James Harcourt

{{Short description|English actor (1873–1951)}} {{for|the English organist and composer|James Harcourt (organist)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} [[File:Actor_James_Harcourt.jpg|thumb|right|James Harcourt in ''Kate Plus Ten'' (1938)]]

'''James Harcourt''' (born '''Joseph Hudson'''; 20 April 1873{{spaced ndash}}18 February 1951) was an English character actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee45f87|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307050323/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee45f87|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 March 2017|title=James Harcourt|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/person/d5s/james-harcourt|title=James Harcourt - Theatricalia|publisher=}}</ref>

Harcourt was born in Headingley, Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire. He started work as a cabinet maker, and drifted into amateur dramatics. He appeared as a stage actor first in 1903 and worked with the Liverpool Repertory Company from 1919 to 1931, and was with the Old Vic in the mid 1940s.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/liverpoolreperto00gold|url-access=registration|quote=james harcourt.|title=The Liverpool repertory theatre, 1911-1934|first=Grace Nisbet|last=Goldie|date=1 January 1935|publisher=The University press of Liverpool|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V7vPDQAAQBAJ&dq=james+harcourt+The+Encyclopedia+of+British+Film&pg=RA6-PA1911|title=The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition|first=Brian|last=McFarlane|date=16 May 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9781526111968|via=Google Books}}</ref>

In 1947, Harcourt appeared in the original West End production of the popular musical ''Bless the Bride'', directed by Wendy Toye.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_b/bless_the_bride.htm|title=Bless the Bride - A.P. Herbert and Vivian Ellis - The Guide to Musical Theatre|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://theatricalia.com/play/3qs/bless-the-bride/production/862|title=Production of Bless the Bride - Theatricalia|publisher=}}</ref>

He married the actress Dora Keith in 1912, and was the father of camera operator and cinematographer David Harcourt<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10228973/David-Harcourt.html|title=David Harcourt|date=7 August 2013 |publisher=}}</ref> and continuity girl Josephine Harcourt.

He died in Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 18 February 1951 aged 77.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-deaths-1837-2007?firstname=james%20&lastname=harcourt&eventyear=1951&eventyear_offset=1|title=findmypast.co.uk|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=James Harcourt is dead |journal=Yorkshire Observer |date=19 February 1951 |page=1}}</ref>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |1931|| ''Hobson's Choice'' || Hobson || |- |1933|| ''Paris Plane'' || || |- |1933|| ''Song of the Plough'' || Doctor || |- |1934|| ''The Old Curiosity Shop'' || the Single Gentleman || |- |1935|| ''Look Up and Laugh'' || Mr. Pearson || Uncredited |- |1936|| ''All at Sea'' || Mr. Humphrey || |- |1936|| ''The Avenging Hand'' || Sam Hupp || Uncredited |- |1936|| ''Laburnum Grove'' || Joe Fletten || |- |1936|| ''Seven Sinners'' || Vicar (Father Blanchard) || |- |1936|| ''Wings Over Africa'' || Wilkins || |- |1936|| ''Men Are Not Gods'' || Porter || Uncredited |- |1937|| ''Return of a Stranger'' || Johnson || |- |1938|| ''Kate Plus Ten'' || Bank Manager || |- |1938|| ''Penny Paradise'' || Amos Cook || |- |1938|| ''You're the Doctor'' || William Firmstone || |- |1938|| ''Follow Your Star'' || Mr. Tee || |- |1939|| ''I Met a Murderer'' || Hay Wagon Driver || |- |1940|| ''The Stars Look Down'' || Will || |- |1940|| ''Night Train to Munich'' || Axel Bomasch || |- |1940|| ''The House of the Arrow'' || Boris Raviart || |- |1941|| ''The Farmer's Wife'' || Valiant Dunnybrigg || |- |1941|| ''You Will Remember'' || Judge || Uncredited |- |1941|| ''Love on the Dole'' || Old Man Who Has His Dole Stopped || Uncredited |- |1941|| ''This England'' || || |- |1942|| ''Atlantic Ferry'' || Minor role || Uncredited |- |1942|| ''Penn of Pennsylvania'' || Fox || |- |1942|| ''Hard Steel'' || Jim Calver || |- |1942|| ''The Young Mr. Pitt'' || Bellamy || Uncredited |- |1945|| ''He Snoops to Conquer'' || Councilor Hopkins || |- |1945|| ''Johnny Frenchman'' || Joe Pender || |- |1946|| ''The Captive Heart'' || Doctor || |- |1946|| ''I See a Dark Stranger'' || Grandfather || |- |1947|| ''The Grand Escapade'' || Old Traveller || |- |1947|| ''Meet Me at Dawn'' || Henri, the butler || |- |1949|| ''Obsession'' || Aitkin (butler) || (final film role) |}

==References== {{Reflist}} * "Halliwell's Who's Who in the Movies" - published by Harper-Collins 1981 - {{ISBN|0-06-093507-3}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|0361995}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harcourt, James}} Category:1873 births Category:1951 deaths Category:English male stage actors Category:English male film actors Category:People from Headingley Category:20th-century English male actors Category:Male actors from Leeds