Glyn Houston

Glyn Houston (born in Tonypandy, Wales on 23 October 1926^[1]), is an actor best known for his television work. He is the brother of the late film actor Donald Houston.^[1]

Early life

Houston served in the army prior to and during World War II, and was briefly a stand-up comedian performing to soldiers during the war.^[2] He made his first film appearance in The Blue Lamp in 1950.^[3]

Career

Perhaps Glyn Houston's most notable role was as "Duncan Thomas", literary agent, in the 1980s British sitcom Keep It in the Family. He appeared in a number of films including The Great Game.^[4]

In the 1970s he played Lord Peter Wimsey's valet Bunter opposite Ian Carmichael in the teleplays of several of Dorothy Sayers tales. His performance was praised in the New York Times.^[5] In his critique of the 1980s BBC1 dramatization of the Harriet Vane stories, reviewer Marvin Kitman mistakenly wrote that Houston was miscast in the role of Bunter. In fact, actor Richard Morant portrayed the character in that series.^[6]

Other credits included My Good Woman (1973–1974), Inspector Morse, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Minder and Doomwatch, as well as the recurring character "Det Supt Jones" in Softly, Softly.

He has also appeared twice as different characters in Doctor Who — as "Professor Owen Watson" in The Hand of Fear (1976)^[7] and as "Colonel Ben Wolsey" in The Awakening (1984).^[8]

Houston has over two hundred television and film credits,^[1] dating back as early as 1950.^[9]

Houston won a BAFTA Cymru special award in April 2008.^[9] He released an autobiography titled Glyn Houston, A Black and White Actor in December 2009.^[2]

Personal life

Houston was married to the actress and model Shirley Lawrence and had two children.^[3] In May 2000 he unveiled a Mining Memorial in his native Rhondda at the Rhondda Heritage Park. He led the tributes to the thousands of miners who died and suffered during 150 years of mining in the South Wales coalfield.^[10]

Selected filmography

• The Blue Lamp (1950)
• Wide Boy (1952)
• The Gift Horse (1952)
• The Cruel Sea (1953)
• The Great Game (1953)
• Turn the Key Softly (1953)
• Hell Below Zero (1954)^[11]
• River Beat (1954)
• The Sleeping Tiger (1954)
• The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954)
• Passage Home (1955)
• Private's Progress (1956)
• The Long Arm (1956)
• High Flight (1957)
• The One That Got Away (1957)
• Nowhere to Go (1958)
• Follow a Star (1959)
• The Battle of the Sexes (1959)
• There Was a Crooked Man (1960)
• The Bulldog Breed (1960)
• Payroll (1961)
• The Wind of Change (1961)
• The Green Helmet (1961)
• Flame in the Streets (1961)
• Emergency (1962)
• Mix Me a Person (1962)
• A Stitch in Time (1963)
• One Way Pendulum (1964)
• The Secret of Blood Island (1964)
• The Brigand of Kandahar (1965)
• Are You Being Served?: The Movie (1977)
• A Horseman Riding By (1978)
• The Sea Wolves (1980)
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1993)

References

External links

• Glyn Houston at the Internet Movie Database