Glyn Houston

Welsh actor (1925–2019)

Shirley Lawrence

(m. 1956)

Children2FamilyDonald Houston (brother)

Glyndwr Desmond Houston (23 October 1925 – 30 June 2019) was a Welsh actor best known for his television work.^[1] He was the younger brother of film actor Donald Houston.^[2]

Early life

Houston was born at 10 Thomas Street, Tonypandy, Glamorgan, Wales.^[3]^[2] He served in the army during the Second World War, and was briefly a stand-up comedian performing for soldiers during the war.^[4] He made his first film appearance in The Blue Lamp in 1950.^[5]

Career

In the 1970s Houston played Lord Peter Wimsey's valet Bunter opposite Ian Carmichael in television adaptations of several of Dorothy Sayers tales. His performance was praised in The New York Times.^[6] Later, he had a role as a literary agent in the 1980s British sitcom Keep It in the Family. He appeared in a number of films including The Great Game.^[7]

Other credits included 'Peter Ridgway' in 'Colonel March of Scotland Yard' Episode 'The Stolen Crime' (1956), My Good Woman (1973–1974), A Horseman Riding By (1978), Inspector Morse, It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Minder and Doomwatch, as well as the recurring character "Det Supt Jones" in Softly, Softly. He also appeared twice as different characters in Doctor Who — as "Professor Owen Watson" in The Hand of Fear (1976)^[8] and as "Colonel Ben Wolsey" in The Awakening (1984).^[9] He also played Brother Cadfael in a 1979 BBC Radio 4 adaptation of One Corpse Too Many. Houston had over two hundred television and film credits,^[2] dating back as early as 1950.^[10] Houston won a BAFTA Cymru special award in April 2008.^[10]

A highlight of Houston's career was his appearance at the concert to celebrate the opening of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999^[11] along with other actors such as Ioan Gruffudd and Harry Secombe.^[12]

Personal life

Houston was married to the actress and model Shirley Lawrence and had two children.^[5] In May 2000 he unveiled a Mining Memorial in his native Rhondda at the Rhondda Heritage Park. He led the tributes to the thousands of miners who died and suffered during 150 years of mining in the South Wales coalfield.^[13] He released an autobiography titled Glyn Houston, A Black and White Actor in December 2009.^[4] Houston died at the age of 93 on 30 June 2019.^[14]^[15]

Selected filmography

The Blue Lamp (1950) - Barrow Boy (uncredited)
Waterfront (1950) - Sailor (uncredited)
Trio (1950) - Ted (segment "The Verger")
The Clouded Yellow (1950) - Lancastrian Bus Conductor (uncredited)
Home to Danger (1951) - Minor Role (uncredited)
High Treason (1951) - Railway Shunter (uncredited)
I Believe in You (1952) - Passerby (uncredited)
Wide Boy (1952) - George
The Gift Horse (1952) - Assistant Engineer (uncredited)
Girdle of Gold (1952) - Dai Thomas
The Great Game (1953) - Ned Rutter
The Cruel Sea (1953) - Phillips
Turn the Key Softly (1953) - Bob
Stryker of the Yard (1953)
Hell Below Zero (1954)^[16] - Borg
River Beat (1954) - Charlie Williamson
The Rainbow Jacket (1954) - (uncredited)
The Sleeping Tiger (1954) - Bailey
Betrayed (1954) - Paratrooper Corporal (uncredited)
The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) - Knox
The Happiness of Three Women (1954) - Morgan
Passage Home (1955) - Charley Boy
Lost (1956) - Bus Driver (uncredited)
Private's Progress (1956) - Corporal on Sick Call (uncredited)
Who Done It? (1956) - Arresting Policeman (uncredited)
The Long Arm (1956) - Detective-Sergeant in 'Q' car
High Flight (1957) - Controller Leuchars
The Birthday Present (1957) - Police Officer in Court (uncredited)
The One That Got Away (1957) - Harry 'Hurricane' (uncredited)
A Night to Remember (1958) - Stoker (uncredited)
A Cry from the Streets (1958) - Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Nowhere to Go (1958) - Box Office Clerk (uncredited)
Tiger Bay (1959) - Detective at Police Station (uncredited)
Breakout (1959) - Man in pub (uncredited)
Jet Storm (1959) - Michaels
Four Desperate Men (1959) (aka Siege of Pinchgut) - Navy Rating (uncredited)
Follow a Star (1959) - Fred (Steam Cleaner) (uncredited)
Sink the Bismarck! (1960) - Seaman on 'Prince of Wales' (uncredited)
The Battle of the Sexes (1960) - 2nd Porter
Circus of Horrors (1960) - Carnival Barker (uncredited)
There Was a Crooked Man (1960) - Smoking Machinist
The Bulldog Breed (1960) - Gym Instructor (uncredited)
How Green Was My Valley (1960, TV series) - Davy Morgan
Mill of Secrets (1960, TV series) - Douglas Wallace
Deadline Midnight (1961, TV series) - Mike Grieves
Payroll (1961) - Frank Moore
The Wind of Change (1961) - Det. Sgt. Parker
The Green Helmet (1961) - Pit Manager
Flame in the Streets (1961) - Hugh Davies
Emergency (1962) - Inspector Harris
Mix Me a Person (1962) - Sam
Solo for Sparrow (1962) - Inspector Sparrow
A Stitch in Time (1963) - Cpl. Welsh, St. John's Ambulance Brigade
Panic (1963) - Mike
One Way Pendulum (1965) - Detective Inspector Barnes
The Secret of Blood Island (1965) - Berry
The Brigand of Kandahar (1965) - Marriott
Invasion (1965) - Police Sergeant Draycott
Gideon's Way Episode: 'Fall High, Fall Hard' (TV series 1965) - Det. Sgt. Carmichael (his actor brother Donald Houston also appeared in the episode)
Headline Hunters (1968) - Gresham
Are You Being Served? (1977) - Cesar Rodriguez
A Horseman Riding By (1978, TV Series) - John Rudd
Breakaway: A Family Affair (1980) - Chief Superintendent Bert Sinclair (six episodes)
The Sea Wolves (1980) - Peters
If You Go Down in the Woods Today (1981) - Ticket Collector
Conspiracy (1989) - William Brain
Old Scores (1991) - Aneurin Morgan
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1993) - Grewgious

References

^ "Welsh Actor Glyn Houston Dies at 93". Dean Powell Public Relations. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Glyn Houston". Bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016.
^ "Welsh Actor Glyn Houston Dies at 93". 3 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Actor Glyn Houston opens up in new autobiography". Walesonline.co.uk. 7 December 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Actor Glyn Houston's autobiography". Walesonline.co.uk. 31 December 2009.
^ Goodman, Walter (6 May 1990). "TV VIEW; Sidekicks: Dimmer Than the Stars, Yet . . " – via NYTimes.com.
^ "Glyn Houston's book date". Walesonline.co.uk. 10 December 2009.
^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Hand of Fear - Details". Bbc.co.uk.
^ "BBC - Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide - The Awakening - Details". Bbc.co.uk.
^ ^a ^b Price, Karen (28 April 2008). "Actor Glyn Houston's one regret". Walesonline.co.uk.
^ "Glyn Houston Remembered". GTFM. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
^ "Anti-royal rockers snub Welsh concert". BBC News. 25 May 1999. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
^ "Memorial marks mining tragedies". News.bbc.co.uk.
^ "Rhondda-born actor Glyn Houston dies age 93". ITV News.
^ "Glyn Houston: Rhondda-born actor dies aged 93". Bbc.com. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
^ "The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search". News.google.com.