James Carney (16 January 1911 - 25 August 1955) was a British actor who played the lead in a series of television plays in the 1950s, notably The Scarlet Pimpernel which was the highest rated drama of 1950 and was repeated. [1] He died by self inflicted gunshot wound. [2] [3] He was survived by his ex wife and three sons. [4]