Claud Allister (born William Claud Michael Palmer, 3 October 1888 – 26 July 1970) was an English actor with an extensive film career in both Britain and Hollywood, where he appeared in more than 70 films between 1929 and 1955.
Claud Allister | |
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Born | William Claud Michael Palmer 3 October 1888 London, England |
Died | 26 July 1970 | (aged 81)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1929–1955 |
Spouses | Daisy Isabel Douglas Overed (aka Dorothy Overed)
(m. 1914, divorced)Barbara Fay (divorced)
|
He was born in London. After receiving his education at Felsted School in Essex, he began his career as a stockbroker's clerk in the City of London, but gave up a life in the Square Mile on deciding that he preferred the stage, upon which he made his début in 1910.[citation needed]
He toured England's repertory theatres playing minor parts up to the outbreak of World War I, when he was commissioned into the British Army as a subaltern, and saw active service with the Suffolk Regiment and the Machine Gun Corps.[1]
Post-war he returned to acting, appearing in the West End in Bulldog Drummond, and in 1924 went to America to perform on the stage there initially.[2] In 1929 he made his film début in The Trial of Mary Dugan.[3][citation needed] In 1934 he appeared in the West End in the historical play Mary Read.
Allister died 26 July 1970 at Santa Barbara, California, aged 81.[4][2]