Harry Towb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Towb
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Born | Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
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27 July 1925
Died | 24 July 2009 London, England
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(aged 83)
Occupation | Stage, film and TV actor |
Years active | 1950–2009 |
Spouse(s) |
Diana Hoddinott
(m. 1965) |
Children | 3 |
Harry Towb (born July 27, 1925 – died July 24, 2009) was a talented actor from Northern Ireland. He was known for his many roles in British TV shows, films, and plays. He appeared in popular series like Doctor Who and The Avengers.
Contents
Harry's Early Life and Acting Start
Harry was born in Larne, a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. His father was from Russia and his mother was from Ireland, both of Jewish heritage. Harry once joked that he was the only Jewish person ever born in Larne!
After his parents divorced, Harry moved with his mother and sister to Belfast. He went to school there before joining the British Army during World War II. He even managed a military canteen, but he was discharged when it was found out he had lied about his age to join.
Harry's Stage and Screen Roles
After leaving the army, Harry started his acting career. He performed with a touring theatre company around Ireland. He also acted in "repertory theatre" in England, which means he performed in many different plays with the same group of actors.
He made it to London's famous West End, where he acted in a musical called Bar Mitzvah Boy. He also appeared in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the National Theatre in 2004.
Harry was a familiar face on UK television. He appeared in many popular shows, including Callan, Sherlock Holmes, The Avengers, Casualty, The Bill, Minder, Doctor Who, The Saint, and Heartbeat.
His film roles included Above Us the Waves (1955), The Blue Max (1966), Patton (1970), and Lamb (1985). In 2008, Harry appeared in two episodes of the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He was also a presenter on the BBC Schools' programme You and Me, which featured puppets named Cosmo and Dibs.
Harry's Personal Life
Harry Towb was married to actress Diana Hoddinott. They had three children together.
He passed away at his home in London due to complications from cancer. A newspaper called The Times wrote about him, saying that when asked why he became an actor, Harry said it was because he always wanted to be someone else. This curiosity about other people made him a wonderful "character actor," meaning he was great at playing many different kinds of roles.
Harry always remembered his Jewish background. In 1983, he made a documentary called Odd Men In about the Jewish community in Belfast. He said his proudest moment was interviewing Chaim Herzog, who was also from Belfast and later became the President of Israel, for this documentary.
Selected Film and TV Roles
- The Quiet Woman (1951) – Jim Cranshaw
- Gift Horse (1952) – Minor Role
- 13 East Street (1952) – Ray
- Escape Route (1952) – Immigration Officer
- Escape by Night (1953) – Reporter
- Knave of Hearts (1954) – Stewart
- John Wesley (1954) – Michael O'Rory
- The Sleeping Tiger (1954) – Harry, second criminal
- A Prize of Gold (1955) – Benny
- Above Us the Waves (1955) – McCleery
- The Time of His Life (1955) – Steele
- Doublecross (1956) – Publican
- The March Hare (1956) – P.C. Dooney
- Eyewitness (1956) – Sugdon
- Circus Friends (1956) – Larry
- Stranger in Town (1957) – Café Attendant
- The End of the Line (1957) – Vince
- Murder at Site 3 (1958) – Kenney
- Dial 999 (TV Series, 'Rolling Racketeers', episode) - Harry
- The 39 Steps (1959) – Harold
- Crossroads to Crime (1960) – Paddy
- All Night Long (1962) – Phales
- The Scarlet Blade (1963) – Cobb
- The Blue Max (1966) – Kettering
- 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1968) – Mr. Woolley
- Prudence and the Pill (1968) – Racetrack Official
- The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968) – Doctor
- All Neat in Black Stockings (1968) – Issur
- The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder, (Tv. episode) - (1969–1971) – Lew Kassio
- Patton (1970) – American GI Cook
- Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) – Doctor in Film
- Some Kind of Hero (1972) – Mannie Greenbaum
- Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973) – Ringmaster
- The Girl from Petrovka (1974) – American Reporter
- The Bunny Caper (1974) – Four Star General
- Barry Lyndon (1975) – Innkeeper
- Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse (1978) – Mr. Phillips
- Lassiter (1984) – Roger Boardman
- Lamb (1985) – Priest
- Stowaways on the Ark (1988) – Noah
- Moll Flanders (1996) – Magistrate
- The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (2000) – Uncle Eugene
- Conspiracy of Silence (2003) – Father Doherty
- Cheeky (2003) – Mr. Oates