George Murcell
Known for Acting · 61 credits
- Born
- 1925-10-30
- Died
- 1998-12-03
- Place of birth
- Naples, Campania, Italy
Biography
Arthur George Murcell (30 October 1925 – 3 December 1998) was a British character actor.
Born in Italy, he made his film debut in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Battle of the River Plate (1956), Murcell went on to develop a career playing snarling villains in both film and television. These could either be stupid, brutish henchmen, as in Hell Drivers and Campbell's Kingdom (both 1957), or sophisticated rogues, such as Needle in "You Have Just Been Murdered", an episode of The Avengers.
He specialised in playing foreign characters, including Germans, Russians and South Americans. A number of these roles were in ITC adventure TV series of the 1960s and 1970s, such as Danger Man, The Baron, The Saint, The Champions (Reply Box No.666 episode, 1967) Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), The Persuaders! and Jason King. His film roles included Sea of Sand (1958), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), The Heroes of Telemark (1965), Kaleidoscope (1966), The Fixer (1968), A Dandy in Aspic (1968), The Assassination Bureau (1969), A Walk with Love and Death (1969), Penny Gold (1973), Special Branch (1974), Inside the Third Reich (1982, as Hermann Göring), Year of the Gun (1991), and Cutthroat Island (1995).
He enjoyed a long stage career, which involved working with Tyrone Guthrie and Peter Brook, and was active in the Royal Shakespeare Company.In the 1970s, he acquired a Victorian church in North London, which he converted into an Elizabethan-style theatre in collaboration with director Adrian Brown. In 1973, he opened it as "St George's Theatre", intending that it present little-seen classical plays.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he continued to work at St George's Theatre as both an actor and a director, often with his wife, Elvi Hale.
Known For
TV Shows (26)
The Avengers
1961
as Needle
The Saint
1962
as Vogler / Abdul Graner
The Professionals
1977
as Yashinkov
The Adventures of Robin Hood
1955
as Sheriff's Guard
The Champions
1968
as Nikko / El Gaudillo
Theatre 625
1964
as Delamarche / Wensley Grafton / Grels
No Hiding Place
1959
Danger Man
1960
as Bruno
Sunday Night Theatre
1950
as M. Lafarge
The Persuaders!
1971
as Zorakin
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1971
as Inspector Vandeleur
Gideon's Way
1965
as Kautsky
Sunday-Night Play
1960
as Gannerac
Jason King
1971
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot
1956
as Jaggyd
Manhunt
1970
as Franco
1990
1977
as Tiny
The Informer
1966
as Willie Cluff
Peter the Great
1986
Supercar
1961
Armchair Theatre
1956
as Beno
Smuggler
1981
as Silas Kemble
Armchair Cinema
1974
as Maître Rabut
Inside the Third Reich
1982
as Herman Goering
Presented in Supercolorisation
2022
as Professor Rudolph Popkiss / Black Morgan (voice) / Professor Rudolph Popkiss (voice) (credit only)
Rogues' Gallery
1968
as Sir Esmond Bellasize
Movies (35)
You Only Live Twice
1967
as Russian Diplomat (uncredited)
Cutthroat Island
1995
as Mordachai Fingers
The Fall of the Roman Empire
1964
as Victorinus
The Heroes of Telemark
1965
as Sturmfuhrer
The Battle of the River Plate
1956
as Chief Officer, Newton Beach
The Assassination Bureau
1969
as Zeppelin pilot
Hell Drivers
1957
as Tub
In Search of the Castaways
1962
as Ayerton's Assistant
Year of the Gun
1991
as Pierre Bernier
Pascali's Island
1988
as Herr Gesing
Sea of Sand
1958
as Cpl. Simms
Kaleidoscope
1966
as Johnny
Mafia Junction
1973
The Horsemen
1971
as Mizrar
A Dandy in Aspic
1968
Campbell's Kingdom
1957
as Max, a worker
The Year of the Sex Olympics
1968
as Grels
The Angry Silence
1960
as Jones
The Cherry Orchard
1962
as Yermolai Alexeyevich Lopahin
The Naked Runner
1967
The Ice Princess
1996
Blood of the Vampire
1958
as First Guard
Penny Gold
1973
as Doctor Merrick
The Pursuers
1961
as Freddy
Penelope Pulls It Off
1975
as Owen
A Walk with Love and Death
1969
as The Captain
Don't Panic Chaps
1959
as Meister
Sea Fury
1958
as Loudon
The Merry Christmas
1955
as Mr. Fezziwig
The Prison
1974
as Maître Rabut
There Was a Crooked Man
1960
as Receptionist at 'The McKillup Arms'
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
1975
A Sound from the Sea
1970
as George
Crossroads to Crime
1960
as Diamond
The Possessed
1969
as Liputin
About George Murcell
Arthur George Murcell (30 October 1925 – 3 December 1998) was a British character actor. Born in Italy, he made his film debut in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's The Battle of the River Plate (1956), Murcell went on to develop a career playing snarling villains in both film and television. These could either be stupid, brutish henchmen, as in Hell Drivers and Campbell's Kingdom (both 1957), or sophisticated rogues, such as Needle in "You Have Just Been Murdered", an episode of The Avengers. He specialised in playing foreign characters,… With 61 credits spanning from 1950 to 2022, George Murcell has appeared in 35 films and 26 TV shows.
Fans searching for George Murcell movies, George Murcell filmography, or the latest projects starring George Murcell can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular George Murcell Movies
- You Only Live Twice (1967) — as Russian Diplomat (uncredited)
- Cutthroat Island (1995) — as Mordachai Fingers
- The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) — as Victorinus
- The Heroes of Telemark (1965) — as Sturmfuhrer
- The Battle of the River Plate (1956) — as Chief Officer, Newton Beach
Where to Watch George Murcell Films
Most George Murcell 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 George Murcell, check our movies catalogue and browse page.