John Dodsworth (actor) explained

John Dodsworth
Birth Name:John Cecil Dodsworth
Birth Date:1910 9, df=yes
Birth Place:London, England
Death Place:Los Angeles, California, USA
Occupation:Actor
Yearsactive:1934–1958
Spouse:Donna Heydt (1961-1964) (his death)

John Cecil Dodsworth (17 September 1910 – 11 September 1964) was an English actor.[1]

Biography and career

Born John Cecil Dodsworth in London, England. Dodsworth started his film career as an extra in British films of the 1930s before taking on small parts in The Next of Kin (1942), They Were Sisters and The Rake's Progress (both 1945). He had much larger roles in his next two films, as the romantic lead in the Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen comedy Here Comes the Sun (1946), and Who Killed Van Loon? (1948), an early film from Hammer Film Productions.

Like a lot of British actors of the period he moved to America in the 1950s, where he was usually cast as the archetypal English officer or aristocrat. He made his Hollywood film debut in Up Front (1951), followed by supporting roles in prestige films including Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) and Lust for Life (1956). Interspersed with these small parts were more substantial roles in modest scale productions, such as William Cameron Menzies' cult classic The Maze (1953) and the Bowery Boys comedies Loose in London (1953) and In the Money (1958). He also appeared in tv shows such as Jungle Jim, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick and 77 Sunset Strip.

He married film production secretary Donna Hedyt in 1961. Dodsworth committed suicide in 1964 at the age of 53.[2]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1934The Return of Bulldog Drummond Extra - Audience Member Leaving Auditorium Uncredited
1942The Next of Kin Officer Giving Davis a Lift Uncredited
1945They Were Sisters Cyril Uncredited
1945The Rake's Progress Team Manager Uncredited
1946Here Comes the Sun Roy Lucas
1948Who Killed Van Loon Ian Ferguson
1951British Officer Uncredited
1951David and Bathsheba Ahithophel Uncredited
1952Singin' in the Rain Baron de la Ma de la Toulon Uncredited
1952Storm Over Tibet Malloy
1952Les Misérables Sergeant Uncredited
1952The Snows of Kilimanjaro Compton Uncredited
1952Bwana Devil Sir William Drayton
1953Rogue's March Major MacStreet
1953The Magnetic Monster Dr. Carthwright
1953Titanic Stoker Exclaiming 'For God's Sake!' Uncredited
1953Loose in London Sir Edgar Whipsnade
1953The Maze Dr. Bert Dilling
1954Her Twelve Men Mr. Curtis Uncredited
1954Charade Lieutenant Meyerdorf
1954Bengal Brigade Captain Guy Fitz-Morell Uncredited
1955Untamed Captain Richard Eaton Uncredited
1955Escape to Burma Undetermined Role Uncredited
1955The Sea Chase British Officer of the Watch Uncredited
1956Gaby Broadcaster Uncredited
1956Lust for Life Handsome Man Uncredited
1956The Mole People Priest Uncredited
1957Something of Value Doctor Uncredited
1957The 27th Day BBC Newscaster Uncredited
1958In the Money Blake Cummings
1958Merry Andrew Lord Elmwood Uncredited

Television

YearTitleRoleEpisode
1952Fireside Theater Undetermined Role Season 4 Episode 36: 'The Last Stop'
1952Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 40: 'The House of Death'
1952Cavalcade of America Lt. Allen Season 1 Episode 2: 'All's Well With Lydia'
1953Cavalcade of America Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 1: 'Sam and the Whale'
1953Cavalcade of America Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 2: 'The Stolen General'
1953Chevron Theatre Undetermined Role Season 2 Episode 6: 'Adventure in Java'
1953General Electric Theater Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 4: 'Best Seller'
1954Cavalcade of America John Morley Season 2 Episode 21: 'The Splendid Dream'
1955TV Reader's Digest Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 12: 'Incident on the China Coast'
1955Climax! Major Adams Season 1 Episode 29: 'To Wake at Midnight'
1955NBC Matinee Theater Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 14: 'The Aspern Papers'
1955Neil Croft Season 1 Episode 10: 'The Deadly Idol'
1956Alfred Hitchcock Presents Calender Season 1 Episode 31: 'The Gentleman From America'
1956Telephone Time Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 7: 'Time Bomb'
1956General Electric Summer Originals Undetermined Role Season 1 Episode 2: 'Duel at Dawn
1958Maverick Clayton Palmer Season 1 Episode 20: 'The Savage Hills'
195877 Sunset Strip Martin Melville Season 1 Episode 2: 'Lovely Lady, Pity Me'

Notes and References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0230314/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
  2. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0230314/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1