Born: February 21, 1889 – Died: September 2, 1979
Felix Aylmer, the distinguished British actor, was born on February 21, 1889, in Corsham, Wiltshire, England. His early education took place at Oxford, where he later pursued drama studies. Aylmer embarked on his acting journey with a memorable stage debut at the London Coliseum in 1911. World War I interrupted his career as he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, but he resumed his theatrical pursuits after the war's conclusion. Aylmer transitioned to the world of cinema in 1930, embarking on a four-decade-long film career known for his portrayal of elderly and often clerical characters. Notably, he graced the screen as the Archbishop of Canterbury and Father Anselm.
Early Life and Career
Felix Aylmer's childhood and upbringing were marked by a passion for the arts, which eventually led him to pursue a degree at Oxford University. While at Oxford, he focused on drama, honing his acting skills and laying the foundation for his future career. In 1911, he made a significant leap into the professional world of acting with his stage debut at the renowned London Coliseum, a moment that marked the beginning of his theatrical journey.
After the outbreak of World War I, Aylmer's career was temporarily put on hold as he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. However, his dedication to the stage remained undiminished, and he returned to acting once the war ended.
In 1930, Aylmer ventured into the world of cinema, and over the next four decades, he became known for his exceptional portrayal of elderly and often clerical characters. While he had a prolific film career, arguably his most memorable film appearance was as the Archbishop of Canterbury. This role showcased his remarkable talent and left a lasting impact on his career.
Throughout his illustrious career, Felix Aylmer earned accolades for his performances, including the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1950 King's Birthday Honours List and a Knighthood in the 1965 Queen's Birthday Honours List, both recognizing his significant contributions to the world of drama.
In his personal life, Felix Aylmer was married to Cecily Byrne from September 1915 until her death in June 1975, and they had two children together. Beyond his acting prowess, Aylmer was known for his melodious speaking voice and venerable features, which added depth to his on-screen characters.
While he may not be a household name today, Felix Aylmer left an indelible mark on Hollywood and the entertainment industry through his remarkable performances and dedication to his craft. His long and distinguished career as a character actor solidified his status as a respected figure in the world of cinema, making him an icon in his own right.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Thief and the Cobbler | Narrator (original version) (voice) |
| 1983 | Legend of the Champions (TV Movie) | Old Man |
| 1973 | Oh, Father! (TV Series) | The Prior, Father Anselm | Father Anselm |
| 1972 | Jason King (TV Series) | Doctor Wilstein |
| 1970 | The Main Chance (TV Series) | Judge |
| 1968–1970 | Oh Brother! (TV Series) | The Prior, Father Anselm | The Prior - Father Anselm |
| 1970 | My Partner the Ghost (TV Series) | Joshua Crackan |
| 1969 | Hostile Witness | Justice Osborne |
| 1968 | Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher | Judge |
| 1968 | Detective (TV Series) | Sir Henry Exton |
| 1968 | The Champions (TV Series) | Old Man |
| 1967 | The World of Wooster (TV Series) | The Duke of Chiswick |
| 1967 | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (TV Series) | Sir Dominic Crabbe |
| 1967 | Mogul (TV Series) | Lord Ravenscar |
| 1966 | Out of the Unknown (TV Series) | Mr. Bone |
| 1956–1966 | ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) | Lord Barham | Cardinal of Toledo | Sir Lawrence Wargrave ... |
| 1965 | Masquerade | Henrickson |
| 1965 | The Walrus and the Carpenter (TV Series) | Gascoigne Quilt |
| 1964 | Thursday Theatre (TV Series) | David Anson |
| 1964 | The Chalk Garden | Judge McWhirrey |
| 1964 | Becket | Archbishop of Canterbury |
| 1963 | Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) | Gascoigne Quilt |
| 1962–1963 | BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) | Thomas Crawford | General Canynge |
| 1963 | The Running Man | Parson |
| 1962 | Somerset Maugham Hour (TV Series) | Edwin St. Clair |
| 1962 | The Boys | The Judge | Judge |
| 1962 | The High Road to Hong Kong | Grand Lama |
| 1961 | Victoria Regina (TV Movie) | Lord Melbourne |
| 1960 | The Hands of Orlac | Dr. Francis Cochrane |
| 1960 | Exodus | Dr. Lieberman |
| 1960 | Macbeth (TV Movie) | Doctor |
| 1960 | From the Terrace | James Duncan MacHardie |
| 1960 | Never Take Candy from A Stranger | Clarence Olderberry Sr. |
| 1960 | Captain Brassbound's Conversion (TV Movie) | Sir Howard Hallam |
| 1959 | The Third Man (TV Series) | Graf Berndorf |
| 1959 | The Mummy | Stephen Banning |
| 1959 | World Theatre (TV Mini Series) | Sir Peter Teazle |
| 1958 | Separate Tables | Mr. Fowler |
| 1958 | The Doctor's Dilemma | Sir Patrick Cullen |
| 1958 | The Two-Headed Spy | Cornaz |
| 1958 | Daphne Laureola (TV Movie) | Sir Joseph |
| 1958 | I Accuse! | Edgar Demange |
| 1957 | Saint Joan | Inquisitor |
| 1956 | Anastasia | Chamberlain |
| 1956 | Loser Takes All | The Other |
| 1956 | Lilli Palmer Theatre (TV Series) | Archdeacon |
| 1956 | London Playhouse (TV Series) | Hardew (segment 'No Other Wine') |
| 1955 | Spider's Web (TV Movie) | Sir Rowland Delahaye |
| 1954 | The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp | Joshua Webman |
| 1954 | The Love Lottery | Winant |
| 1953 | The Triangle | Brisetout (segment "A Lodging for the Night") |
| 1953 | Knights of the Round Table | Merlin |
| 1953 | The Master of Ballantrae | Lord Durrisdeer |
| 1953 | Rheingold Theatre (TV Series) | Brisetout |
| 1952 | The Paris Express | Merkemans |
| 1952 | Ivanhoe | Isaac |
| 1951 | Quo Vadis | Plautius |
| 1951 | I'll Never Forget You | Sir William, the Physician (uncredited) |
| 1951 | The Lady with a Lamp | Lord Palmerston |
| 1951 | No Highway in the Sky | Sir Philip (uncredited) |
| 1950 | She Shall Have Murder | Mr. Playfair |
| 1950 | Trio | Bank Manager (segment "The Verger") |
| 1950 | So Long at the Fair | British Consul |
| 1950 | Eye Witness | The British Judge |
| 1949 | Prince of Foxes | Count Marc Antonio Verano |
| 1949 | Christopher Columbus | Father Perez |
| 1949 | Alice in Wonderland | Dr. Liddel | The Cheshire Cat (voice) |
| 1949 | Edward, My Son | Mr. Hanray |
| 1948 | Quartet | Martin (segment "The Colonel's Lady") |
| 1948 | The Calendar | Lord Forlingham |
| 1948 | Hamlet | Polonius, Lord Chamberlain |
| 1947 | The Ghosts of Berkeley Square | Col. H. 'Bulldog' Kelsoe |
| 1947 | A Man About the House | Ronald Sanctuary |
| 1947 | The October Man | Dr. Martin |
| 1947 | Green Fingers | Daniel Booth |
| 1947 | The Smugglers | Priest |
| 1946 | The Laughing Lady | Sir Felix Mountroyal |
| 1946 | The Magic Bow | Signor Fazzini |
| 1946 | The Years Between | Sir Ernest Foster |
| 1945 | Famous Scenes from Shakespeare No. 2: Macbeth - Act II. Scene 2; Act V. Scene 1 (Short) | A doctor |
| 1945 | Famous Scenes from Shakespeare No. I: Julius Caesar - The Forum Scene - Act III. Scene 2 (Short) | Marcus Brutus |
| 1945 | Caesar and Cleopatra | 1st. Nobleman |
| 1945 | The Wicked Lady | Hogarth |
| 1945 | Johnny in the Clouds | Rev. Charles Moss |
| 1944 | Henry V | Archbishop of Canterbury |
| 1944 | Mr. Emmanuel | Mr. Emmanuel |
| 1944 | Her Man Gilbey | Mr. Spaggot |
| 1944 | Time Flies | The Professor |
| 1943 | A Welcome to Britain | Schoolmaster (uncredited) |
| 1943 | Adventure for Two | Mr. Runalow |
| 1943 | Escape to Danger | Sir Alfred Horton |
| 1943 | The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp | The Bishop |
| 1943 | Thursday's Child | Mr. Keith |
| 1943 | The Peterville Diamond | President |
| 1942 | The Young Mr. Pitt | Lord North |
| 1942 | Sabotage at Sea | John Dighton |
| 1942 | Uncensored | Col. von Hohenstein |
| 1942 | Black Sheep of Whitehall | J.B. Crabtree |
| 1942 | The Seventh Survivor | Sir Elmer Norton |
| 1941 | South American George | Mr. Appleby |
| 1941 | Hi Gang! | Lord Amersham |
| 1941 | I Thank You | Henry Potter |
| 1941 | Atlantic Ferry | Bank President |
| 1941 | Once a Crook | King's Counsel |
| 1941 | This England | Sir Edward Grey (uncredited) |
| 1941 | The Spell of Amy Nugent | Mr. Morton |
| 1941 | The Saint's Vacation | Leighton |
| 1941 | The Remarkable Mr. Kipps | Architect (uncredited) |
| 1941 | Major Barbara | James |
| 1941 | The Ghost of St. Michael's | Dr. Winter |
| 1940 | Saloon Bar | Mayor |
| 1940 | The Frightened Lady | Dr. Lester Charles Amersham |
| 1940 | The Briggs Family | Mr. Sand |
| 1940 | Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt | The Proctor |
| 1940 | The Girl in the News | Prosecuting Counsel |
| 1940 | Night Train to Munich | Dr. John Fredericks |
| 1940 | Dr. O'Dowd | President |
| 1939 | Johnson Was No Gentleman (TV Movie) | The Earl of Chesterfield |
| 1939 | Young Man's Fancy | Sir Caleb Crowther |
| 1939 | Fox in the Morning (TV Movie) | Raymon Valdazar |
| 1939 | The Parnell Commission (TV Movie) | Sir Charles Russel |
| 1939 | Spies of the Air | Col. Cairns |
| 1939 | The Great Adventure (TV Movie) | Lord Leonard Alcar |
| 1938 | Queens of France (TV Short) | M'su Cahusac |
| 1938 | The Citadel | Mr. Boon |
| 1938 | Queen of Destiny | Lord Palmerston |
| 1938 | I've Got a Horse | Lovatt |
| 1938 | Queen of Crime | Bishop |
| 1938 | The Case of the Frightened Lady (TV Movie) | Dr. Amersham |
| 1938 | Break the News | Sir George Bickory |
| 1938 | The Words Upon the Window Pane (TV Movie) | Doctor Trench (1939 version) |
| 1938 | Just Like a Woman | Sir Robert Hummel |
| 1938 | On the High Road (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1938 | Bank Holiday | Surgeon |
| 1938 | South Riding | Chairman of Council |
| 1937 | The Live Wire | Wilton |
| 1937 | The Rat | Prosecuting Counsel |
| 1937 | Victoria the Great | Lord Palmerston |
| 1937 | The Vicar of Bray | The Earl of Brendon |
| 1937 | Glamorous Night | Diplomat |
| 1937 | The Frog | John Bennett |
| 1937 | Dreaming Lips | Sir Robert Blaker |
| 1937 | Action for Slander | Sir Eustace Cunninghame |
| 1936 | The Mill on the Floss | Mr. Wakem |
| 1936 | Sensation | Lord Bouverie |
| 1936 | The Man in the Mirror | The Earl of Wigan |
| 1936 | Hideout in the Alps | Asst. Commissioner |
| 1936 | As You Like It | Duke Frederick |
| 1936 | Doomed Cargo | Sir Chas. Webber |
| 1936 | Royal Eagle | Windridge |
| 1936 | In the Soup | Counsel (uncredited) |
| 1936 | Nine Days a Queen | Edward Seymour |
| 1936 | Jack of All Trades | Managing Director |
| 1936 | Rhodes | Johannesburg Diplomat (uncredited) |
| 1936 | The Improper Duchess | Count Seidel |
| 1935 | She Shall Have Music | Black |
| 1935 | Butter and Egg Man | Unknown |
| 1935 | Her Last Affaire | Lord Carnforth |
| 1935 | The Price of a Song | Graham |
| 1935 | Checkmate | Henry Nicholls |
| 1935 | The Ace of Spades | Lord Yarleigh |
| 1935 | Old Roses | Lord Sandelbury |
| 1935 | The Clairvoyant | Prosecutor (uncredited) |
| 1935 | Hello, Sweetheart | Peabody |
| 1935 | The Divine Spark | Butler |
| 1934 | The Iron Duke | Lord Uxbridge |
| 1934 | My Old Dutch | Judge |
| 1934 | The Doctor's Secret | Sir Daniel Summerfield |
| 1934 | Whispering Tongues | Superintendent Fulton |
| 1934 | The Night Club Queen | Prosecution |
| 1934 | The Path of Glory | President of Thalia |
| 1933 | Home, Sweet Home | Robert Wilding KC |
| 1933 | The Wandering Jew | Ferera |
| 1933 | The Ghost Camera | Coroner |
| 1933 | The Shadow | Sir Richard Bryant |
| 1932 | The World, the Flesh, the Devil | Sir Henderson Trent |
| 1930 | The Temporary Widow | Public Prosecutor |
| 1930 | Escape! | Governor (uncredited) |
General:
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