Martin Benson (actor)

Martin Benson (actor)
Martin Benjamin Benson (10 August 1918 – 28 February 2010) was a British character actor who appeared in films, theatre and television. He appeared in both British and Hollywood productions.
Early life
Benson was born in the East End of London, into a Jewish family, the son of a Russian-Jewish grocer and his Polish-Jewish wife who had left Russia at the revolution. After attending Tottenham Grammar School on a scholarship, he served in the 2nd Searchlight, Royal Artillery, during World War II. Stationed in Cairo, Egypt, he and Arthur Lowe founded the repertory company Mercury Theatre in Alexandria.
Career
He is remembered for his role as the Kralaholme in the original London production of The King and I, a role he recreated in the Oscar-winning film version.
Appearing in films for over six decades, Benson played mostly supporting characters or villains. His films include The Blind Goddess (1948), Wheel of Fate (1953), Interpol (1957), The Strange World of Planet X (1958), Once More, with Feeling! (1959), Exodus (1960), Five Golden Hours (1961), A Shot in the Dark (1964), Pope Joan (1972), The Sea Wolves (1980) and Angela's Ashes (1999).
He also had an uncredited role in MGM's hit historical film, Ivanhoe, and in 1963 he acted in another historic
film, as Ramos in Cleopatra (which also starred Elizabeth Taylor). Benson played both serious roles, such as Ali in Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) and comic roles, such as Maurice in A Shot in the Dark.
In 1964, he appeared as Mr. Solo, the gangster who is killed by Goldfinger's henchman Oddjob in the James Bond film Goldfinger.
Television
He appeared in many roles on television. He appeared as a barrister, using his own name, in the unscripted series The Verdict is Yours which ran for several years in the 1950s. Cases were shown and the previously unknown verdict was given by jury of viewers. In 1957 he made a guest appearance on The Jack Benny Show. In the same year he played the recurring
character the Duke de Medici in the children's adventure series Sword of Freedom. In 1960 he appeared in the series Danger Man in the episode entitled "Position of Trust" as Fawzi. In 1981 he appeared in the television production of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, albeit unrecognisable under the heavy make-up and costume of Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz, leader of the Vogon fleet sent to
destroy Earth. His last appearance was in the TV series Casualty in 2005.
Death
Benson died in his sleep on 28 February 2010, from natural causes.
Filmography
Suspected Person (1942) as minor role (uncredited)
The Blind Goddess (1948) as Count Stephan Mikla
But Not in Vain (1948) as Mark Meyer
Trapped by the Terror (1949) as Prison Governor
Under Capricorn (1949) as Man Carrying Shrunken Head (uncredited)
The Adventures of PC 49: Investigating the Case of the Guardian Angel (1949) as Skinny Ellis
I'll Get You for This (1951) as Frankie Sperazza
Assassin for Hire (1951) as Catesby
Night Without Stars (1951) as White Cap
The Dark Light (1951) as Luigi
Hotel Sahara (1951) as Minor Role (uncredited)
Mystery Junction (1951) as Steve Harding
Judgment Deferred (1952) as Pierre Desportes
The Frightened Man (1952) as Alec Stone
Wide Boy (1952) as Rocco
Ivanhoe (1952) as Minor Role (uncredited)
The Gambler and the Lady (1952) as Tony - Pat's Dance Partner
Top of the Form (1953) as Cliquot
Wheel of Fate (1953) as Riscoe
Recoil (1953) as Farnborough
Always a Bride (1953) as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Black 13 (1953) as Bruno
Escape by Night (1953) as Guillio
You Know What Sailors Are (1954) as Agrarian Officer (uncredited)
West of Zanzibar (1954) as Dhofar
Knave of Hearts (1954) as Art (uncredited)
Passage Home (1955) as Gutierres
Doctor at Sea (1955) as Head Waiter (uncredited)
Soho Incident (aka Spin a Dark Web) (1956) as Rico Francesi
23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) as Pillings
The King and I (1956) as Kralahome
Istanbul (1957) as Mr. Darius
Doctor at Large (1957) as Maharajah of Rhanda
Interpol (1957) as Captain Varolli
The Flesh Is Weak (1957) as Angelo Giani
Man from Tangier (1957) as Voss
Windom's Way (1957) as Samcar, Rebel Commander (uncredited)
The Strange World of Planet X (1958) as Smith
Sea of Sand (1958) as German Half-track Officer (uncredited)
The Two-Headed Spy (1958) as Gen. Wagner
Make Mine a Million (1959) as Chairman
Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) as Ali
Dial 999 (TV series) (Special Branch), episode 13) (1959) as Waymac (filmed 1958)
Once More, with Feeling! (1960) as Luigi Bardini
Oscar Wilde (1960) as George Alexander
Sands of the Desert (1960) as Selim
The Gentle Trap (1960) as Ricky Barnes
The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960) as Flimnap
Exodus (1960) as Mordekai
Gorgo (1961) as Dorkin
Five Golden Hours (1961) as Enrico
A Matter of WHO (1961) as Rahman
The Silent Invasion (1962) as Borge
Satan Never Sleeps (1962) as Kuznietsky
Village of Daughters (1962) as 1st Pickpocket
Captain Clegg (1962) as Mr. Rash (innkeeper)
I tre nemic (1962) as Prof. Otto Kreutz
The Fur Collar (1962) as Martin Benson
Cleopatra (1963) as Ramos
Mozambique (1964) as Da Silva
The Secret Door (1964) as Edmundo Vara
A Shot in the Dark (1964) as Maurice
Behold a Pale Horse (1964) as Priest
Goldfinger (1964) as Mr. Solo
The Secret of My Success (1965) as Rex Mansard
A Man Could Get Killed (1966) as Politanu
The Magnificent Two (1967) as President Diaz
Battle Beneath the Earth (1967) as Gen. Chan Lu
Pope Joan (1972) as Lothair
Tiffany Jones (1973) as Petcek
The Omen (1976) as Father Spiletto
Mohammad, Messenger of God (1976) as Abu-Jahal
Al-risâlah (1976) as Kisra
Jesus of Nazareth (1977, TV mini-series) as Pharisee
Meetings with Remarkable Men (1979) as Dr. Ivanov
The Human Factor (1979) as Boris
The Sea Wolves (1980) as Mr. Montero
Sphinx (1981) as Muhammed
Young Toscanini (1988) as Comparsa (uncredited)
Campion (1989 TV Series) as Isaac Melchizadek
Capstick's Law (1989) as maitre d'hotel
The Camomile Lawn (1992) as Pauli Erstweiler
Angela's Ashes (1999) as Christian Brother
References
External links
Obituary in The Times
Martin Benson – Daily Telegraph obituary
1918 births
2010 deaths
Royal Artillery officers
English male film actors
English male television actors
English male stage actors
Jewish English male actors
English people of Russian-Jewish descent
English people of Polish-Jewish descent
Male actors from Buckinghamshire
Male actors from London
People from Markyate
British Army personnel of World War II