Edward Underdown (1908) Underdown
演员
A London-born stage and film veteran, actor Edward Underdown was
educated at Eton College and began in theatre roles in 1932 with "Words
and Music". A former jockey and steeplechase rider, he quickly forged
ahead in films making his debut in The Warren Case (1934) and appearing in secondary
roles. A tall, officious and good looking gent, he came into his own in
post-war film leads and supports with prominent roles in The October Man (1947),
The Woman with No Name (1950), The Dark Man (1951), The Voice of Merrill (1952), Street of Shadows (1953), and John Huston's cult overseas hit
Beat the Devil (1953) starring Humphrey Bogart and Jennifer Jones in which he played Jones' prim
dullard of a husband. Most of his work was in dismissible "B" level
fare as dour, damp, stuffy types. He started moving down the credits
list in 1960s horrors and action drama until he was reduced to bit
parts. Over the course of his career, he played everything from British
lords to archaeologists, but never branched out into a successful
international career.
Things might have turned out differently had a little more luck come his way. It seems writer Ian Fleming's first choice for the role of James "007" Bond was the handsome but still relatively undistinguished Underdown, but the actor was never even considered by producer Albert R. Broccoli. Of course, Sean Connery soared to stardom in the part and, ironically, Underdown wound up with a very small part in one of the more popular of the film series Thunderball (1965). Underdown died in his native England on December 15, 1989 at age 81.
Things might have turned out differently had a little more luck come his way. It seems writer Ian Fleming's first choice for the role of James "007" Bond was the handsome but still relatively undistinguished Underdown, but the actor was never even considered by producer Albert R. Broccoli. Of course, Sean Connery soared to stardom in the part and, ironically, Underdown wound up with a very small part in one of the more popular of the film series Thunderball (1965). Underdown died in his native England on December 15, 1989 at age 81.
