Robert Urquhart (actor)
Encyclopedia
Robert Urquhart was a Scottish character actor
who mainly worked in British television
during his career.
He was born in Ullapool
, Scotland on 16 October 1921, educated at George Heriot's School
in Edinburgh and made his stage debut in 1947. He appeared in many television shows of the detective/special-agent genre, such as Department S
, Callan
, The Professionals
, Man in a Suitcase
, The Avengers
, and opposite Patrick McGoohan
in the 1965 episode of Danger Man
titled "English Lady Takes Lodgers". He also played the lead role in Jango
, a short lived 1961 production by Associated Rediffusion. Urquhart also starred as Wing Commander MacPhearson in the 1970s series Pathfinders
.
His first film role was in 1952 in You're Only Young Twice.
He died in Edinburgh
on 21 March 1995.
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...
who mainly worked in British television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
during his career.
He was born in Ullapool
Ullapool
Ullapool is a small town of around 1,300 inhabitants in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest settlement for many miles around, and is a major tourist destination of Scotland. The North Atlantic Drift passes by Ullapool, bringing moderate temperatures...
, Scotland on 16 October 1921, educated at George Heriot's School
George Heriot's School
George Heriot's School is an independent primary and secondary school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, with around 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff and 80 non-teaching staff. It was established in 1628 as George Heriot's Hospital, by bequest of the royal goldsmith George...
in Edinburgh and made his stage debut in 1947. He appeared in many television shows of the detective/special-agent genre, such as 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...
, Callan
Callan (TV series)
Callan is the title of a British television series set in the murky world of espionage. Originally produced by ABC Weekend Television and later Thames Television, it was aired on the ITV network over four seasons spread out between 1967 and 1972...
, 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...
, Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase is a 1967 television series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment.-Origins and overview:Man in a Suitcase was effectively a replacement for Danger Man, whose production had been curtailed when its star Patrick McGoohan had decided to create his own series, The Prisoner...
, 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...
, and opposite Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan
Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and The Prisoner, which he co-created...
in the 1965 episode of Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
titled "English Lady Takes Lodgers". He also played the lead role in Jango
Jango (TV series)
Jango was a crime-comedy series produced in 1961 by Associated Rediffusion for British television. It starred Robert Urquhart in the lead role of Jango Smith, with Moira Redmond as Dee Smith, his wife...
, a short lived 1961 production by Associated Rediffusion. Urquhart also starred as Wing Commander MacPhearson in the 1970s series Pathfinders
Pathfinders (TV series)
Pathfinders is a 1970s ITV drama set in World War 2 and follows the story of the fictitious Royal Air Force 192 Pathfinder squadron. The Pathfinders were specialised RAF squadrons that marked targets for the RAF's heavy bombers....
.
His first film role was in 1952 in You're Only Young Twice.
He died in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 21 March 1995.
Selected filmography
- You're Only Young TwiceYou're Only Young Twice (film)You're Only Young Twice is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Terry Bishop and starring Duncan Macrae, Joseph Tomelty and Patrick Barr. The new Rector of a Scottish university causes a stir when she turns out to be an attractive young woman...
(1952) - Paul Temple ReturnsPaul Temple ReturnsPaul Temple Returns is a 1952 British crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring John Bentley, Patricia Dainton and Peter Gawthorne. It was the fourth and last in the series of Paul Temple films, although the character was revived for the BBC television series Paul Temple in 1969.-Cast:*...
(1952) - The House of the ArrowThe House of the Arrow (1953 film)The House of the Arrow is a 1953 British mystery film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Oskar Homolka, Robert Urquhart and Yvonne Furneaux. It is based on the novel The House of the Arrow by A. E. W...
(1953) - Knights of the Round TableKnights of the Round Table (film)Knights of the Round Table is a 1953 Technicolor Cinemascope historical film made by MGM. Directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman, it was the first film in Cinemascope made by that studio...
(1953) - Happy Ever AfterHappy Ever After (1954 film)Happy Ever after is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi and starring David Niven, Yvonne De Carlo, Barry Fitzgerald and George Cole. The accidental death of an Irish landowner, General O'Leary, leads his son to take over the running of the estate...
(1954) - The Dark AvengerThe Dark AvengerThe Dark Avenger is a 1955 film directed by Henry Levin. The screenplay was written by Daniel P. Ullman and Phil Park who was uncredited. The film starred Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru and Peter Finch...
(1955) - You Can't EscapeYou Can't EscapeYou Can't Escape is a 1956 British drama film directed by Wilfred Eades and starring Noelle Middleton, Guy Rolfe and Robert Urquhart.-Cast:* Noelle Middleton as Kay March* Guy Rolfe as David Anstruther* Robert Urquhart as Peter Darwin...
(1956) - Yangtse IncidentYangtse Incident (1957 film)Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst is a 1957 British war film that tells the story of the British frigate HMS Amethyst caught up in the Chinese Civil War....
(1957) - The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
- DunkirkDunkirk (film)Dunkirk is a 1958 British war film directed by Leslie Norman and starring John Mills, Richard Attenborough and Bernard Lee. It was based on two novels: Elleston Trevor's The Big Pick-Up and Lt. Col. Ewan Hunter and Maj. J. S...
(1958) - Trouble with EveTrouble with EveTrouble with Eve is a 1960 British comedy film directed by Francis Searle and starring Hy Hazell, Robert Urquhart and Garry Marsh. It was based on the play Widows are Dangerous by June Garland.-Cast:* Hy Hazell - Louise Kingston...
(1960) - Danger TomorrowDanger TomorrowDanger Tomorrow is a 1960 British crime film directed by Terry Bishop and starring Zena Walker, Robert Urquhart and Rupert Davies.-Cast:* Zena Walker - Ginny Murray* Robert Urquhart - Bob Murray* Rupert Davies - Dr...
(1960) - Foxhole in CairoFoxhole in CairoFoxhole in Cairo is a 1960 British war film directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and based on a novel by Leonard Mosley itself based upon the real-life Operation Salaam. It starred James Robertson Justice, Adrian Hoven, Fenella Fielding and Henry Oscar...
(1960) - The Bulldog BreedThe Bulldog BreedThe Bulldog Breed is a 1960 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom and directed by Robert Asher.-Plot:Norman Puckle , a well-meaning but clumsy grocer's assistant, can't seem to do anything right. After being rejected by Marlene, the love of his life, he attempts suicide, but can't even do that...
(1960) - 55 Days at Peking55 Days at Peking55 Days at Peking is a 1963 historical epic film starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and David Niven, made by Samuel Bronston Productions, and released by Allied Artists. The movie was produced by Samuel Bronston and directed by Nicholas Ray, Andrew Marton , and Guy Green...
(1963) - Murder at the GallopMurder at the GallopMurder at the Gallop is the second of four films made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, based on the novel After the Funeral by Agatha Christie, and starring Margaret Rutherford as Miss Jane Marple, Charles "Bud" Tingwell as Inspector Craddock and Stringer Davis as Mr. Stringer. The film changes the action...
(1963) - The Dogs of WarThe Dogs of War (film)The Dogs of War is a 1980 war film based upon the novel The Dogs of War by Frederick Forsyth, directed by John Irvin. It stars Christopher Walken and Tom Berenger as part of a small, international unit of mercenary soldiers privately hired to depose President Kimba of a fictional "Republic of...
(1980) - An Enemy of the PeopleAn Enemy of the PeopleAn Enemy of the People is an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen wrote it in response to the public outcry against his play Ghosts, which at that time was considered scandalous...
, BBC TV version of Ibsen's play (1980) - The Kitchen TotoThe Kitchen TotoThe Kitchen Toto is a 1987 British drama film directed by Harry Hook and starring Edwin Mahinda, Bob Peck and Phyllis Logan. In Kenya 1950, a British policeman takes a murdered black priest's son to live with him at his home as a houseboy.-Cast:...
(1987) - TestimonyTestimony (film)Testimony: The Story of Shostakovich is a 1987 British musical drama film directed by Tony Palmer and starring Ben Kingsley, Sherry Baines and Robert Stephens. The film is based on the memoirs of Shostakovich as dictated in the book Testimony and filmed in Panavision...
(1987)