Wylie Watson

Biography

Wylie Watson was a diminutive Scottish character actor known for playing shifty, cunning, or officious British types. He began in the late 1890s as a juvenile soprano with a family variety act, once singing fifteen times a day at a waxworks. He did not start in films until 1929, when he was discovered in Hollywood during an American vacation. After one small role, he returned to England. One of his best parts was Mr. Memory in The 39 Steps (1935), Alfred Hitchcock's film, a small role acted with pathos and central to the plot. He also played a small-time crook in Richard Attenborough's razor gang in Brighton Rock (1948) and the manipulative storekeeper Joseph Macroon in Whisky Galore! (1949). His comedy showed in the wartime short Mr. Proudfoot Shows a Light (1941). Watson retired from acting in 1952, though he took a small role in Fred Zinnemann's The Sundowners (1960).

77years old at death

Born February 6, 1889Lanarkshire
Died May 3, 1966Australia
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18

Movie Career

Films: 6
Career span: 15 years1935 to 1950

Genres

Crime83%, 5 films
Comedy50%, 3 films
Drama33%, 2 films
Thriller33%, 2 films
Adventure17%, 1 film

First and latest

Wylie Watson movies on Netflix

Eye Witness1950IMDb rating 6.2as Mr. Widgery, Red Lion Proprietor
The Magnet1950IMDb rating 6.7as Pickering
Whisky Galore!1949IMDb rating 7.1as Joseph Macroon
Brighton Rock1948IMDb rating 7.2as Spicer
Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3as Salvation
The 39 Steps1935IMDb rating 7.6as Memory

Best known for

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

Top

The 39 Steps1935 Crime, Mystery, Thrilleras Memory
IMDb rating 7.667K votes
Whisky Galore!1949 Comedy, Crimeas Joseph Macroon
IMDb rating 7.17.4K votes
Brighton Rock1948as Spicer
IMDb rating 7.27.7K votes
Jamaica Inn1939as Salvation
IMDb rating 6.312K votes
The Magnet1950as Pickering
IMDb rating 6.7673 votes
Eye Witness1950as Mr. Widgery, Red Lion Proprietor
IMDb rating 6.2449 votes

Most often with

Alfred Hitchcock directed two of these films. Five 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

James Robertson Justice

Leslie Banks

Frederick Piper

Basil Radford

Harcourt Williams

Alfred HitchcockDirector, 2 films

Films together

James Robertson Justice2 films together, 1949 to 1950
James Robertson Justice's page
- The Magnet1950IMDb rating 6.7Watson as PickeringJustice as Tramp
- Whisky Galore!1949IMDb rating 7.1Watson as Joseph MacroonJustice as Dr. Maclaren
Leslie Banks2 films together, 1939 to 1950
Leslie Banks's page
- Eye Witness1950IMDb rating 6.2Watson as Mr. Widgery, Red Lion ProprietorBanks as Col. Roger Summerfield
- Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3Watson as SalvationBanks as Joss Merlyn
Frederick Piper2 films together, 1935 to 1939
Frederick Piper's page
- Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3Watson as SalvationPiper as Sir Humphrey's Agent
- The 39 Steps1935IMDb rating 7.6Watson as MemoryPiper as The Milkman
Basil Radford2 films together, 1939 to 1949
Basil Radford's page
- Whisky Galore!1949IMDb rating 7.1Watson as Joseph MacroonRadford as Captain Paul Waggett
- Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3Watson as SalvationRadford as Sir Humphrey's Friend
Harcourt Williams2 films together, 1948 to 1950
Harcourt Williams's page
- Eye Witness1950IMDb rating 6.2Watson as Mr. Widgery, Red Lion ProprietorWilliams as Richard Beamish, Sam's Solicitor
- Brighton Rock1948IMDb rating 7.2Watson as SpicerWilliams as Prewitt
Alfred HitchcockDirector, 2 films, 1935 to 1939
All films by Alfred Hitchcock
- Jamaica Inn1939IMDb rating 6.3Watson as Salvation
- The 39 Steps1935IMDb rating 7.6Watson as Memory

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top