Basil Dignam (24 October 1905 – 31 January 1979) was an English actor.

Early life

Dignam was born in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire. Before acting, he tried many jobs, from working as a company clerk to a journalist.

Career

Dignam acted on film and television between 1948 and 1978. He often appeared as an authority figure, such as Mr Justice Poynter in Crown Court, as a police officer, army general or peer. His television appearances included The Prisoner: Checkmate (1967) and The Champions (1968), as Sir Frederick in episode 2 "The Invisible Man".

Personal life

Dignam was married to actress Mona Washbourne from 1940 until his death in 1979. His brother Mark Dignam was also a professional actor. Basil Dignam died, aged 73, in Westminster, London.

Selected filmography

• Maytime in Mayfair (1949) – Commissionaire (uncredited)

• Smart Alec (1951) – Defending Counsel

• Two on the Tiles (1951) – Ship's Captain

• The Lady with a Lamp (1951)

• Appointment with Venus (1951) – R.A.M.C. Captain

• His Excellency (1952) – Security Officer

• Hammer the Toff (1952) – Superintendent

• There Was a Young Lady (1953)

• Carrington V.C. (1954)

• The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) – Sir Lionel Dean (uncredited)

• They Can't Hang Me (1955) – Wing Commander Riddle

• Touch and Go (1955) – Stevens

• The Narrowing Circle (1956) – George Pacey

• Private's Progress (1956) – Col. Martin (uncredited)

• Port of Escape (1956) – Det. Insp. Crawford

• The Intimate Stranger (1956) – Dr. Gray

• Reach for the Sky (1956) – Air Ministry Doctor (uncredited)

• The Weapon (1956) – (uncredited)

• The Counterfeit Plan (1957) – Police Commissioner

• You Pay Your Money (1957) – Currie

• Brothers in Law (1957) – Mr. Justice Emery

• Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) – Sir Lionel Henry Lamb, British Ambassador at Nanking

• Man in the Shadow (1957) – Bit Part (uncredited)

• Three Sundays to Live (1957) – Davitt

• The Depraved (1957) – Tom Wilton

• Son of a Stranger (1957) – Dr. Delaney

• The Safecracker (1958) – Air Vice Marshal

• Them Nice Americans – Inspector Adams

• Innocent Sinners (1958) – Mr. Dyson – Olivia's Solicitor (uncredited)

• Up the Creek (1958) – Coombes

• The Spaniard's Curse (1958) – Guy Stevenson (uncredited)

• A Cry from the Streets (1958) – Police Inspector (uncredited)

• Carry On Sergeant (1958) – Third Specialist

• Further Up the Creek (1958) – Flagship Commander

• I Only Arsked! (1958) – (uncredited)

• Corridors of Blood (1958) – Chairman

• Room at the Top (1959) – Priest (uncredited)

• Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959) – Security Officer

• Sapphire (1959) – Doctor Burgess (uncredited)

• I'm All Right Jack (1959) – Minister of Labour

• A Touch of Larceny (1959) – Lt. Cmdr. Evans at P.R.O. (uncredited)

• The Spider's Web (1960) – Hugo

• Suspect (1960) – Dr Childs

• The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) – Army Officer

• Sentenced for Life (1960) – Ralph Thompson

• Gorgo (1961) – Admiral Brooks

• The Secret Partner (1961) – Lyle

• The Fourth Square (1961) - Inspector Forbes

• The Court Martial of Major Keller (1961) – Morrell

• Fate Takes a Hand (1961) – Wheeler

• Life for Ruth (1962) – Lawyer Mapleton

• Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – Cavalry General at Field Briefing (uncredited)

• Seven Seas to Calais (1962) – Sir Francis Walsingham

• Master Spy (1963) – Richard Horton

• Heavens Above! (1963) – Prison Governor

• 80,000 Suspects (1963) – Medical Officer Boswell

• Ring of Spies (1964) – 2nd Member at Lord's (uncredited)

• Joey Boy (1965) – General

• The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965) – Lawyer

• Rotten to the Core (1965) – The General

• Where the Spies Are (1965) – Major Harding

• Naked Evil (1966) – Jim Benson

• The Jokers (1967) – Bank Manager

• Cuckoo Patrol (1967) – Snodgrass

• I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967)

• Assignment K (1968) – Howlett

• Twisted Nerve (1968) – Doctor

• Laughter in the Dark (1969) – Dealer

• Battle of Britain (1969) – Tactical Records Officer (uncredited)

• The Great White Hope (1970) – English Official (uncredited)

• 10 Rillington Place (1971) – Medical Board

• Persuasion (1971) - Sir Walter Elliot

• A Lizard in a Woman's Skin (1971) – The Commissioner (uncredited)

• Young Winston (1972) – Joseph Chamberlain

• Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974) – Brigadier

• Edward the Seventh (1975) - Prime Minister Asquith

References

External links