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Nigel Green (October 15, 1924 - May 15, 1972) was a British character actor. Because of his strapping build and commanding demeanour he would often be found playing military roles in British and international films of the 1960s.
The son of a professor, Green attended King's College School, Wimbledon and the University of London followed by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He appeared on stage at the Old Vic before making his first forays into British films and television in the mid-1950s.
Early film roles include Reach for the Sky (1956), The Criminal (1960), The League of Gentlemen (1960), and Beat Girl (1960). In 1963 he had one of his most memorable roles as Hercules in Jason and the Argonauts. His large physique also led to him being cast as Little John in the 1960 film Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Other television roles include William Tell, Danger Man, The Power Game, The Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, Jason King, The Protectors and The Persuaders!.
In 1964 his profile was raised dramatically following his co-starring role as Colour Sgt. Frank Bourne in Zulu, a film that would see him typecast in military roles in further films such as Khartoum (1966), Tobruk (1967), Fräulein Doktor and Play Dirty (both 1969).
In 1965 he took a turn as leading man, playing Nayland Smith in The Face of Fu Manchu. The same year also saw another of his most memorable roles as Major Dalby in The Ipcress File where he played the superior and nemesis of secret agent Harry Palmer (Michael Caine).
Green and Caine appeared in a number of films and TV episodes together, including The Ipcress File and Play Dirty. In those films, Green was Caine's superior, as opposed to the earlier Zulu where he was a colour sergeant to Caine's British army Lieutenant.
Other villainous roles include Carl Petersen in Bulldog Drummond movie Deadlier Than the Male (1967) and Count Contini in the Matt Helm film The Wrecking Crew (1969), one of his forays to Hollywood.
He also appeared in a number of horror films such as Corridors of Blood (1958), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), The Skull (1965), Let's Kill Uncle (1966) and Countess Dracula (1971).
His last role was a cameo as "the Electric Messiah", a mental patient believing himself to be God, in The Ruling Class (1972).
Green's career was cut short when he died from an accidental overdose of sleeping pills in 1972, aged just 47.
External links
Nigel Green at IMDb
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