Frank Finlay
Biography
Frank Finlay was an English actor, born in Farnworth, Lancashire, who began on stage at the Farnworth Little Theatre before repertory work in Scotland and a scholarship to RADA in London. He became associated with the National Theatre and earned an Academy Award nomination as Iago in Othello (1965), opposite Laurence Olivier. On television he played Jean Valjean in the BBC's 1967 Les Misérables and the title role in Dennis Potter's Casanova (1971). His films included The Molly Maguires (1970), Shaft in Africa (1973), Porthos in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974), The Wild Geese (1978), A Study in Terror (1965), Murder by Decree (1979), Count Dracula (1977), A Christmas Carol (1984), and The Pianist (2002). He won BAFTA awards for The Adventures of Don Quixote and Candide, and was a four-time BAFTA nominee.
89years old at death
- Born Farnworth
- Died Weybridge
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Also credited as Francis Finlay
Movie Career
- Films
- 31
- Career span
- 53 years1965 to 2018
Genres
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First role
Finlay's first stage appearances were at the local Farnworth Little Theatre. The plays he appeared in there included Peter Blackmore's Miranda in 1951.
Big break
Finlay's first big television triumph came in 1967, when he played Jean Valjean in the BBC's ten-part version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.
Frank Finlay movies on Netflix
Nothing Like a Dameas Iago
The Waiting Roomas Roger
The Lost Princeas Asquith
The Statementas Commissaire Vionnet
The Pianistas Father
The Magical Legend of the Leprechaunsas General Bulstrode
Stalinas Sergei
The Return of the Musketeersas Porthos
Lifeforceas Dr. Hans Fallada
A Christmas Carolas Jacob Marley
The Return of the Soldieras William Grey
Enigmaas Canarsky
Murder by Decreeas Inspector Lestrade
The Wild Geeseas Father Geoghagen
Count Draculaas Abraham van Helsing
The Four Musketeersas Porthos
Shaft in Africaas Vincent Amafi
The Three Musketeersas Porthos / O'Reilly
Sitting Targetas Marty Gold
Gumshoeas William
Cromwellas John Carter
The Molly Maguiresas Davies
Inspector Clouseauas Supt. Weaver
The Shoes of the Fishermanas Igor Bounin
Twisted Nerveas Henry Durnley
I'll Never Forget What's'isnameas Chaplain
Robberyas Robinson
The Jokersas Harrassed man
The Deadly Beesas H.W. Manfred
A Study in Terroras Inspector Lestrade
Othelloas Iago
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Richard Lester directed three of these films, Michael Winner two. Oliver Reed appears in six of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.









Films together
Oliver Reed6 films together, 1967 to 1989
Oliver Reed's page The Return of the Musketeers1989IMDb rating 5.9Finlay as PorthosReed as Athos
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Finlay as PorthosReed as Athos
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Finlay as Porthos / O'ReillyReed as Athos
Sitting Target1972IMDb rating 6.6Finlay as Marty GoldReed as Harry Lomart
I'll Never Forget What's'isname1967IMDb rating 6.2Finlay as ChaplainReed as Andrew Quint
The Jokers1967IMDb rating 6.5Finlay as Harrassed manReed as David Tremayne
Barry Foster4 films together, 1967 to 1978
Barry Foster's page The Wild Geese1978IMDb rating 6.8Finlay as Father GeoghagenFoster as Thomas Balfour
Inspector Clouseau1968IMDb rating 4.7Finlay as Supt. WeaverFoster as Addison Steele
Twisted Nerve1968IMDb rating 7.0Finlay as Henry DurnleyFoster as Gerry Henderson
Robbery1967IMDb rating 6.9Finlay as RobinsonFoster as Frank
Christopher Lee3 films together, 1973 to 1989
Christopher Lee's page The Return of the Musketeers1989IMDb rating 5.9Finlay as PorthosLee as Rochefort
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Finlay as PorthosLee as Rochefort
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Finlay as Porthos / O'ReillyLee as Rochefort
John Gielgud3 films together, 1968 to 2018
John Gielgud's page Nothing Like a Dame2018IMDb rating 7.4Finlay as IagoGielgud as Himself
Murder by Decree1979IMDb rating 6.8Finlay as Inspector LestradeGielgud as Prime Minister Lord Salisbury
The Shoes of the Fisherman1968IMDb rating 7.0Finlay as Igor BouninGielgud as The Elder Pope
Geraldine Chaplin3 films together, 1973 to 1989
Geraldine Chaplin's page The Return of the Musketeers1989IMDb rating 5.9Finlay as PorthosChaplin as Queen Anne
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Finlay as PorthosChaplin as Queen Anne of Austria
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Finlay as Porthos / O'ReillyChaplin as Anna of Austria
Laurence Olivier3 films together, 1965 to 2018
Laurence Olivier's page Nothing Like a Dame2018IMDb rating 7.4Finlay as IagoOlivier as Himself
The Shoes of the Fisherman1968IMDb rating 7.0Finlay as Igor BouninOlivier as Piotr Ilyich Kamenev
Othello1965IMDb rating 7.0Finlay as IagoOlivier as Othello
Richard LesterDirector, 3 films, 1973 to 1989
All films by Richard Lester The Return of the Musketeers1989IMDb rating 5.9Finlay as Porthos
The Four Musketeers1974IMDb rating 6.9Finlay as Porthos
The Three Musketeers1973IMDb rating 7.1Finlay as Porthos / O'Reilly
Michael WinnerDirector, 2 films, 1967
All films by Michael Winner I'll Never Forget What's'isname1967IMDb rating 6.2Finlay as Chaplain
The Jokers1967IMDb rating 6.5Finlay as Harrassed man
Also three films together6 more actors
- Richard HarrisThe Wild Geese (1978), Cromwell (1970) and The Molly Maguires (1970)
- Michael YorkThe Return of the Musketeers (1989), The Four Musketeers (1974) and The Three Musketeers (1973)
- Alan BatesNothing Like a Dame (2018), The Statement (2003) and The Return of the Soldier (1983)
- Roy KinnearThe Return of the Musketeers (1989), The Four Musketeers (1974) and The Three Musketeers (1973)
- Jean-Pierre CasselThe Return of the Musketeers (1989), The Four Musketeers (1974) and The Three Musketeers (1973)
- Richard ChamberlainThe Return of the Musketeers (1989), The Four Musketeers (1974) and The Three Musketeers (1973)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Frank Finlay's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$176 million
7 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 31 films: 7 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 5 never in cinemas; 14 figure not found.
- 7Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 5Never in cinemas
- 14Figure not found
Top grosser

Highest grossing
The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$120M68.2% of the total
- 2$22M12.5% of the total
- 3$12M6.6% of the total
- 4$9.9M5.6% of the total
- 5$8.8M5.0% of the total
- 6$2.2M1.2% of the total
- 7$1.5M0.8% of the total
Awards
Two awards and honors, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAFTA | |||
| 1974 | Best Actor | Play of the Month | Won |
| Other honors | |||
| Commander of the Order of the British Empire | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.









