Francis Matthews (2 September 1927 – 14 June 2014) was an English actor, best known for playing

Paul Temple Paul Temple is a fictional character created by English writer Francis Durbridge. Temple is a professional author of crime fiction and an amateur private detective. With his wife Louise, affectionately known as 'Steve' in reference to her jo ...

in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

television series of the same name and for voicing Captain Scarlet in '' Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons''.

Early life

Matthews was born in

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

on 2 September 1927, to Henry and Kathleen Matthews. His father was a shop steward at the Rowntree's chocolate factory near York. His parents took him often to the theatre, where he gained a love of acting. He attended St George's RC Primary School, then St Michael's Jesuit College in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

. He found work as a stagehand at the Theatre Royal in Leeds, and made his theatrical debut in 1945 in the play ''

The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' before performing his national service in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

. After leaving the military he returned to the stage, appearing in a 1954 touring production of the play ''No Escape'', which starred

Flora Robson Dame Flora McKenzie Robson (28 March 19027 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her performances in plays demanding dramatic and emotional intensity. Her range extended from q ...

. He made his West End debut in 1956.

Career

In the 1950s and 1960s, Matthews's film roles for

Hammer Studios Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic fiction, Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of thes ...

included the Baron's assistant in ''

The Revenge of Frankenstein ''The Revenge of Frankenstein'' is a 1958 Technicolor British horror film made by Hammer Film Productions. Directed by Terence Fisher, the film stars Peter Cushing, Francis Matthews (actor), Francis Matthews, Michael Gwynn and Eunice Gayson. In ...

'' (1958) and the heroes of '' Dracula: Prince of Darkness'' and ''

Rasputin the Mad Monk ''Rasputin the Mad Monk'' is a 1966 Hammer horror film directed by Don Sharp and starring Christopher Lee as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant- mystic who gained great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution. It also ...

'' (both 1966). On television, from 1969 to 1971, he played

Francis Durbridge Francis Henry Durbridge (; 25 November 1912 – 11 April 1998) was an English dramatist and author, best known for the creation of the character Paul Temple, the gentlemanly detective who appeared in 16 BBC multi-part radio serials from 1 ...

's amateur private detective Paul Temple in the

series of the same name.Wilkie, Agnes (1986)
Smoothie and the Brat
, ''

Evening Times The ''Glasgow Times'' is an evening tabloid newspaper published Monday to Saturday in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Called ''The Evening Times'' from 1876, it was rebranded as the ''Glasgow Times'' on 4 December 2019.Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...

in the films '' The Intelligence Men'' (1965) and '' That Riviera Touch'' (1966), which led to a close friendship with Eric Morecambe. He also appeared throughout the 1960s and 1970s in a variety of television comedy roles, including '' Eric & Ernie's Christmas Show, 1977''. He appeared alongside George Cole in Charles Woods' sitcom ''

Don't Forget To Write! ''Don't Forget to Write!'' is a British television sitcom, broadcast by the BBC from 1977 to 1979. Plot The central character is Gordon Maple ( George Cole) who was formerly a successful playwright, but is now procrastinating, lacking self-confid ...

'' (1977) as a successful writer. In 1967, Matthews provided the character voice of Captain Scarlet, in imitation of

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

, for

Gerry Gerry is both a surname and a masculine or feminine given name. As a given name, it is often a short form (hypocorism) of Gerard, Gerald or Geraldine. Notable people with the name include: Surname *Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814), fifth US vice presi ...

and Sylvia Anderson's

Supermarionation Supermarionation (a portmanteau of the words "super", "marionette" and " animation")La Rivière 2009, p. 67. is a style of television and film production employed by British company AP Films (later Century 21 Productions) in its puppet T ...

television series '' Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons''. (He divided his time, during the recording sessions, between his work there and his stage appearances in

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and ...

's play '' Private Lives''.) In the late 1970s, he served as narrator and host for '' Follow Me!'', a BBC educational programme that offered a "

crash course A crash course is an educational or research course conducted over a very short period of time. These rapid learning programs may also be described by the ambiguous term crash program. Crash Course may also refer to: Television and movies * ''Cr ...

" in the English language to foreign viewers. In 1986, Matthews and his wife, Angela Browne, appeared together in the

adaptation of the

Josephine Tey Josephine Tey was a pseudonym used by Elizabeth MacKintosh (25 July 1896 – 13 February 1952), a Scottish author. Her novel ''The Daughter of Time'' was a detective work investigating the role of Richard III of England in the death of the Princ ...

novel ''

Brat Farrar ''Brat Farrar'' is a 1949 crime novel by Josephine Tey, based in part on The Tichborne Claimant. Plot The story is about the Ashbys, an English country-squire family. Their centuries-old family estate is Latchetts, in the fictional village of C ...

''. In 2000, they starred in two

Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 ...

plays on the cruise ship MS ''Marco Polo'', while she was sailing to the

Antarctic The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...

: '' Run For Your Wife'' and ''

Funny Money ''Funny Money'' is a farce written by Ray Cooney. It premièred at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, London, England, in 1994, followed by a successful two-year run in the West End. Cooney directed his own play and also played the part of Henry ...

''.

Personal life

Matthews was married to actress Angela Browne from 1963 until her death in 2001; the couple had three sons. Two, Damien Matthews and Paul Rattigan, are actors; the other, Dominic, is an artist and musician. Matthews' younger brother, Paul Shelley, is also an actor; they had a sister, Maura.

Death

Matthews died at the age of 86 on 14 June 2014, following a short illness. He was survived by his three sons, seven grandchildren, and his two siblings.

Filmography

* ''At Your Service, Ltd.'' (1951) - Roger Buckett * ''

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, pa ...

'' (1954–1957, TV Series) - Ken Wilson, Ensign Trefusis * ''Truant in Park Lane'' (1955) - Robert * '' St. Ives'' (1957, TV Series) - Ronald Glichrist * ''My Friend Charles'' (1956) - Ken Palmer * ''

Bhowani Junction ''Bhowani Junction'' is a 1954 novel by John Masters, which was the basis of a 1956 film starring Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger. It is set amidst the turbulence of the British withdrawal from India. It is notable for its portrayal of the Eu ...

'' (1956) - Ranjit Kasel * ''The Talking Cat'' (1956) - Lancelot * ''ITV Television Playhouse'' (1956, TV Series) - Richard Hinton, Paul * ''Esmé Divided'' (1957) - Esmé Vignoles * '' The New Adventures of Charlie Chan'' (1957) - Derek Robinson * ''

Small Hotel ''Small Hotel'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by David MacDonald and stars Gordon Harker, Marie Lohr, John Loder, and Janet Munro. It is based on the play of the same name by Rex Frost. Premise Albert, a crafty old waiter in a countr ...

'' (1957) - Alan Pryor * '' O.S.S.'' (1957, TV Series) - Peter Fox * ''

The Mark of the Hawk ''The Mark of the Hawk'' (also called ''Accused'') is a 1957 drama film, directed by Michael Audley with a screenplay by Lloyd Young (better known for his sound work on other films) and H. Kenn Carmichael. The film stars Eartha Kitt and Sidney ...

'' (1957) - Overholt * ''The Killing Stones'' (1958) - Desai * ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series) ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a British television series comprising 143 half-hour, black and white episodes broadcast weekly between 1955 and 1959 on ITV. It starred Richard Greene as the outlaw Robin Hood, and Alan Wheatley as his nemes ...

'' (1957–1958, TV Series) - Roland, Ali ben Azra * ''

'' (1958) - Doctor Hans Kleve * ''A Woman Possessed'' (1958) - John * ''

I Only Arsked! ''I Only Arsked!'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin and Alfie Bass. It was based on the television series '' The Army Game'' and was made by Hammer Films. Plot Slapstick e ...

'' (1958) - Mahmoud * ''

Corridors of Blood ''Corridors of Blood'' (aka ''Doctor from Seven Dials'')Tom Weaver, ''The Horror Hits of Richard Gordon'', Bear Manor Media 2011 p 80-95 is a 1958 British-American period drama film directed by Robert Day and starring Boris Karloff and Christo ...

'' (1958) - Jonathan Bolton * ''

The Vise ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

'' (1958–1959, TV Series) - Miles, Rex Varney, Jayo * ''

Theatre Night ''Theatre Night'' is the umbrella title under which adaptations of classic and contemporary stage plays were usually broadcast on BBC 2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It ...

'' (1959, TV Series) - Guy Stevens * ''

Interpol Calling ''Interpol Calling'' was a 1959 Rank Organisation and Jack Wrather Productions British television crime drama series for ITC Entertainment. The programme, which ran for one series of 39 half-hour monochrome episodes, followed the adventures of ...

'' (1960) - Fawley * ''

Man from Interpol ''Man from Interpol'' is a 1960 TV series produced by The Danzigers. The NBC series was filmed in England and the music was scored by jazz musician Tony Crombie. Premise Anthony Smith, an agent based at Britain's Interpol Division at Scotlan ...

'' (1960) - Richard Martin, Maharajah Of Den * '' Biggles'' (1960, TV Series) * '' Sentenced for Life'' (1960) - Jim Richards * '' The Cheaters'' (1961, TV Series) - Jack * '' The Hellfire Club'' (1961) - Sir Hugh Manning * ''

The Treasure of Monte Cristo ''The Treasure of Monte Cristo'' is a 1961 British film directed by Monty Berman and Robert S. Baker. The film features Rory Calhoun as an army captain in 1815 who goes off in search of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. It is a prequel ...

'' (1961) - Louis Auclair * ''The Pursuers'' (1961) - David * ''

Triton Triton commonly refers to: * Triton (mythology), a Greek god * Triton (moon), a satellite of Neptune Triton may also refer to: Biology * Triton cockatoo, a parrot * Triton (gastropod), a group of sea snails * ''Triton'', a synonym of ''Triturus' ...

'' (1961, TV series) - Lieutenant Lamb * ''

The Lamp in Assassin Mews ''The Lamp in Assassin Mews'' is a 1962 British comedy film, comedy crime film directed by Godfrey Grayson and starring Francis Matthews (actor), Francis Matthews, Lisa Daniely and Ian Fleming (actor), Ian Fleming. The film's plot concerns a loc ...

'' (1962) - Jack * ''

Nine Hours to Rama ''Nine Hours to Rama'' is 1963 British-American neo noir crime film directed by Mark Robson, that follows a fictionalised Nathuram Godse in the hours before he assassinated the Indian independence leader, Gandhi, and police attempts to preven ...

'' (1963) - Rampure * '' Hancock'' (1963, TV series) - Elmo Dent * '' A Stitch in Time'' (1963) - Benson * ''

A Little Big Business ''A Little Big Business'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired on ITV After a pilot episode in 1963,Perry p.124 it was followed by two full series in 1964 and 1965. Several of the leading roles were recast after the pilot. ...

'' (1964–1965, TV Series) - Simon Lieberman * ''

The Beauty Jungle ''The Beauty Jungle'' (also known as Contest Girl) is a 1964 British film directed by Val Guest. Plot Shirley lives in Bristol. While on a seaside holiday at Butlins holiday camp a young typist Shirley Freeman (Janette Scott) is persuaded by a ...

'' (1964) - Taylor * ''

Murder Ahoy ''Murder Ahoy!'' is the last of four Miss Marple films made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that starred Margaret Rutherford. As in the previous three, the actress plays Agatha Christie's amateur sleuth Miss Jane Marple, with Charles 'Bud' Tingwell as ...

'' (1964) - Lieutenant Compton * '' The Intelligence Men'' (1965) - Thomas * '' Dracula: Prince of Darkness'' (1966) - Charles Kent * ''

'' (1966) - Ivan * '' That Riviera Touch'' (1966) - Hotel manager * '' Just Like a Woman'' (1967) - Lewis McKenzie * '' Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons'' (1967–1968, TV Series) - Captain Scarlet (voice) * '' Crossplot'' (1969) - Ruddock * ''

'' (1969–1971, TV Series) - Paul Temple * ''

Taste of Excitement ''Taste of Excitement'' is a 1970 British mystery thriller film directed by Don Sharp and starring Eva Renzi, David Buck and Peter Vaughan. It was shot during 1968 on location around Nice on the French Riviera, but not given a general release ...

'' (1970) - Mr. Breese * ''

Five Women for the Killer ''Five Women for the Killer'' (originally titled ''5 donne per l'assassino'') is an Italian ''giallo'' film directed in 1974 by Stelvio Massi. '' Il Giorno'' wrote "the film has the merit of a quick direction that does not spare chills and twist ...

'' (1974) - Giorgio Pisani * ''

'' (1986) - Alec Loding * ''Bunch of Five'' (1992) - Mr. Strathclyde * '' Taggart'' (1993) - Dr. Gerald Napier * ''

The Detectives A detective is a professional investigator. Detective(s) or The Detective(s) may also refer to: Films (Chronological) * ''Detectives'' (1928 film), an American silent comedy film by MGM, directed by Chester Franklin * ''Detective'' (1954 film) ...

'' (1995, TV Series) - Duke of Connemara * '' Jonathan Creek'' (1998, TV Series) - Jerry Bellinitus * '' Do Not Disturb'' (1999) - Manager * ''

Heartbeat A heartbeat is one cardiac cycle of the heart. Heartbeat, heart beat, heartbeats, and heart beats may refer to: Computing *Heartbeat (computing), a periodic signal to indicate normal operation or to synchronize parts of a system *Heartbeat, clus ...

'' (2002–2003, TV Series) - Dr. James Alway * '' The Royal'' (2003) - Dr. James Alway * ''Cary Comes Home'' (2004) - Cary Grant * ''

All About George ''All About George'' is a family sitcom which follows the extended family of George Kinsey (Rik Mayall). The show includes five generations, from George's grandmother (Edna Doré) to his first granddaughter, Jasmine. Only one series was made and ...

'' (2005) - Ted * '' Beautiful People'' (2009, TV Series) - Mr. Bunions * '' Run For Your Wife'' (2012) - (final film role)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Francis 1927 births 2014 deaths 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors English male voice actors Male actors from Leeds Male actors from York 20th-century Royal Navy personnel People educated at Mount St Mary's Catholic High School, Leeds