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Donald Pleasence (1919–1995)

Balding, quietly-spoken, of slight build and possessed of piercing blue eyes -- often peering out from behind round, steel-rimmed glasses -- Donald Pleasence had the necessary physical attributes which make a great screen villain. In the course of his lengthy career, he relished playing the obsessed, the paranoid and the purely evil. Even the Van ... See full bio »
42 photos | 31 videos | 585 news articles »

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Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 3 nominations. See more awards »

Known For

Halloween
Halloween Dr. Sam Loomis
(1978)
The Great Escape
The Great Escape Blythe 'The Forger'
(1963)
Escape from New York
Escape from New York President
(1981)
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Dr. Sam Loomis
(1988)
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Filmography

Hide Hide Show Show Actor (234 credits)
 1996 Fatal Frames - Fotogrammi mortali
Professor Robinson
 1995 Safe Haven
The Sailor
 1994 Guinevere (TV Movie)
Merlin
 1993 The Big Freeze (TV Movie)
Soup slurper
 1993 The Advocate
Pincheon
 1993 Screen Two (TV Series)
Victor Harty
- Femme Fatale (1993) ... Victor Harty
 1993 The Princess and the Cobbler
Phido the Vulture (original and Majestic Films version) / Additional voices (Miramax version) (voice)
 1992 Lovejoy (TV Series)
Karel Redl
- The Prague Sun (1992) ... Karel Redl
 1992 Die Schlacht von Dien Bien Phu
Howard Simpson
 1991 Shadows and Fog
Doctor
 1991 Millions
Ripa
 1991 Die Geier warten schon
Aaron Shalik
 1990 Gefährliche Begegnung (TV Movie)
Dreyfuss
 1990 American Rikscha
Reverend Mortom
 1990 Buried Alive
Dr. Schaeffer
 1989 Casablanca Express
Colonel Bats
 1989 Paganini Horror
Mr. Pickett
 1989 River of Death
Heinrich Spaatz
 1989 The House of Usher
Walter Usher
 1988 The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (TV Movie)
Dr. Absalon
 1988 Vampire in Venice
Don Alvise
 1988 Last Platoon
Colonel B. Abrahams
 1988 Der Commander
Henry Carlson
 1988 The Ray Bradbury Theatre (TV Series)
George Hill
- Punishment Without Crime (1988) ... George Hill
 1988 Phantom of Death
Inspector Datti
 1987 Gila and Rik (TV Movie)
Joe Gardenia
 1987 Urban Animals
Prof. Livingstone
 1987 Djangos Rückkehr
Ben Gunn
 1987 Kreis der Angst
Prosper Gaffney
 1987 Der Kampfgigant
Senator Blaster
 1987 Basements (TV Movie)
Mr. Kidd (segment "The Room")
 1987 Specters
Professor Lasky
 1987 Scoop (TV Movie)
London - Lord Copper
 1987 Warrior Queen
Clodius
 1986 Into the Darkness (Video)
David Beckett
 1986 Hit Man (TV Mini-Series)
Olindo Cuomo
 1986 Operation Nam
Father Lenoir
 1986 Honor Thy Father (TV Movie)
Aldo Rossi
 1985 Nothing Underneath
Commissioner Danesi
 1985 Treasure of the Amazon
Klaus von Blantz
 1985 The Corsican Brothers (TV Movie)
The Chancellor
 1985 Black Arrow (TV Movie)
Sir Oliver Oates
 1984 Arch of Triumph (TV Movie)
Haake
 1984 A Breed Apart
J.P. Whittier
 1984 The Ambassador
Minister Eretz
 1984 Where Is Parsifal?
Mackintosh
 1984 Master of the Game (TV Mini-Series)
Salomon Van der Merwe
- Episode #1.3 (1984) ... Salomon Van der Merwe
- Episode #1.2 (1984) ... Salomon Van der Merwe
- Episode #1.1 (1984) ... Salomon Van der Merwe
 1983 The Devonsville Terror
Dr. Warley
 1971-1983 Play for Today (TV Series)
Samuel Johnson / Gerry Muddiman / Tom
- The Falklands Factor (1983) ... Samuel Johnson
- Skin Deep (1971) ... Gerry Muddiman
- The Fox Trot (1971) ... Tom
 1981 Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr
Gilbert Carson
 1981 Computercide (TV Movie)
George Dettler
 1981 Dick Turpin (TV Series)
Ignatius Slake
- Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure: Part 4 (1981) ... Ignatius Slake
- Dick Turpin's Greatest Adventure: Part 1 (1981) ... Ignatius Slake
 1981 The Monster Club
Pickering - Chief of the B-Squad
 1980 Blade on the Feather (TV Movie)
Professor Jason Cavendish
 1980 The Ghost Sonata (TV Movie)
The old man
 1980 The Pumaman
Kobras (as Donald Pleasance)
 1979 The French Atlantic Affair (TV Mini-Series)
Max Dechambre
 1979 All Quiet on the Western Front (TV Movie)
Kantorek
 1979 Better Late Than Never (TV Movie)
Colonel Riddle
 1979 Jaguar Lives!
General Villanova
 1979 Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff
Dr. Steiner
 1979 Mann in Wut
Albert Rumpelmayer
 1979 Gold of the Amazon Women (TV Movie)
Clarence Blasko
 1979 Mrs. Columbo (TV Series)
Ian A. Morly
- Murder Is a Parlor Game (1979) ... Ian A. Morly
 1978 Last In, First Out
Rothko
 1978 Power Play
Blair
 1978 Night Creature
Axel MacGregor
 1978 The Bastard (TV Movie)
Solomon Sholto
 1978 Blutsverwandte
James Doniac
 1978 The Defection of Simas Kudirka (TV Movie)
Captain Vladimir Popov
 1977 Telefon
Nicolai Dalchimsky
 1977 Oh, God!
Doctor Harmon
 1977 Das Unheimliche
Valentine De'ath (segment "Hollywood 1936")
 1977 Jesus von Nazareth (TV Mini-Series)
Melchior
- Part 1 (1977) ... Melchior
 1976 Hindle Wakes (TV Movie)
Nat Jeffcote
 1974-1976 BBC2 Playhouse (TV Series)
George Livingston / Aaron
- The Mind Beyond: Meriel, the Ghost Girl (1976) ... George Livingston
- The Cafeteria (1974) ... Aaron
 1976 Glory Days
John Tyler Jones
 1976 Land of the Minotaur
Father Roche
 1976 A Dirty Knight's Work
Sir Giles Marley
 1976 Death of an Informer (TV Movie)
The man in the office
 1976 Peep Show (TV Series)
Max
- Death (1976) ... Max
 1976 Ubu roi (TV Movie)
Pa Ubu
 1975 Shades of Greene (TV Series)
Puckler
- The Root of All Evil (1975) ... Puckler
 1975 Hearts of the West
A.J. Nietz
 1975 Reise in die Angst
Kuvetli
 1975 Sharon's Baby
Dr. Finch
 1975 Performance (TV Series)
- The Captain of Kopenick (1975)
 1974 The Mutations
Professor Nolter
 1974 House of the Damned
Martin Zayas
 1974 Occupations (TV Movie)
Christo Kabak
 1974 The Black Windmill
Cedric Harper
 1974 Watch Out, We're Mad
The Doctor
 1974 From Beyond the Grave
Jim Underwood (segment 2 "An Act of Kindness")
 1973 Tales That Witness Madness
Prof. R.C. Tremayne
 1973 Malachi's Cove
Malachi
 1973 Great Mysteries (TV Series)
Cawser
- Captain Rogers (1973) ... Cawser
 1973 Abenteuer Gold
Ralph Logan
 1973 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (TV Movie)
Fred Smudge
 1973 The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water (TV Short)
The Spirit (voice)
 1972 Wedding in White
Jim Dougall, Sr.
 1972 Police Surgeon (TV Series)
Jerry Hahn
- Lady X (1972) ... Jerry Hahn
 1972 The Man Outside (TV Series)
Victor Cobb
- A Glass of Snake Wine (1972) ... Victor Cobb
 1972 Das zweite Kommando
Major Samuels
 1972 Raw Meat
Inspector Calhoun
 1971 Wake in Fright
Doc Tydon
 1971 THX 1138
SEN
 1970 Confession (TV Series)
Sergeant Hurby
- The Fell Sergeant (1970) ... Sergeant Hurby
 1970 Soldier Blue
Isaac Q. Cumber
 1969 The Madwoman of Chaillot
The Prospector
 1969 Arthur! Arthur!
Arthur Brownjohn / Sir Easonby 'E' Mellon
 1969 NBC Experiment in Television (TV Series)
- Pinter People (1969) ... (voice)
 1969 Mr. Freedom
Dr. Freedom (as Don Pleasence)
 1968 Creature of Comfort
James Thorne
 1968 The Other People
Clive - Elsa's father
 1967-1968 Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series)
J.G. / Richard Pratt
- The News-Benders (1968) ... J.G.
- Taste (1967) ... Richard Pratt
 1967 Matchless
Gregori Andreanu
 1957-1967 Armchair Theatre (TV Series)
Ben Hoffman / Fred Watson / Arthur Gladwell / ...
- Call Me Daddy (1967) ... Ben Hoffman
- The Bandstand (1964)
- The Cupboard (1960) ... Fred Watson
- Small Fish Are Sweet (1959) ... Arthur Gladwell
- A House of His Own (1959)
Show all 8 episodes
 1967 Seven Deadly Virtues (TV Series)
Buchanan
- The Good & Faithful Servant (1967) ... Buchanan
 1967 Call Me Daddy (TV Movie)
Mr. Hoffman
 1966 The Wednesday Play (TV Series)
The Head Waiter
- The Head Waiter (1966) ... The Head Waiter
 1966 Eye of the Devil
Pere Dominic
 1966 Cul-De-Sac
George
 1956-1966 ITV Play of the Week (TV Series)
Supt. Smith / Barton Keyes / Henri Pincoff / ...
- The Move After Checkmate (1966) ... Supt. Smith
- Double Indemnity (1960) ... Barton Keyes
- ... And Humanity (1958) ... Henri Pincoff
- One (1956) ... Burden
 1966 The Fugitive (TV Series)
Max Pfeiffer
- With Strings Attached (1966) ... Max Pfeiffer
 1965 Armchair Mystery Theatre (TV Series)
Ambrose
- Ambrose (1965) ... Ambrose
 1965 The Defenders (TV Series)
Dr. Byron Saul
- Fires of the Mind (1965) ... Dr. Byron Saul
 1964 Espionage (TV Series)
Escalon
- The Liberators (1964) ... Escalon
 1963 The Outer Limits (TV Series)
Harold J. Finley
- The Man with the Power (1963) ... Harold J. Finley
 1962 The Hatchet Man (TV Movie)
Harry Laws
 1962 Lisa
Sgt. Wolters
 1961 No Place Like Homicide!
Everett Sloane
 1961 Spare the Rod
Mr. Jenkins
 1961 One Step Beyond (TV Series)
Harvey Laurence
- The Confession (1961) ... Harvey Laurence
 1961 The Wind of Change
'Pop' Marley
 1961 No Love for Johnnie
Roger Renfrew
 1960-1961 Danger Man (TV Series)
Nikolides / Captain Aldrich
- Find and Return (1961) ... Nikolides
- Position of Trust (1960) ... Captain Aldrich
 1960 The Risk
Parsons, alias Bill Brown
 1960 The Big Day
Victor Partridge
 1960 Interpol Calling (TV Series)
Karl Haussman
- The Absent Assassin (1960) ... Karl Haussman
 1960 BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Mini-Series)
Admiral Vespery
- Twentieth Century Theatre: The Assassin (1960) ... Admiral Vespery
 1960 Rendezvous (TV Series)
Potter
- The Dodo (1960) ... Potter
 1960 Sons and Lovers
Pappleworth
 1960 Hell Is a City
Gus Hawkins
 1960 Circus of Horrors
Vanet
 1960 The Battle of the Sexes
Irwin Hoffman (as Donald Pleasance)
 1960 The Four Just Men (TV Series)
Paul Koster
- The Survivor (1960) ... Paul Koster
 1960 The Shakedown
Jessel Brown
 1959 Killers of Kilimanjaro
Captain
 1956-1959 ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series)
Robert Robertson / Leonard Browne / Lenin / ...
- The Silk Purse (1959) ... Robert Robertson
- Mr. Browne Comes Home (1959) ... Leonard Browne
- Blood on the Snow (1958) ... Lenin
- Fate and Mister Browne (1958) ... Captain Browne
- Chance Meeting (1956) ... Albert
Show all 6 episodes
 1952-1959 BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (TV Series)
Doctor / The Foreign Minister / Syme / ...
- The Millionairess (1959) ... Doctor
- The Moment of Truth (1955) ... The Foreign Minister
- Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954) ... Syme
- Caesar's Friend (1954) ... Gamaliel
- Such Men Are Dangerous (1954) ... Chamberlain
Show all 6 episodes
 1959 The Traitor (TV Movie)
Grantley Caypor
 1959 William Tell (TV Series)
The Spider
- The Spider (1959) ... The Spider
 1959 Look Back in Anger
Hurst
 1958 Granite (TV Movie)
A nameless man
 1958 The Two-Headed Spy
General Hardt
 1958 The Man Inside
Organ-grinder
 -1958 The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV Series)
Prince John / Bailiff Baldwin
- Marian's Prize (1958) ... Prince John
- Ambush (1957) ... Prince John
- Isabella (1956) ... Prince John
- A Village Wooing (1956) ... Bailiff Baldwin (as Donald Pleasance)
- The Prisoner (1956) ... Prince John
Show all 6 episodes
 1958 The Wind Cannot Read
Doctor
 1958 The Desk Set (TV Movie)
Kenny
 1958 Heart of a Child
Spiel
 1958 The Killing Stones (TV Series)
Jakob Kleiber
- The Carefulness of Kleiber (1958) ... Jakob Kleiber
 1958 I Spy (TV Movie)
Mr. Frute
 1957 All at Sea
Cashier
 1957 Stowaway Girl
Evans
 1957 Assignment Foreign Legion (TV Series)
Commandant
- The Coward (1957) ... Commandant
 1957 Decision Against Time
Crabtree
 1956 The Black Tent
Ali
 1956 1984
R. Parsons (as Donald Pleasance)
 1956 Encounter (TV Series)
- We Must Kill Toni (1956)
 1955 On Camera (TV Series)
- The Tell-Tale Heart (1955)
 1955 Orders Are Orders
L / Cpl. Martin (as Donald Plesance)
 1955 The Grove Family (TV Series)
Monsieur Paul
- Parlez-Vous Français? (1955) ... Monsieur Paul
 1954 The Face of Love (TV Movie)
Alex
 1954 The Runaway Slave (TV Movie)
Kidnapper
 1954 Montserrat (TV Movie)
Juan Alvarez
 1954 The Beachcomber
Tromp
 1954 The Coiners (TV Movie)
Mr. Chamberlayn
 1952 The Dybbuk (TV Movie)
Second batlon
Show Show Writer (3 credits)
Show Show Soundtrack (3 credits)
Show Show Director (1 credit)
Show Show Thanks (6 credits)
Show Show Self (21 credits)
Show Show Archive footage (35 credits)

Related Videos

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Personal Details

Other Works:

Provided vocal contribution to The Beatles' album "Sgt Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club Band". See more »

Publicity Listings:

4 Interviews | 7 Articles | 1 Pictorial | See more »

Alternate Names:

Donald Pleasance | Don Pleasence | Donald Plesance

Height:

5' 6" (1.68 m)
Edit

Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

All kids love horror films. Films of that nature are especially attractive to teenagers for the simple reason that they don't want to sit home with Mom and Dad and watch game shows. Give them a film that's scary, violent, and a little bit funny and they'll be out of the house and into the theaters like a shot. See more »

Trivia:

He was initially a conscientous objector during World War II, but later changed his mind and joined the British Royal Air Force. His plane was shot down and was taken prisoner of war by the Nazis until his release in 1945. See more »

Trademark:

Dr. Sam Loomis from the Halloween films See more »

Star Sign:

Libra

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