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Telly addicts

Help me remember the actor's name

209 replies

PGmicstand · Yesterday 10:48

Just to satisfy my itching brain!
Had a dream last night which featured an actor walking across a car park. He seemed familiar and I'm sure he's a real person.
The problem is, I can't think of much detail.
He's the sort of person who'd be in drama things like murder mysteries or maybe period dramas of the 1920s/1930s - he'd be playing a hotel proprietor type character.
I think he's fairly tall. He's an older actor - or at least, was then - he may have died.
White hair, with a bit of a wave, sometimes worn slicked back. A bit 'jowly' but not with a particularly wide face and has a moustache.
It's NOT Richard Griffiths. There's a similarity but the actor I'm thinking of has a narrower face than that and I don't think he has glasses.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
cariadlet · Yesterday 21:11

All the actores that I've thought of have already been mentioned but I've got a website to suggest. This could keep everyone busy for hours!
familiar-unknown.blogspot.com/

PGmicstand · Yesterday 21:20

From the latest suggestions/some I missed.
If it helps, the person I'm desperately trying to think of has /had a good head of hair, and whilst I see him with a moustache, there's no beard. Hair is quite full with a bit of bouffant/wave. I think reasonably tall but not excessively so. Quite 'portly' but not exactly fat.
I think he'd have been in things when he was in his later 50s but I'm not good with ages. And that would have been in the 1990s or early 2000s, maybe just a bit later.

Peter Ustinov
Already mentioned. Looks superficially similar as Poirot but not him

Clive Mantle
No. Face is a bit too shapely around the jaw, hairline too high, face too thin

Martin Shaw
No. Not one of the Professionals. Martin is too well-known

Nigel Stock
Not really like him at all. Hair whiter, face longer and more rectangular

Richard Durden
No. Wasn't in Ghosts. The mouth is a bit similar but again, forehead too high, hair not white enough.

Danny Webb
No. Face is wrong shape, hair is not the right colour, hairline too high, eyes too 'baggy'

Trevor Eve
No, not Shoestring. He's got too much of a defined chin, too neat a beard. I don’t think my person has a beard.

Derek Jacobi
No. Nowhere near as famous

Michael Cochrane
No. Hairline too high, eyebrows look too thin/sparse

Frank Muir
No. Just not him. Not someone who could wax lyrical on panel shows/radio shows. And I think too old too.

Frankie Howerd
No. Not any sort of raconteur or comedian as far as I can recall

Wilfrid Hyde-White
No. Possibly too old. Chin/neck too defined, no facial hair, and hair wrong

Richard Attenborough
No. Not that famous.

Charles Laughton
No. Doesn't look anything like him and too old.

Alfred Hitchcock
No.Too bald, hair wrong colour. I see him as quite short. Also, I think, too old.

Michael McKean
Possibly the right sort of age but not him. Hairline possibly similar.

Brewster Mason
No, but possibly similar around the eyes/nose

Marty Feldman
Just no.

James Robertson
I can't find anyone with that name - only James Robertson Justice. His hair is the wrong colour, and face a bit too oval.

Keith Barron
No. I thought already mentioned but possibly similar hair (albeit white ) when Keith was in Duty Free

Conleth Hill
No. Hair is wrong although face shape across the cheeks looks vaguely similar to the person I'm thinking of

Patrick McGoohan
No. Not the Prisoner

Charles Dance
No. Not as well known. The person I'm trying to think of is possibly a bit older

Ivor Danvers
No, face shape wrong. Hairline too high

Robert Daws
No. Hariline too high, and I think too young.

John Gielgud
No. Too famous

Tom Courtenay
No. Might be the right sort of age. But again, too well known

Kenneth Branagh
No. Too famous, too young

Alan Bates
No. Hair too dark, and too conventionally handsome

George Cole
No, but some vague facial similarities around the mouth and eyes

Gordon Jackson
Too ginger, too obviously scottish. Hairline too high, face wrong shape.

David Warner
No. Hair is wrong and he's too thin

Richard Bradford / John Challis / Michael Gambon /Nicholas Farrell / Philip Jackson / David Suchet / Anton Rogers / Donald Sutherland / Malcolm McDowell / Terrence Alexander / Terrence Stamp / Denholm Elliott

Again, not someone who would be playing a main character and I don't recall any particular accent. Going back to the 'fastidious' idea - I get the impression of maybe a fob watch or a gold pinky ring type person, which again would tie into a character actor in an Agatha Christie type (but not absolutely that) thing.

I think this is someone who'd probably be in their late 70s or early 80s by now, maybe even a bit older, if they're still alive.

OP posts:
ElizabethVonArnim · Yesterday 21:23

Leo McKern?

PGmicstand · Yesterday 21:30

As a recap, people with some superficial similarities are as follows
Keith Barron - similar hair style when he was in Duty Free but my person has white hair (was possibly blond)
George Cole - some similarities around the mouth and eyes, but not someone as well-known as GC
William Gaunt - some superficial similarities but face is wrong shape and WG too beady and maybe a bit too old.
Richard Griffiths - looks similar but RG's face is too square and I'd recognise him from being in Withnail & I anyway.
Conleth Hill - some similarities possibly around/across the cheeks but not this actor.
Brewster Mason - superficial similarities around the eyes and nose
Michael McKean - similar hairline but not this actor. Maybe a similar age.
John Stride - similar sort of hairline, but not this actor. Maybe a similar age.
Peter Ustinov - superficially similar as Poirot but again, not this actor. PU is too well-known.

OP posts:
UnpopularOpinionsIWouldUsuallyKeepToMyself · Yesterday 21:41

Charles Gray?

Help me remember the actor's name
MamaBobo · Yesterday 21:43

You have really started something here @PGmicstand ….best thread I’ve seen in a long time. Chapeau for your tremendous energy and detailed responses. I’m worried I won’t sleep tonight for racking my brains….

WhyReindeer · Yesterday 21:48

@PGmicstand are you 100% definite on the moustache? Moustache seems odd choice with jowls as it draws attention to lower face - would think big jowls would be either beard for full concealment or clean shaved to not draw attention.

Can you give some similar moustache examples?

I am very invested in this and please with my Brewster Mason and ConlethHill suggestions having some similarities!

Justletmelogon · Yesterday 21:54

Can you have far more vivid and detailed dream tonight please @PGmicstand
Im googling all these actors I've barely head or seen them! So I'm no help, sorry.
So please can someone sort it out , it's doin me head in !

PersonIrresponsible · Yesterday 21:57

Is it cheating to ask AI?

I entered "male, English, Agatha Christie actors over 50"

And got this list...

David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, David Yelland, Rupert Everett, Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, Toby Jones, Alex Macqueen, Albert Finney, Jason Isaacs, Alfred Molina, and Ian Holm.

Ian Holm?

Witchergeralt · Yesterday 22:01

Joss Ackland?

suburburban · Yesterday 22:02

WhyReindeer · Yesterday 19:48

Nicholas Farrell is a good shout - I think he wears a cream suit in those Saga cruise adverts or whatever it is. He does have a bit of a Griffiths/Ustinov love child vibe going on there.

Edited

He’s a good actor, saw him live in a Terrence Ratigan play a few years ago

BluTangClan · Yesterday 22:04

Michael Winner.

Julipdreams · Yesterday 22:05

Tony Haygarth

TheOnlyWayIsIlford · Yesterday 22:05

Bill Nighy

I know it isn't him but I just thought we could all take a moment to contemplate the wonder that is the lovely Bill Nighy

Witchergeralt · Yesterday 22:09

TheOnlyWayIsIlford · Yesterday 22:05

Bill Nighy

I know it isn't him but I just thought we could all take a moment to contemplate the wonder that is the lovely Bill Nighy

If he was any more laid back he'd be comatose.

LuckyCharmz · Yesterday 22:10

Ronald Fraser?

User122333 · Yesterday 22:19

David Calder?

LoppyLugs · Yesterday 22:20

Richard Johnson?

cheapskatemum · Yesterday 22:22

You haven’t commented on my earlier suggestion of Ian Carmichael…

Tickingcrocodile · Yesterday 22:24

George Baker (Inspector Wexford)?

WhyReindeer · Yesterday 22:27

@cheapskatemum - yes OP did - Ian Carmichael is in the spreadsheet - it's not him.

"Ian Carmichael Hairline too high, eyebrows wrong, face not right shape"

Spreadsheet in this post

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5572252-help-me-remember-the-actors-name?reply=154443211

ElizabethVonArnim · Yesterday 22:36

Ooh, David Calder is a good shout

MadeinBelfast · Yesterday 22:50

Adam Faith or Paul Nicholas? They don't really fit your description but both had slightly wavy hair (clutches at straws!)

TheBitterBoy · Yesterday 22:55

Edward Herrmann?