Alan Tilvern (5 November 1918 – 17 December 2003) was an English actor. He was known for usually playing "tough-guy" roles.

Life

Tilvern was born 5 November 1918 in

Whitechapel Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...

, in the

East End of London The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have univ ...

, to Jewish-Lithuanian parents, who changed their name from Tilevitch.

War and film career

After leaving school, he became a

barrow boy ''Barrow boy'' is a British expression with two meanings, occupational and social. Street traders since the 19th century (and perhaps earlier) sold seasonal goods (especially vegetables) from two-wheeled barrows. London street traders were called c ...

Brick Lane Brick Lane ( Bengali: ব্রিক লেন) is a street in the East End of London, in the borough of Tower Hamlets. It runs from Swanfield Street in Bethnal Green in the north, crosses the Bethnal Green Road before reaching the busiest ...

. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he served in the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

but was invalided out before its end in 1945. A year later, he began an acting career (''

Danger by My Side ''Danger by My Side'' is a 1963 British crime thriller directed by Charles Saunders and starring Anthony Oliver. Plot Lynne Marsden sees her undercover detective brother killed by a speeding car. She goes in search of the murderers, which lead ...

'' being a good example), that lasted until the late 1980s. He is possibly best known for his role as R. K. Maroon in his last film, ''

Who Framed Roger Rabbit ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is a 1988 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated comedy film, comedy mystery film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall (filmmaker), Frank Marshall and Robert Watts, and loosely ad ...

''.

Death

Tilvern died on 17 December 2003, at the age of 85. He was survived by his daughter.

Filmography

Television appearances

Film

References

External links

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Alan Tilvern
at Theatricalia 1918 births 2003 deaths English male television actors English people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent English male film actors English male voice actors Jewish English male actors English Ashkenazi Jews People from Whitechapel Male actors from London British Army personnel of World War II 20th-century English male actors {{England-film-actor-stub