# Russell Napier

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**Russell Gordon Napier** (28 November 1910 – 19 August 1974) was an Australian actor.

## Biography

Russell Napier was born in [Perth](/source/Perth,_Western_Australia), Western Australia. Originally a lawyer, Napier was active as an actor on the stage as early as 1936; on the screen, from 1947 to 1974, playing both comedic and dramatic roles in both cinema and television. He starred in a live [BBC](/source/BBC) television production of [H. G. Wells](/source/H._G._Wells)' *[The Time Machine](/source/The_Time_Machine)* in 1949; only still photographs of this production survive.

Napier also acted on stage, and in 1936 appeared in a production of [T.S. Eliot](/source/T.S._Eliot)'s *[Murder in the Cathedral](/source/Murder_in_the_Cathedral)* at [The Old Vic](/source/The_Old_Vic), which later transferred to [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre).[3][4]

He was the most frequent star of the *[Scotland Yard](/source/Scotland_Yard_(film_series))* series of short films originally released from 1953 to 1961 for screenings in British cinemas, playing Inspector Harmer in two films, and then DI (later Superintendent) Duggan in thirteen others.[5] The series was aired in the United States by the [American Broadcasting Company](/source/American_Broadcasting_Company) from 1957.[6]

He was the commentator of the official 1962 TV documentary [*The Hole in the Ground*](/source/The_Hole_in_the_Ground_(1962_film)), about the [United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation](/source/United_Kingdom_Warning_and_Monitoring_Organisation) and he appeared as Doctor Green in the *[UFO](/source/UFO_(British_TV_series))* 1970 TV series episode "[A Question of Priorities](/source/A_Question_of_Priorities_(UFO_episode))".[7] He died in [Kingston upon Thames](/source/Kingston_upon_Thames), [Surrey](/source/Surrey), England.[8][9]

## Selected filmography

- *[The End of the River](/source/The_End_of_the_River)* (1947) – The Padre
- *[Death of an Angel](/source/Death_of_an_Angel)* (1952) – Supt. Walshaw
- *[Blind Man's Bluff](/source/Blind_Man's_Bluff_(1952_film))* (1952) – Stevens
- *[Stolen Face](/source/Stolen_Face)* (1952) – Det. Cutler
- *[Black Orchid](/source/Black_Orchid_(1953_film))* (1953) – Inspector Markham
- *[The Saint's Return](/source/The_Saint's_Return)* (1953) – Col. Stafford
- *[36 Hours](/source/36_Hours_(1953_film))* (1953) – Detective at Ann's Apartment (uncredited)
- *[Conflict of Wings](/source/Conflict_of_Wings)* (1954) – Wing Cmdr. Rogers
- *[The Unholy Four](/source/The_Unholy_Four)* (1954) – Insp. Treherne
- *[Companions in Crime](/source/Companions_in_Crime)* (1954)
- *[The Brain Machine](/source/The_Brain_Machine_(film))* (1955) – Inspector Durham
- *[Little Red Monkey](/source/Little_Red_Monkey)* (1955) – Supt. John Harrington
- *[The Blue Peter](/source/The_Blue_Peter_(1955_film))* (1955) – Raymound Curtis
- *[A Time to Kill](/source/A_Time_to_Kill_(1955_film))* (1955) – Inspector Simmons
- *[The Narrowing Circle](/source/The_Narrowing_Circle)* (1956) – Sir Henry Dimmock
- *[The Man in the Road](/source/The_Man_in_the_Road)* (1956) – Scotland Yard Supt. David
- *[A Town Like Alice](/source/A_Town_Like_Alice_(1956_film))* (1956) – Jack Burns (uncredited)
- *[Je plaide non-coupable](/source/Guilty%3F_(1956_film))* (1956) – Inspector Hobson
- *[The Last Man to Hang?](/source/The_Last_Man_to_Hang%3F)* (1956) – Detective Sgt. Bolton
- *[The Shiralee](/source/The_Shiralee_(1957_film))* (1957) – Parker
- *[Robbery Under Arms](/source/Robbery_Under_Arms_(1957_film))* (1957) – Banker Green
- *[A Night to Remember](/source/A_Night_to_Remember_(1958_film))* (1958) – [Capt. Stanley Lord](/source/Stanley_Lord) – Californian
- *[Tread Softly Stranger](/source/Tread_Softly_Stranger)* (1958) – Potter
- *[The Son of Robin Hood](/source/The_Son_of_Robin_Hood)* (1958) – Squire Miles
- *[The Witness](/source/The_Witness_(1959_film))* (1959) – Inspector Rosewarne
- *[Sink the Bismarck!](/source/Sink_the_Bismarck!)* (1960) – Air Vice-Marshal (uncredited)
- *[The Angry Silence](/source/The_Angry_Silence)* (1960) – Thompson
- *[Hell Is a City](/source/Hell_Is_a_City)* (1960) – Superintendent
- *[The Mark](/source/The_Mark_(1961_film))* (1961) – Second Plain Clothes Officer
- *[Francis of Assisi](/source/Francis_of_Assisi_(film))* (1961) – Brother Elias
- *[H.M.S. Defiant](/source/H.M.S._Defiant)* (1962) – Flag Captain
- *[Mix Me a Person](/source/Mix_Me_a_Person)* (1962) – PC Jarrold
- *[Man in the Middle](/source/Man_in_the_Middle_(film))* (1964) – Col. J.H. Thompson
- *[It!](/source/It!_(1967_film))* (1967) – Boss
- *[The Blood Beast Terror](/source/The_Blood_Beast_Terror)* (1968) – Landlord
- *[Nobody Runs Forever](/source/Nobody_Runs_Forever)* (1968) – Leeds
- *[Twisted Nerve](/source/Twisted_Nerve)* (1968) – Professor Fuller
- *[The Black Windmill](/source/The_Black_Windmill)* (1974) – Admiral Ballantyne (uncredited) (final film role)

## References

1. ["Russell Napier"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0621040/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm). *[IMDb](/source/IMDb)*

1. ["Russell Napier – Movies and Filmography – AllMovie"](http://www.allmovie.com/artist/russell-napier-p51849/filmography). *AllMovie*

1. ["Russell Napier"](https://theatricalia.com/person/q6e/russell-napier)

1. ["Russell Napier – Broadway Cast & Staff – IBDB"](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/russell-napier-54264). *ibdb.com*

1. ["Episode Guide for 'Scotland Yard' made by Merton Park Studios"](http://radiosoundsfamiliar.com/scotland-yard.php). *radiosoundsfamiliar.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130721185048/https://www.radiosoundsfamiliar.com/scotland-yard.php) 21 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["Scotland Yard Episodes on ABC"](http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/scotland-yard/episodes/204254). tvguide.com. Retrieved 14 December 2010.

1. ["A Question of Priorities (1970)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160311132958/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8be7a63d). *BFI*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8be7a63d) on 11 March 2016.

1. ["Search Results for England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007"](http://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/england-and-wales-deaths-1837-2007?firstname=russell%20gordon&lastname=napier&eventyear=1974&eventyear_offset=0)

1. ["Russell Napier"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160311133147/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f7a283c). *BFI*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f7a283c) on 11 March 2016.

## External links

- [Russell Napier](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0621040/) at IMDb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Russell Napier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Napier) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Napier?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.