Alastair Sim
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Alastair Sim (October 9, 1900 – August 19, 1976) was a Scottish character actor, whose comic appearance ensured him success in a string of classic British films.
He was born in Edinburgh into a family of tailors. He was an elocution lecturer at New College, Edinburgh University from 1925 until 1930, and would later be rector from 1948 until 1951. He married Naomi in 1932 and they remained together until his death in 1976. Alastair was always ambiguous about fame and never signed autographs.
Preferring the stage, he made his London début in Othello in 1930. He also appeared for a season at the Old Vic. He made his film debut in The Case of Gabriel Perry (1935). He spent the remainder of the decade playing supporting roles in films, and was often credited as "stealing the scene" from the leading actors. By the 1940s he had progressed to leading roles, and in 1950 he was voted the most popular film actor in Britain in a national cinema poll.
His films include Green for Danger (1946), Waterloo Road (1947), Alfred Hitchcock's Stage Fright (1950), Folly to be Wise (1953), The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) and An Inspector Calls (also 1954) but arguably his most widely admired role was as the title character in Scrooge (1951). He played the headmistress Miss Fitton (and her brother Clarence) in the St. Trinian's series. His most frequently played role was as Captain Hook in six different productions of Peter Pan between 1941 and 1968.
Alastair's performance as Mr. Squales in London Belongs to Me (1948) so impressed Alec Guinness that he based his performance in The Ladykillers (1955) on it. So much so that Alastair is often thought to have done it.
Sim was made CBE. Prior to his death, he played the judge in the popular television series Misleading Cases by A. P. Herbert. He died in London, England from cancer.
References
- Naomi Sim, Dance and Skylark: Fifty years with Alastair Sim, London: Bloomsbury, 1987.
External link
- IMDb entry for Alastair Sim (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0799237/)de:Alastair Sim