Harry Andrews - Film Career

Film Career

Andrews made his first two screen appearances with Alan Ladd in the films The Red Beret and The Black Knight. He went on to perform in a number of historical and adventure films, including Alexander the Great in 1956, Ice Cold in Alex in 1958, Solomon and Sheba in 1959, and 633 Squadron in 1964. In the 1960s and 1970s, Andrews began performing more frequently in dramas and comedy films. In 1965, he received the award for Best Supporting Actor from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures for his performances in The Agony and the Ecstasy (as Donato Bramante) and The Hill alongside Sean Connery. His performance in The Hill also resulted in Andrews being nominated for the 1966 BAFTA award for Best British Actor, though the award was won by Dirk Bogarde for his performance in Darling. Andrews later appeared in such films as the comedy The Jokers in 1967, the musical comedy The Night They Raided Minsky's in 1968, the 1970 film adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights, the 1972 comedy The Ruling Class, the 1972 horror film Theatre of Blood, the 1974 film version of Man of La Mancha (as the Innkeeper), and the 1976 film adaptation of Maurice Maeterlinck's play The Blue Bird, which was the first film collaboration between the United States and Soviet Russia.

Andrews was known for his portrayal of tough military officers. These performances included Sergeant Payne in A Hill in Korea in 1956, Major Henry in I Accuse! in 1958, Major Swindon in the 1959 film adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play The Devil's Disciple, Captain Graham in A Touch of Larceny in 1959, Lord Lucan in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) and Colonel Thompson in Too Late the Hero in 1970.

In addition to film work, Harry Andrews also appeared in several television series. In the early 1960s, Andrews appeared in two episodes of Armchair Theatre. In 1975, he played Colonel Bruce in Edward the Seventh. The following year, Andrews portrayed Darius Clayhanger in a television series based on The Clayhanger Family novels. In 1985, Andrews was interviewed on an episode of the documentary series This Is Your Life. In 1978, he played one of the Kryptonian elders during the sentencing of the three villains in the film Superman.