Neil Hallett

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Neil Hallett
Actor Neil Hallett.jpg
In The Avengers episode "The Winged Avenger" (1967)
Born
John W. Neil

(1924-06-30)30 June 1924
Brussels, Belgium
Died5 December 2004 (2004-12-06) (aged 80)
Spain
Occupation(s)RAF, Actor
Years active1947–1990
Spouse
(m. 1970;div. 1973)

Neil Hallett (born John W. Neil; 30 June 1924 – 5 December 2004) was a Belgian-born English actor. His stage name was taken from a combination of his proper surname, Neil, and his grandmother's maiden name, Hallet.

Contents

He began his acting career in regional repertory in 1947, [1] making his West End debut two years later in the army comedy Maiden's Prayer. [2] Also on stage, he spent over a year in the mid-1950s playing opposite David Tomlinson and Kathleen Harrison in the hit comedy All for Mary . [3] [4] He played the same role, again opposite Tomlinson and Harrison, in Wendy Toye's 1955 film version.

Starting in 1952, he appeared in many British television series, including The Adventures of Robin Hood , No Hiding Place , The Avengers , Out of the Unknown , Department S , Z-Cars , UFO , The New Avengers , Doctor Who and Jeeves and Wooster . He was also a regular in Ghost Squad (1962-64) and The Newcomers (1968-69), as well as co-starring with Ian Hendry and Jean Marsh in the 1966-67 series The Informer .

His films included X the Unknown (1956), Model for Murder (1959), Game for Vultures (1979), Juego de poder (Power Game; 1983) and such sexploitation titles as Groupie Girl (1970), Fun and Games (1971), Virgin Witch (1971), Can You Keep It Up for a Week? (1974) and Keep It Up Downstairs (1976). [5] [6] The last three of these, together with Game for Vultures, were produced by Hazel Adair.

He retired to Spain in 1991 [7] and died, aged 80, in 2004.

Screen credits

ProductionYearRoleNotes
Three Steps to the Gallows 1953Real Counterman (uncredited)Film
Three Steps in the Dark 1953Film
The Grove Family 1954Salesman"Clean Sweep"
All for Mary1954AlphonseTV movie
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents1954Bill"Stand By"
The Brain Machine 1955Detective Superintendent John HarrisFilm
All for Mary 1955AlphonseFilm
X the Unknown 1956UnwinFilm
The Buccaneers 1956–57Sam Bassett / Bosun Bassett / Hornigold / Barman / Pirate22 episodes
Potts and the Phantom Piper1957MulaneyUnknown episode
Shadow Squad 1957Phillip Buckland2 episodes: "Boomerang" (parts 1 and 2)
Esmé Divided1957Barry TealTV movie
White Hunter1957Inspector Summers"The Prisoner"
OSS 1958Falkenburg"Operation Newsboy"
The Adventures of Ben Gunn1958Tom Morgan5 episodes
The Two-Headed Spy 1958Hitler's Guard (uncredited)Film
Mary Britten, M.D. 1958"A Partner from the Past"
The Adventures of Robin Hood 1958–60Forester / Michael / Commander"The Fire" / "Women's War" / "The Loaf"
Strictly Confidential 1959Basil WantageFilm
Model for Murder 1959Sgt. AndersonFilm
The Giant Behemoth 1959Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)Film
The Adventures of William Tell 1959Rothman"The Traitor"
Woman's Temptation 1959GlynFilm
ITV Play of the Week 1959Captain / Anaesthetist"The Killing of the King" / "Mr. Arcularis"
Top Floor Girl 1959DaveFilm
The Four Just Men 1959Sergeant"The Deserter"
No Hiding Place 1959–61Mr. Box / Peter Nash"The Man Who Left His Coat" / "The Missing Suit"
Operation Cupid 1960TomFilm
Danger Tomorrow 1960Police Inspector (uncredited)Film
Man from Interpol 1960Paul Denver / Curt Bridges"The Key Witness" / "The Golden Shirri"
Transatlantic 1960EvansFilm
The Cheaters 1961The False David McCoy"The Authentic McCoy"
Emergency – Ward 10 1961Ben Bingle1 episode
Dentist on the Job 1961WarderFilm
Drama 61-67 1961John Jerome"Drama '61: The Machine Calls It Murder"
Armchair Theatre 1961Captain Charon"The Truth About Helen"
The Vise1955–61Various roles9 episodes
Deadline Midnight 1961Len Bryan"Man in a Frame"
On the Fiddle 19611st AustralianFilm
BBC Sunday-Night Play 1961"Cross of Iron"Major Burton
Part-Time Wife 1961DetectiveFilm
The Avengers 1961–69Weber / Arnie Packer / Paul Ryder"Dead of Winter" / "The Winged Avenger" / "Get-a-Way"
Crying Down the Lane1962News editor3 episodes
The Battleaxe 1962Charles WhileyFilm
Jezebel ex UK1963"Slow Boat to Niniveh"
Richard the Lionheart 1963Lemuel"The Raiders"
Ghost Squad 1962–64Tony Miller / Snaith25 episodes
Rotten to the Core 1965Guard CommanderFilm
Knock on Any Door 1965Edwards"First Offender"
Thunderball 1965Vulcan Bomber Pilot (uncredited)Film
Redcap 1966Capt. Bane"The Pride of the Regiment"
The Informer 1966–67Detective Sergeant Piper20 episodes
Late Night Horror1968Tom"The Corpse Can't Play"
The Saint 1968Bonner"The People Importers"
Out of the Unknown
The Newcomers 1968-69Charles Turner54 episodes
1969Gruer"The Naked Sun"
Department S 1969Dr. Lang"Black Out"
Counterstrike 1969Inspector"Nocturne"
Z-Cars 1969Roy Welman3 episodes: "None the Worse" (parts 2-4)
Groupie Girl 1970Detective SergeantFilm
The Troubleshooters 1970Bill Porteous"Boys and Girls Come Out to Play"
UFO 1970Dr. Joseph Kelly"Close Up"
Melody 1971Man in hospitalFilm
Fun and Games 1971Warden ThorneFilm
The Persuaders! 1971Prentice"That's Me Over There"
Shirley's World 1972Mayhew"Always Leave Them Laughing"
Virgin Witch 1972Gerald AmberleyFilm
Menace1973Det. Insp. Wellesley"Tom"
Follyfoot 1973Mr. Whitaker"Uncle Joe"
Crime of Passion1973Inspector"Henri"
The Protectors 1973Dr. Dove"Implicado"
Crown Court 1973–78George Clement / Raymond White / George Lyne"Treason: Part 1-3" / "Good and Faithful Friends: Part 1" / "The Change: Part 1"
Special Branch 1974Duvalier"Entente Cordiale"
Masquerade1974Trump"Mützen ab!"
Marked Personal 1974Harry Bingham2 episodes
Intimate Strangers1974Neil Wilmhurst1 episode
Happy Ever After 1974–76Jean Paul Bouchard / Philip Conway1 episode / "The Novel" / "Holiday Plans"
Thriller 1975John Pelham"The Next Voice You See"
Can You Keep It Up for a Week? 1975Gerry GrimwoodFilm
Keep It Up Downstairs 1976Percy HamptonFilm
The New Avengers 1976–77Mark Clifford / Roberts"Faces" / "Medium Rare"
The Four Feathers 1978Colonel, North Surrey'sTV movie
Armchair Thriller 1978Commander Lambert"The Girl Who Walked Quickly: Part 4"
L'amour en question1978Film
The Sweeney 1978John Morris"One of Your Own"
The Professionals 1978David Hunter"Rogue"
Return of the Saint 1978Andrew"Tower Bridge Is Falling Down"
Nelson's Touch1979Mess PresidentShort Film
Game for Vultures 1979Tony KnightFilm
Bergerac 1981Colonel"Campaign for Silence"
4D Special Agents1981Det. Insp. PorterFilm
Airline 1982Sergeant / Gp. Capt. Lawson"Conscience" / "Captain Clarke Plus One "
The Gaffer 1982Colonel Upshot-Green"The Candidate"
The Chinese Detective 1982Mr. Fisher"Trials"
Power Game1983Film
Doctor Who 1985Maylin Renis"Timelash"
Inside Story1986Home Secretary2 episodes
Jeeves and Wooster 1990Seppings"Will Anatole Return to Brinkley Court? (or, the Matchmaker)", (final television appearance)

References

  1. 'The Rex Deering Players', Pontypridd Observer, 6 December 1947, p. 9.
  2. 'London Theatres: The Playhouse', The Stage, 14 April 1949, p. 7.
  3. 'Triumph for Kathleen Harrison', The Stage, 12 August 1954, p. 10.
  4. "Neil Hallett". Theatricalia.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  5. "Neil Hallett profile". Bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  6. "Neil Hallett – Movies and Filmography". AllMovie . Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  7. Simon Sheridan, Keeping the British End Up: Four decades of saucy cinema, p.227 (London 2001).