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Basil Dignam

1905 – 1979

English actor

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About Basil Dignam

Lived 1905 – 1979 (aged 73). Basil Dignam was a British film actor and television actor.

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. 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

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Important facts

Family & relationships

Spouse
Mona Washbourne

People in Basil Dignam's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Basil Dignam's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Basil Dignam?

English actor (1905–1979)

When was Basil Dignam born?

Basil Dignam was born on 24 October 1905 in Sheffield.

When did Basil Dignam die?

Basil Dignam died on 31 January 1979 in Westminster.

What was Basil Dignam's occupation?

Basil Dignam was a film actor and television actor.

What nationality was Basil Dignam?

Basil Dignam was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Basil Dignam

· Wikidata: Q474518

· DBpedia: Basil Dignam

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Basil Dignam. https://biography.guide/basil-dignam/

MLA: "Basil Dignam." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/basil-dignam/.

Chicago: "Basil Dignam." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/basil-dignam/.

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