Peter Gawthorne facts for kids

Peter Gawthorne (born September 1, 1884 – died March 17, 1962) was an actor from Ireland and England. He was famous for his roles in movies with funny British comedians like Will Hay in the 1930s and 1940s. Peter Gawthorne was a very busy supporting actor during this time.

Early Life and Acting Career

Peter Gawthorne was born in 1884 in a place called Queen's County in Ireland. But he spent most of his acting life in England. He studied at the Academy of Dramatic Art for two years.

After his studies, Peter Gawthorne started acting on stage in London. He gained over twenty years of experience there! His first acting job was in 1906. It was a small part at His Majesty's Theatre in London. He later played a character named Albany Pope in a popular musical called The Boy in 1917. People said he did a great job. He also learned how to sing.

Later, he traveled and performed in Australia, South Africa, and America. He even acted in his first movie in Hollywood. After that, he came back to Britain. He worked for many film companies, but mostly for Gainsborough Studios.

Playing Authority Figures in Films

Peter Gawthorne acted in many movies. He often played characters like military officers or strict, important people. These characters often disagreed with the clumsy and funny people played by comedians. Some of these famous comedians included Will Hay, George Formby, The Crazy Gang, Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge, and Arthur Askey.

He was in a huge number of films, not just comedies. Some of his other well-known movies were The Iron Duke (1934), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), "Pimpernel" Smith (1941), Love on the Dole (1941), and The Young Mr. Pitt (1942).

Selected Film and TV Appearances

Peter Gawthorne had a very long list of acting roles. Here are some of the films and TV shows he appeared in:

• Behind That Curtain (1929)
• His Glorious Night (1929)
• Charlie Chan Carries On (1931)
• The Lodger (1932)
• Dirty Work (1934)
• No Limit (1935)
• Good Morning, Boys (1937)
• Convict 99 (1938)
• Ask a Policeman (1939)
• Where's That Fire? (1939)
• Love on the Dole (1941)
• "Pimpernel" Smith (1941)
• The Young Mr. Pitt (1942)
• Bell-Bottom George (1944)
• Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
• Knights of the Round Table (1953)
• Adventure Theater (1956, TV Series) - This was his last acting role.