
Basil Sydney
Known for Acting · 50 credits
- Born
- 1894-04-23
- Died
- 1968-01-10
- Place of birth
- Essex, England, UK
Biography
Basil Sydney (23 April 1894 – 10 January 1968) was an English stage and screen actor. Sydney made his name in 1915 in the London stage hit Romance by Edward Sheldon, with Broadway star Doris Keane, and he costarred with Keane in the 1920 silent film of the play. The couple married in 1918, and when Keane revived Romance in New York City in 1921, Sydney made his Broadway debut in the parts. He stayed in New York for over a decade playing classical roles such as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (1922), Richard Dudgeon in The Devil's Disciple (1923), the title role in Hamlet (1923), Prince Hal in Henry IV, Part I (1926), and Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew (1927).[citation needed] In 1937 he starred in the murder mystery Blondie White in the West End.
He made over 50 screen appearances, most memorably as Claudius in Laurence Olivier's 1948 film of Hamlet. He also appeared in classic films like Treasure Island (1950), Ivanhoe (1952), and Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), but the focus of his career was the stage on both sides of the Atlantic.
Known For
TV Shows (4)
Movies (46)

Around the World in 80 Days
1956
as Reform Club Member

The Devil's Disciple
1959
as Lawyer Hawkins

Treasure Island
1950
as Captain Smollett

Caesar and Cleopatra
1945
as Rufio

Ivanhoe
1952
as Waldemar Fitzurse
Three's Company
1953
as Dr. Graham

Hamlet
1948
as Claudius - The King

The 3 Worlds of Gulliver
1960
as Emperor of Lilliput

The Dam Busters
1955
as Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C.

John Paul Jones
1959
as Sir William Young

Hell Below Zero
1954
as Bland

Meet Me at Dawn
1947
as Georges Vermorel

Red Hot Romance
1922
as Rowland Stone

Salome
1953
as Pontius Pilate

Romance
1920

Ships with Wings
1941
as Capt. Fairfax

Island in the Sun
1957
as Julian Fleury

Talk of the Devil
1936

The Magic Box
1952
as William Fox-Talbot

The Hands of Orlac
1960
as Maurice Seidelman

Sea Wife
1957
as Bulldog

The Four Just Men
1939
as Frank Snell

The Amateur Gentleman
1936
as Louis Chichester

Jassy
1947
as Nick Helmar

Star of India
1954
as King Louis XIV

The Next of Kin
1942
as Naval captain

The Man Within
1947
as Sir Henry Merriman

Went the Day Well?
1942
as Major Hammond / Kommandant Orlter

Rhodes of Africa
1936
as Dr. Jim Jameson

The Black Sheep of Whitehall
1942
as Costello

A Story of David
1960
as King Saul

The Riverside Murder
1935
as Inspector Philip Winton

The Tunnel
1935
as Mostyn

Simba
1955
as Mr Crawford

Accused
1936
as Eugene Roget

Mayerling
1957
as The Emperor Franz Joseph

Crime Over London
1936
as 'Joker' Finnigan

The Farmer's Wife
1941
as Samuel Sweetland

Spring Meeting
1941
as James

A Question of Adultery
1958
as Sir John Loring

The Angel with the Trumpet
1950
as Francis Alt

The Midshipmaid
1932
as Cmdr. Fosberry

The Third Clue
1934
as Reinhardt Conway
Blind Man's Bluff
1936
as Dr. Peter Fairfax

Dirty Work
1934
as Hugh Stafford
Bits of Our Aircraft Are Missing
1940
as (uncredited)
About Basil Sydney
Basil Sydney (23 April 1894 – 10 January 1968) was an English stage and screen actor. Sydney made his name in 1915 in the London stage hit Romance by Edward Sheldon, with Broadway star Doris Keane, and he costarred with Keane in the 1920 silent film of the play. The couple married in 1918, and when Keane revived Romance in New York City in 1921, Sydney made his Broadway debut in the parts. He stayed in New York for over a decade playing classical roles such as Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (1922), Richard Dudgeon in The Devil's Disciple (1923),… With 50 credits spanning from 1920 to 1962, Basil Sydney has appeared in 46 films and 4 TV shows.
Fans searching for Basil Sydney movies, Basil Sydney filmography, or the latest projects starring Basil Sydney can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Basil Sydney Movies
- Around the World in 80 Days (1956) — as Reform Club Member
- The Devil's Disciple (1959) — as Lawyer Hawkins
- Treasure Island (1950) — as Captain Smollett
- Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) — as Rufio
- Ivanhoe (1952) — as Waldemar Fitzurse
Where to Watch Basil Sydney Films
Most Basil Sydney movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Basil Sydney, check our movies catalogue and browse page.

