Noel Purcell

Career

Purcell began his show business career at the age of 12 in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre. Later, he toured Ireland in a vaudeville act with Jimmy O'Dea.

Stage-trained in the classics in Dublin, Purcell moved into films in 1934. He appeared in Captain Boycott (1947) and as the elderly sailor whose death marooned the lovers-to-be in the first sound film version of The Blue Lagoon (1949). He played a member of Captain Ahab's crew in Moby Dick (1956), Dan O'Flaherty in episode one, The Majesty of the Law, of The Rising of the Moon (1957), a gamekeeper in The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), and a barman in The Mackintosh Man (1973); the last two films were directed by John Huston.

In 1955, he was an off-and-on regular on the British filmed TV series The Buccaneers (released to American TV in 1956). He narrated a Hibernian documentary, Seven Wonders of Ireland (1959). In 1962, he portrayed the lusty William McCoy in Lewis Milestone's Mutiny on the Bounty. He played a taciturn Irish in-law to Lebanese American entertainer Danny Thomas's character Danny Williams in a 1963 episode of The Danny Thomas Show. In 1971, he played the caring rabbi in the children's musical drama Flight of the Doves.

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1958 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.

Purcell also gained some recognition as a singer. Shortly after World War II, songwriter Leo Maguire composed "The Dublin Saunter" for him. He performed the song live for many years and later recorded it for the Glenside label. However, the recording was not a hit. As Purcell recalled many years later, "I don't think one person in the world bought it." However, over time it became one of the most favourite songs about Dublin, receiving countless air plays on radio programmes. In his later years, Purcell was asked by RTÉ journalist Colm Connolly whether he had received many royalties down the years. Purcell replied: "Not a penny. I recorded it as a favour for a pal, Leo Maguire, who'd written it. No contract or anything, so I never got a fee or any payments."

In 1981 he recorded a spoken word version of Pete St. John's "Dublin in the Rare Old Times".

In June 1984, Purcell was given the Freedom of the City of Dublin. Nine months later, he died in his native city at the age of 84.

Personal life On 7 July 1941, Purcell married former child actress Eileen Marmion. They had four sons.

Selected filmography

Jimmy Boy (1935) Knight Without Armour (1937) as First Train Driver Trying to Clear Track (uncredited) Blarney (1938) as Sergeant Hogan Odd Man Out (1947) as Tram Conductor (uncredited) Captain Boycott (1947) as Daniel McGinty The Blue Lagoon (1949) as Paddy Button Saints and Sinners (1949) as Flaherty Talk of a Million (1951) as Matty McGrath No Resting Place (1951) as Garda Mannigan Appointment with Venus (1951) as Trawler Langley Encore (1951) as Tom, Captain (Segment "Winter Cruise") Father's Doing Fine (1952) as Shaughneesy The Crimson Pirate (1952) as Pablo Murphy The Pickwick Papers (1952) as Roker Decameron Nights (1953) as Father Francisco Grand National Night (1953) as Philip Balfour Doctor in the House (1954) as The Padre (uncredited) The Seekers (1954) as Paddy Clarke Mad About Men (1954) as Percy Svengali (1954) as Patrick O'Ferrall Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents (1955) as Willie Hosmer Doctor at Sea (1955) as Corbie Jacqueline (1956) as Mr. Owen Moby Dick (1956) as Ship's Carpenter Lust for Life (1956) as Anton Mauve The Buccaneers (1 episode, 1956) as Pat The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1 episode, 1956) as Liam Doctor at Large (1957) as The Padre – Bartender The Rising of the Moon (1957) as Dan O'Flaherty (1st Episode) Merry Andrew (1958) as Matthew Larabee Rooney (1958) as Tim Hennesy The Key (1958) as Hotel Porter Rockets Galore! (1958) as Father James Shake Hands with the Devil (1959) as Liam O'Sullivan Ferry to Hong Kong (1959) as Joe Skinner, Chief Engineer Tommy the Toreador (1959) as Captain Make Mine Mink (1960) as Burglar Watch Your Stern (1960) as Adm. Sir Humphrey Pettigrew The Millionairess (1960) as Prof. Merton Man in the Moon (1960) as Prospector The Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960) as Capt. Pritchard (uncredited) No Kidding (1961) as Tandy Double Bunk (1961) as O'Malley Johnny Nobody (1961) as Brother Timothy Three Spare Wives (1962) as Sir Hubert The Iron Maiden (1962) as Admiral Sir Digby Trevelyan Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) as Seaman William McCoy Make Room for Daddy (1962) as Francis Daly Nurse on Wheels (1963) as Abel Worthy The Running Man (1963) as Miles Bleeker The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) as Countryman (uncredited) The DuPont Show of the Week (1 episode, 1963) as Meager The Ceremony (1963) as Finigan Lord Jim (1965) as Captain Chester in the courtroom of the "Patna" trial The Avengers (1 episode, 1965) as Jonah Barnard Doctor in Clover (1966) as O'Malley The Saint (2 episodes, 1964–1966) as Brendan Cullin / Mike Kelly Drop Dead Darling (1966) as Capt. Daniel O'Flannery Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1 episode, 1967) as Alexander Craig The Violent Enemy (1967) as John Michael Leary I Spy (1 episode, 1967) as Fletcher Sinful Davey (1969) as Jock Where's Jack? (1969) as Leatherchest Dixon of Dock Green (1 episode, 1969) as Thomas The McKenzie Break (1970) as Ferry Captain (uncredited) Flight of the Doves (1971) as Rabbi The Onedin Line (1 episode, 1972) as Hennessy The Mackintosh Man (1973) as O'Donovan The Irish R.M. (1 episode, 1984) as O'Reilly (final appearance)