Wensley Pithey


Wensley Ivan William Frederick Pithey was a British character actor who had a long stage and film career.

Biography

Pithey was born in Cape Town, South Africa. A graduate of the University of Cape Town where he studied music and drama, he travelled to Britain in 1947. He appeared in various Shakespearean roles in his long career and appeared in Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie. He also directed and produced plays in the West End and appeared in a range of roles on television including the 1976 drama Edward and Mrs Simpson and Special Branch and Poldark. His British television appearances included Danger Man among others. He also played the title role of Detective Superintendent Charlesworth in a number of BBC series including Charlesworth at Large and its sequel Charlesworth the following year. In 1964 he played a ballistics expert in the BBC series Call the Gun Expert.
Between 1961 and 1976, Pithey appeared in German TV commercials as a fake coffee expert for Tchibo.

Filmography

Film

The Mark of Cain as Opera House Attendant London Belongs to Me as First WardenIt's Hard to Be Good as Vicar Cardboard Cavalier as JailerYour Witness as AlfredGuilt Is My Shadow as TillinghamThe Woman's Angle Brandy for the Parson as Circus OwnerFather's Doing Fine as Policeman Lady in the Fog as Sid - the BarmanThe Titfield Thunderbolt as A PolicemanThe Diamond as Springwell Police Sergeant The Men of Sherwood Forest as HugoIsn't Life Wonderful! as SamYou Can't Escape as Constable WagstaffTiger in the Smoke as Detective Sergeant PickettDoctor at Large as Sam - PoacherKill Me Tomorrow as Inspector LaneHell Drivers as PopThe Long Haul as Minor RoleBlue Murder at St. Trinian's as Brigadier Serious Charge as Police SergeantMake Mine Mink as Superintendent The Pure Hell of St Trinian's as Chief ConstableSnowball as Jim AdamsThe Barber of Stamford Hill as Mr. OThe Boys as Mr. CoulterThe Knack...and How to Get It as TeacherOliver! as Dr. GrimwigOh! What a Lovely War as Archduke Franz Ferdinand One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing as BromleyThe Saint and the Brave Goose as FranklynRed Monarch as VoroshilovWhite Mischief as SheridanAmerican Friends as Cave

Television

Little Women as Mr. James LaurenceMidshipman Barney as SnarksSunday Night Theatre as Multiple rolesRobin Hood as Friar TuckWednesday Theatre as Tom PascoeA Castle and Sixpence as Mr. ParsonsThe Gentle Falcon as InnkeeperEnd of the Line as Narrator Fabian of the Yard as Jerry WatsonDavid Copperfield as Captain Mercier Mr. TungayPlay of the Week as Multiple rolesAssignment Foreign Legion as Captain MercierOverseas Press Club – Exclusive! as Father TsouderosMister Charlesworth as Det. Chief Insp. CharlesworthNicholas Nickleby as Vincent CrummlesShadow Squad as Inspector SmithBig Guns as Det. Supt. CharlesworthCaxton's Tales as Mortimer BensonThe Diary of Samuel Pepys as Viscount BrounckerThe Firm of Girdlestone as Dr. DimsdaleThe New Adventures of Charlie Chan as James CollinsIvanhoe as Earl of PembrokeCharlesworth at Large as Det. Supt. CharlesworthArmchair Theatre as Multiple rolesThe Last Chronicle of Barset as Mr. WalkerCharlesworth as Det. Supt. CharlesworthProbation Officer as Mr. MoffatYorky as Fred PiggottThe Larkins as George PotterSomerset Maugham Hour as WillemPersuasion as Mr. MusgroveNo Hiding Place as Joe SmithDixon of Dock Green as Paul WigramDanger Man as Senor LazarHere's Harry as Police ChiefBoyd Q.C. as Mr. WodhurstDeadline Midnight as Frederick HallSir Francis Drake as Davey PrestonJacks and Knaves as Chief InspectorBBC Sunday-Night Play as Col. Von SchwendiZero One as Unknown roleThe Scales of Justice as Mr. RobbinsPlaybox as Barrington Blizard, QCSuspense as BradwellMan of the World as President RuschekThe Saint as Insp. Claude TealTeletale as Prof. Bür-MalottkeThe Plane Makers as Bill IngramSergeant Cork as Bill IngramCall the Gun Expert as Robert ChurchillLove Story as Jack WightmanGideon's Way as Supt. Bill HemmingwayThe Airbase as Mr. SwearingenThe Sullavan Brothers as CorcoranBlackmail as Eric PalmerMrs Thursday as George DunrichCity '68 as Alderman SankeyHer Majesty's Pleasure as GovernorCallan as Det. Insp. CharwoodSpecial Branch as Det. Supt. EdenNearest and Dearest as Leonard LongbottomThe Main Chance as Lord BennettDoomwatch as Dr. EricsonThe Adventurer as NicholasCoronation Street as Wilfred PerkinsSykes as Multiple rolesZodiac as Inspector DugganPoldark as Jeffrey ClymerBeasts as Mr. LiversedgePremiere as Chief Insp. LymingtonThe Devil's Crown as SaladinEdward and Mrs. Simpson as Winston ChurchillReturn of the Saint as FranklynIke as Winston ChurchillThe Old Curiosity Shop as The Single GentlemanThe Gentle Touch as Dr. QuesneNumber 10 as Edward VIILove and Marriage as Owen MerrickHowards' Way as George JohnsonIn Sickness and in Health as EquerryBlind Justice as Sir Charles BinghamLipstick on Your Collar as Elderly Gentleman