BORN ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO TODAY!... Today marks the centenary birthday
of actor Donald Pleasence on October 5th 1919. Born in Worksop,
Nottinghamshire, England, he was the son of Alice (née Armitage) and
Thomas Stanley Pleasence, a railway stationmaster.
TODAY, AFTER HIS PASSING... you can read all about Pleasence service
during WW2, his capture as a prisoner of war, humbleness kept that under
wraps for most of his life.. but he would talk and share about a
fateful day and television broadcast,
where both he and Peter Cushing received positive critical attention for
their roles in the BBC version of Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954) from the
novel by George Orwell. Pleasence played Syme, to Cushing's Winston Smith.
BOTH terrified the British public! I could write much here about the
amazing Pleasence career, the films, the TV and theatre.. but I have left plenty of space and thread, for everyone to do that, in this post at the FACEBOOK PCASUK FAN PAGE and leave that to you to share . . 😉
DONALD PLEASENCE AS SYME IN THE BBC LIVE PRODUCTION OF '1984' IN 1954.
PLEASENCE IN the 1959 'FLESH AND THE FIENDS' as William Hare
A FULL FEATURE REVIEW WITH VINTAGE LOBBY CARD GALLERY! HERE!
AS JACK SEWARD in the 1979 version of 'DRACULA'
ABOVE: CUSHING AND PLEASENCE TOGETHER in 'Trial by Combat'
DONALD PLEASENCE bumped along with Peter in several roles on the big
screen, mostly co starring in films like 'The Flesh And The Fiends'
'Suspect' 'From Beyond The Grave' 'The Uncanny' 'Trial By Combat' and
'The Devil's Men'. In several of his roles, Pleasence was able to with
little dialogue reach and un-nerve the audience, using something his
actress daughter once referred to as 'Pleasencing' . . it worked. It
ALWAYS worked.
TO DO DONALD PLEASENCE justice it would take several days, many, many posts to
even scratch the surface of his amazing talent and presence. I am sure
everyone here, can name three if not FIVE of their favourite Pleasence
performances, because each one was different, a different character...
but off screen, Donald was always one... charming, gentle and always
entertaining... A VERY Happy Birthday Donald Pleasence... you are missed
by many and celebrated by all who were entertained by your sensitivity
and brilliant talent! 😉 - Marcus
