David Farrar

David Farrar (21 August 1908 – 31 August 1995) was an English stage and film actor.

His film roles include the male leads in the Powell and Pressburger films Black Narcissus (1947), The Small Back Room (1949) and Gone to Earth (1950). According to one obituary, "He was particularly adept at conveying the weaknesses and human qualities in figures of authority and intelligence ... and he could be considered an early exponent of 'anti-hero' roles." In 1949, exhibitors voted him the ninth-most popular British star.

Director Michael Powell once spoke of his handsome appearance and distinctive "violet eyes", and his exceptional timing in films. Powell also stated that had Farrar been more interested in cinema and cared more about his career, he could have been a much more high-profile actor, as successful as any.

Career Farrar was born in Forest Gate, Essex (now in the London Borough of Newham). He joined the Morning Advertiser on leaving school at 14 and worked as a journalist for a number of years. He became an assistant editor at 17 and earned a BA through night school when 19 whilst becoming increasingly interested in amateur theatricals. He ran a repertory company with his wife for 18 months until 1937, then went on tour again.

His first film role was in the Jessie Matthews musical Head Over Heels (1937). He also had small roles in Return of a Stranger (1937), Silver Top (1938), and A Royal Divorce (1938). He played agent Granite Grant in Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938) and had a small role in Q Planes (1939).

Farrar returned to the stage and performed in a production of the Wandering Jew for seven months. However, after a bomb damaged the theatre he decided to try films again.

Stardom Farrar was transformed into a star when he was cast as the British agent Mr. Dean in Black Narcissus (1947) who arouses the passions of the nuns played by Deborah Kerr and Kathleen Byron. Made by the team of Powell and Pressburger, the movie was popular and has since come to be regarded as one of the finest films in British cinema.

Farrar followed it up by playing the officer who brings home a German wife (Mai Zetterling) in Frieda (1947), directed by Basil Dearden; it was the ninth biggest film in Britain of the year.

Farrar played a charismatic school teacher in Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill (1948) and was then reunited with Powell and Pressburger for The Small Back Room (1949) in which he played an alcoholic bomb disposal expert. According to his obituary, "Farrar was given a true star's entrance in the film, the camera tracking along a bar of customers until coming to rest upon the actor's back. His character's name is called and he turns to face the camera in full close-up." and then was back to supporting parts in I Accuse! (1958), The Son of Robin Hood (1958), Watusi (1959), John Paul Jones (1959), and Solomon and Sheba (1959).

Final films He returned to Britain for Beat Girl (1960), and The Webster Boy (1962), but following his role as Xerxes in The 300 Spartans (1962) he retired from the screen. Farrar later admitted, "I'd always been the upstanding young man and I was afraid of the parts that were being hinted at for uncles or for the girl's father instead of her lover! I just felt 'the hell with it all' and walked out into the sunset."

Irene died in 1976. Farrar died on 31 August 1995 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 10 days after his 87th birthday.

Filmography

Return of a Stranger (1937) – Dr. Young (uncredited) Silver Top (1938) – Babe A Royal Divorce (1938) – Louis Bonaparte Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror (1938) – Granite Grant Q Planes (1939) – Viking Bo'sun (uncredited) Danny Boy (1941) – Harold Martin Sheepdog of the Hills (1941) – Reverend Michael Varney Penn of Pennsylvania (1941) – (uncredited) Suspected Person (1942) – Inspector Thompson Went the Day Well? (1942) – Lieut. Jung The Dark Tower (1943) – Tom Danton They Met in the Dark (1943) – Commander Lippinscott Headline (1943) – 'Brookie ' Brooks The Night Invader (1943) – Dick Marlow For Those in Peril (1944) – Flt.Lt. Murray The Hundred Pound Window (1944) – George Graham The World Owes Me a Living (1945) – Paul Collyer Meet Sexton Blake! (1945) – Sexton Blake The Echo Murders (1945) – Sexton Blake Lisbon Story (1946) – David Warren The Trojan Brothers (1946) – Sid Nichols Black Narcissus (1947) – Mr. Dean Frieda (1947) – Robert Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill (1948) – David Traill The Small Back Room (1949) – Sammy Rice Diamond City (1949) – Stafford Parker Cage of Gold (1950) – Bill Gone to Earth (1950) ( 'The Wild Heart') – Jack Reddin The Late Edwina Black (1951) – Gregory Black Night Without Stars (1951) – Giles Gordon The Golden Horde (1951) – Sir Guy of Devon I Vinti (1953) Duel in the Jungle (1954) – Perry Henderson / Arthur Henderson The Black Shield of Falworth (1954) – Gilbert Blunt, Earl of Alban Lilacs in the Spring (1954) – Charles King / King Charles II Escape to Burma (1955) – Cardigan The Sea Chase (1955) – Commander Jeff Napier Pearl of the South Pacific (1955) – Bully Hague Lost (1956) – Det. Insp. Craig The Battle of the River Plate (1956) – Narrator I Accuse! (1958) – Mathieu Dreyfus The Son of Robin Hood (1958) – Des Roches Watusi (1959) – Rick Cobb John Paul Jones (1959) – John Wilkes Solomon and Sheba (1959) – Pharaoh Beat Girl (1960) – Paul Linden The Webster Boy (1962) – Paul Webster The 300 Spartans (1962) – Xerxes (final film role)