Patric Knowles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patric Knowles
Knowles in 1950
Born	Reginald Lawrence Knowles (1911-11-11)11 November 1911 Horsforth, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	23 December 1995(1995-12-23) (aged 84) Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1932–1973
Spouse(s)	Enid Percival ​ ​ (m. 1935)​
Children	2

Patric Knowles (born Reginald Lawrence Knowles) was an English actor who starred in many films. He was born on November 11, 1911, in Horsforth, England. He later changed his name to Patric Knowles to show his Irish background.

Patric Knowles started acting in movies in 1932. Throughout his career, he often played the main character or the second most important role. He appeared in films from the 1930s all the way to the 1970s. He passed away on December 23, 1995, at the age of 84.

Patric Knowles: A Star's Journey

Early Acting Days in Britain

Patric Knowles began his acting journey in British movies in 1932. His very first film was Men of Tomorrow.

He also performed in plays with a group called the Oxford Playhouse. He traveled around, acting in different theater shows. During this time, he appeared in 14 British films. Some of these included The Poisoned Diamond (1933) and The Girl in the Crowd (1935).

He played the main male role in movies like The Student's Romance (1935) and Honours Easy (1935). He also appeared in Abdul the Damned (1935).

In 1936, a talent scout from Warner Bros. saw him in a play in London. This led to Patric Knowles signing a contract to work in Hollywood for more than two years. Before moving to America, he starred in his last British films, such as The Brown Wallet (1936).

Hollywood Adventures: Warner Bros.

Patric Knowles' first American movie was Give Me Your Heart (1936). In this film, he played a wealthy English gentleman.

His next big role for Warner Bros. was in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936). He played the younger brother of Errol Flynn's character. He also worked with famous actress Olivia de Havilland in this movie.

Knowles in Five Came Back (1939)

Knowles was reunited with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland in the classic film The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). In this movie, he played the character of Will Scarlett. He also supported Bette Davis in It's Love I'm After (1937) and The Sisters (1938).

Moving to RKO and Universal

After his time at Warner Bros., Patric Knowles signed a contract with RKO studios. There, he made films like Beauty for the Asking (1939) and Five Came Back (1939), both with Lucille Ball.

He also worked for other studios. He was in Another Thin Man (1939) at MGM. For 20th Century-Fox, he appeared in The Honeymoon's Over (1939). He returned to RKO for A Bill of Divorcement (1940) with Maureen O'Hara. He also played Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Windy Poplars (1941).

One of his notable films at 20th Century-Fox was How Green Was My Valley (1941), directed by the famous John Ford.

Ilona Massey and Knowles in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man

Knowles, Lon Chaney Jr. and Doris Lloyd in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943)

Patric Knowles then moved to Universal Studios. He had a supporting role in the horror film The Wolf Man (1941). He also starred in The Strange Case of Doctor Rx (1942) and Mystery of Marie Roget (1942).

He appeared in many Universal films, often supporting well-known actors. He was in Lady in a Jam (1942) with Irene Dunne. He also worked with the comedy duo Abbott and Costello in Who Done It? (1942) and Hit the Ice (1943). A famous horror film he was in was Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), alongside Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi.

Paramount Pictures and Beyond

With Anne Gwynne, 1942

Later, Patric Knowles worked at Paramount Pictures. He supported actors like Paulette Goddard in Kitty (1945) and Alan Ladd in O.S.S. (1946).

He returned to Warner Bros. for Of Human Bondage (1946). Universal borrowed him to star opposite Joan Fontaine in the thriller Ivy (1947). He continued to make films at Paramount, including Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) with Bob Hope.

In 1949, he was in The Big Steal with Robert Mitchum. In 1950, he played the husband of Claudette Colbert in Three Came Home.

Television Roles

Knowles and Angela Lansbury in Mutiny (1952)

Mark Stevens and Knowles, 1952

As television became more popular, Patric Knowles started appearing in many TV shows. He was a guest star on programs like Studio One in Hollywood, Lights Out, and Robert Montgomery Presents.

He still made movies during this time. He was in Quebec (1951) and Mutiny (1952). He even played a villain in Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952). Other films included Jamaica Run (1953) and World for Ransom (1954).

From the late 1950s, he mostly worked in television. He appeared in popular shows like Wagon Train, General Electric Theater, and Maverick. He also had roles in The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Death Valley Days, and Have Gun – Will Travel. In 1960, Patric Knowles received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in television.

Later Career and Final Films

In his later career, Patric Knowles continued to make guest appearances on TV shows. These included Family Affair and Marcus Welby, M.D..

He also appeared in several films directed by Andrew McLaglen. He was in The Way West (1967) with Kirk Douglas. He played Lord Mountbatten in The Devil's Brigade (1968). He also acted alongside John Wayne in the western film Chisum (1970).

His final film roles included The Man (1972) and Terror in the Wax Museum (1973). His very last movie was Arnold (1973).

Life Beyond the Screen

Personal Life and Family

Patric Knowles met Gladys Enid Percival when they were both acting at the Playhouse Theater in Oxford, England. They got married on October 3, 1935.

When Patric signed his contract with Warner Studios in 1936, they moved to New York City. In 1939, the couple settled in Tarzana, California.

Patric Knowles loved flying and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force after 1936. Even though an eye problem stopped him from flying planes himself, he became a flying instructor. He taught air cadets for the U.S. Army Air Force.

Patric and Enid had two children, a daughter named Antonia Vaughan and a son named Michael. Patric Knowles also wrote a novel called Even Steven, which was published in 1960.

His Passing

Patric Knowles passed away on December 23, 1995. He was 84 years old. He died from a brain hemorrhage in West Hills, California.

Partial filmography