Leo McKern

Biography

Leo McKern was an Australian actor whose career took in more than 200 stage roles as well as British, Australian and American film and television work. Born in Sydney, he began acting on stage in 1944 and later performed with London's Old Vic and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. His film debut came in Murder in the Cathedral (1952), and he went on to appear in X the Unknown (1956), The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), King and Country (1964), Help! (1965), A Man for All Seasons (1966), Ryan's Daughter (1970), The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975), The Blue Lagoon (1980), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) and Ladyhawke (1985). On television he played Number Two in The Prisoner and became widely known as Horace Rumpole in Rumpole of the Bailey, which ran from 1978 to 1992. He won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor for Travelling North (1987).

82years old at death

Born March 16, 1920Sydney
Died July 23, 2002Bath
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20

Movie Career

Films: 20
Career span: 29 years1956 to 1985

Genres

Drama65%, 13 films
Comedy30%, 6 films
Romance25%, 5 films
Adventure20%, 4 films
Crime15%, 3 films

First and latest

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First role
McKern was the first Common Man in Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons, staged in the West End in 1960. For the Broadway run he took the part of Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, and played it again in the 1966 film.
A first
In the 1960s TV series The Prisoner, McKern was one of just two actors to take the part of Number Two on more than one occasion. He played the character in "The Chimes of Big Ben" and "Once Upon a Time", then returned for the last episode, "Fall Out".
Behind the camera
McKern wrote a radio play, London Story, and it went on to become the film Chain of Events in 1958.
Beyond film
McKern was the voice of Captain Haddock in the BBC Radio adaptation of Hergé's The Adventures of Tintin, broadcast in 1992 and 1993.

Leo McKern movies on Netflix

Ladyhawke1985IMDb rating 6.9as Imperius
Murder with Mirrors1985IMDb rating 6.3as Insp. Curry
The French Lieutenant's Woman1981IMDb rating 6.9as Dr. Grogan
The Blue Lagoon1980IMDb rating 5.8as Paddy Button
Damien: Omen II1978IMDb rating 6.2as Carl Bugenhagen
Candleshoe1977IMDb rating 6.7as Bundage
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975IMDb rating 6.0as Moriarty
Ryan's Daughter1970IMDb rating 7.4as Thomas Ryan
Nobody Runs Forever1968IMDb rating 6.1as Mr Flannery, Premier of New South Wales
The Shoes of the Fisherman1968IMDb rating 7.0as Cardinal Leone
A Man for All Seasons1966IMDb rating 7.7as Cromwell
Help!1965IMDb rating 7.1as Clang
Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1as Simoneva
King and Country1964IMDb rating 7.5as Capt. O'Sullivan
The Day the Earth Caught Fire1961IMDb rating 7.2as Bill Maguire
The Mouse That Roared1959IMDb rating 6.9as Benter
Yesterday's Enemy1959IMDb rating 7.1as Max
A Tale of Two Cities1958IMDb rating 7.1as Attorney General-Old Bailey
Time Without Pity1957IMDb rating 6.8as Robert Stanford
X the Unknown1956IMDb rating 6.1as Insp. 'Mac' McGill

Best known for

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

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The Blue Lagoon1980 Adventure, Drama, Romanceas Paddy Button
IMDb rating 5.884K votes
A Man for All Seasons1966 Biography, Drama, Historyas Cromwell
IMDb rating 7.741K votes
Ladyhawke1985as Imperius
IMDb rating 6.956K votes
Help!1965as Clang
IMDb rating 7.121K votes
The Day the Earth Caught Fire1961as Bill Maguire
IMDb rating 7.27.1K votes
Ryan's Daughter1970as Thomas Ryan
IMDb rating 7.412K votes
The Mouse That Roared1959as Benter
IMDb rating 6.910K votes
X the Unknown1956as Insp. 'Mac' McGill
IMDb rating 6.13.8K votes

Most often with

Joseph Losey directed three of these films, Ralph Thomas three and Val Guest two. Peter Copley appears in four 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.

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Peter Copley

Dirk Bogarde

Burt Kwouk

Timothy Bateson

John Mills

John Le MesurierJoseph LoseyDirector, 3 films Ralph ThomasDirector, 3 films Val GuestDirector, 2 films

Films together

Peter Copley4 films together, 1957 to 1968
Peter Copley's page
- The Shoes of the Fisherman1968IMDb rating 7.0McKern as Cardinal LeoneCopley as English Cardinal #1
- Help!1965IMDb rating 7.1McKern as ClangCopley as Jeweller
- King and Country1964IMDb rating 7.5McKern as Capt. O'SullivanCopley as Colonel
- Time Without Pity1957IMDb rating 6.8McKern as Robert StanfordCopley as Prison Chaplain
Dirk Bogarde3 films together, 1958 to 1964
Dirk Bogarde's page
- Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1McKern as SimonevaBogarde as Nicholas Whistler
- King and Country1964IMDb rating 7.5McKern as Capt. O'SullivanBogarde as Capt. Hargreaves
- A Tale of Two Cities1958IMDb rating 7.1McKern as Attorney General-Old BaileyBogarde as Sydney Carton
Burt Kwouk3 films together, 1959 to 1968
Burt Kwouk's page
- Nobody Runs Forever1968IMDb rating 6.1McKern as Mr Flannery, Premier of New South WalesKwouk as Pham Chimh
- The Shoes of the Fisherman1968IMDb rating 7.0McKern as Cardinal LeoneKwouk as Peng
- Yesterday's Enemy1959IMDb rating 7.1McKern as MaxKwouk as Japanese Soldier
Timothy Bateson3 films together, 1959 to 1961
Timothy Bateson's page
- The Day the Earth Caught Fire1961IMDb rating 7.2McKern as Bill MaguireBateson as Printer
- The Mouse That Roared1959IMDb rating 6.9McKern as BenterBateson as Roger
- Yesterday's Enemy1959IMDb rating 7.1McKern as MaxBateson as Simpson
John Mills2 films together, 1970 to 1985
John Mills's page
- Murder with Mirrors1985IMDb rating 6.3McKern as Insp. CurryMills as Lewis Serrocold
- Ryan's Daughter1970IMDb rating 7.4McKern as Thomas RyanMills as Michael
John Le Mesurier2 films together, 1964 to 1975
John Le Mesurier's page
- The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975IMDb rating 6.0McKern as MoriartyMesurier as Lord Redcliff
- Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1McKern as SimonevaMesurier as Roger Allsop
Joseph LoseyDirector, 3 films, 1956 to 1964
All films by Joseph Losey
- King and Country1964IMDb rating 7.5McKern as Capt. O'Sullivan
- Time Without Pity1957IMDb rating 6.8McKern as Robert Stanford
- X the Unknown1956IMDb rating 6.1McKern as Insp. 'Mac' McGill
Ralph ThomasDirector, 3 films, 1958 to 1968
All films by Ralph Thomas
- Nobody Runs Forever1968IMDb rating 6.1McKern as Mr Flannery, Premier of New South Wales
- Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1McKern as Simoneva
- A Tale of Two Cities1958IMDb rating 7.1McKern as Attorney General-Old Bailey
Val GuestDirector, 2 films, 1959 to 1961
All films by Val Guest
- The Day the Earth Caught Fire1961IMDb rating 7.2McKern as Bill Maguire
- Yesterday's Enemy1959IMDb rating 7.1McKern as Max
Also two films together9 more actors
- Roy KinnearThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975) and Help! (1965)
- Clive RevillNobody Runs Forever (1968) and The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
- Eric PohlmannHot Enough for June (1964) and A Tale of Two Cities (1958)
- Alfie BassHelp! (1965) and A Tale of Two Cities (1958)
- Barry FosterRyan's Daughter (1970) and King and Country (1964)
- Helen HayesMurder with Mirrors (1985) and Candleshoe (1977)
- Ernest ClarkA Tale of Two Cities (1958) and Time Without Pity (1957)
- Dorothy TutinMurder with Mirrors (1985) and A Tale of Two Cities (1958)
- Jane AirdThe Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) and X the Unknown (1956)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Leo McKern's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$210 million

7 of the 20 films have a worldwide figure.

7Worldwide figure
1Never in cinemas
12Figure not found

Top grosser

The Blue Lagoon1980Paddy Button$58.9 million

Highest grossing

The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Blue Lagoon1980as Paddy Button
$59M28.0% of the total
2
Ryan's Daughter1970as Thomas Ryan
$31M14.7% of the total
3
A Man for All Seasons1966as Cromwell
$28M13.5% of the total
4
The French Lieutenant's Woman1981as Dr. Grogan
$27M12.8% of the total
5
Damien: Omen II1978as Carl Bugenhagen
$27M12.6% of the total
6
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother1975as Moriarty
$20M9.5% of the total
7
Ladyhawke1985as Imperius
$18M8.8% of the total