Sandor Elès

• Name — Sándor Éles • Birth Name — Sándor József Éles • Born — 15 June 1936 • Birthplace — Tatabánya, Hungary • Died — 10 September 2002 • Place of death — Kilburn, London, England • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1958–1996

Born in Tatabánya, 60 km from Budapest, Éles was orphaned during World War II, and emigrated to Britain during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

He began his acting career on stage, and went on to appear in a host of television roles, the majority on ITV. These included the ITC series The Avengers, Danger Man, The Baron, The Saint, Timeslip and Jason King. He appeared as a storyteller on the BBC children's programme Jackanory in ten episodes between 1970 and 1972, and he also made appearances in The Avengers, The Professionals, Strange Report and Upstairs, Downstairs. Often cast in generic 'foreigner' roles (diplomats, waiters, desk clerks), he most often played Frenchmen. Éles became a British citizen on 10 January 1977. One of his most memorable film roles was as the mysterious Paul in the Brian Clemens thriller And Soon the Darkness (1970). He also had major roles in the Hammer Horror movies Countess Dracula (1971) and The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) as well as appearing for four years in the 1980s as the scheming restaurant manager, Paul Ross, in the British TV soap opera Crossroads. In 1996, Éles returned to his cultural roots, appearing as the narrator in the Bartók opera, Bluebeard's Castle. The concert performances, given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Bernard Haitink, were recorded for CD.

Éles died in Kilburn, London on 10 September 2002, aged 66, apparently from a heart attack.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1961 — The Rebel — Artist • 1961 — The Naked Edge — Manfridi St John • 1962 — Guns of Darkness — Lt. Gomez • 1964 — French Dressing — Vladek • 1964 — The Evil of Frankenstein — Hans • 1965 — San Ferry Ann — Shop Attendant • 1967 — The Magnificent Two — Armandez • 1970 — The Kremlin Letter — Lt. Grodin • 1970 — And Soon the Darkness — Paul • 1971 — Countess Dracula — Lt. Imre Toth • 1971 — Fun and Games — Paul Floret • 1973 — Scorpio — Malkin • 1975 — Love and Death — Soldier 2 • 1977 — The Assignment — Clerk • 1978 — The Greek Tycoon — Lawrence • 1991 — Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady — Maitre D' • 1996 — Surviving Picasso — Party Guest — (final film role)