Biography
​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James Donald (18 May 1917 - 3 August 1993) was a Scottish actor. Tall and gaunt, he specialised in playing authority figures; military officers, doctors or scientists. Donald was born in Aberdeen, and made his first professional stage appearance sometime in the late-1930s, having been educated at Rossall School on Lancashire's Fylde coast. During World War II he appeared in minor roles in such propaganda classics as In Which We Serve (1942), Went the Day W...
Known For
Complete Filmography
Doc in the Box
2015
as Crabs Guy
Two bungling robbers try to play doctors at a 24hr. clinic while they wait for the time lock safe to open and have to treat the crazies that come out ...
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987
as Dr. Mathew Roney (archive footage)
A retrospective of the films of Britain's Hammer Studios, renowned for making stylish horror films in the 1950s, '60s and '70s. Included are clips fro...
The Big Sleep
1978
as Inspector Gregory
Private eye Philip Marlowe investigates a case of blackmail involving the two wild daughters of a rich general, a pornographer and a gangster.
Conduct Unbecoming
1975
as The Doctor
A company of British soldiers in colonial India is shaken when the widow of their most honored hero is assaulted. A young officer must defend a fellow...
David Copperfield
1969
as Mr. Murdstone
A young man journeys from a difficult childhood to maturity, exploring social injustice, personal development, and the complexities of human relations...
Destiny of a Spy
1969
as Sir Martin Rolfe
A veteran Russian spy is brought out of retirement to be sent to the West to do an important sabotage job. However, he finds himself falling in love w...
The Royal Hunt of the Sun
1969
as King Carlos
The Spanish explorer Pizarro captures the Inca god-chief Atahualpa and promises to free him upon the delivery of a hoard of gold. But Pizarro finds hi...
Hannibal Brooks
1969
as Padre
A POW in World War II is put to work in a Munich zoo, looking after an Asian elephant. The zoo is bombed by the Americans and the director of the zoo ...
Quatermass and the Pit
1967
as Dr. Mathew Roney
A mysterious artifact unearthed below a London subway station proves to have powerful psychic effects on the people around.
The Jokers
1967
as Col. Gurney-Simms
Brothers Michael and David Tremayne decide to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London, not for criminal purposes, but to make themselves famou...
Cast a Giant Shadow
1966
as Maj. Safir
An American Army officer is recruited by the yet to exist Israel to help them form an army. He is disturbed by this sudden appeal to his Jewish herita...
King Rat
1965
as Dr. Kennedy
When Singapore surrendered to the Japanese in 1942, the Allied POWs, mostly British but including a few Americans, were incarcerated in Changi prison....
The Great Escape
1963
as Ramsey 'The SBO'
The Nazis, exasperated at the number of escapes from their prison camps by a relatively small number of Allied prisoners, relocate them to a high-secu...
Pygmalion
1963
as Henry Higgins
Can Professor Higgins transform cockney flower girl Eliza Dolittle into a lady by teaching her to speak properly?
Victoria Regina
1961
as Prince Albert
1961 adaptation of "Victoria Regina".
The Citadel
1960
as Dr. Andrew Manson
The good doctor is on trial before the British Medical Association Council, if he is found guilty, he will no longer be allowed to practice medicine. ...
Third Man on the Mountain
1959
as Franz Lerner
Famous British mountaineer Winter wants to climb a difficult summit, the Citadel. He goes to a small village but no guide wants to accompany him. A yo...
Perilous Assignment
1959
as Self
"Perilous Assignment" is an episode of ABC's Walt Disney Presents. Disney loved to show viewers behind the scenes of the daring shoots of its theatric...
The Vikings
1958
as Lord Egbert
Einar, brutal son of the viking Ragnar and future heir to his throne, tangles with clever slave Eric, for the hand of a beautiful English maiden.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
1957
as Maj. Clipton
The classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American intelligence...
Lust for Life
1956
as Theo van Gogh
An intense and imaginative artist, revered Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh possesses undeniable talent, but he is plagued by mental problems and frustr...
Beau Brummell
1954
as Lord Edwin Mercer
Captain George Bryan Brummell is a British soldier who appreciates fine clothing and innovative dress. Although he initially alienates the Prince of W...
The Net
1953
as Michael Heathley
A secret jet aircraft capable of traveling three times the speed of sound is being developed by a group of scientists. On the day of the test flight, ...
The Pickwick Papers
1952
as Nathaniel Winkle
The Pickwick Club sends Mr. Pickwick and a group of friends to travel across England and to report back on the interesting things they find...
Gift Horse
1952
as Lt. Richard Jennings, No. 1
Compton Bennett's war drama The Gift Horse follows the fortunes of ageing destroyer The Ballantrae and her crew from the time they come together in 19...
Brandy for the Parson
1952
as Bill Harper
A young couple get involved with a smuggler
White Corridors
1951
as Neil Marriner
White Corridors was based on Yeoman Hospital, a novel by Helen Ashton. Told episodically, the story concentrates on the day-to-day activities in a bus...
Cage of Gold
1950
as Alan
The love that Judy, a young painter, feels for Alan, a promising doctor to whom she is engaged, falters when Bill, an old friend, suddenly appears.
Trottie True
1949
as Lord Digby Langdon
Tottie True is a gay-90s British music-hall performer who has her sights set on moving from rags to riches, who loses her heart to the pure-and-true b...
Edward, My Son
1949
as Bronton
Following the death of his only son, a ruthless businessman reflects on his life, his unhappy marriage and his questionable parenting skills.
The Small Voice
1948
as Murray Byrne
A man and his wife take to their house some men they rescue from a road crash and then find they have picked up some dangerous criminals.
Broken Journey
1948
as Bill Haverton
A plane flying over the Swiss Alps develops engine trouble and is forced to crash-land on a glacier. Unable to radio for help because of damaged batte...
The Way Ahead
1944
as Pvt. Evans Lloyd
A mismatched collection of conscripted civilians find training tough under Lieutenant Jim Perry and Sergeant Ned Fletcher when they are called up to ...
San Demetrio London
1943
as Gunnery Officer - H.M.S. Jervis Bay
Based on the true story of the 1940 rescue of the tanker MV San Demetrio by parts of her own crew after she had been set afire in the middle of the A...
In Which We Serve
1942
as Doc
The story of the HMS Torrin, from its construction to its sinking in the Mediterranean during action in World War II. The ship's first and only comman...
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing
1942
as (uncredited)
On its way back from a raid on the city of Stuttgart, Germany, a British bomber is shot down over Nazi-held Holland. Parachuting into Dutch farmlands ...