Reginald Purdell

Reginald Purdell

Born: November 3, 1895
Died: April 22, 1953
in Clapham, London, England, UK
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reginald Purdell (4 November 1895 – 22 April 1953) was an English actor and screenwriter who appeared in over 40 films between 1930 and 1951. During the same period he also contributed to the screenplays of 15 feature films, and had a brief foray into directing with two films in 1937.

Purdell was born in Clapham, London. As a young man he served in the British Army with the South Wales Borderers regiment for the duration of the First World War. On returning to civilian life after the war, he decided to try his luck as an actor and gained experience on the stage through the 1920s. His move into films in 1930 coincided with the advent of the talkie era in British cinema.

Purdell's first screen appearance was in the 1930 comedy The Middle Watch, in a role he would later reprise in a 1940 remake. He next travelled to Germany to feature in historical drama Congress Dances, an ambitious and lavishly budgeted project by the UFA film company, involving the simultaneous filming of three versions of the same story in German, English and French in an attempt to prove that a European company could challenge the dominance of American studios in the new era of sound by delivering a continent-wide hit.

Purdell soon began to accumulate screen credits in a wide variety of films ranging from cheaply made quota quickies to more sophisticated productions. He showed a knack for playing comedy, and his 1930s films fell mainly into this genre, with occasional ventures into straight drama and thrillers. Purdell's screenwriting career began in 1932 and he was most productive in this field during the late 1930s, with only occasional ventures later in his career. He tried his hand at film directing in 1937 with two comedies Don't Get Me Wrong, a Max Miller vehicle co-directed with Arthur B. Woods, and Patricia Gets Her Man. Both films were reasonably well-received, but Purdell appears to have decided that directing was not for him, as there would be no more ventures in this area.

In the 1940s Purdell's acting career diversified, with fewer throwaway comedies and more appearances in high-quality dramatic vehicles. His credits included war dramas We Dive at Dawn and Two Thousand Women, Gainsborough melodrama Love Story, notorious box-office flop musical London Town and the classic Brighton Rock. Purdell's last screen appearance was in 1951 and he died on 22 April 1953, aged 57.

Movies for Reginald Purdell...

Stage Fright
Title: Stage Fright
Character: Police Car Driver (uncredited)
Released: February 23, 1950
Type: Movie
A struggling actress tries to help a friend prove his innocence when he's accused of murdering the husband of a high-society entertainer.
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Brighton Rock
Title: Brighton Rock
Character: Frank
Released: January 9, 1948
Type: Movie
Centring on the activities of a gang of assorted criminals and, in particular, their leader – a vicious young hoodlum known as "Pinkie" – the film's main thematic concern is the criminal underbelly evident in inter-war Brighton.
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A Man About the House
Title: A Man About the House
Character: Higgs
Released: October 3, 1947
Type: Movie
Handsome Italian laborer Kieron Moore works as caretaker of the Neopolitan villa inherited by plain-Jane Englishwomen Margaret Johnston and Dulcie Gray. Johnston is swept off her feet by the raffishly charming Moore, and before long they are wed.
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Captain Boycott
Title: Captain Boycott
Character: American reporter
Released: August 26, 1947
Type: Movie
Based on real events, this historical drama is set in 19th-century Ireland, when poverty-stricken tenants dispossessed by greedy landowner Capt. Boycott (Cecil Parker) band together to assert their rights. Patriotic farmer Hugh Davin (Stewart Granger) leads the rebels. Choosing nonviolent resistance, the villagers ostracize their nemesis, who squanders his fortune to repair his ruined reputation and wagers what's left on a horse race.
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Holiday Camp
Title: Holiday Camp
Character: Redcoat
Released: August 5, 1947
Type: Movie
The Huggett family go to a holiday camp, and get involved in crooked card players, a murderer on the run, and a pregnant young girl and her boyfriend missing from home.
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The Root of All Evil
Title: The Root of All Evil
Character: Perkins
Released: February 5, 1947
Type: Movie
Jeckie Farnish is a level-headed young woman, unlike her spoiled younger sister, Rushie. When the sisters become involved with charming businessman Charles Mortimer, the resulting tragedy leads to a lust for revenge on Rushie's part. However, Jeckie knows that she can always turn to reliable Joe Bartle in times of need.
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Love Story
Title: Love Story
Character: Albert
Released: November 20, 1944
Type: Movie
After discovering that she has only a short time left to live, concert pianist Lissa travels to Cornwall for the final fling of her life. While there, she falls in love with young mineral prospector Kit, a man whose dark secret prevents him from fighting in the War. Unbeknownst to Lissa, however, Kit's affections are also much in demand from a rival of hers.
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Two Thousand Women
Title: Two Thousand Women
Character: Alec Harvey
Released: November 6, 1944
Type: Movie
During the Second World War, three downed English airmen hide out with women's internment camp in France.
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Bell-Bottom George
Title: Bell-Bottom George
Character: Birdie Edwards
Released: February 7, 1944
Type: Movie
George is an unwilling civilian during the war. When an enlisted friend switches clothes with him in order to go to a party, George finds himself mistakenly pressed into the navy, where he gets involved with pretty Ann Firth and caught up in a subplot involving German spies.
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It's in the Bag
Title: It's in the Bag
Character: Joe
Released: February 7, 1944
Type: Movie
Gert and Daisy attempt to retrieve an old dress containing £2,000. They have to impersonate two thespians, and bring all sorts of trouble to a stage-play.
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Candles at Nine
Title: Candles at Nine
Character: Charles Lacey
Released: January 1, 1944
Type: Movie
A rich but miserly old man taunts his relatives about who will get his money when he dies, and is soon mysteriously murdered. It turns out that he has left his estate to a beautiful young actress whom the other relatives didn't know was related to him. Several attempts on her life are thwarted by a detective, who sets out to discover who's behind the scheme to kill her.
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Variety Jubilee
Title: Variety Jubilee
Character: Joe Swan
Released: June 14, 1943
Type: Movie
This domestic melodrama chronicles three generations of a family of music-hall owners. In the early 1900s, two variety stars, Kit Burns and Joe Swann, are staunch friends even when Kit marries Joe's dancing partner Evelyn. Joe fights in the Boer War where a bullet puts an end to his dancing days. He goes to work on the staff at Burns' Music Hall where Kit Jr. soon finds a place in his affections. Kit and Joe purchase the music hall and soon become a success.
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We Dive at Dawn
Title: We Dive at Dawn
Character: Coxwain - C / P.O. Dabbs
Released: April 15, 1943
Type: Movie
A gripping tale of WWII naval warfare in the Baltics, starring John Mills as Lt. Freddie Taylor, a British submarine Captain. The crew of the Sea Tiger are summoned from leave on shore with their families, and sent on a secret mission to intercept the Nazi battleship Brandenburg. In the ensuing battle the British submarine is damaged by a German destroyer. The submarine is leaking fuel so badly that the crew won't be able to make it back to Britain before running out somewhere along the Danish coast. When it seems that their only option may be to blow up the submarine and try to escape to Denmark, seaman James Hobson hatches a plan...
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Busman's Honeymoon
Title: Busman's Honeymoon
Character: MacBride
Released: July 22, 1940
Type: Movie
When Lord Peter Wimsey marries Harriet Vane, a crime author, they both promise to give up crime for good. As a wedding present, Peter purchases the old house where Harriet grew up, but when they try to move in the previous owner is nowhere to be found, until they start to clean the house and find his body in the cellar...
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The Middle Watch
Title: The Middle Watch
Character: Cpl Duckett
Released: May 11, 1940
Type: Movie
Through a series of unforeseen events, two glamorous young ladies find that they are obliged to spend the night on board the battleship HMS Falcon, where they have been attending a 'bon voyage' reception. At first it seems that Captain Randall will be able to keep them concealed, but then the Admiral unexpectedly arrives on board and orders the ship to sea.
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The Missing People
Title: The Missing People
Character: Harry Morgan
Released: May 1, 1939
Type: Movie
27 well-to-do people have all vanished under similar circumstances. J.G. Reeder, an elderly gentleman who fancies himself a detective, decides to investigate the matter.
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Q Planes
Title: Q Planes
Character: Pilot
Released: February 21, 1939
Type: Movie
In England, an eccentric police inspector, an earnest test pilot and a spunky female reporter team up to solve the mystery of a series of test aircraft which have disappeared without a trace while over the ocean on their maiden flights; unaware, as they are, that a spy ring has been shooting the planes down with a ray machine hidden aboard a salvage vessel which is on hand to haul the downed aircraft aboard, crews and all.
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Debt of Honour
Title: Debt of Honour
Character: Pedro Salvas
Released: November 2, 1936
Type: Movie
A Colonel's daughter steals from the regimental mess funds to pay off her gambling debts. One of the officers, who is love with her, takes the blame, and is sent to Africa.
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Crown v. Stevens
Title: Crown v. Stevens
Character: Alf
Released: August 3, 1936
Type: Movie
When an ex-dancer marries a man for his money she is suprised find he is a real skinflint. She owes a lot of money to a loan-shark who is after her. However, her husband does carry a lot of insurance
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Where's Sally?
Title: Where's Sally?
Character: Dick Burgess
Released: May 1, 1936
Type: Movie
'Honeymoon wife learns of husband's past and runs away.' (British Film Catalogue)
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Get Off My Foot
Title: Get Off My Foot
Character: Joe
Released: November 12, 1935
Type: Movie
A Smithfield porter becomes a butler, and later finds himself heir to a fortune.
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The Old Curiosity Shop
Title: The Old Curiosity Shop
Character: Dick Swiveller
Released: December 14, 1934
Type: Movie
An elderly shop-keeper and his grand-daughter are threatened by the rich, mean-spirited dwarf Quilp, and decide to flee across England to escape him. They are pursued both by Quilp and by the shop-keeper's long-lost brother, who wants to find them for a different reason.
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The Luck of a Sailor
Title: The Luck of a Sailor
Character: Jenkins
Released: April 26, 1934
Type: Movie
In this romantic comedy, the king of Ruritania marries an impoverished commoner after he is exiled. Trouble shows up when the king must return to his country and marry an heiress. Fortunately, his first bride has fallen for an army officer and is happy to have her royal marriage annulled.
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The Queen's Affair
Title: The Queen's Affair
Character: Guard
Released: March 1, 1934
Type: Movie
'Ruritania. Incognito president falls in love with incognito queen he deposed.' (British Film Catalogue)
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Crime on the Hill
Title: Crime on the Hill
Character: Reporter
Released: December 27, 1933
Type: Movie
In this murder mystery, Vicar Casson looks into the poisoning of a wealthy man. He soon finds that the man they convicted, the fiance of the rich man's niece, was innocent.
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Up to the Neck
Title: Up to the Neck
Character: Jimmy Catlin
Released: August 18, 1933
Type: Movie
'Comedy concerning a bank clerk who uses his inheritance to fund a serious drams which, ironically, succeeds as a burlesque.' (BFI)
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My Lucky Star
Title: My Lucky Star
Character: Portrait Painter
Released: June 27, 1933
Type: Movie
'Shopgirl posing as film star loves porter posing as artist.' (British Film Catalogue)
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A Night Like This
Title: A Night Like This
Character: Waiter(uncredited)
Released: March 16, 1932
Type: Movie
Going under cover, P.C. Mahoney passes for a gentleman to get into the notorious Moonstone Club. There he meets Clifford Tope, a ne'er do well who is love with cabaret star Cora Mellish. She in turn has run up steep gambling debts and has paid off the Club's blackmailing owner with a stolen necklace. As things heat up Cora seeks help from the easy-going Tope.
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Congress Dances
Title: Congress Dances
Character: Pepi
Released: December 3, 1931
Type: Movie
In 1815, Tsar Alexander I romances a working-class glove seller, while his double takes his place at the Vienna Congress. English-language version of Der Kongreß tanzt.
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A Night in Montmartre
Title: A Night in Montmartre
Character: Tino
Released: July 16, 1931
Type: Movie
A young couple live under a café in Paris that, unknown to them, is owned by a brutal blackmailer. When he is murdered, they fall under suspicion. However, the husband's father, an amateur detective, believes in their innocence and sets out to find who really killed the blackmailer.
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The Middle Watch
Title: The Middle Watch
Character: Corporal Duckett
Released: October 27, 1930
Type: Movie
'Captain tries to hide accidental female passengers from admiral.' (British Film Catalogue)