André Morell

Cecil André Mesritz (20 August 1909 – 28 November 1978), known professionally as André Morell, was an English actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s. His best known screen roles were as Professor Bernard Quatermass in the BBC Television serial Quatermass and the Pit (1958–59), and as Doctor Watson in the Hammer Film Productions version of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

He also appeared in David Lean's film classics The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Ben-Hur (1959), in several of Hammer's horror films throughout the 1960s and in the acclaimed ITV historical drama The Caesars (1968). His obituary in The Times newspaper described him as possessing a "commanding presence with a rich, responsive voice ... whether in the classical or modern theatre he was authoritative and dependable."

Biography

Early life and career Morell was born in London in 1909, the son of André and Rosa Mesritz. Prior to taking up acting professionally he trained as a motor engineer, while also participating in amateur theatrical productions.

Towards the end of the 1930s, he began appearing in films, making his debut on the big screen in 13 Men and a Gun (1938). He appeared frequently in several early drama productions on the BBC's fledgling television service, featuring in such roles as Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice (1938) and Le Bret in Cyrano de Bergerac (1938). Of his performance in the title role in Tyrone Guthrie's production of Timon of Athens, the Daily Mail wrote: "From his stage and screen performances we know him already as an eminently dependable actor, but last night he became a spectacular actor."

The same profile quoted Morell's catholic approach to stage assignments: "If a part is a good part and I feel I can enjoy playing it, it doesn't matter whether it's Shakespeare or modern farce … I'd hate to be bogged down in Shakespeare or classic theatre all my life. It's a good thing for an actor to do many different kinds of theatre, because it keeps his imagination stimulated."

However, he now increasingly began to win leading parts on television, and in 1953 was cast by the television director Rudolph Cartier in a play called It Is Midnight, Dr Schweitzer. Cartier was impressed with Morell's performance in this play, and offered him the leading role in a science-fiction serial he was preparing with the writer Nigel Kneale, entitled The Quatermass Experiment. Morell considered the not-yet-completed script, but decided to decline the offer; the part went instead to his co-star from It Is Midnight, Dr Schweitzer, Reginald Tate. This was a successful and controversial production which provoked much comment and debate; Morell's part in it has been praised for his "coolly menacing performance [that] is at least equal to Cushing's." Morell personally found that in later years it was the role for which he was most often remembered by members of the public. and Ben-Hur (1959) as Sextus.

With Cushing as Sherlock Holmes, he played Arthur Conan Doyle's character Doctor John H. Watson, in Hammer Film Productions' version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (also 1959). Morell was particularly keen that his portrayal of Watson should be closer to that originally depicted in Conan Doyle's stories, and away from the bumbling stereotype established by Nigel Bruce's interpretation of the role. An earlier Hammer film in which Morell appeared was The Camp on Blood Island (1957).

In 1960, Morell appeared as Judge Brack in a production of Henrik Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler at the Oxford Playhouse.

Later career Morell continued to appear in Hammer's horror films in the ensuing decade. He had parts in the Shadow of the Cat (1960), She (1964, again with Peter Cushing) and its sequel The Vengeance of She (1967), the lead in The Plague of the Zombies (1965), and The Mummy's Shroud (1966).

Morell continued to act successfully on television throughout the decade, with guest roles in episodes of series such as The Avengers (1963 and 1965), Danger Man (1965), Doctor Who (The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve 1966), The Saint (1965) The union also suffered from financial problems, and Morell continued to warn against destructive divisions amongst the members when he stepped down as president.

Despite his involvement in union business he continued to be a busy working actor. He appeared in Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975) as a nobleman friend of the title character. His last television work was an episode of the ITV series The Professionals in 1978, the year of his death. The animated film version of The Lord of the Rings, in which he voiced the character of Elrond, was released the same year, but his final film work was not seen until the year after his death. This was as the judge in The First Great Train Robbery.

Death Morell, who smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day until he gave up in 1976, died from lung cancer in London on 28 November 1978, at the age of 69.

Filmography

13 Men and a Gun (1938) - Kroty Many Tanks Mr. Atkins (1938) - Hart Ten Days in Paris (1940) - Victor Three Silent Men (1940) - Charles Klein Unpublished Story (1942) - Marchand Against the Wind (1948) - Abbot (uncredited) That Dangerous Age (1949) - Doctor McCatcheon No Place for Jennifer (1950) - William's Counsel Madeleine (1950) - Dean of Falcuty Stage Fright (1950) - Inspector Byard So Long at the Fair (1950) - Doctor Hart Trio (1950) - Dr. Lennox (in segment Sanatorium) Seven Days to Noon (1950) - Superintendent Folland The Clouded Yellow (1950) - Secret Service Chief Chubb Flesh & Blood (1951) - Dr. Marshall High Treason (1951) - Supt. Folland The Tall Headlines (1952) - George Rackham Stolen Face (1952) - David His Majesty O'Keefe (1954) - Alfred Tetins The Golden Link (1954) - Supt. Blake The Black Knight (1954) - Sir Ontzlake Three Cases of Murder (1955) - Dr. Audlin ("Lord Mountdrago" segment) Summertime (1955) - Englishman (uncredited) The Secret (1955) - Chief Inspector Blake They Can't Hang Me (1955) - Robert Isaac Pitt The Man Who Never Was (1956) - Sir Bernard Spilsbury The Black Tent (1956) - Sheik Salem ben Yussef The Baby and the Battleship (1956) - Marshal Zarak (1956) - Maj. Atherton Interpol (1957) - Commissioner Breckner The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - Colonel Green Diamond Safari (1958) - Williamson Paris Holiday (1958) - American Ambassador The Camp on Blood Island (1958) - Col. Lambert The Giant Behemoth (1959) - Prof. James Bickford The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) - Doctor Watson Ben-Hur (1959) - Sextus Cone of Silence (1960) - Capt. Edward Manningham Shadow of the Cat (1961) - Walter Venable Cash on Demand (1961) - Colonel Gore Hepburn The Human Jungle Woman of Straw (1964) - Judge (uncredited) The Moon-Spinners (1964) - Yacht Captain She (1965) - Haumeid The Plague of the Zombies (1966) - Sir James Forbes Judith (1966) - Haim The Wrong Box (1966) - Club Butler (uncredited) The Mummy's Shroud (1967) - Sir Basil Walden Dark of the Sun (1968) - Bussier The Vengeance of She (1968) - Kassim Julius Caesar (1970) - Cicero 10 Rillington Place (1971) - Old Bailey: Judge Lewis Pope Joan (1972) - Emperor Louis Barry Lyndon (1975) - Lord Gustavus Adolphus Wendover The Slipper and the Rose (1976) - Bride's Father The Message (1976) - Abu-Talib The Lord of the Rings (1978) - Lord Elrond (voice) The First Great Train Robbery (1979) - Judge (final film role)

Footnotes