Richard Vernon

Biography

Richard Vernon was a British actor who often played aristocratic or supercilious types, settling into middle-aged lords and military men while still in his thirties. Born in 1925, he trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama after serving in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He appeared in Goldfinger (1964) as Colonel Smithers, in A Hard Day's Night (1964) as a city gent sharing a train compartment with the Beatles, and as Slartibartfast in both radio and television versions of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981). His television work included the lead in The Man in Room 17, Sir Desmond Glazebrook in Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, and Sir James Greenley in The Sandbaggers. He also voiced Lord Emsworth in radio adaptations of Blandings and appeared in Sammy's Super T-Shirt. His final film role was in Loch Ness (1996).

72years old at death

Born March 7, 1925Reading
Died December 4, 1997Richmond
Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Also credited as Richard Evelyn Vernon

Movie Career

Films: 17
Career span: 38 years1958 to 1996

Genres

Drama41%, 7 films
Comedy29%, 5 films
Thriller24%, 4 films
Adventure18%, 3 films
Crime18%, 3 films

First and latest

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Early training
Vernon enlisted in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve during the Second World War and served in its final months. Posted to Kowloon afterward, he directed and starred in Heartbreak House, then trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
A change of course
Vernon started giving lessons in stage acting in Harare, Zimbabwe, in December 1990. In January 1992 he returned to England.

Richard Vernon movies on Netflix

Loch Ness1996IMDb rating 5.6as Aged Professor
A Month in the Country1987IMDb rating 6.8as Colonel Hebron
Lady Jane1986IMDb rating 7.1as The Marquess of Winchester
Evil Under the Sun1982IMDb rating 7.1as Flewitt
Witness for the Prosecution1982IMDb rating 7.1as Brogan-Moore
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy1981IMDb rating 8.0as Slartibartfast
Sammy's Super T-Shirt1978IMDb rating 6.3as Mr. Becket
The Pink Panther Strikes Again1976IMDb rating 7.1as Fassbender
The Satanic Rites of Dracula1973IMDb rating 5.5as Mathews
A Hard Day's Night1964IMDb rating 7.5as Man on Train
Goldfinger1964IMDb rating 7.7as Smithers
Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1as Roddinghead
The Tomb of Ligeia1964IMDb rating 6.4as Dr. Vivian
The Servant1963IMDb rating 7.7as Lord Mounset
Cash on Demand1961IMDb rating 7.5as Pearson
Village of the Damned1960IMDb rating 7.3as Edgar Hargraves
Indiscreet1958IMDb rating 6.8as Leading man in play

Best known for

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

Top

The Pink Panther Strikes Again1976 Comedy, Crimeas Fassbender
IMDb rating 7.135K votes
The Servant1963 Dramaas Lord Mounset
IMDb rating 7.716K votes
Goldfinger1964as Smithers
IMDb rating 7.7220K votes
A Hard Day's Night1964as Man on Train
IMDb rating 7.550K votes
The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy1981as Slartibartfast
IMDb rating 8.013K votes
Cash on Demand1961as Pearson
IMDb rating 7.53.9K votes
The Tomb of Ligeia1964as Dr. Vivian
IMDb rating 6.47.8K votes
The Satanic Rites of Dracula1973as Mathews
IMDb rating 5.58.0K votes

Most often with

Guy Hamilton directed two of these films, Alan Gibson two. Eleven 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.

Top

Peter Cushing

Dirk Bogarde

Burt Kwouk

Martin Benson

Diana Rigg

Colin BlakelyGuy HamiltonDirector, 2 films Alan GibsonDirector, 2 films

Films together

Peter Cushing2 films together, 1961 to 1973
Peter Cushing's page
- The Satanic Rites of Dracula1973IMDb rating 5.5Vernon as MathewsCushing as Professor Lorrimer Van Helsing
- Cash on Demand1961IMDb rating 7.5Vernon as PearsonCushing as Harry Fordyce
Dirk Bogarde2 films together, 1963 to 1964
Dirk Bogarde's page
- Hot Enough for June1964IMDb rating 6.1Vernon as RoddingheadBogarde as Nicholas Whistler
- The Servant1963IMDb rating 7.7Vernon as Lord MounsetBogarde as Barrett
Burt Kwouk2 films together, 1964 to 1976
Burt Kwouk's page
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again1976IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as FassbenderKwouk as Cato Fong
- Goldfinger1964IMDb rating 7.7Vernon as SmithersKwouk as Mr. Ling
Martin Benson2 films together, 1964 to 1981
Martin Benson's page
- The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy1981IMDb rating 8.0Vernon as SlartibartfastBenson as Vogon Captain
- Goldfinger1964IMDb rating 7.7Vernon as SmithersBenson as Solo
Diana Rigg2 films together, 1982
Diana Rigg's page
- Evil Under the Sun1982IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as FlewittRigg as Arlena Marshall
- Witness for the Prosecution1982IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as Brogan-MooreRigg as Christine Vole
Colin Blakely2 films together, 1976 to 1982
Colin Blakely's page
- Evil Under the Sun1982IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as FlewittBlakely as Sir Horace Blatt
- The Pink Panther Strikes Again1976IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as FassbenderBlakely as Drummond
Guy HamiltonDirector, 2 films, 1964 to 1982
All films by Guy Hamilton
- Evil Under the Sun1982IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as Flewitt
- Goldfinger1964IMDb rating 7.7Vernon as Smithers
Alan GibsonDirector, 2 films, 1973 to 1982
All films by Alan Gibson
- Witness for the Prosecution1982IMDb rating 7.1Vernon as Brogan-Moore
- The Satanic Rites of Dracula1973IMDb rating 5.5Vernon as Mathews
Also two films together5 more actors
- Oliver JohnstonThe Tomb of Ligeia (1964) and Indiscreet (1958)
- Jill MelfordHot Enough for June (1964) and The Servant (1963)
- John JunkinA Hard Day's Night (1964) and Hot Enough for June (1964)
- Ken KitsonA Month in the Country (1987) and Witness for the Prosecution (1982)
- Alison SeebohmA Hard Day's Night (1964) and The Servant (1963)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.