John Le Mesurier

Biography

John Le Mesurier was an English actor who trained at the Fay Compton studio and made his stage debut in Edinburgh in 1934, going on to appear in more than 120 films, normally in smaller supporting parts. He often played authority figures, among them army officers, policemen and judges, and was best remembered as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army, which ran for nine series between 1968 and 1977. Among his films were I'm All Right Jack (1959), The Pink Panther (1963), The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963), The Italian Job (1969), On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), Dad's Army (1971) and Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979). In 1971 he won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for best television actor for the Dennis Potter play Traitor. He died in 1983.

71years old at death

Born April 5, 1912Bedford
Died November 15, 1983Ramsgate
Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
John Charles Elton Le Mesurier De Somerys Hallilay (birth name)Also credited as John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley

Movie Career

Films: 35
Career span: 25 years1954 to 1979

Genres

Comedy69%, 24 films
Crime31%, 11 films
Adventure17%, 6 films
Drama17%, 6 films
Mystery14%, 5 films

First and latest

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First role
Le Mesurier first took the stage in September 1934, billed under his birth name John Halliley. The venue was the Palladium Theatre in Edinburgh, and the play was J. B. Priestley's Dangerous Corner, with three other company newcomers.
Early training
In 1933 John Le Mesurier decided to leave the legal profession and enrolled at the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art that September. The actor Alec Guinness was a fellow student there.
About the name
Le Mesurier switched his professional name from John Halliley to John Le Mesurier, and he first used the new name in the September 1937 staging of Love on the Dole. His biographer Graham McCann notes he never publicly gave a reason.
First role
Le Mesurier made his television debut in 1938, playing Seigneur de Miolans in a production of The Marvellous History of St Bernard, which made him one of the medium's pioneering actors.

John Le Mesurier movies on Netflix

Unidentified Flying Oddball1979IMDb rating 5.2as Sir Gawain
Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse1978IMDb rating 4.0as Sir Archibald MacGregor
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?1978IMDb rating 6.4as Dr. Deere
Jabberwocky1977IMDb rating 6.1as The Chamberlain
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975IMDb rating 6.0as Lord Redcliff
The Alf Garnett Saga1972IMDb rating 5.2as Mr. Ronald Frewin
Dad's Army1971IMDb rating 6.9as Sgt. Wilson
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever1970IMDb rating 6.4as Pelham
The Italian Job1969IMDb rating 7.2as Governor
The Magic Christian1969IMDb rating 5.8as Sir John
Salt & Pepper1968IMDb rating 5.1as Col. Woodstock
Eye of the Devil1966IMDb rating 6.1as Dr. Monnet
Our Man in Marrakesh1966IMDb rating 5.7as George C. Lillywhite
The Wrong Box1966IMDb rating 6.7as Doctor Slattery
The Liquidator1965IMDb rating 5.9as Chekhov
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes1965IMDb rating 7.0as French Painter
War-Gods of the Deep1965IMDb rating 5.3as Rev. Jonathan Ives
Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1as Roger Allsop
The Moon-Spinners1964IMDb rating 6.5as Anthony Gamble
In the Cool of the Day1963IMDb rating 5.1as Dr. Arraman
The Mouse on the Moon1963IMDb rating 6.3as British Delegate
The Pink Panther1963IMDb rating 7.0as Defence Barrister
The Wrong Arm of the Law1963IMDb rating 6.7as Assistant Commissioner
Only Two Can Play1962IMDb rating 6.5as Salter
Operation Snafu1961IMDb rating 5.7as Hixon
School for Scoundrels1960IMDb rating 7.3as Skinner
The Day They Robbed the Bank of England1960IMDb rating 6.6as Green
The Pure Hell of St Trinian's1960IMDb rating 6.0as Minister of Education
I'm All Right Jack1959IMDb rating 7.1as Waters
Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0as British General
The Hound of the Baskervilles1959IMDb rating 6.9as Barrymore
The Wreck of the Mary Deare1959IMDb rating 6.7as Attorney
Another Time, Another Place1958IMDb rating 5.8as Dr. Aldridge
Blood of the Vampire1958IMDb rating 5.5as Judge
Immediate Disaster1954IMDb rating 5.4as Official/Man at Desk

Best known for

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

Top

Jabberwocky1977 Adventure, Comedy, Fantasyas The Chamberlain
IMDb rating 6.117K votes
The Pink Panther1963 Comedy, Crimeas Defence Barrister
IMDb rating 7.062K votes
The Italian Job1969as Governor
IMDb rating 7.255K votes
Dad's Army1971as Sgt. Wilson
IMDb rating 6.94.0K votes
The Hound of the Baskervilles1959as Barrymore
IMDb rating 6.914K votes
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975as Lord Redcliff
IMDb rating 6.07.9K votes
War-Gods of the Deep1965as Rev. Jonathan Ives
IMDb rating 5.33.0K votes
The Magic Christian1969as Sir John
IMDb rating 5.84.2K votes

Most often with

Michael Anderson directed two of these films. Two actors appear in six of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Peter Sellers

Irene Handl

Terry-Thomas

Dennis Price

Graham Stark

Michael Caine

Michael AndersonDirector, 2 films

Films together

Peter Sellers6 films together, 1959 to 1969
Peter Sellers's page
- The Magic Christian1969IMDb rating 5.8Mesurier as Sir JohnSellers as Sir Guy Grand KG, KC, CBE
- The Wrong Box1966IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Doctor SlatterySellers as Doctor Pratt
- The Pink Panther1963IMDb rating 7.0Mesurier as Defence BarristerSellers as Insp. Jacques Clouseau
- The Wrong Arm of the Law1963IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Assistant CommissionerSellers as Pearly Gates
- Only Two Can Play1962IMDb rating 6.5Mesurier as SalterSellers as John Lewis
- I'm All Right Jack1959IMDb rating 7.1Mesurier as WatersSellers as Fred Kite / Sir John Kennaway
Irene Handl6 films together, 1959 to 1970
Irene Handl's page
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever1970IMDb rating 6.4Mesurier as PelhamHandl as Winnie Wainwhisle
- The Italian Job1969IMDb rating 7.2Mesurier as GovernorHandl as Miss Peach
- The Wrong Box1966IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Doctor SlatteryHandl as Mrs. Hackett
- School for Scoundrels1960IMDb rating 7.3Mesurier as SkinnerHandl as Mrs Stringer
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's1960IMDb rating 6.0Mesurier as Minister of EducationHandl as Miss Harker-Parker
- I'm All Right Jack1959IMDb rating 7.1Mesurier as WatersHandl as Mrs. Kite
Terry-Thomas5 films together, 1959 to 1966
Terry-Thomas's page
- Our Man in Marrakesh1966IMDb rating 5.7Mesurier as George C. LillywhiteTerry-Thomas as El Caid
- Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes1965IMDb rating 7.0Mesurier as French PainterTerry-Thomas as Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
- The Mouse on the Moon1963IMDb rating 6.3Mesurier as British DelegateTerry-Thomas as Maurice Spender
- School for Scoundrels1960IMDb rating 7.3Mesurier as SkinnerTerry-Thomas as Raymond Delauney
- I'm All Right Jack1959IMDb rating 7.1Mesurier as WatersTerry-Thomas as Major Hitchcock
Dennis Price4 films together, 1959 to 1963
Dennis Price's page
- The Wrong Arm of the Law1963IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Assistant CommissionerPrice as Educated Ernest
- School for Scoundrels1960IMDb rating 7.3Mesurier as SkinnerPrice as Dunstan
- The Pure Hell of St Trinian's1960IMDb rating 6.0Mesurier as Minister of EducationPrice as Gore Blackwood
- I'm All Right Jack1959IMDb rating 7.1Mesurier as WatersPrice as Bertram Tracepurcel
Graham Stark4 films together, 1962 to 1968
Graham Stark's page
- Salt & Pepper1968IMDb rating 5.1Mesurier as Col. WoodstockStark as Sgt. Walters
- The Mouse on the Moon1963IMDb rating 6.3Mesurier as British DelegateStark as Standard Bearer
- The Wrong Arm of the Law1963IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Assistant CommissionerStark as Sid Cooper
- Only Two Can Play1962IMDb rating 6.5Mesurier as SalterStark as Hyman
Michael Caine3 films together, 1963 to 1969
Michael Caine's page
- The Italian Job1969IMDb rating 7.2Mesurier as GovernorCaine as Charlie Croker
- The Wrong Box1966IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Doctor SlatteryCaine as Michael Hubert Gregory Finsbury
- The Wrong Arm of the Law1963IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Assistant CommissionerCaine as Police Officer
Michael AndersonDirector, 2 films, 1959
All films by Michael Anderson
- Shake Hands with the Devil1959IMDb rating 7.0Mesurier as British General
- The Wreck of the Mary Deare1959IMDb rating 6.7Mesurier as Attorney
Also three films together17 more actors
- Robert MorleyWho Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965) and Hot Enough for June (1964)
- Wilfrid Hyde-WhiteThe Magic Christian (1969), Our Man in Marrakesh (1966) and The Liquidator (1965)
- Richard AttenboroughThe Magic Christian (1969), Only Two Can Play (1962) and I'm All Right Jack (1959)
- Roy KinnearThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), The Alf Garnett Saga (1972) and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
- Cecil ParkerOperation Snafu (1961), The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959)
- Miles MallesonThe Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960), I'm All Right Jack (1959) and The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
- Peter SallisWho Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978), The Mouse on the Moon (1963) and Immediate Disaster (1954)
- Raymond HuntleyOnly Two Can Play (1962), The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) and I'm All Right Jack (1959)
- Thorley WaltersThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), The Wrong Box (1966) and The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960)
- Colin GordonThe Liquidator (1965), The Pink Panther (1963) and The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960)
- Victor MaddernOperation Snafu (1961), I'm All Right Jack (1959) and Blood of the Vampire (1958)
- Liz FraserRosie Dixon - Night Nurse (1978), Dad's Army (1971) and I'm All Right Jack (1959)
- Tutte LemkowThe Wrong Box (1966), The Moon-Spinners (1964) and The Wrong Arm of the Law (1963)
- Eric BarkerThe Mouse on the Moon (1963), Operation Snafu (1961) and The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960)
- Eric SykesThe Alf Garnett Saga (1972), The Liquidator (1965) and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes (1965)
- Michael TrubshaweSalt & Pepper (1968), The Mouse on the Moon (1963) and The Pink Panther (1963)
- Clive DunnDad's Army (1971), The Magic Christian (1969) and The Mouse on the Moon (1963)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.