Ralph Truman

Ralph du Vergier Truman (7 May 1900 – 15 October 1977) was an English actor, usually cast as either a villain or an authority figure. He possessed a distinguished speaking voice. He was born in London, England.

Truman originally studied at the Royal College of Music and was a regular performer on the radio from 1925, appearing in an estimated 5,000 broadcasts.

His best-remembered film roles include Tigellinus in MGM's Quo Vadis (1951), the French herald Mountjoy in Laurence Olivier's film Henry V (1944), the evil Monks in David Lean's Oliver Twist (1948), George Merry in the Walt Disney version of Treasure Island (1950), and the Police Inspector in Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956).

He died 15 October 1977 in Ipswich, Suffolk aged 77.

Selected filmography

City of Song (1931) (uncredited) The Bells (1931) as Blacksmith The Shadow (1933) as Elliot The Perfect Flaw (1934) as Richard Drexel Lieut. Daring R.N. (1935) as Mung D'Ye Ken John Peel? (1935) as 1st Ruffian Footman The Lad (1935) as O'Shea (uncredited) Three Witnesses (1935) as Bellman That's My Uncle (1935) as Monty The Case of Gabriel Perry (1935) as Inspector White The Silent Passenger (1935) as Saunders Jubilee Window (1935) as Dan Stevens Father O'Flynn (1935) as Fawcett Late Extra (1935) as Minor Role (uncredited) Captain Bill (1936) as Red Mr. Cohen Takes a Walk (1936) as Sam Cohen The Crimson Circle (1936) as Lawrence Fuller The Marriage of Corbal (1936) as Charles The Gay Adventure (1936) as Buck East Meets West (1936) as Abdul Fire Over England (1937) as Spanish Inquisition Representative (uncredited) Secret Lives (1937) as Prison Guard (uncredited) The Lilac Domino (1937) as Doorman (uncredited) Under the Red Robe (1937) as Captain at Castle Silver Blaze (1937) as Bert Prince Change for a Sovereign (1937) as Archduke Paul Dinner at the Ritz (1937) as Auctioneer It's a Grand Old World (1937) as Banks South Riding (1938) as Nursing Home Doctor (uncredited) The Drum (1938) as Dinner Guest (uncredited) The Challenge (1938) as Giordano Many Tanks Mr. Atkins (1938) as Zanner Life of St. Paul (1938) as Orderly The Outsider (1939) as Sir Nathan Israel Black Eyes (1939) as Diner The Saint in London (1939) as Kussella Just like a Woman (1939) as Maharajah The Seventh Survivor (1942) as Captain Sabotage at Sea (1942) as Horace Chandler The Butler's Dilemma (1943) as Bishop Henry V (1944) as Mountjoy, The French Herald Lisbon Story (1946) as Police Commissionaire Beware of Pity (1946) as Maj. Sandor Balinkay The Laughing Lady (1946) as Lord Mandeville Woman to Woman (1947) as Colonel Dusty Bates (1947) as Merryvale Mrs. Fitzherbert (1947) as Richard Brinsley Sheridan Oliver Twist (1948) as Monks Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill (1948) as Comber Eureka Stockade (1949) as Gov. Hotham Christopher Columbus (1949) as Captain The Interrupted Journey (1949) as Inspector Waterson The Reluctant Widow (1950) as Scowler Treasure Island (1950) as George Merry Quo Vadis (1951) as Tigellinus The Golden Coach (1952) as Duc de Castro Malta Story (1953) as Vice Adm Willie Banks The Master of Ballantrae (1953) as Maj. Clarendon Knights of the Round Table (1953) as King Marr (uncredited) Beau Brummell (1954) as Sir Ralph Sidley The Night My Number Came Up (1955) as Wainwright The Ship That Died of Shame (1955) as Sir Richard Tons of Trouble (1956) as Inspector Bridger The Black Tent (1956) as Maj. Croft The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) as Inspector Buchanan Wicked as They Come (1956) as John Dowling The Long Arm (1956) as Colonel Blenkinsop The Silken Affair (1956) as Minor Role (uncredited) The Good Companions (1957) as Memsford Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) as Vice-Admiral The Spaniard's Curse (1958) as Sir Robert Wyvern Beyond This Place (1959) as Sir Matthew Sprott Ben-Hur (1959) as Aide to Tiberius (uncredited) Under Ten Flags (1960) as Admiral Benson Exodus (1960) as Colonel El Cid (1961) as King Ferdinand Nicholas and Alexandra (1971) as Rodzianko Lady Caroline Lamb (1972) as Admiral