Allan Cuthbertson


Allan Darling Cuthbertson was an Australian actor. He was best known for playing stern-faced military officers in British films of the 1950s and 1960s.

Early life

Cuthbertson was born in Perth, Western Australia, son of Ernest and Isobel Ferguson Cuthbertson. He performed on stage and radio from an early age.
During the Second World War, he served as a flight lieutenant with the Royal Australian Air Force from 6 December 1941 to 1 July 1947, including service with 111 Air Sea Rescue Flight.

Career

Cuthbertson arrived in Britain in 1947, and appeared shortly thereafter as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet at the Boltons. In London's West End, he appeared as Laertes in Hamlet, Aimwell in The Beaux Stratagem, and Octavius Robinson in Man and Superman, among many other roles.
He was often cast in military roles, which was quite common in actors of his generation, especially those with a military air about them. He made a brief appearance as a harassed staff officer, who then gets blown up, at the beginning of Ice Cold in Alex. He was Captain Eric Simpson in Tunes of Glory as well as being cast as more stuffy regimental types in such films as Carrington V.C. and The Guns of Navarone, and as the callous and officious Colonel Cavendish in The 7th Dawn with William Holden. In 1961 he appeared in the TV series Danger Man in the episode entitled "The Island" as Mr. Wilson. In 1962 he played a school teacher in Term of Trial with Laurence Olivier. He appeared four times in the television series The Avengers.
Cuthbertson also had a talent for playing comedy, which led to his best known role, although again playing a mustachioed military character, as Colonel Hall in the "Gourmet Night" episode of the hit sitcom Fawlty Towers in 1975. He appeared in many roles on British television, including with Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery and Frankie Howerd, and in All Gas and Gaiters, Gideon's Way episode The V Men as Chief Supt Bill Parsons and episode The Thin Red Line as Major Donald Ross, The Avengers, The Champions, Danger Man, UFO, an episode of The Persuaders! as Colonel Wright and Terry and June, where he played annoying neighbour Tarquin Spry. He was a regular guest on The Morecambe & Wise Show from 1973 to 1976. In the acclaimed 1985 Suspense Serial, Edge of Darkness, Allan played as Investigative Speaker Mr. Chilwell. One of his last TV appearances was in Michael Palin's East of Ipswich in 1987.
One of his last stage roles was in The Corn Is Green by Emlyn Williams at the Old Vic in 1985.

Personal life

Cuthbertson was long married to Dr Gertrude Willner, a refugee from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, who had been a lawyer originally, but became a teacher in Britain. They had an adopted son.
At the time of his death, Cuthbertson was living in Surbiton, Greater London.

Filmography

Carrington V.C. – Lt. Col. HennikerPortrait of Alison – Henry CarmichaelOn Such a Night – 1st GentlemanDoublecross – CliffordCloak Without Dagger – Colonel PackhamThe Man Who Never Was – Vice-AdmiralEyewitness – Det Insp Anastasia – Blond Man The Passionate Stranger – Dr. StevensonYangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst – Captain Donaldson RNBarnacle Bill – ChaileyLaw and Disorder – Police InspectorIce Cold in Alex – Brigadier's Staff OfficerI Was Monty's Double – Guards OfficerRoom at the Top – George AisgillThe Crowning Touch – PhilipShake Hands with the Devil – CaptainThe Devil's Disciple – British CaptainKillers of Kilimanjaro – SextonNorth West Frontier – Monocled Officer The Stranglers of Bombay – Capt. Christopher Connaught-SmithTunes of Glory – Capt. Eric SimpsonThe Malpas Mystery – Lacey MarshaltMan at the Carlton Tower The Guns of Navarone – Maj. BakerOn the Double – Captain PattersonSolo for Sparrow – Supt. SymingtonTerm of Trial – Sylvan-JonesThe Boys – Randolph St. JohnThe Brain – Da Silva The Fast Lady – BodleyFreud: The Secret Passion – WilkieNine Hours to Rama – Capt. GoffThe Running Man – JenkinsThe Mouse on the Moon – Member of Whitehall ConferenceTamahine – HousemasterBitter Harvest – Mr. EcclesThe Informers – SmytheThe 7th Dawn – Colonel CavendishOperation Crossbow – German Technical ExaminerLife at the Top – George AisgillGame for Three Losers – GarsdenCast a Giant Shadow – Immigration OfficerPress for Time – Mr. BallardThe Trygon Factor – Det. ThompsonJules Verne's Rocket to the Moon – ScuttlingHalf a Sixpence – WilkinsSinful Davey – Captain DouglasThe Body Stealers – HindesmithCaptain Nemo and the Underwater City – LomaxThe Adventurers – HughOne More Time – BeltonPerformance – The LawyerThe Firechasers – D.O JarvisAssault – CoronerDiamonds on Wheels – Gus AshleyFawlty Towers, episode "Gourmet Night" – Colonel HallThe Outsider – StanleyThe Sea Wolves – MelborneHopscotch – ChartermainThe Mirror Crack'd – Peter Montrose The Winds of War, episodes "Cataclysm" & "The Changing of the Guard" – Maj. Gen. TilletEdge of Darkness, episodes 3-6 - Mr. ChilwellThirteen at Dinner – Sir Montague CornerEast of Ipswich – Mr. Horrobin