One of you must have suggested Nigel Davenport (1928-2013) for an MCM because I can’t remember why I scheduled this post. Sometimes I enjoy a challenge, I guess? Because, ooh boy, this one wasn’t easy. Davenport studied at Trinity College, Oxford, receiving an English literature degree, and then had a long career across stage, film, and TV. He often played supporting roles, including memorable villains. I couldn’t find images for every last historical costume performance, but here’s the highlights!
Barty, Captain, Claude the Seneschal, Earl of Rutland’s mounted soldier, Loud Lawrence, Sentry, Sir James, Sir Peter Marston in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1957-60)
Frederick Thornton in A High Wind in Jamaica (1965)
Duke of Norfolk in A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Maxim Gorky in From Chekhov With Love (1968)
Richardson in Sinful Davey (1969)
Hernando de Soto in The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)
Captain Cyril Leech in Play Dirty (1969)
Lord Bothwell in Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in “Conan Doyle,” The Edwardians (1972)
The Bounty Hunter in Charley-One-Eye (1973)
Sir Harry Wotton in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1973)
Van Helsing in Dracula (1973)
Robert Carne in South Riding (1974)
Montgomery in The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977)
King George III in Prince Regent (1979)
Lord Birkenhead in Chariots of Fire (1981)
Arthur Birling in An Inspector Calls (1982)
Major Jack Downing in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan (1984)
Silas Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (1984)
Giustiniani in Caravaggio (1986)
Lord Smithwick in Without a Clue (1988)
Lord Blackstock in The Treasure Seekers (1996)
What historical costume role do you remember Nigel Davenport for? Did you request this MCM?
An Inspector Calls is a play by J. B. Priestley. Birling is a real piece of work – but so are all the Birlings; that’s the point of it.
You beat me to it!
Came to post the same thing!
Thousands and thousands of English sixteen year olds studied An Inspector Calls for English Literature GCSE and many of us headed to the comments with the same thought…
Piling on is rude, folks.
Oh no! I’m so sorry, that’s not what I meant at all and I apologize. It was more just that this is a very commonly studied play in the UK so lots of people come across it as children. I’m mortified that it came across as snarky trolling.
But it’s not an Agatha Christie story. More like J.B. Priestly.
I have seen several of the movies you have mentioned. I especially like Mr. Davenport’s voice; what a wonderful voice! Thank you for bringing him back to my mind.
Davenport is not in the B & W still for the Gorky. That is John Gielgud.
Y’all are reminding me why not to do reader requests, btw.
I feel angry about the “Jamaican colonial” woman’s hair.
Her hair is rather frightening!
My ex- was pretty knowledgeable about British colonial history, and he swore that Davenport had been in every historical drama since 1964. God knows he dragged me to enough to them, but that’s all right, because I’m quite fond of N.D. Fun fact: Davenport played Rodolphe in a 1964 telly production of “Mme. Bovary.” A very capable actor; it’s ridiculous that he wasn’t knighted.
And he’s Jack Davenport’s dad.
Mr Davenport must have been a man of strange, eldritch powers fit to frighten even his redoubtable Van Helsing or just a man of strong opinions, because with that face and expert deployment of moustaches he somehow spent a whole career in and out of costume pictures without ever once appearing as Doctor Watson.
How he did it must be a mystery for the ages.
I was a huge fan of the ’66 Man for All Seasons watching it over and over again on Beta, it was the 70s Baby! And I vividly remember Norfolk though I never til now knew the actor who played him