John Laurie

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John Laurie (born March 25, 1897 in Dumfries , Scotland , † June 23, 1980 in Chalfont St Peter , Buckinghamshire , England ) was a Scottish actor .

Life

Laurie grew up as the son of a factory worker and initially studied architecture. After the outbreak of World War I , however, he volunteered for the British Army . After the war, he turned his attention to acting and studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London . You could see him on stage from 1921. His first marriage (since 1924) lasted less than two years, as his wife Florence Saunders died on January 24, 1926.

Acting career

In the following years John Laurie made a name for himself primarily as a theater actor in plays by Shakespeare ( Hamlet , Richard III. And Macbeth ). From 1930, however, he could increasingly be seen in film productions. His screen debut Juno and the Paycock was directed by Alfred Hitchcock . Laurie had his breakthrough five years later with the film The 39 Steps (1935), also produced by Hitchcock . During and after his time as a reservist with the British Home Guard (1940-1944), he made other well-known films, including Fanny By Gaslight (1944) and Disney's Treasure Island (1950). He was also regularly seen in television series. Especially with the BBC - sitcom Dad's Army , he was the British public than private Frazer in memory. Laurie died of emphysema in 1980 at the age of 83 .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Laurie, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lawrie, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Scottish actor
DATE OF BIRTH March 25, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Dumfries
DATE OF DEATH June 23, 1980
Place of death Chalfont St Peter , Buckinghamshire