
| A Dispatch from Reuter's | Sir Randolph Persham | |
| 1941 | Hudson's Bay | Prince Rupert |
| Play Girl Play Girl Play Girl is a 1941 film of the romantic comedy genre, starring Kay Francis as an aging gold digger who decides to pass on her skills to a young protegée.-Cast:*Kay Francis as Grace Herbert*James Ellison as Thomas Elwood Dice... |
William McDonald Vincent | |
| Free and Easy Free and Easy Free and Easy is a 1941 film directed by George Sidney. It stars Robert Cummings and Ruth Hussey.-Cast:*Robert Cummings as Max Clemington*Ruth Hussey as Martha Gray*Judith Anderson as Lady Joan Culver*C. Aubrey Smith as Duke Colver... |
Florian Clemington | |
| This Woman Is Mine | Duncan MacDougall | |
| The Chocolate Soldier The Chocolate Soldier (film) -Cast:* Nelson Eddy as Karl Lang, aka Vassily Vassilievitch* Risë Stevens as Maria Lanyi, Karl's Wife* Nigel Bruce as Bernard Fischer, Critic* Florence Bates as Madame 'Pugsie' Helene* Dorothy Raye as Magda... |
Bernard Fischer, Critic | |
| Suspicion Suspicion (film) Suspicion is a romantic psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine as a married couple. It also stars Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, Isabel Jeans, Heather Angel, and Leo G... |
Beaky | |
| 1942 | Roxie Hart Roxie Hart (film) Roxie Hart is a 1942 film directed by William A. Wellman and starring Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, George Montgomery, Nigel Bruce, Phil Silvers, William Frawley, and Spring Byington.... |
E. Clay Benham |
| This Above All This Above All This Above All is a 1942 American romance film set in World War II adapted from the Eric Knight novel of the same name and directed by Anatole Litvak... |
Ramsbottom | |
| Eagle Squadron Eagle squadron The Eagle Squadrons were 3 fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force formed during World War II with volunteer pilots from the United States... |
McKinnon | |
| Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror is the third film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes movies. Made in 1942, the film combines elements of the Arthur Conan Doyle story "His Last Bow" and loosely parallels the real-life activities of Lord Haw-haw... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| Journey for Margaret Journey for Margaret Journey for Margaret is a 1942 drama film set in London in World War II. It stars Robert Young and Laraine Day as a couple who have to deal with the loss of their unborn child due to a bombing raid. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by William Lindsay White.-Plot:John Davis is a... |
Herbert V. Allison | |
| 1943 | Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon is the fourth in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films.- Plot :Sherlock Holmes pretends to be a Nazi spy to aid scientist Dr. Franz Tobel and his new invention, a bombsight, in escaping a Gestapo trap in Switzerland... |
Dr. John H. Watson |
| Forever and a Day | Maj. Garrow | |
| Sherlock Holmes in Washington Sherlock Holmes in Washington Sherlock Holmes in Washington is the fifth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes movies.- Plot :A British agent carrying a vital document is murdered on his way to deliver it in the USA... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| Sherlock Holmes Faces Death Sherlock Holmes Faces Death Sherlock Holmes Faces Death is the sixth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films. Made in 1943, it incorporates elements of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story, "The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual".-Plot:Dr... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| Lassie Come Home Lassie Come Home Lassie Come Home is a 1943 MGM film starring Roddy McDowall and canine actor, Pal, in a story about the profound bond between Yorkshire boy Joe Carraclough and his rough collie, Lassie. The film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox from a screenplay by Hugo Butler based upon the 1940 novel Lassie... |
Duke of Rudling | |
| Crazy House | Dr. John H. Watson (Cameo appearance) | |
| 1944 | The Spider Woman | Dr. John H. Watson |
| The Scarlet Claw The Scarlet Claw The Scarlet Claw is a 1944 Sherlock Holmes movie directed by Roy William Neill, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. It is the eighth film of the Rathbone/Bruce series. The device of a killer using a supernatural entity to cover up his crimes is borrowed from The Hound of the Baskervilles,... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| The Pearl of Death The Pearl of Death The Pearl of Death is a 1944 Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. The story is loosely based on Conan Doyle's short story "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" but features some additions, such as Evelyn Ankers as an accomplice of the villain, played... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| Gypsy Wildcat | High Sheriff | |
| Frenchman's Creek Frenchman's Creek (film) Frenchman's Creek is a 1944 adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier novel , released by Paramount Pictures. The film starred Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Córdova, Basil Rathbone, Cecil Kellaway, and Nigel Bruce. Filmed in Technicolor, it was directed by Mitchell Leisen... |
Lord Godolphin | |
| 1945 | Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear is a 1945 crime film directed by Roy William Neill. It is loosely based on The Five Orange Pips by Arthur Conan Doyle, and features the characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. It is the 10th film of the Rathbone-Bruce series.-Plot:Holmes is visited by Mr... |
Dr. John H. Watson |
| The Corn Is Green The Corn Is Green (1945 film) The Corn Is Green is a 1945 drama film starring Bette Davis as a schoolteacher determined to bring education to a Welsh coal mining town, despite great opposition... |
The Squire | |
| Son of Lassie Son of Lassie Son of Lassie is a 1945 feature film produced by MGM based on characters created by Eric Knight, and starring Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart and Lassie... |
Duke of Radling | |
| The Woman in Green The Woman in Green The Woman in Green is a 1945 Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, with Hillary Brooke as the woman of the title and Henry Daniell as Professor Moriarty. It is mostly an original story, but scenes from Arthur Conan Doyle's The Final Problem and The... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| Pursuit to Algiers Pursuit to Algiers Pursuit to Algiers is the twelfth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes movies. Elements in the story pay homage to an otherwise unrecorded affair mentioned by Watson at the beginning of The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, notably the steamship Friesland.-Plot:About to... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| 1946 | Terror by Night Terror by Night Terror by Night is a 1946 Sherlock Holmes mystery film inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, loosely based on The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax and The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. It was directed by Roy William Neill, and stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson... |
Dr. John H. Watson |
| Dressed to Kill Dressed to Kill (1946 film) Dressed to Kill , is the last of fourteen films starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Doctor Watson.... |
Dr. John H. Watson | |
| 1947 | The Two Mrs. Carrolls The Two Mrs. Carrolls The Two Mrs. Carrolls is a 1947 film noir made by Warner Brothers. It was directed by Peter Godfrey and produced by Mark Hellinger, with Jack L. Warner as executive producer, from a screenplay by Thomas Job based on the play by Martin Vale... |
Dr. Tuttle |
| The Exile The eXile The eXile was a Moscow-based English-language biweekly free tabloid newspaper, aimed at the city's expatriate community, which combined outrageous, sometimes satirical, content with investigative reporting... |
Sir Edward Hyde | |
| 1948 | Julia Misbehaves Julia Misbehaves Julia Misbehaves is a 1948 romantic comedy film. It stars Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon as a married couple who are soon separated by his snobbish family. They meet again many years later, when the daughter he has raised, played by Elizabeth Taylor, invites her mother to her wedding... |
Col. Bruce "Bunny" Willowbrook |
| 1950 | Vendetta Vendetta (1950 film) Vendetta is a 1950 film based on the 1840 novella Colomba by Prosper Mérimée, about a young Corsican girl who pushes her brother to kill to avenge their father's murder.... |
Sir Thomas Nevil |
| 1952 | Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
Mr. Lighton |
| Limelight | Postant, an Impresario | |
| Bwana Devil Bwana Devil Bwana Devil is a 1952 drama based on the true story of the Tsavo maneaters. It was written, directed, and produced by Arch Oboler, and is considered the first color, American 3-D feature. It started the 3-D boom in the U.S. film making industry from 1952 to 1954... |
Dr. Angus McLean | |
| 1954 | World for Ransom World for Ransom World for Ransom is an American film directed by Robert Aldrich, who was uncredited for his work.Many of the actors and sets used in the film were from the Dan Duryea television show China Smith. Duryea, Patric Knowles, Gene Lockhart, Reginald Denny, and Nigel Bruce starred in the film... |
Governor Sir Charles Coutts |