William Sylvester

William Sylvester

Born: January 31, 1922
Died: January 25, 1995
in Oakland, California, USA
William Sylvester (January 31, 1922 – January 25, 1995) was an American TV and film actor. His most famous film credit was Dr. Heywood Floyd in Stanley Kubrick's 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968). Born in Oakland, California and married at one time to the British actress Veronica Hurst, he moved to England after the Second World War and became a staple of British B films at a time when American and Canadian actors were much in demand in order to give indigenous films some appeal in the US.

As a result, he gained top billing in one of his very first films, House of Blackmail (1953), directed by the veteran filmmaker Maurice Elvey, for whom he also made What Every Woman Wants the following year. He also starred in such minor films as The Stranger Came Home (1954, for Hammer), Dublin Nightmare (1958), Offbeat (1960), Information Received (1961), Incident at Midnight, Ring of Spies and Blind Corner (all 1963). There were also lead roles in four British horror films: Gorgo (1960), Devil Doll (1963), Devils of Darkness (1964) and The Hand of Night (1966). Among his many TV credits were a 1959 BBC version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (playing Mark Antony), The Saint, The Baron, The High Chaparral, Harry O and The Six Million Dollar Man.

His later films included You Only Live Twice (1967) and, back in the USA after his prominent role for Kubrick, Busting (1973), The Hindenburg (1975) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). He died in Sacramento, California in 1995, aged 72.

Movies for William Sylvester...

The 9th Wonder of the World:  The Making of 'Gorgo'
Title: The 9th Wonder of the World: The Making of 'Gorgo'
Character: Sam Slade (archive footage)
Released: March 19, 2013
Type: Movie
Retrospective documentary on the making of Gorgo (1961).
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2001: The Making of a Myth
Title: 2001: The Making of a Myth
Character: Dr. Heywood R. Floyd (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: January 13, 2001
Type: Movie
The making of Stanley Kubrick's classic space epic, presented by James Cameron, including unseen footage.
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Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class
Title: Roger Moore: A Matter Of Class
Character: Self (archive footage)
Released: November 16, 1995
Type: Movie
The story of actor Roger Moore, including clips from his movies, television shows and interviews with the actor, his family and acquaintances.
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First Family
Title: First Family
Character: TV Commentator Howard
Released: December 25, 1980
Type: Movie
When the First Daughter is kidnapped by an African tribe, the President must do what he can to keep them from sacrificing her.
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Title: Big Shamus, Little Shamus
Released: September 29, 1979
Type: TV
Big Shamus, Little Shamus is an American detective drama series that aired on CBS from September 29, 1979 to October 6, 1979. The Series focused on Arnie Sutter, the veteran house detective at The Ansonia Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and his thirteen-year-old son Max, who solved crimes at the hotel casino relating to legalized gambling.
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Title: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Character: Lt. General Preston Myers
Released: September 20, 1979
Type: TV
20th-century astronaut Buck Rogers awakens in the 25th century after a freak accident puts him in suspended animation for 500 years. Upon returning to Earth and discovering the planet is recovering from a nuclear war, Buck uses his combat skills and ingenuity to protect Earth and fight evil throughout the galaxy alongside starfighter pilot Colonel Wilma Deering and robot companion Twiki.
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Heaven Can Wait
Title: Heaven Can Wait
Character: Nuclear Reporter
Released: June 28, 1978
Type: Movie
Joe Pendleton is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the superbowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn't ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Superbowl.
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Title: What Really Happened To the Class Of '65?
Released: December 8, 1977
Type: TV
Sam Ashley, a graduate of 1965 class of Bret Harte High School, who was now a teacher at the school, served as the narrator describing what had happened to his fellow graduates in the decade since they had graduated.
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Title: The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries
Released: January 30, 1977
Type: TV
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries is a television series which aired for three seasons on ABC. The series starred Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy as amateur sleuth brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, respectively, and Pamela Sue Martin as girl detective Nancy Drew. The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries was unusual in that it often dealt with the characters individually, in an almost anthological style. That is, some episodes featured only the Hardy Boys and others only Nancy Drew.
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Title: Quincy, M.E.
Released: October 3, 1976
Type: TV
Quincy, M.E. is an American television series from Universal Studios pert in several of the later episodes.
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Title: Gemini Man
Character: Leonard Driscoll
Released: May 10, 1976
Type: TV
Sam Casey is an agent for INTERSECT, a government think-tank and operations center specializing in secret missions. While on a diving assignment, Sam was affected by the radiation from an underwater explosion. The radiation rendered him invisible, but INTERSECT devised a way to control his invisibility, by fitting him with a computerized watch that kept him visible. He could, however, shut it off, and become invisible again, for short periods of time. If he did this for more than 15 minutes in any 24 hour period he would die. This ability to become invisible made him a very effective agent.
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Riding with Death
Title: Riding with Death
Character: Leonard Driscoll
Released: January 1, 1976
Type: Movie
Agent Sam Casey is in a satellite explosion and the radiation turns him invisible. He gets a watch that keeps him visible, and he uses it to switch from visible to invisible. He is assigned to transport a chemical called Tripolydine, which is purported to be the most efficient fuel; when the cover is blown on that and he uncovers and stops the Tripolydine fraud, he must then stop a terrorist from blowing up race cars.
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The Hindenburg
Title: The Hindenburg
Character: Luftwaffe Colonel
Released: December 25, 1975
Type: Movie
Colonel Franz Ritter, a former hero pilot now working for military intelligence, is assigned to the great Hindenburg airship as its chief of security. As he races against the clock to uncover a possible saboteur aboard the doomed zeppelin he finds that any of the passengers and crew could be the culprit.
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Title: Switch
Character: Ellis
Released: September 9, 1975
Type: TV
Switch is an American action-adventure, tongue-in-cheek detective series starring Eddie Albert and Robert Wagner, who work as private eyes, for a deceptive sting operation. It was broadcast on the CBS network for three seasons between September 9, 1975 and August 20, 1978, bumping the Hawaii Five-O detective series to Friday nights.
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Title: Harry O
Released: September 12, 1974
Type: TV
After being shot in the line of duty, Harry Orwell was forced to retire from the San Diego Police Department. To supplement his police pension, Harry runs a private detective agency out of his beach house... The series starred David Janssen and was executive produced by Jerry Thorpe.
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Busting
Title: Busting
Character: Mr. Weldman
Released: February 27, 1974
Type: Movie
Two Los Angeles vice squad officers find themselves up against their corrupt superiors when they try to bring a crime boss to justice. During the course of their investigation, the two cops disguise themselves as gay men and raid a gay bar.
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Title: The Six Million Dollar Man
Character: Frederick Collins
Released: January 18, 1974
Type: TV
Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
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Title: The Six Million Dollar Man
Character: Admiral Prescott
Released: January 18, 1974
Type: TV
Follow the adventures of Steve Austin, cybernetically enhanced astronaut turned secret agent, employed by the OSI, under the command of Oscar Goldman and supervised by the scientist who created his cybernetics, Rudy Wells. Steve uses the superior strength and speed provided by his bionic arm and legs, and the enhanced vision provided by his artificial eye, to fight enemy agents, aliens, mad scientists, and a wide variety of other villains.
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Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Title: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Character: Tom Henderson
Released: October 10, 1973
Type: Movie
A young couple inherits an old mansion inhabited by small demon-like creatures who are determined to make the wife one of their own.
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Title: The Magician
Character: Peter Hayden
Released: October 2, 1973
Type: TV
The Magician is an American television series that ran during the 1973–1974 season. It starred Bill Bixby as stage illusionist Anthony "Tony" Blake, a playboy philanthropist who used his skills to solve difficult crimes as needed. In the series pilot, the character was instead named Anthony Dorian. The name change was due to a conflict with the name of a real life stage magician.
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Title: Banacek
Character: Dr. Stahl
Released: September 13, 1972
Type: TV
Banacek is an American detective TV series starring George Peppard that aired on the NBC network from 1972 to 1974. The series was part of the rotating NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie anthology. It alternated in its time slot with several other shows but was the only one to last beyond its first season.
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Title: Cannon
Released: September 14, 1971
Type: TV
Cannon is a CBS detective television series produced by Quinn Martin which aired from March 26, 1971 to March 3, 1976. The primary protagonist is the title character, private detective Frank Cannon, played by William Conrad. He also appeared on two episodes of Barnaby Jones. Cannon is the first Quinn Martin-produced series to be aired on a network other than ABC. A "revival" television film, The Return of Frank Cannon, was aired on November 1, 1980. In total, there were 124 episodes.
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The Lawyer
Title: The Lawyer
Character: Paul Harrison
Released: March 10, 1970
Type: Movie
Tony Petrocelli, a bright young lawyer practicing in the rich cattle town of Baker, becomes embroiled in a murder case.
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The Challengers
Title: The Challengers
Character: Brad York
Released: February 20, 1970
Type: Movie
Racers compete in the Grand Prix.
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Title: McCloud
Released: February 17, 1970
Type: TV
Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud of the small western town of Taos, New Mexico is assigned to the metropolitan New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a special investigator.
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Title: Marcus Welby, M.D.
Character: Paul Berwick
Released: September 23, 1969
Type: TV
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner and James Brolin as the younger doctor he often worked with, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell. The pilot, A Matter of Humanities, had aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on March 26, 1969.
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The Syndicate
Title: The Syndicate
Character: Burt Hickey
Released: September 16, 1968
Type: Movie
Two vehicles lurch across the east African bush, carrying an ill-assorted party of prospectors who have formed a syndicate to search for uranium deposits. As their four-week window for digging starts to close, trouble soon starts amongst the group and there are some sinister 'accidents'... It is obvious that one of the party is trying to sabotage the expedition; but who?
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The Hand of Night
Title: The Hand of Night
Character: Paul Carver
Released: August 11, 1968
Type: Movie
A tourist travelling through Morocco discovers an ancient curse and must choose between light and dark.
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Red and Blue
Title: Red and Blue
Character: Trumpeter
Released: August 8, 1968
Type: Movie
Musical short, filmed for the abandoned portmanteau film Red, White and Zero (1967).
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2001: A Space Odyssey
Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Character: Dr. Heywood Floyd
Released: April 2, 1968
Type: Movie
Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.
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Title: The High Chaparral
Character: Jack Simmons
Released: September 10, 1967
Type: TV
The High Chaparral is an American Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The series, made by Xanadu Productions in association with NBC Productions, was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network. The theme song was also written and conducted by Bonanza scorer David Rose, who also scored the two-hour pilot.
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Title: The High Chaparral
Character: Lafe Croswell
Released: September 10, 1967
Type: TV
The High Chaparral is an American Western-themed television series starring Leif Erickson and Cameron Mitchell which aired on NBC from 1967 to 1971. The series, made by Xanadu Productions in association with NBC Productions, was created by David Dortort, who had previously created the hit Bonanza for the network. The theme song was also written and conducted by Bonanza scorer David Rose, who also scored the two-hour pilot.
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Title: The F.B.I.
Character: Tom Barber
Released: September 19, 1965
Type: TV
The F.B.I. is an American television series that was broadcast on ABC from 1965 to 1974. It was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, and the characters almost always drove Ford vehicles in the series. Alcoa was co-sponsor of Season One only.
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Title: Green Acres
Released: September 15, 1965
Type: TV
Green Acres is an American sitcom starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a rural country farm. Produced by Filmways as a sister show to Petticoat Junction, the series was first broadcast on CBS, from September 15, 1965 to April 27, 1971. Receiving solid ratings during its six-year run, Green Acres was cancelled in 1971 as part of the "rural purge" by CBS. The sitcom has been in syndication and is available in DVD and VHS releases. In 1997, the two-part episode "A Star Named Arnold is Born" was ranked #59 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.
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Devils of Darkness
Title: Devils of Darkness
Character: Paul Baxter
Released: May 1, 1965
Type: Movie
A secret vampire cult, which has its headquarters beneath the town cemetery, searches for victims for its human sacrifice rituals.
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Devil Doll
Title: Devil Doll
Character: Mark English
Released: September 1, 1964
Type: Movie
An evil hyponotist/ventriloquist plots to gain an heiress' millions.
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Ring of Spies
Title: Ring of Spies
Character: Gordon Lonsdale
Released: March 23, 1964
Type: Movie
The film is based on the actual events of the Portland Spy Ring trial in the U.K. A disgruntled Navy Clerk is transferred to a secret research establishment and is subsequently black-mailed/paid by Czech intelligence to procure secrets for them. He seduces the secretary who controls the most secret documents, and they enjoy the fruits of their treachery until the British authorities begin to close in on them.
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Blind Corner
Title: Blind Corner
Character: Paul Gregory
Released: January 1, 1964
Type: Movie
Paul Gregory (William Sylvester) is an accomplished composer despite his blindness, and his beautiful wife Anne (Barbara Shelley) seems to be the perfect supporting wife. But unknown to Paul, she is having a passionate affair with Ricky (Alexander Davion), a struggling artist. Keen to support her artist lover and give them more time to make love, she persuades Paul to commission Ricky to paint her portrait. But Paul senses their affection for each other, and threatens to cut Anne off without a penny. Desperate to keep both her lover and Paul s money, Anne plots the perfect murder and asks Ricky to carry it out...
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Title: The Sentimental Agent
Released: September 28, 1963
Type: TV
The Sentimental Agent is a television drama series spin-off from Man of the World. It was produced in the United Kingdom in 1963 by Associated Television and distributed by ITC Entertainment. It stars Carlos Thompson as Argentinian Carlos Varela, a successful import-export agent based in London. The series ran for 13 one-hour monochrome episodes. Some of the episodes were edited into a 1962 feature film Our Man in the Caribbean.
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Incident at Midnight
Title: Incident at Midnight
Character: Vince Warren
Released: January 1, 1963
Type: Movie
In a late night chemist a shot bank robber has been taken for treatment, and to rendezvous with the gang leader.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Ralph Damien
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Title: The Saint
Character: Foots Fortunati
Released: October 4, 1962
Type: TV
Simon Templar is The Saint, a handsome, sophisticated, debonair, modern-day Robin Hood who recovers ill-gotten wealth and redistributes it to those in need.
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Information Received
Title: Information Received
Character: Rick Hogan
Released: August 1, 1961
Type: Movie
Drama of an underworld double-cross as a man and woman set a death trap from which only one could possibly escape.
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Gorgo
Title: Gorgo
Character: Sam Slade
Released: February 2, 1961
Type: Movie
Greedy sailors capture a giant lizard off the coast of Ireland and sell it to a London circus. Then its mother shows up.
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Offbeat
Title: Offbeat
Character: Layton / Steve Ross
Released: January 1, 1961
Type: Movie
When Scotland Yard finds themselves up against a brick wall in tracking down a vicious gang of thieves and bank robbers, they call in Layton, a loner from MI5 to work his way into the gang and help bring them down.
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Whirlpool
Title: Whirlpool
Character: Hermann
Released: March 1, 1959
Type: Movie
The ex-girlfriend of a German fugitive hides with the captain and crew of a ship on the Rhine.
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The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Title: The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Released: October 10, 1958
Type: Movie
When a US Naval captain shows signs of mental instability that jeopardizes the ship, the first officer relieves him of command and faces court martial for mutiny.
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Dublin Nightmare
Title: Dublin Nightmare
Character: John Kevin
Released: October 1, 1958
Type: Movie
Loot goes missing in robbery double-cross. Gang members, an ex-lover and a handsome stranger are left to sort it out.
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High Tide at Noon
Title: High Tide at Noon
Character: Alec Douglas
Released: April 30, 1957
Type: Movie
After returning home to a rugged island near Nova Scotia, Joanna, daughter of the local bigwig, struggles to choose between three eligible bachelors -- the rebel, the steadfast friend and the poetry-quoting newcomer. As the local lobster supply dwindles due to overfishing, the island's inhabitants encounter economic difficulties.
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Portrait of Alison
Title: Portrait of Alison
Character: Dave Forrester
Released: November 29, 1955
Type: Movie
An actress and an artist are linked by his brother to deadly smugglers sought by Scotland Yard.
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The Unholy Four
Title: The Unholy Four
Character: Philip Vickers
Released: September 24, 1954
Type: Movie
Someone knocked out a man and left him for dead during a fishing trip in Portugal. That someone is either his fetching wife, or two business partners, all sporting guilty faces after his unexpected return. Two more murders and a frame-up befall the quartet before an inspector closes the case.
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What Every Woman Wants
Title: What Every Woman Wants
Character: Jim Barnes
Released: June 10, 1954
Type: Movie
Young couple Mark and Jane are forced to thrash out marital problems in a borrowed room in Jane’s parents’ tiny house. Meanwhile, Jane’s cousin, Jim - back from the war in Korea - and Mark’s involvement in left-wing politics place further strain on the relationship. Can grandfather help?
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Albert R.N.
Title: Albert R.N.
Character: Texas
Released: November 23, 1953
Type: Movie
The British inmates of a POW camp think they have an informer among them after several escape attempts fail. One of the prisoners constructs a dummy which they christen "Albert" and use at roll call in order to foil the German guards.
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House of Blackmail
Title: House of Blackmail
Character: Jimmy
Released: July 13, 1953
Type: Movie
A blackmailer is murdered, and the police find that there is a long list of suspects who wanted to see him dead.
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Appointment in London
Title: Appointment in London
Character: Mac
Released: February 17, 1953
Type: Movie
Wing-commander Tim Mason leads a squadron of Lancaster bombers on almost nightly raids from England. Having flown eighty-seven missions he will shortly be retiring from flying, but the strain is showing. He tries to make sure his men concentrate only on their job and so keeps women away from the base, but then he himself meets naval officer Eve Canyon.
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The Yellow Balloon
Title: The Yellow Balloon
Character: Len Turner
Released: February 10, 1953
Type: Movie
A young boy is blackmailed by a crook who saw him unwittingly cause his friend's death.
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They Were Not Divided
Title: They Were Not Divided
Character: American Soldier (uncredited)
Released: April 24, 1950
Type: Movie
The film begins in a WW II training depot of a British Guards armoured regiment where recruits from many walks of life learn to survive the strict discipline and training together before going into battle in tanks. There is a cameo appearance by the real Sgt. Major Brittain who was famous in the British guards regiments.
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Give Us This Day
Title: Give Us This Day
Character: Giovanni
Released: October 14, 1949
Type: Movie
Exiled from Hollywood due to the blacklist, director Edward Dmytryk briefly operated in England in the late 1940s. Though filmed in its entirety in London, Dmytryk's Give Us This Day is set in New York during the depression. Fellow blacklistee Sam Wanamaker is starred as the head of an Italian immigrant family struggling to survive the economic crisis.