André Morell

He also appeared in David Lean's film classics The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Ben-Hur (1959), in several of Hammer's horror films throughout the 1960s and in the acclaimed ITV historical drama The Caesars (1968). His obituary in The Times newspaper described him as possessing a "commanding presence with a rich, responsive voice.. Whether in the classical or modern theatre he was authoritative and dependable."

• Name — André Morell • Birth Name — Cecil André Mesritz • Born — 20 August 1909 • Birthplace — London, England • Died — 28 November 1978 • Place of death — London, England • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1934–1978 • Children — 1

Morell was born in London in 1909, the son of André and Rosa Mesritz. Prior to taking up acting professionally he trained as a motor engineer, while also participating in amateur theatrical productions. He turned professional in 1934, initially acting under the name André Mesritz; he anglicised his surname to Morell in 1936, and adopted the latter name legally by deed poll in 1938. In 1938, he joined the Old Vic theatre company, and appeared in several of their high-profile productions both at their home theatre and on tour throughout Britain and across the rest of the world. He appeared in Hamlet as Horatio opposite Alec Guinness in the title role, and as Alonso in John Gielgud's production of The Tempest. He played Mercutio in a production of Romeo and Juliet mounted by the Old Vic company at Streatham in 1939, with Robert Donat as Romeo. This was Morell's favourite role from his career. His performance in the play was praised by The Timess critic as "a neat and carefully studied portrait; he is admirable in all his cynical and humorous passages", although the reviewer did add that "one could wish that he had left this manner for the speech about Queen Mab and addressed this, as a piece of direct poetry, directly to the audience." Towards the end of the 1930s, he began appearing in films, making his debut on the big screen in 13 Men and a Gun (1938). He appeared frequently in several early drama productions on the BBC's fledgling television service, featuring in such roles as Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice (1938) and Le Bret in Cyrano de Bergerac (1938). The onset of the Second World War interrupted his acting career, and he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1940. He served with the regiment until 1946, by which time he had attained the rank of major.

Morell continued to appear in Hammer's horror films in the ensuing decade. He had parts in the Shadow of the Cat (1960), She (1964, again with Peter Cushing) and its sequel The Vengeance of She (1967), the lead in The Plague of the Zombies (1965), and The Mummy's Shroud (1966). He also starred with Cushing in Hammer's Cash on Demand, playing the same role he had played opposite Richard Vernon in the original TV play, The Gold Inside, but turned down the opportunity of reprising the title role in Hammer's feature film adaptation of Quatermass and the Pit (1967). Morell continued to act successfully on television throughout the decade, with guest roles in episodes of series such as The Avengers (1963 and 1965), Danger Man (1965), Doctor Who (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve 1966), The Saint (1965) and in The Caesars (1968) in a prominent role as the Roman emperor Tiberius. In 1969, he became the vice president of Equity, the trade union for British actors and performers. He then served as president of the organisation for a year from 1973–74. During this time he was involved in a dispute in which Equity threatened to expel Laurence Olivier as a member due to comments he made in a newspaper feature about the possibility of forming a breakaway union. The union also suffered from financial problems, and Morell continued to warn against destructive divisions amongst the members when he stepped down as president. Despite his involvement in union business he continued to be a busy working actor. He appeared in Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975) as a nobleman friend of the title character. His last television work was an episode of the ITV series The Professionals in 1978, the year of his death. The animated film version of The Lord of the Rings, in which he voiced the character of Elrond, was released the same year, but his final film work was not seen until the year after his death. This was as the judge in The First Great Train Robbery.

Morell married actress Joan Greenwood in 1960. The couple had a son, Jason Morell, who also became an actor, appearing in films such as Mrs Brown (1997, as Lord Stanley) and Wilde (also 1997, as Ernest Dowson).

Morell, who smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day until he gave up in 1976, died from lung cancer in London on 28 November 1978, at the age of 69.

• 13 Men and a Gun (1938) - Kroty • Many Tanks Mr. Atkins (1938) - Hart • Ten Days in Paris (1940) - Victor • Three Silent Men (1940) - Charles Klein • Unpublished Story (1942) - Marchand • Against the Wind (1948) - Abbot (uncredited) • That Dangerous Age (1949) - Doctor McCatcheon • No Place for Jennifer (1950) - William's Counsel • Madeleine (1950) - Dean of Falcuty • Stage Fright (1950) - Inspector Byard • So Long at the Fair (1950) - Doctor Hart • Trio (1950) - Dr. Lennox (in segment Sanatorium) • Seven Days to Noon (1950) - Superintendent Folland • The Clouded Yellow (1950) - Secret Service Chief Chubb • Flesh & Blood (1951) - Dr. Marshall • High Treason (1951) - Supt. Folland • The Tall Headlines (1952) - George Rackham • Stolen Face (1952) - David • His Majesty O'Keefe (1954) - Alfred Tetins • The Golden Link (1954) - Supt. Blake • The Black Knight (1954) - Sir Ontzlake • Three Cases of Murder (1955) - Dr. Audlin ("Lord Mountdrago" segment) • Summertime (1955) - Englishman (uncredited) • The Secret (1955) - Chief Inspector Blake • They Can't Hang Me (1955) - Robert Isaac Pitt • The Man Who Never Was (1956) - Sir Bernard Spilsbury • The Black Tent (1956) - Sheik Salem ben Yussef • The Baby and the Battleship (1956) - Marshal • Zarak (1956) - Maj. Atherton • Interpol (1957) - Commissioner Breckner • The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Colonel Green • Diamond Safari (1958) - Williamson • Paris Holiday (1958) - American Ambassador • The Camp on Blood Island (1958) - Col. Lambert • The Giant Behemoth (1959) - Prof. James Bickford • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) - Doctor Watson • Ben-Hur (1959) - Sextus • Cone of Silence (1960) - Capt. Edward Manningham • The Shadow of the Cat (1961) - Walter Venable • Cash on Demand (1961) - Colonel Gore Hepburn • The Human Jungle • Woman of Straw (1964) - Judge (uncredited) • The Moon-Spinners (1964) - Yacht Captain • She (1965) - Haumeid • The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - Sir James Forbes • Judith (1966) - Haim • The Wrong Box (1966) - Club Butler (uncredited) • The Mummy's Shroud (1967) - Sir Basil Walden • Dark of the Sun (1968) - Bussier • The Vengeance of She (1968) - Kassim • Julius Caesar (1970) - Cicero • 10 Rillington Place (1971) - Old Bailey: Judge Lewis • Pope Joan (1972) - Emperor Louis • Barry Lyndon (1975) - Lord Gustavus Adolphus Wendover • The Slipper and the Rose (1976) - Bride's Father • The Message (1976) - Abu-Talib • The Lord of the Rings (1978) - Lord Elrond (voice) • The First Great Train Robbery (1979) - Judge (final film role)

André Morell is recorded as actor.