Edmund Purdom

Biography

Edmund Purdom was an English actor who also directed and dubbed voices. Born in Welwyn Garden City, he began acting in 1946 with the Northampton Repertory Company and later spent two seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, where Laurence Olivier offered him a tour in the United States. Small Broadway parts with the Olivier and Vivien Leigh company led to Hollywood, and MGM signed him after minor work that included the role of Strato in Julius Caesar. He took over from Mario Lanza in The Student Prince (1954), lip-synching to Lanza's singing, and from Marlon Brando in The Egyptian (1954), his two best known films. He settled in Italy, appearing in The Cossacks (1960) and Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile (1961) and becoming a regular in European genre cinema. He directed the horror film Don't Open till Christmas (1984), and his last credit came with The Knights of the Quest (2001).

82years old at death

Born December 19, 1926Welwyn Garden City
Died January 1, 2009Rome
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Also credited as Edmund Anthony Cutlar Purdom

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 46 years1954 to 2000

Genres

Drama38%, 6 films
Action31%, 5 films
Horror31%, 5 films
Comedy25%, 4 films
Thriller25%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
Edmund Purdom began acting in 1946 at age 19 with the Northampton Repertory Company, appearing in Romeo and Juliet and Moliere's The Imaginary Invalid.
Big break
Purdom was cast as the title character in The Egyptian after Marlon Brando exited, beating out John Derek, John Cassavetes and Cameron Mitchell for the part.
Big break
Purdom took the lead in The Student Prince after Mario Lanza was fired, and lip-synched his performance to Lanza's singing voice.
A role that slipped away
Purdom appeared in the swashbuckler The King's Thief in 1955, in a role that was originally meant for Stewart Granger.
A role that slipped away
Purdom was announced for a role in Loser Takes All in 1956, but he did not appear in the final film.
Languages
Purdom spent years as a voice dubbing actor, recording English dialogue for Italian films so they could be sold to English-speaking countries.

Edmund Purdom movies on Netflix

Titanic: The Legend Goes On...2000IMDb rating 1.5as Jeremy McFlannel
The Rift1990IMDb rating 4.7as CEO Steensland
Who Is Afraid Of Dracula?1985IMDb rating 5.8as Count Vlad
Don't Open Till Christmas1984IMDb rating 4.7as Inspector Harris
2019: After the Fall of New York1983IMDb rating 5.5as President of the Pan American Confederacy
Ator, the Fighting Eagle1982IMDb rating 3.3as Griba
Pieces1982IMDb rating 6.0as The Dean
Concorde Affaire '791979IMDb rating 5.5as Danker
Rulers of the City1976IMDb rating 6.1as Luigi Cerchio
Blackie the Pirate1971IMDb rating 5.2as Viceroy
The Yellow Rolls-Royce1964IMDb rating 6.4as Fane
Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile1961IMDb rating 5.3as Tumos
The Cossacks1960IMDb rating 6.2as Shamil, the Sheik
The Night They Killed Rasputin1960IMDb rating 5.9as Rasputin
The Diary of Anne Frank1959IMDb rating 7.4as British Radio Announcer (voice)
The Egyptian1954IMDb rating 6.5as Sinuhe

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Pieces1982 Horror, Mystery, Thrilleras The Dean
IMDb rating 6.015K votes
The Egyptian1954 Dramaas Sinuhe
IMDb rating 6.55.0K votes
Don't Open Till Christmas1984as Inspector Harris
IMDb rating 4.73.6K votes
Who Is Afraid Of Dracula?1985as Count Vlad
IMDb rating 5.81.5K votes
Ator, the Fighting Eagle1982as Griba
IMDb rating 3.33.3K votes
2019: After the Fall of New York1983as President of the Pan American Confederacy
IMDb rating 5.53.6K votes
Nefertiti, Queen of the Nile1961as Tumos
IMDb rating 5.3639 votes
The Yellow Rolls-Royce1964as Fane
IMDb rating 6.44.4K votes

Most often with

Juan Piquer Simón directed two of these films. Six actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Romano Puppo

Frank Braña

Feodor Chaliapin Jr.

John Drew Barrymore

Jacques Stany

Nerio BernardiJuan Piquer SimónDirector, 2 films

Films together

Romano Puppo2 films together, 1983 to 1985
Romano Puppo's page
- Who Is Afraid Of Dracula?1985IMDb rating 5.8Purdom as Count VladPuppo as Frankenstein
- 2019: After the Fall of New York1983IMDb rating 5.5Purdom as President of the Pan American ConfederacyPuppo as Ratchet
Frank Braña2 films together, 1982 to 1990
Frank Braña's page
- The Rift1990IMDb rating 4.7Purdom as CEO SteenslandBraña as Muller
- Pieces1982IMDb rating 6.0Purdom as The DeanBraña as Sgt. Randy Holden
Feodor Chaliapin Jr.2 films together, 1960
Feodor Chaliapin Jr.'s page
- The Cossacks1960IMDb rating 6.2Purdom as Shamil, the SheikChaliapin as Hassan(Feodor Chaliapin)
- The Night They Killed Rasputin1960IMDb rating 5.9Purdom as RasputinChaliapin as Le pope(Fiodor Chaliapin)
John Drew Barrymore2 films together, 1960
John Drew Barrymore's page
- The Cossacks1960IMDb rating 6.2Purdom as Shamil, the SheikBarrymore as Jamal
- The Night They Killed Rasputin1960IMDb rating 5.9Purdom as RasputinBarrymore as Prince Felix Yousoupoff
Jacques Stany2 films together, 1983 to 2000
Jacques Stany's page
- Titanic: The Legend Goes On...2000IMDb rating 1.5Purdom as Jeremy McFlannelStany as Gaston
- 2019: After the Fall of New York1983IMDb rating 5.5Purdom as President of the Pan American ConfederacyStany as Eurac Officer
Nerio Bernardi2 films together, 1960
Nerio Bernardi's page
- The Cossacks1960IMDb rating 6.2Purdom as Shamil, the SheikBernardi as General Rasumovsky
- The Night They Killed Rasputin1960IMDb rating 5.9Purdom as RasputinBernardi as Comissaroff
Juan Piquer SimónDirector, 2 films, 1982 to 1990
All films by Juan Piquer Simón
- The Rift1990IMDb rating 4.7Purdom as CEO Steensland
- Pieces1982IMDb rating 6.0Purdom as The Dean

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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