Nigel Stock (actor)

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Nigel Hector Munro Stock (21 September 1919 - 23 June 1986) was an English actor of stage, screen, radio and television, who played character roles in many films and television dramas.

Video Nigel Stock (actor)

Early life

Stock was born in Malta, the son of an Army captain. He grew up in India before attending St Paul's School, London and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he earned the Leverhulme Exhibition, Northcliffe Scholarship, and the Principal's Medal.

Maps Nigel Stock (actor)

Acting career and military service

He made his stage debut in 1931, and during his career achieved numerous classical and contemporary credits at various distinguished theatres, including the Old Vic and on Broadway, with productions of The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, She Stoops to Conquer, Uncle Vanya. His start in films came with uncredited bit parts in The Man Who Could Work Miracles (1938) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). In 1937 he made his first credited film appearance in Lancashire Luck.

His acting career was interrupted by wartime service between 1939 and 1945 with the London Irish Rifles and the Assam Regiment of the Indian Army in Burma, China and Kohima. He was honourably discharged with the rank of Major, having twice been mentioned in despatches.

His film appearances included popular releases such as Brighton Rock (1947), The Dam Busters (1955), The Great Escape (1963), The Lion in Winter and The Lost Continent (both 1968), and Russian Roulette (1975).

Between 1964 and 1968, Nigel Stock became a household name in the UK for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of Sherlock Holmes dramas for BBC television. Later in life, he portrayed the mentor of Sherlock Holmes in Young Sherlock Holmes. His other numerous television credits included Danger Man (1965), The Avengers (1964 & 1966), The Prisoner (1967), The Doctors (1969-71), Owen, M.D. (1971-73), Quiller (1975), Van der Valk (1977), the Doctor Who serial Time Flight (1982), Yes Minister (1982), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and for a BBC dramatisation of A Tale of Two Cities (1980) as well as The Pickwick Papers (1985) as Mr. Pickwick.

Stock and his third wife, Richenda Carey, had just appeared together on stage in the world premiere of Mumbo Jumbo in May 1986, when, on 23 June 1986, he died in Camden, London of a heart attack, aged 66.