James Donald
James Donald | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 May 1917 |
| Died | 3 August 1993 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | Scottish  |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Known for | The Great Escape |
James Donald (18 May 1917 - 3 August 1993) was a Scottish actor. Tall and gaunt, he specialized in playing authority figures; military officers, doctors or scientists.
Donald was born in Aberdeen, and made his first professional stage appearance sometime in the mid-30s, having been educated at Rossall School. During World War II he appeared in minor roles in such propaganda classics as In Which We Serve (1942), Went the Day Well? (1942) and The Way Ahead (1944). However, leading roles eluded him until Lust for Life (1956), in which he played Theo Van Gogh.
He then memorably portrayed Major Clipton in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). The final words of the film are his: "Madness. Madness!" He also played Group Captain Ramsey, the senior British officer in The Great Escape (1963), as well as supporting roles in other notable films both in Britain and the United States, including The Vikings (film) (1958), King Rat (1965), Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), and Quatermass and the Pit (1967).
Donald starred in a 1960 adaptation of A. J. Cronin's The Citadel and appeared regularly in many other television dramas in the UK and USA, as well as on stage.
External links
- James Donald at IMDb
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