Peter Gawthorne

2022-08-08T01:17:19Z

95.144.161.144: /* Early life and career */

{{EngvarB|date=December 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{short description|Irish film actor}}
{{Infobox person
| bgcolour =
| name = Peter Gawthorne
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption = Peter Gawthorne
| birthname =
| birth_date = 1 September 1884
| birth_place = [[County Laois|Queen's County]], Ireland, UK
| death_date = {{d-da|17 March 1962|1 September 1884}}
| death_place = London, England
| othername =
| yearsactive = 1906–1956
| homepage =
| academyawards =
| emmyawards =
| tonyawards =
}}
'''Peter Gawthorne''' (1 September 1884 – 17 March 1962) was an Anglo-Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in the films of [[Will Hay]] and other popular British comedians of the 1930s and 1940s. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upon supporting actors during this period.

==Early life and career==
He was born in 1884 in [[County Laois|Queen's County]] (now County Laois) in Ireland, but spent most of his career in England. After two years at the ''Academy of Dramatic Art'', Gawthorne began a career on the London stage, eventually running up over twenty years experience there. His debut was in 1906, a walk-on part at [[Her Majesty's Theatre|His Majesty's Theatre]], London. He was featured in the role of Albany Pope, receiving good notices, in the hit musical ''[[The Boy (musical)|The Boy]]'' in 1917.<ref>Findon, B.W. (ed.) "''The Boy''", ''The Play Pictorial'', No. 186, Vol. XXXI, 1917, pp. 33–35</ref> He also studied singing.

He then toured Australia, South Africa and America, making his film debut in Hollywood before returning to Britain, where he worked for a number of film companies but predominately [[Gainsborough Studios]].

He worked extensively in cinema often playing military officers and stern, authority figures, many of whom frequently clashed with the bumbling idiots played by [[Will Hay]]{{Citation needed |date=April 2021}} and other well-known comedians such as [[George Formby]], [[Crazy Gang (comedy group)|The Crazy Gang]], the [[Aldwych farce]]urs, [[Jack Hulbert]], [[Cicely Courtneidge]], [[Old Mother Riley]], [[Tommy Trinder]], [[Arthur Askey]] and [[Richard Murdoch]].

His appearances were prolific and not just confined to comedies, taking in such films as ''[[The Iron Duke (film)|The Iron Duke]]'' (1934), ''[[Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939 film)|Goodbye, Mr. Chips]]'' (1939), ''[["Pimpernel" Smith]]'' (1941), ''[[Love on the Dole]]'' (1941), and ''[[The Young Mr. Pitt]]'' (1942).

==Filmography==
===Film===
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Behind That Curtain (film)|Behind That Curtain]]'' (1929) as British Police Inspector
* ''[[His Glorious Night]]'' (1929) as General Ettingen
* ''[[One Hysterical Night]]'' (1929) as Mr. Bixby
* ''[[Sunny Side Up (1929 film)|Sunnyside Up]]'' (1929) as Lake the Butler
* ''[[Temple Tower]]'' (1930) as Matthews
* ''[[Those Three French Girls]]'' (1930) as Parker
* ''[[The Man Who Came Back (1931 film)|The Man Who Came Back]]'' (1931) as Griggs
* ''[[Charlie Chan Carries On (film)|Charlie Chan Carries On]]'' (1931) as Inspector Duff
* ''[[I Like Your Nerve]]'' (1931) as Roberts - Lattimer's Butler
* ''[[C.O.D. (1932 film)|COD]]'' (1932) as Detective
* ''[[His Lordship]]'' (1932) as Ferguson, the Butler
* ''[[Jack's the Boy]]'' (1932) as Mr. Brown
* ''[[The Lodger (1932 film)|The Lodger]]'' (1932) as Lord Southcliff
* ''[[The Flag Lieutenant (1932 film)|The Flag Lieutenant]]'' (1932) as Maj. Thesiger
* ''[[Perfect Understanding]]'' (1933) as Butler
* ''[[The Blarney Stone (film)|The Blarney Stone]]'' (1933) as Unknown role
* ''[[Prince of Arcadia]]'' (1933) as Equerry
* ''[[Leave It to Smith]]'' (1933) as Rolls
* ''[[The House of Trent]]'' (1933) as Lord Fairdown
* ''[[Grand Prix (1934 film)|Grand Prix]]'' (1934) as John McIntyre
* ''[[Two Hearts in Waltz Time (1934 film)|Two Hearts in Waltz Time]]'' (1934) as Mr. Joseph
* ''[[Mr Stringfellow Says No]]'' (1934) as Prime Minister
* ''[[Something Always Happens]]'' (1934) as Mr. Hatch
* ''[[Girls, Please!]]'' (1934) as Van Hoffenheim
* ''[[Money Mad (1934 film)|Money Mad]]'' (1934) as Sir John Leyland
* ''[[The Camels are Coming (film)|The Camels are Coming]]'' (1934) as Colonel Fairley
* ''[[My Old Dutch (1934 film)|My Old Dutch]]'' (1934) as Mr. Paraday
* ''[[The Iron Duke (film)|The Iron Duke]]'' (1934) as Duke of Richmond
* ''[[Dirty Work (1934 film)|Dirty Work]]'' (1934) as Inspector Barlow
* ''[[Murder at Monte Carlo]]'' (1935) as Duprez
* ''[[Who's Your Father]]'' (1935) as Capt. Medway
* ''[[The Divine Spark]]'' (1935) as Felice Romani
* ''[[Man of the Moment (1935 film)|Man of the Moment]]'' (1935) as Staff Colonel
* ''[[Boys Will Be Boys (1935 film)|Boys Will Be Boys]]'' (1935) as Minor Role
* ''[[The Crouching Beast]]'' (1935) as Kadir Pasha
* ''[[Stormy Weather (1935 film)|Stormy Weather]]'' (1935) as Police Inspector
* ''[[Me and Marlborough]]'' (1935) as Mr. Barton
* ''[[Crime Unlimited]]'' (1935) as Newall
* ''[[No Limit (1935 film)|No Limit]]'' (1935) as Mr. Higgins
* ''[[Wolf's Clothing (1936 film)|Wolf's Clothing]]'' (1936) as Sir Hector
* ''[[Pot Luck (1936 film)|Pot Luck]]'' (1936) as Chief Constable
* ''[[A Woman Alone (1936 film)|A Woman Alone]]'' (1936) as President of Court Martial
* ''[[The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss]]'' (1936) as Sir James Alroyd
* ''[[The Man Behind the Mask]]'' (1936) as Lord Slade
* ''[[East Meets West (1936 film)|East Meets West]]'' (1936) as Stanton
* ''[[Everybody Dance (film)|Everybody Dance]]'' (1936) as Sir Rowland Morton
* ''[[Windbag the Sailor]]'' (1936) as Minor Role
* ''[[Good Morning, Boys]]'' (1937) as Col. Willougby-Gore
* ''[[Return of a Stranger (1937 film)|Return of a Stranger]]'' (1937) as Sir Herbert Tompkin
* ''[[Father Steps Out (1937 film)|Father Steps Out]]'' (1937) as Mr. Fitzwilliam
* ''[[Brief Ecstasy]]'' (1937) as Chairman of Steel Company
* ''[[Gangway (film)|Gangway]]'' (1937) as Assistant Commissioner Sir Brian Moore
* ''[[Jericho (1937 film)|Jericho]]'' (1937) as Court Martial President
* ''[[Under a Cloud (film)|Under a Cloud]]'' (1937) as Sir Edmond Jessyl
* ''[[Smash and Grab]]'' (1937) as Insurance Company Chairman
* ''[[The Last Adventurers]]'' (1937) as Fergus Arkell
* ''[[The Ticket of Leave Man (1937 film)|The Ticket of Leave Man]]'' (1937) as Joshua Gibson
* ''[[Easy Riches]]'' (1938) as Stacey Lang
* ''[[Scruffy (1938 film)|Scruffy]]'' (1938) as Chairman
* ''[[Convict 99]]'' (1938) as Sir Cyril
* ''[[Alf's Button Afloat]]'' (1938) as Capt. Driscol R.N.
* ''[[Hey! Hey! USA]]'' (1938) as Ship's Captain
* ''[[Dead Men are Dangerous]]'' (1939) as Conray
* ''[[Inspector Hornleigh (film)|Inspector Hornleigh]]'' (1939) as Chancellor of the Exchequer
* ''[[Sword of Honour (1939 film)|Sword of Honour]]'' (1939) as Lord Carhampton
* ''[[Home from Home (1939 film)|Home from Home]]'' (1939) as Governor
* ''[[Ask a Policeman]]'' (1939) as Chief Constable
* ''[[Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939 film)|Goodbye, Mr. Chips]]'' (1939) as Army General
* ''[[Secret Journey (1939 film)|Secret Journey]]'' (1939) as Gen. von Reimer
* ''[[Flying Fifty-Five]]'' (1939) as Jonas Urquhart
* ''[[Riding High (1937 film)|Riding High]]'' (1939) as Sir Joseph Wilmot
* ''[[What Would You Do, Chums?]]'' (1939) as Sir Douglas Gordon KC
* ''[[Where's That Fire?]]'' (1939) as Fire Chief
* ''[[Traitor Spy]]'' (1939) as Sir John
* ''[[They Came by Night]]'' (1940) as Commissionaire
* ''[[Laugh It Off (1940 film)|Laugh It Off]]'' (1940) as General
* ''[[Band Waggon (film)|Band Waggon]]'' (1940) as Claude Pilkington
* ''[[Crook's Tour]]'' (1940) as Minor Role
* ''[[Three Silent Men]]'' (1940) as General Bullingdon
* ''[[Two for Danger]]'' (1940) as Assistant Commissioner
* ''[[Gasbags]]'' (1941) as Commanding Officer
* ''[[Love on the Dole]]'' (1941) as Police Supt
* ''[[Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It]]'' (1941) as Colonel
* ''[[Old Mother Riley's Ghosts]]'' (1941) as Mr. Cartwright
* ''[["Pimpernel" Smith]]'' (1941) as Sidimir Koslowski
* ''[[Cottage to Let]]'' (1941) as Senior RAF Officer
* ''[[I Thank You (film)|I Thank You]]'' (1941) as Doctor Pope
* ''[[They Flew Alone]]'' (1942) as RAF Officer
* ''[[Let the People Sing (film)|Let the People Sing]]'' (1942) as Maj. Shiptonthorpe
* ''[[The First of the Few]]'' (1942) as Board Member
* ''[[The Young Mr. Pitt]]'' (1942) as Admiral
* ''[[Much Too Shy]]'' (1942) as Plaintiff's Counsel
* ''[[Women Aren't Angels]]'' (1943) as H.G. Colonel
* ''[[We'll Meet Again (1943 film)|We'll Meet Again]]'' (1943) as Theatre Manager
* ''[[Bell-Bottom George]]'' (1944) as Adm. Sir William Coltham
* ''[[The Hundred Pound Window]]'' (1944) as Van Rayden
* ''[[Murder in Reverse]]'' (1945) as One of Crossley's Guests
* ''[[This Man Is Mine (1946 film)|This Man Is Mine]]'' (1946) as Businessman
* ''[[Nothing Venture]]'' (1948) as Scotland Yard Official
* ''[[The Case of Charles Peace]]'' (1949) as Mr. Justice Lopes
* ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]'' (1949) as First Lord Delivering Verdict
* ''[[High Jinks in Society]]'' (1949) as Jenkins
* ''[[Soho Conspiracy]]'' (1950) as Father Shaney
* ''[[The Elusive Pimpernel (1950 film)|The Elusive Pimpernel]]'' (1950) as Chauvelin's Butler
* ''[[Death Is a Number]]'' (1951) as James Gregson
* ''[[Salute the Toff]]'' (1952) as Mortimer Harvey
* ''[[Paul Temple Returns]]'' (1952) as Sir Graham Forbes
* ''[[Knights of the Round Table (film)|Knights of the Round Table]]'' (1953) as Bishop
* ''[[Five Days (film)|Five Days]]'' (1954) as Bowman
* ''[[Tale of Three Women]]'' (1954) as Sir Frederick (segment "Thief of London' story)
{{div col end}}

===TV series===
*''[[Adventure Theater]]'' (1956, TV Series) - Sir Frederick (final appearance)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0310723}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gawthorne, Peter}}
[[Category:Irish male film actors]]
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1962 deaths]]
[[Category:People from County Laois]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish male actors]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:20th-century British male actors]]

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Peter Gawthorne