John Van Eyssen

Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen (born 19 March 1922 – 13 November 1995) was a South African actor, literary agent, and film production executive who spent most of his professional life in the United Kingdom. He served as the head of the Grade Organisation’s literary agency, and was later the UK Managing Director for Columbia Pictures.

Early life and education Van Eyssen was born in the town of Fauresmith, Free State in 1922. He served in the South African Army during the Second World War. He moved to the UK after his discharge to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Acting career Eyman was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company during its 1948 season. He played Rosencrantz in Hamlet, opposite Paul Scofield as the title character. In 1951, he played Cassio in Orson Welles' 1951 production of Othello.

In 1951 and in 1954 he played the role of Lucifer in the York Cycle of Mystery Plays, first revived in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain. In 1956 he also starred alongside Denise Hurst, Faith Brook, Jill Balcon, William Mervyn, Peter Sallis, Pauline Winter and Peter Augustine in the BBC television film Kitty Clive.

Van Eyssen appeared in films from 1950 as well as on stage, but achieved his greatest fame as an actor when he portrayed Jonathan Harker in the Hammer Film Productions version of Dracula (released as Horror of Dracula in the US) in 1958.

Agent and executive He left acting in 1961 to become head of the Grade Organisation literary agency. His subsequent clients were Franco Zeffirelli, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. In 1970, he was promoted to Worldwide Head of Production (ex-USA) and moved to New York.

After his tenure at Columbia, Van Eyssen became an independent producer, returning to the UK in 1991 to establish Britain's premier showcase for talented young filmmakers, the Chelsea Film Festival.

Personal life Van Eyssen was longtime companion of Ingrid Bergman in the years before her death in 1982. His son, David Van Eyssen, is a visual artist, and a producer-director known for the science fiction streaming series RCVR.

Death Aged 73, Van Eyssen died in Fulham, London on 13 November 1995.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1950 The Angel with the Trumpet Albert Drauffer 1951 Murder in the Cathedral Priest 1953 Four Sided Triangle Robin Three Steps in the Dark Henry Burgoyne 1954 The Men of Sherwood Forest Will Scarlett 1955 The Cockleshell Heroes Marine Bradley 1956 Kitty Clive Robert Wilks Television film1957 Brothers in Law Forbes Uncredited The Traitor LT. Grant Quatermass 2 The P.R.O. Account Rendered Clive Franklyn The One That Got Away German Prisoner 1958 The Whole Truth Archer Dracula Jonathan Harker Moment of Indiscretion Corby 1959 Carlton-Browne of the F.O. Hewitt Carry On Nurse Surgeon Stephens I'm All Right Jack Reporter Blind Date Inspector Westover 1960 Make Mine Mink Rowson Uncredited The Criminal Formby 1961 Exodus Detective Uncredited A Story of David Joab 1963 Like Two Drops of Water Uncredited

Television

Partial stage credits