Ian Hunter (13 June 1900 – 22 September 1975) was a Cape Colony-born British actor of stage, film and television.

Biography

Hunter was born in the Kenilworth area of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second larges ...

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with t ...

where he spent his childhood. In his teen years, he and his parents returned to the family in England to live. Sometime between that arrival and the early years of World War I, Hunter began exploring acting. But in 1917, aged 17, he joined the army to serve in France for the remainder of the First World War. On his return Hunter studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based in the

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

, London. Within two years he did indeed make his stage debut. He decided to work in British silent films taking a part in '' Not for Sale'' (1924) directed by

W.P. Kellino William Philip Gislingham (c. 1874 in London, England – 31 December 1957, in London, Middlesex, England) was a British music hall musician and acrobat (part of the Famous Kellinos) and, using the name W. P. Kellino, film director. He founded ...

for Stoll Pictures. Hunter made his first trip to the U.S. because Basil Dean, the British actor and director, was producing

Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (30 October 17517 July 1816) was an Irish satirist, a politician, a playwright, poet, and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He is known for his plays such as ''The Rivals'', ''The S ...

's ''

The School for Scandal ''The School for Scandal'' is a comedy of manners written by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. It was first performed in London at Drury Lane Theatre on 8 May 1777. Plot Act I Scene I: Lady Sneerwell, a wealthy young widow, and her hireling Sn ...

'' at the Knickerbocker Theater. However, the production folded after one performance. It was a more concerted effort with film the next year back in Britain, again with Kellino. He then met the film director

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

in 1927 and was featured in Hitchcock's '' The Ring'' (1927) and stayed for the director's '' Downhill'' (US: ''When Boys Leave Home'', 1927) and '' Easy Virtue'' (1928), based on the

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), Time'' magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combina ...

play. By late 1928, he returned to Broadway for only a months run in the original comedy ''Olympia'' and stayed in America to work in Hollywood on ''

Syncopation In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "plac ...

'' (1929) for RKO, his first sound film. He returned to London for Dean's thriller '' Escape'' (1930). In '' The Girl from 10th Avenue'' (1935) with

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

, Hunter made his connection with Warner Bros. But before settling in with them through much of the 1930s, he did three pictures in succession with British 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 ...

. He then appeared as the Duke in ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict ...

'' (1935) for Warner Bros. It marked the start of a string of nearly 30 films for the studio. Among the best remembered was his jovial King Richard the Lionheart in ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia ...

'' (1938). Hunter was also paired in seven movies with Kay Francis between 1935 and 1938. Hunter appeared in '' The Little Princess'' (1939) as Captain Reginald Crewe. And he was the benign guardian angel-like Cambreau in Loew's '' Strange Cargo'' (1940) with

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

. He was staying regularly busy in Hollywood until into 1942 when he returned to Britain to serve in the war effort. He appeared once more on Broadway in 1948 and made ''

Edward, My Son ''Edward, My Son'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by George Cukor for MGM-British Studios that stars Spencer Tracy and Deborah Kerr. The screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart is based on the 1947 play of the same title by Noel Langley a ...

'' (1949) for MGM-British with

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...

directing and

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two conse ...

and

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 ...

in the lead roles. Hunter worked once more for Michael Powell (''

The Queen's Guards ''The Queen's Guards'' is a 1961 military drama film directed by Michael Powell from a script by Simon Harcourt-Smith and Roger Milner. It stars Daniel Massey, Raymond Massey, Robert Stephens, and Ursula Jeans. ''The Queen's Guards'' was ma ...

'', 1961) and then retired in the middle of that decade after nearly 100 films. Among dozens of film roles, his best-remembered appearances include '' That Certain Woman'' (1937) with

, ''

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sepa ...

'' (1939, as

King Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

), and '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941, as Dr. Lanyon). Hunter returned to the Robin Hood legend in the TV series ''

'' from 1955 in the recurring role of Sir Richard of the Lea. His numerous

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

roles included appearances in ''

London Life ''London Life'' is a 1924 play by Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock. It ran for 36 performances at the Drury Lane Theatre in London's West End. It was produced by Basil Dean. The large cast included Clifford Mollison, Henry Ainley, Gordon Hark ...

'' (1924), '' The High Road'' (1927), ''

A Song of Sixpence ''A Song of Sixpence'' is a 1964 novel by A. J. Cronin about the coming to manhood of Laurence Carroll and his life in Scotland. Its sequel is '' A Pocketful of Rye''. As with several of his other novels, Cronin drew on his own experiences gro ...

'' (1930), ''

Good Losers ''Good Losers'' is a British mystery play by Michael Arlen and Walter C. Hackett. It was originally performed at the Whitehall Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 134 performances between 16 February and 13 June 1931. The original cas ...

'' (1931), '' Can the Leopard...?'' (1931), '' Take a Chance'' (1931), '' Touch Wood'' (1934) and ''

South Sea Bubble South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

'' (1956).

Filmography

* '' Not for Sale'' (1924) as Martin Bering * '' Confessions'' (1925) as Charles Oddy * ''

A Girl of London ''A Girl of London'' is a 1925 British silent drama film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Genevieve Townsend, Ian Hunter and Nora Swinburne. Its plot concerns the son of a member of parliament, who is disowned by his father when he mar ...

'' (1925) as Peter Horniman * '' The Ring'' (1927) as Bob Corby * '' Downhill'' aka ''When Boys Leave Home'' (1927) as Archie * '' His House in Order'' (1928) as Hilary Jesson * '' Easy Virtue'' (1928) as The Plaintiff's Counsel * '' The Physician'' (1928) as Dr. Carey * '' The Valley of Ghosts'' (1928) as Andrew McLeod * '' The Thoroughbred'' (1928) as Allen Stockbridge * ''

'' (1929) as Alexander Winston * '' Escape'' (1930) as Detective * '' Cape Forlorn'' aka ''The Love Storm'' (1931) as Gordon Kingsley * '' Sally in Our Alley'' (1931) as George Miles * '' The Water Gipsies'' (1932) as Fred Green * '' The Sign of Four'' aka ''The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes' Greatest Case'' (1932) as Dr. John H. Watson * '' Marry Me'' (1932) as Robert Hart * '' The Man from Toronto'' (1933) as Fergus Wimbush * '' The Silver Spoon'' (1934) as Captain Watts-Winyard * ''

Orders Is Orders ''Orders Is Orders'' is a 1933 British comedy film starring Charlotte Greenwood, James Gleason and Cyril Maude about an American film crew who move into a British army barracks to start making a film, much to the commander's horror. Much of ...

'' (1934) as Capt. Harper * ''

The Church Mouse ''The Church Mouse'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Laura La Plante, Ian Hunter and Edward Chapman. It was made by the British subsidiary of Warner Brothers at the company's Teddington Studios. It was made a ...

'' (1934) as Johnathan Steele * '' No Escape'' (1934) as Jim Brandon * '' Something Always Happens'' (1934) as Peter Middleton * '' Death at Broadcasting House'' aka ''Death at a Broadcast'' (1934) as Detective Inspector Gregory * '' Lazybones'' (1935) as Sir Reginald Ford * '' The Girl from 10th Avenue'' (1935) as Geoffrey D. 'Geoff' Sherwood * '' The Night of the Party'' aka ''The Murder Party'' (1935) as Guy Kennington * '' The Phantom Light'' (1935) as Jim Pearce * '' Jalna'' (1935) as Renny Whiteoaks * ''

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were ...

'' (1935) as Second Knight Pleading to King Richard for Food (uncredited) * ''

'' (1935) as Theseus - Duke of Athens * '' I Found Stella Parish'' (1935) as Keith Lockridge * '' The Morals of Marcus'' (1935) as Sir Marcus Ordeyne * '' The White Angel'' (1936) as Reporter Fuller of the London Times * '' To Mary - with Love'' (1936) as Bill Hallam * ''

The Devil Is a Sissy ''The Devil is a Sissy'' is a 1936 American MGM comedy-drama film directed by W. S. Van Dyke and Rowland Brown. The film stars Freddie Bartholomew, Jackie Cooper and Mickey Rooney, three of the biggest child stars of the 1930s. The film premier ...

'' (1936) as Jay Pierce * '' Stolen Holiday'' (1937) as Anthony Wayne * '' Call It a Day'' (1937) as Roger Hilton * '' Another Dawn'' (1937) as Colonel John Wister * ''

Confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...

'' (1937) as Leonide Kirow * '' That Certain Woman'' (1937) as Lloyd Rogers * ''

52nd Street 52nd Street is a -long one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan, New York City. A short section of it was known as the city's center of jazz performance from the 1930s to the 1950s. Jazz center Following the repeal of P ...

'' (1937) as Rufus Rondell * ''

'' (1938) as King Richard the Lion-Heart * ''

Always Goodbye ''Always Goodbye'' is the title of two American films: * ''Always Goodbye'' (1931 film), a drama starring Elissa Landi, Lewis Stone and Paul Cavanagh * ''Always Goodbye'' (1938 film), a romantic drama starring Barbara Stanwyck, Herbert Marshal ...

'' (1938) as Phillip Marshall * '' Secrets of an Actress'' (1938) as Peter Snowden * '' The Sisters'' (1938) as William Benson * '' Comet Over Broadway'' (1938) as Bert Ballin * '' Yes, My Darling Daughter'' (1939) as Lewis Murray * '' The Little Princess'' (1939) as Captain Crewe * '' Broadway Serenade'' (1939) as Larry Bryant * ''

Tarzan Finds a Son! ''Tarzan Finds a Son!'' is a 1939 Tarzan film based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It was the fourth in the MGM ''Tarzan'' series to feature Johnny Weissmuller as the "King of the Apes" and the fourth of six films in which h ...

'' (1939) as August Lancing * '' Maisie'' (1939) as Clifford Ames * '' Bad Little Angel'' (1939) as Jm Creighton (Sentinel editor) * ''

'' (1939) as King Edward IV * ''

Broadway Melody of 1940 ''Broadway Melody of 1940'' is a 1940 MGM film musical starring Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy (Astaire's first male dancing partner on film). It was directed by Norman Taurog and features music by Cole Porter, including " Begin ...

'' (1940) as Bert C. Matthews * '' Strange Cargo'' (1940) as Cambreau * '' Dulcy'' (1940) as Gordon Daly * '' The Long Voyage Home'' (1940) as Smitty * '' Bitter Sweet'' (1940) as Lord Shayne * '' Gallant Sons'' (1940) as 'Natural' Davis * '' Come Live with Me'' (1941) as Barton Kendrick * '' Andy Hardy's Private Secretary'' (1941) as Steven V. Land * '' Ziegfeld Girl'' (1941) as Geoffrey Collis * ''

Billy the Kid Billy the Kid (born Henry McCarty; September 17 or November 23, 1859July 14, 1881), also known by the pseudonym William H. Bonney, was an outlaw and gunfighter of the American Old West, who killed eight men before he was shot and killed at t ...

'' (1941) as Eric Keating * '' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941) as Dr. John Lanyon * '' Smilin' Through'' (1941) as Reverend Owen Harding * '' A Yank at Eton'' (1942) as Roger Carlton * ''

It Comes Up Love ''It Comes Up Love'' is a 1943 American, black and white, musical comedy starring Gloria Jean, Ian Hunter, and Donald O'Connor. It is the only film starring Jean and O'Connor that doesn't also star Peggy Ryan, another one of the talented teenag ...

'' (1943) as Tom Peabody * '' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Dexter Pomfret * '' Bedelia'' (1946) as Charlie Carrington * '' White Cradle Inn'' aka ''High Fury'' (1947) as Anton * '' The White Unicorn'' aka ''Milkwhite Unicorn'' and ''Bad Sister'' (1947) as Philip Templar * ''

'' (1949) as Doctor Larry Woodhope * '' It Started in Paradise'' (1952) as Arthur Turner * '' Appointment in London'' aka ''Raiders in the Sky'' (1952) as Logan * ''The Divine Creatures'' (1952, TV Movie) as Florent * '' Don't Blame the Stork'' (1954) as Sir George Redway * '' Eight O'Clock Walk'' (1954) as Geoffrey Tanner, Q.C. * ''Fire One'' (1954, TV Movie) as Mr. Dennison * ''It's Never Too Late'' (1954, TV Movie) as Charles Hammond * '' The Battle of the River Plate'' aka ''Pursuit of the Graf Spee'' (1956) as Captain Charles Woodhouse - HMS Ajax * ''South Sea Bubble'' (BBC TV 1956) as Sir George Shotter * '' Fortune Is a Woman'' aka ''She Played with Fire'' (1957) as Clive Fisher * '' Rockets Galore'' aka ''Mad Little Island'' (1958) as Air Commodore Watchorn * '' North West Frontier'' (1959) as Sir John Windham * '' The Bulldog Breed'' (1960) as Adm. Sir Bryanston Blyth * '' Doctor Blood's Coffin'' (1961) as Dr. Robert Blood, Peter's Father * '' The Treasure of Monte Cristo'' (1961) as Colonel Jackson * ''

'' (1961) as Mr. George Dobbie * '' Guns of Darkness'' (1962) as Dr. Swann * '' Kali Yug: Goddess of Vengeance'' (1963) as Robert Talbot * ''Kali-Yug, The Bárbaros's Fury'' (1963) as Robert Talbot (final film role)

References

External links

* * *
Photos of Ian Hunter from ''The Long Voyage Home''
by Ned Scott {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Ian 1900 births 1975 deaths English male film actors 20th-century English male actors Male actors from Cape Town British expatriate male actors in the United States South African emigrants to the United Kingdom