Philip Stainton

British actor (1908–1961)

Philip Stainton
Publicity still for The Ladykillers (1955)
Born	(1908-04-09)9 April 1908 King's Norton, Worcestershire, England
Died	1 August 1961(1961-08-01) (aged 53) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1947–1961

Philip Stainton (9 April 1908 – 1 August 1961) was an English actor.^[1] Stainton appeared in several Ealing comedies and major international movies.^[2] He specialized in playing friendly or exasperated uniformed policemen, but also appeared in other comic and straight roles in British and Australian productions.

After beginning in repertory, in the postwar years he worked steadily in bit and featured parts in theatrical films; twice being directed by John Ford and once by John Huston when they shot on European or overseas locations. He first visited Australia as part of a touring company presenting Agatha Christie’s play Witness for the Prosecution.

Stainton and his actress wife immigrated to Australia in the late 1950s to appear in a series of live television plays as the medium was beginning in that country. From 1957 to 1959 he had the distinction to headline the first Australian sitcom Take That which was broadcast in Melbourne by HSV-7.

He also adapted and produced a version of the gaslight melodrama East Lynne which became a hit around the circuit of surviving music hall venues in the early 1960s and was subsequently revived. During a centenary performance at impresario George Miller's Bowl Music Hall (basement of The Capitol, Melbourne), he succumbed to a heart attack on 1 August 1961.^[3]

Filmography

Eyes That Kill (1947)
Night Beat (1947) - Sgt. Black (uncredited)
Scott of the Antarctic (1948) - Second Questioner
The Blue Lagoon (1949) - Mr. Ansty
Passport to Pimlico (1949) - P.C.Spiller
Poet's Pub (1949) - Mr. Lott (uncredited)
Don't Ever Leave Me (1949) - Detective Inspector
Trottie True (1949) - Arthur Briggs (uncredited)
The Spider and the Fly (1949) - Café Manager
Boys in Brown (1949) - Principal Prison Officer
The Elusive Pimpernel (1950) - Jellyband
White Corridors (1951) - Sawyer
Appointment with Venus (1951) - Constable
Angels One Five (1952) - Police Constable
The Quiet Man (1952) - Anglican Bishop (uncredited)
Made in Heaven (1952) - Stanley Grimes
Monsoon (1952) - Putsi
Innocents in Paris (1953) - Nobby Clarke
Mogambo (1953) - John Brown-Pryce
Hobson's Choice (1954) - Denton
Forbidden Cargo (1954) - Seaburyness Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Isn't Life Wonderful! (1953) - Dr. Mason
Up to His Neck (1954) - Mr. Woo
John and Julie (1955) - London Police Sergeant
The Woman for Joe (1955) - Sullivan
Cast a Dark Shadow (1955) - Charlie Man
The Ladykillers (1955) - The Sergeant
Who Done It? (1956) - Jimmy Maddox, Frankie's Agent
Moby Dick (1956) - Bildad
Reach for the Sky (1956) - Police Constable

References

^ "Philip Stainton". Archived from the original on 15 January 2009.
^ "Philip Stainton - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie". AllMovie.
^ Philip Stainton, and “East Lynne” entries in AusStage online database www.ausstage.edu.au