Finlay Currie
William Finlay Currie was a Scottish actor of stage, screen, and television. He received great acclaim for his roles as Abel Magwitch in the British film Great Expectations, as Saint Peter in Quo Vadis and as Balthazar in the American film Ben-Hur.
In his career spanning 70 years, Currie appeared in seven films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, of which Around the World in 80 Days and Ben-Hur were winners.
Career
Currie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He attended George Watson's College and worked as organist and choir director. In 1898 he got his first job in Benjamin Fuller's theatre group, and appeared with them for almost 10 years.
After emigrating to the United States in the late 1890s, Currie and his wife, Maude Courtney, did a song-and-dance act on the stage. He made his first film, The Old Man, in 1931. He appeared as a priest in the 1943 Ealing Second World War film Undercover. His most famous film role was the convict, Abel Magwitch, in David Lean's Great Expectations. He also earned praise for his portrayal of Queen Victoria's highland attendant John Brown in The Mudlark.
In the following years Currie appeared in Hollywood film epics, including such roles as Saint Peter in Quo Vadis, as Balthazar, one of the Three Magi, in the multi-Oscar-winning Ben-Hur ; the Pope in Francis of Assisi ; and an aged, wise senator in The Fall of the Roman Empire. He appeared in People Will Talk with Cary Grant; and portrayed Robert Taylor's embittered father, Sir Cedric, in MGM's Technicolor version of Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe highlighted his comic capabilities, as well as a willingness to still do some action scenes in his 70s.
Currie's television roles included Sir Gideon Murray in Alexander Reid's The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou, broadcast by the BBC on 6 October 1953. In 1962, he starred in an episode of NBC's The DuPont Show of the Week, The Ordeal of Dr. Shannon, an adaptation of A.J. Cronin's novel, Shannon's Way.
Currie was the subject of This Is Your Life in February 1963, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre in London.
In 1966, Currie played Mr. Lundie, the minister, in the television adaptation of the musical Brigadoon. His last performance was for the television series The Saint which starred Roger Moore. Currie played a dying mafioso boss in the two-part episode "Vendetta for the Saint", which was shown posthumously in 1969.
Currie was married to American actress Maude Courtney. They had two children, George and Marion.
Late in life, Currie became a much respected antiques dealer, specialising in coins and precious metals. He was also a longtime collector of the works of Robert Burns.
Currie died on 9 May 1968 in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, at age 90. His ashes were scattered in Breakspear Crematorium, Ruislip, Middlesex.
Complete filmography
The Old Man as RennettThe Frightened Lady as BrooksRome Express as Sam The Good Companions as Monte Mortimer Excess Baggage as Inspector ToucanIt's a Boy Princess Charming as Baron SeegmanOrders Is Orders as DaveLittle Friend as GroveGay Love as HighamsMy Old Dutch as MoMr. Cinders as Henry KempThe Big Splash as Hartley BassettIn Town Tonight as The ManagerHeat Wave as Captain The Improper Duchess as Milton LeeThe Gay Adventure as PorterWanted! as Uncle MartGlamorous Night as Angus MacIntoshCatch as Catch Can as Al ParsonsThe Edge of the World as James GrayCommand Performance as Al, Arthur's ManagerParadise for Two as Creditor The Claydon Treasure Mystery as RubinFollow Your Star as MaxieAround the Town as Sam WyngoldThe Royal Family of Broadway as Oscar WolfeLeviathan Sun Up as Pap ToddThe Great Adventure as TexelOne Night, One Day... as JamesCrook's Tour as Tourist on Desert Bus 49th Parallel as The FactorThe Day Will Dawn as Capt. AlstadThunder Rock as Capt. Joshua StuartThe Bells Go Down as District Officer MacFarlaneWarn That Man as Captain Andrew FletcherTheatre Royal as Clement J. EarleUndercover as Father They Met in the Dark as Merchant CaptainThe Shipbuilders as McWainDon Chicago as Bugs MulliganI Know Where I'm Going! as Ruairidh MhórThe Trojan Brothers as W. H. MaxwellSchool for Secrets as Sir Duncan WillsIn the Zone as ScottySpring Song as CobbGreat Expectations as MagwitchMusical Chairs as Samuel PlagettWoman to Woman as Theatre ManagerYou Can't Take It with You as Martin VanderhofThe Brothers as Hector MacraeThe Great Adventure as TexelSo Evil My Love as Dr KrylieMy Brother Jonathan as Dr HammondMr. Perrin and Mr. Traill as Sir Joshua VarleySleeping Car to Trieste as Alastair MacBainBonnie Prince Charlie as the Marquis of TullibardineThe History of Mr. Polly as Uncle JimEdward, My Son as Sir Lawrence Smythe Whisky Galore! as Narrator Treasure Island as Captain Billy Bones Trio as Mr McLeod My Daughter Joy as Sir Thomas McTavishThe Black Rose as AlfgarThe Mudlark as John BrownPeople Will Talk as ShundersonQuo Vadis as Saint PeterWalk East on Beacon as Professor Albert KaferKangaroo as Michael McGuireIvanhoe as CedricStars and Stripes Forever as Colonel RandolphTreasure of the Golden Condor as MacDougalThe Broken Jug as Inspector WalterThe Lass Wi' the Muckle Mou as Sir Gideon MurrayRob Roy: The Highland Rogue as Hamish MacPhersonThe End of the Road as Old "Mick-Mack"Beau Brummell as McIver, Brummel's Publisher Third Party Risk as Mr. DariusCaptain Lightfoot as CallahanMake Me an Offer as Abe SpartaThunder Rock as Capt. Joshua StuartFootsteps in the Fog as Inspector PetersKing's Rhapsody as King PaulAround the World in 80 Days as Andrew Stuart, Reform Club memberZarak as the MullahSeven Waves Away as Mr WheatonThe Little Hut as the Reverend Bertram Brittingham-BellSaint Joan as Archbishop of RheimsCampbell's Kingdom as Old ManDangerous Exile as Mr. PatientThe Naked Earth as Father VerityTempest as Count Grinov6.5 Special as HimselfCorridors of Blood as Supt MathesonSolomon and Sheba as King DavidBen-Hur as Balthasar / NarratorHand in Hand as Mr PritchardKidnapped as Cluny MacPhersonThe Angel Wore Red as BishopThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as Capt. SellersClue of the Silver Key as Harvey LaneEdgar Wallace Mysteries – "Clue of the Silver Key" as Harvey LaneFive Golden Hours as Father SuperiorFrancis of Assisi as the PopeJoseph and His Brethren as JacobGo to Blazes as the JudgeThe Inspector as De KoolThe Amorous Prawn as LochayeCleopatra as Titus Murder at the Gallop as Old EnderbyThe Cracksman as FeathersBilly Liar as DuxburyWest 11 as Mister CashThe Three Lives of Thomasina as Grandpa StirlingThe Fall of the Roman Empire as SenatorWho Was Maddox? as Alec CampbellThe Battle of the Villa Fiorita as EmceeBunny Lake Is Missing as DollmakerBrigadoon as Mr LundieAlice in Wonderland as DodoVendetta for the Saint as Don Pasquale
Partial television credits
The Lass wi' the Muckle Mou as Sir Gideon MurrayDanger Man – Episodes: "The Gallows Tree" as Jock "That's Two of Us Sorry" as Jock as Mr CaldicottAlice in Wonderland as the DodoGideon's Way Episode "The Thin Red Line" as the GeneralThe Prisoner – Episode "The Chimes of Big Ben" as GeneralThe Saint – Episode "Vendetta for the Saint" as Don Pasquale