Basil Radford
Acting
Biography
Arthur Basil Radford (25 June 1897 – 20 October 1952) was an English character actor who featured in many British films of the 1930s and 1940s. He is probably best remembered for his appearances alongside Naunton Wayne as one half of Charters and Caldicott, two cricket-obsessed Englishmen who appeared in several films from 1938 to 1949, most famously in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes.
Born: June 25, 1897
Place of Birth: Chester, England, UK
Known For
The Lady Vanishes
On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris befriends elderly Miss Froy. When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.
Night Train to Munich
Czechoslovakia, March 1939, on the eve of World War II. As the German invaders occupy Prague, inventor Axel Bomasch manages to flee and reach England; but those who need to put his knowledge at the service of the Nazi war machine, in order to carry out their evil plans of destruction, will stop at nothing to capture him.
Dead of Night
An architect, visiting an English country house, realizes the other guests are familiar from his recurring nightmare. When they share their tales of the supernatural, he is filled with a growing dread.
Seven Days Leave
In London, during WWI, a lonely woman who wants to feel a part of the war effort pretends to her friends to have a son fighting in the war. She is shocked when he shows up on her doorstep, and they make an agreement that he will pretend to be her son. "Seven Days Leave" is a screen adaption of James M. Barrie's play, "The Old Lady Shows Her Medals."
The Winslow Boy
In pre-WW1 England, a youngster is expelled from a naval academy over a petty theft, but his parents raise a political furor by demanding a trial.
Passport to Pimlico
When an unexploded WWII bomb is accidentally detonated in Pimlico, it reveals a treasure trove and documents proving that the region is in fact part of Burgundy, France and thus foreign territory. The British government attempts to regain control by setting up border controls and cutting off services to the area.
Whisky Galore!
Based on a true story. The name of the real ship, that sunk Feb 5 1941 - during WWII - was S/S Politician. Having left Liverpool two days earlier, heading for Jamaica, it sank outside Eriskay, The Outer Hebrides, Scotland, in bad weather, containing 250,000 bottles of whisky. The locals gathered as many bottles as they could, before the proper authorities arrived, and even today, bottles are found in the sand or in the sea every other year.
Convict 99
A disgraced school master, Benjamin Twist, is mistaken for a tough prison governor and assigned the charge of a prison for particularly hardened criminals. Believing he is being sent to a school rather than a prison, he celebrates accordingly only to find that his drunkenness accidently lands him on the wrong side of the prison bars. The Governorship is eventually restored to him, and he sets about popularising himself amongst the convicts by turning a blind eye to their shady dealings.
Trouble Brewing
Ealing comedy starring music hall star George Formby. An eager newspaper reporter (Formby) goes undercover to expose a gang of counterfeiters. Posing as a wrestler and waiter in his investigative efforts, George proves a greater menace to public order than the criminals he is chasing.
Young and Innocent
When a young writer is falsely accused of murdering a famous actress, he escapes custody and joins forces with the daughter of a police constable to prove his innocence.
Filmography
as Major Arthur Hill
as Retired Civil Servant
as Shopkeeper (uncredited)
as Dickinson
as Gregg
as Maj. Bright (uncredited)
as Captain Paul Waggett
as The Mechanical Type
as Maj. Bright
as Henry Garnet (segment "The Facts of Life")
as Desmond Curry
as Prendergast
as Major Ossy Dalrymple
as George Parratt (Segment "The Golfing Story")
as 'Tiny' Williams
as Lord Chetwood
as Charters
as Lamb
as Careless Talker on Train
as Captain Wilkinson
as Robert Spencer
as Sederman
as Hawtrey Charters
as Charters
as Doctor Threadgrove
as (uncredited)
as Lord George
as Bill Madison
as Watson
as Guest at Madame Berdi's
as Reggie Baird
as Charters
as Deputy Governor
as Defending Counsel
as Erica's Uncle Basil
as Henry Crane
as Mr. Reed
as Tom
as Rudolph (uncredited)
as Corporal
as Standish