David Farrar (21 August 1908 – 31 August 1995) was an English stage and film actor. His film roles include as the male lead in the

Powell and Pressburger The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell (1905–1990) and Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988)—together often known as The Archers, the name of their production company—made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. T ...

films ''

Black Narcissus ''Black Narcissus'' is a 1947 British Psychological fiction, psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by Powell and Pressburger, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and starring Deborah Kerr, Kathleen Byron, Sabu Dastagir, S ...

'' (1947), ''

The Small Back Room ''The Small Back Room'', released in the United States as ''Hour of Glory'', is a 1949 film by the British producer-writer-director team of Powell and Pressburger, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger starring David Farrar (actor), David Farrar ...

'' (1949) and '' Gone to Earth'' (1950). According to one obituary, "He was particularly adept at conveying the weaknesses and human qualities in figures of authority and intelligence ... and he could be considered an early exponent of 'anti-hero' roles." In 1949, exhibitors voted him the ninth-most popular British star. Director

Michael Powell Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company The Archers, they together wrote, produced and directed a serie ...

once spoke of his handsome appearance and distinctive "violet eyes", and his exceptional timing in films. Powell also stated that had Farrar been more interested in cinema and cared more about his career, he could have been a much more high-profile actor, as successful as any.''Black Narcissus'' (The Criterion Collection) (2001) DVD commentary

Career

Farrar was born in

Forest Gate Forest Gate is a district in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England. It is located northeast of Charing Cross. The area's name relates to its position adjacent to Wanstead Flats, the southernmost part of Epping Forest. The town ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

(now in the

London Borough of Newham The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, authorities that were both abolished by the s ...

). He joined the ''

Morning Advertiser ''Morning Advertiser'' is one of the oldest news publications in the world, beginning as a newspaper in 1794 and being published in hard copy until 2020. In 2011, William Reed Ltd, bought ''The Publican'' from United Business Media and merged t ...

'' on leaving school at 14 and worked as a journalist for a number of years. He became an assistant editor at 17 and earned a BA through night school when 19 whilst becoming increasingly interested in amateur theatricals.

Early years

In 1932 Farrar received an offer to tour with a repertory company at £7 a week. He quit his job and went on tour for 18 months. He ran a repertory company with his wife for 18 months until 1937, then went on tour again. He was seen in a play by an employee of the American

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

studio who was interested in Farrar's potential as a film actor. His first film role was in the Jessie Matthews musical '' Head Over Heels'' (1937). He also had small roles in '' Return of a Stranger'' (1937), ''

Silver Top ''Silver Top'' is a 1938 British crime film directed by George King and starring Marie Wright, Betty Ann Davies, David Farrar and Marjorie Taylor. It was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie. Synopsis A gang of criminals decide to sw ...

'' (1938), and '' A Royal Divorce'' (1938). He played agent Granite Grant in ''

Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror ''Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror'' is a 1938 British crime film directed by George King and starring George Curzon, Tod Slaughter and Greta Gynt. It was George Curzon's third and final outing as the fictional detective Sexton Blake. Plot ...

'' (1938) and had a small role in ''

Q Planes ''Q Planes'' (known as ''Clouds Over Europe'' in the United States) is a 1939 British comedy spy film starring Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier and Valerie Hobson. Olivier and Richardson were a decade into their fifty-year friendship and were ...

'' (1939). Farrar returned to the stage and performed in a production of the ''Wandering Jew'' for seven months. However, after a bomb damaged the theatre he decided to try films again.

Leading man

Farrar had his first leading role in ''

Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a ballad, written by English songwriter Frederic Weatherly in 1913, and set to the traditional Irish melody of "Londonderry Air". History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, the English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly initial ...

'' (1941), which he followed with ''

Sheepdog of the Hills ''Sheepdog of the Hills'' is a 1941 British drama film directed by Germain Burger and starring David Farrar, Philip Friend and Helen Perry. The screenplay concerns an outbreak of sheep-stealing that occurs in a small rural community in the West ...

'' (1941) and ''

Suspected Person ''Suspected Person'' is a 1942 British drama film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Clifford Evans, Patricia Roc and David Farrar. The film was made at Welwyn Studios by Associated British, one of the two leading British studios of ...

'' (1942). These were "B" movies but Farrar had a good role in an "A", ''

Went the Day Well? ''Went the Day Well?'' is a 1942 British war film adapted from a story by Graham Greene and directed by Alberto Cavalcanti. It was produced by Michael Balcon of Ealing Studios and served as unofficial propaganda for the war effort. The film shows ...

'' (1942), as a villainous German. He had strong roles in '' The Dark Tower'' (1943) and ''

They Met in the Dark ''They Met in the Dark'' is a 1943 British comedy thriller film directed by Karel Lamač and starring James Mason, Joyce Howard and Edward Rigby. The screenplay concerns a cashiered Royal Naval officer and a young woman who join forces to solve ...

'' (1943), as well as the leads in ''

Headline The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents. The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...

'' (1943) and ''

The Night Invader ''The Night Invader'' is a 1943 British, black-and-white, drama, thriller, war film, directed by Herbert Mason, produced by Max Milder for Warner Bros. - First National Productions Ltd. the British subsidiary of Warner Bros. and starring Ronald ...

'' (1944). He was a heroic commander of an air-sea rescue unit in '' For Those in Peril'' (1944), an accountant in ''

The Hundred Pound Window ''The Hundred Pound Window'' is a 1944 British crime film directed by Brian Desmond Hurst and starring Anne Crawford, David Farrar, Frederick Leister and Richard Attenborough. The film follows an accountant who has to take a second job work ...

'' (1944), and a pilot in ''

The World Owes Me a Living ''The World Owes Me a Living'' is a 1945 British Second World War drama film directed by Vernon Sewell and starring David Farrar and Judy Campbell. The film is based on a novel by John Llewellyn Rhys, a young author who was killed in action in 1 ...

'' (1945). Farrar starred as

Sexton Blake Sexton Blake is a fictional character, a detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. Sexton Blake adventures were featured in a wide variety of British and international publications ...

in two films, ''

Meet Sexton Blake ''Meet Sexton Blake!'' is a 1945 British supporting feature drama film directed by John Harlow and starring David Farrar, Manning Whiley, Dennis Arundell, and John Varley. It was one of two films in which David Farrar played Sexton Blake, th ...

'' (1945) and ''

The Echo Murders ''The Echo Murders'' is a 1945 British thriller film directed by John Harlow and starring David Farrar and Dennis Price. It was one of two films directed by John Harlow in which David Farrar played Sexton Blake, the other being '' Meet Sexton ...

'' (1945), and was an intelligence officer in '' Lisbon Story'' (1946). These low-budget thrillers were enormously popular in their day. By 1945 he was receiving 800 fan letters a week.

Stardom

Farrar was transformed into a star when he was cast as the British agent Mr. Dean in ''

'' (1947) who arouses the passions of the nuns played by

Deborah Kerr Deborah Jane Trimmer CBE (30 September 192116 October 2007), known professionally as Deborah Kerr (), was a British actress. She was nominated six times for the Academy Award for Best Actress. During her international film career, Kerr won a G ...

and

Kathleen Byron Kathleen Elizabeth Fell (11 January 1921 – 18 January 2009), known professionally as Kathleen Byron, was an English actress. Early life Byron was born in Manor Park (then part of Essex) to what she described as "staunch working-class social ...

. Made by the team of

, the movie was popular and has since come to be regarded as one of the finest films in British cinema. Farrar followed it up by playing the officer who brings home a German wife (

Mai Zetterling Mai Elisabeth Zetterling (; 24 May 1925 – 17 March 1994) was a Swedish film director, novelist and actor. Early life Zetterling was born in Västerås, Sweden to a working class family. She started her career as an actor at the age of 17 at D ...

) in '' Frieda'' (1947), directed by

Basil Dearden Basil Dearden (born Basil Clive Dear; 1 January 1911 – 23 March 1971) was an English film director. Early life and career Dearden was born at 5, Woodfield Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex to Charles James Dear, a steel manufacturer, and his wife, Fl ...

; it was the ninth biggest film in Britain of the year. Farrar played a charismatic school teacher in ''

Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill ''Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Lawrence Huntington and starring Marius Goring, David Farrar, Greta Gynt, Edward Chapman and Raymond Huntley. It is based on the 1911 novel of the same title by Hugh Walpole ...

'' (1948) and was then reunited with Powell and Pressburger for ''

'' (1949) in which he played an alcoholic bomb disposal expert. According to his obituary, "Farrar was given a true star's entrance in the film, the camera tracking along a bar of customers until coming to rest upon the actor's back. His character's name is called and he turns to face the camera in full close-up."

Gainsborough Pictures Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, north London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The com ...

next gave him the lead of a "British Western" shot in South Africa, '' Diamond City'' (1949), playing

Stafford Parker Stafford Parker was a British artist, miner and the only President of the small and short-lived "Diggers Republic" on the diamond fields of southern Africa. Griqualand West and President of the Diggers Republic Originally an auctioneer and arti ...

, but the film was a flop. He reunited with Dearden for ''

Cage of Gold ''Cage of Gold'' is a 1950 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Jean Simmons, David Farrar, and James Donald.

'' (1950) and Powell and Pressburger for '' Gone to Earth'' (1950), another box office disappointment. Farrar would later cite his three films for Powell and Pressburger, and ''Cage of Gold'', as the artistic highlights of his career. However Farrar's stardom soon lost momentum with the low-key films ''

The Late Edwina Black ''The Late Edwina Black'' (U.S. ''Obsessed'') is a 1951 British drama film, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Roland Culver. The film is a melodramatic murder mystery set in the Victorian era and was ...

'' (1951), and ''

Night Without Stars ''Night Without Stars'' is a 1951 British black-and-white dramatic thriller film, starring David Farrar, Nadia Gray and Maurice Teynac. The screenplay was written by Winston Graham based upon his eponymous 1950 novel. The film was directe ...

'' (1951).

Hollywood

He was offered an heroic part in ''

The Golden Horde The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fragmen ...

'' (1951), at Universal with

Ann Blyth Ann Marie Blyth (born August 16, 1928) is an American retired actress and singer. For her performance as Veda in the 1945 Michael Curtiz film ''Mildred Pierce'', Blyth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is one of ...

, and the film was a minor hit. He was in '' I Vinti'' (1953) in Italy, then played villains in Hollywood films such as ''

Duel in the Jungle ''Duel in the Jungle'' is a 1954 British adventure film combining the detective film with the jungle adventure genres directed by George Marshall and starring Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain and David Farrar. It was shot at the Elstree Studios near ...

'' (1954), and ''

The Black Shield of Falworth ''The Black Shield of Falworth'' is a 1954 American Technicolor film from Universal-International, produced by Robert Arthur and Melville Tucker and directed by Rudolph Maté. It stars Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar, Herbert Marshall, an ...

'' (1954). He supported

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema ...

in ''

Lilacs in the Spring ''Lilacs in the Spring'' is a 1954 British musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Errol Flynn and David Farrar. The film was made at Elstree Studios with sets designed by the art director William C. Andrews. Shot in T ...

'' (1955) and was a supporting actor in ''

Escape to Burma ''Escape to Burma'' is a 1955 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Allan Dwan starring Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan and David Farrar. The film was based on the short story "Bow Tamely to Me" by Kenneth Perkins, originally publis ...

'' (1955), ''

The Sea Chase ''The Sea Chase'' is a 1955 World War II drama film starring John Wayne and Lana Turner, and featuring David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, and Tab Hunter. It was directed by John Farrow from a screenplay by James Warner Bellah and John Twist based on th ...

'' (1955), and '' Pearl of the South Pacific'' (1956). Farrar returned to the UK for the lead in ''

Lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

'' (1956), and then was back to supporting parts in ''

I Accuse! ''I Accuse!'' is a British 1958 CinemaScope biographical drama film directed by and starring José Ferrer. The film is based on the true story of the Dreyfus affair, in which a Jewish captain in the French Army was falsely accused of treason. ...

'' (1958), ''

The Son of Robin Hood ''The Son of Robin Hood'' is a 1958 American adventure DeLuxe color CinemaScope film directed by George Sherman, starring David Hedison and June Laverick. Plot The imposter son of Robin Hood gets locked up in the dungeon. His brother later gets ...

'' (1958), '' Watusi'' (1959), ''

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...

'' (1959), and ''

Solomon and Sheba ''Solomon and Sheba'' is a 1959 American epic historical romance film directed by King Vidor, shot in Technirama (color by Technicolor), and distributed by United Artists. The film dramatizes events described in The Bible—the tenth chapter of ...

'' (1959).

Final films

He returned to Britain for ''

Beat Girl ''Beat Girl'' is a 1960 British teen exploitation film directed by Edmond T. Gréville. The film was released in the United States under the title ''Wild for Kicks''. The title character of ''Beat Girl'' was played by starlet Gillian Hills, who ...

'' (1960), and '' The Webster Boy'' (1962), but following his role as Xerxes in ''

The 300 Spartans ''The 300 Spartans'' is a 1962 CinemaScope epic film depicting the Battle of Thermopylae. Made with the cooperation of the Greek government, it was shot in the village of Perachora in the Peloponnese. The working title was ''Lion of Sparta''. It ...

'' (1962) he retired from the screen. Farrar later admitted, "I'd always been the upstanding young man and I was afraid of the parts that were being hinted at for uncles or for the girl's father instead of her lover! I just felt 'the hell with it all' and walked out into the sunset."

Personal life

Farrar and Irene immigrated to

Amanzimtoti Amanzimtoti is a coastal town just south of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The town is well known for its warm climate and numerous beaches, and is a popular tourist destination, particularly with surfers. The annual sardine run attracts m ...

, South Africa, in January 1970 to be closer to their daughter, Barbara. Barbara (with the surname Layne) was later the subject of the artist

Tretchikoff Vladimir Grigoryevich Tretchikoff (Владимир Григорьевич Третчиков, , Petropavlovsk, Russian Empire, now Petropavl in Kazakhstan – 26 August 2006, Cape Town, South Africa) was an artist whose painting ''Chinese Girl' ...

's painting, ''Barbara in the Bath''. Irene died in 1976. Farrar died on 31 August 1995 in

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

, South Africa, 10 days after his 87th birthday.

Filmography

* '' Return of a Stranger'' (1937) – Dr. Young (uncredited) * ''

'' (1938) – Babe * '' A Royal Divorce'' (1938) – Louis Bonaparte * ''

'' (1938) – Granite Grant * ''

'' (1939) – Viking Bo'sun (uncredited) * ''

'' (1941) – Harold Martin * ''

'' (1941) – Reverend Michael Varney * ''

Penn of Pennsylvania ''Penn of Pennsylvania'' is a 1941 British historical drama film directed by Lance Comfort and starring Deborah Kerr, Clifford Evans, Dennis Arundell, Henry Oscar, Herbet Lomas and Edward Rigby. The film depicts the life of the Quaker found ...

'' (1941) – (uncredited) * ''

'' (1942) – Inspector Thompson * ''

'' (1942) – Lieut. Jung * '' The Dark Tower'' (1943) – Tom Danton * ''

'' (1943) – Commander Lippinscott * ''

'' (1943) – 'Brookie ' Brooks * ''

'' (1943) – Dick Marlow * '' For Those in Peril'' (1944) – Flt.Lt. Murray * ''

'' (1944) – George Graham * ''

'' (1945) – Paul Collyer * ''

'' (1945) – Sexton Blake * ''

'' (1945) – Sexton Blake * '' Lisbon Story'' (1946) – David Warren * ''

The Trojan Brothers ''The Trojan Brothers'' is a 1946 British comedy film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Patricia Burke, David Farrar and Bobby Howes.Murphy p.522 It is an adaptation of the 1944 novel of the same title by Pamela Hansford Johnson. Synopsi ...

'' (1946) – Sid Nichols * ''

'' (1947) – Mr. Dean * '' Frieda'' (1947) – Robert * ''

'' (1948) – David Traill * ''

'' (1949) – Sammy Rice * '' Diamond City'' (1949) – Stafford Parker * ''

Cage of Gold ''Cage of Gold'' is a 1950 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Jean Simmons, David Farrar, and James Donald.

'' (1950) – Bill * '' Gone to Earth'' (1950) (aka 'The Wild Heart') – Jack Reddin * ''

'' (1951) – Gregory Black * ''

'' (1951) – Giles Gordon * ''

'' (1951) – Sir Guy of Devon * '' I Vinti'' (1953) * ''

'' (1954) – Perry Henderson / Arthur Henderson * ''

'' (1954) – Gilbert Blunt, Earl of Alban * ''

'' (1954) – Charles King / King Charles II * ''

'' (1955) – Cardigan * ''

'' (1955) – Commander Jeff Napier * '' Pearl of the South Pacific'' (1955) – Bully Hague * ''

'' (1956) – Det. Insp. Craig * ''

The Battle of the River Plate The Battle of the River Plate was fought in the South Atlantic on 13 December 1939 as the first naval battle of the Second World War. The Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser , commanded by Captain Hans Langsdorff, engaged a Royal Navy squadron, command ...

'' (1956) – Narrator * ''

'' (1958) – Mathieu Dreyfus * ''

'' (1958) – Des Roches * '' Watusi'' (1959) – Rick Cobb * ''

'' (1959) – John Wilkes * ''

'' (1959) – Pharaoh * ''

'' (1960) – Paul Linden * '' The Webster Boy'' (1962) – Paul Webster * ''

'' (1962) – Xerxes (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Farrar, David 1908 births 1995 deaths Male actors from London English male film actors English male stage actors People from Forest Gate 20th-century English male actors British expatriate male actors in the United States