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Bryan Powley
Bryan Powley
Bryan Powley
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Bryan Gilbert Powley (16 September 1871 – 18 December 1962) was an English stage and film actor.[1][2][3][4][5] He began his career in the silent film era.[6][7]

Key Information

Life

[edit]

Powley was born on 16 September 1871 in Reading, the son of Louisa Jane Tinker and Rev. Matthew Powley.[8] His father was at that time Vicar of Whitley, Reading, and had formerly been Chaplain to the British Community in Málaga, and a Canon in Gibraltar.[9]

On 7 September 1904, Powley married Evelyn Mary Foster at All Saints Church, Hampstead.[10] Evelyn was the daughter of Joseph Foster, the eminent genealogist.[10] On 19 May 1905, Powley and Foster had a daughter, Esmay Margaret Powley.[11]

Powley was uncle to Bruce Belfrage and Cedric Belfrage.[8] He died in Worthing, Sussex, on 18 December 1962.[12][13]

Selected filmography

[edit]

References

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Bryan Powley

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Bryan Powley was a British actor known for his supporting and character roles in early British silent and sound films, as well as early television productions. Born Bryan Gilbert Powley on 16 September 1871 in Reading, Berkshire, England, he began his career during the silent film era and became a familiar presence in British cinema through the 1930s and into the 1940s, often portraying authority figures such as doctors, military officers, or gentlemen in supporting parts. His notable film appearances include The Old Curiosity Shop (1921), The Conquest of the Air (1931), A Night of Terror (1937), and Under Secret Orders (1937). He also contributed to early BBC television programs, including productions like Ann and Harold and Telecrime. Powley maintained a long career spanning over two decades before retiring, and he died on 18 December 1962 in London, England, at the age of 91.

Early life

Birth and background

Bryan Gilbert Powley was born on 16 September 1871 in Reading, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom. Powley grew up in England during the late Victorian era, though little is documented about his early childhood or family life prior to entering the performing arts.

Career

Stage career

Bryan Powley pursued a career in the theatre prior to entering the film industry, appearing in a number of stage productions primarily in London and regional venues across Britain. His earliest documented stage role was as Arthur Leigh in Sealed Orders, performed at the Theatre Royal in London in 1914. He continued his theatrical work with an appearance as a performer in the West End production of Airs and Graces in 1917. Throughout the 1920s, Powley was engaged in repertory theatre at the Prince's Theatre in Bristol during the 1923–1924, 1928–1929, and 1929–1930 seasons. In the early 1930s, he took on several character roles in London and touring productions, including General Count Bertrand in Napoleon The Hundred Days at the New Theatre, London, from April to May 1932, Canon Foster in The Cathedral, which played at the Embassy Theatre, New Theatre, and other London venues from November 1932 to February 1933, and Colonel Yu in The Painted Veil at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh in August 1932. Additional documented appearances include Dr Wells at the Theatre Royal in Windsor from May 4–10, 1934, and Edward Manfre at the Westminster Theatre in London on May 12, 1935. Detailed records of Powley's full stage repertoire remain limited, with surviving documentation focused on these select performances in the pre- and early sound film periods.

Silent film era

Bryan Powley began his film career during the silent era, appearing in several British silent films starting in the 1910s. His known credits from this period include The Harbour Lights (1914), Fancy Dress (1919), The Nonentity (1921), The Old Curiosity Shop (1921) as Single Gentleman, Open Country (1922), The Glorious Adventure (1922), and Wee MacGregor's Sweetheart (1922) as Uncle Purdie. Notably, he appeared in the 1921 adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop, directed by Thomas Bentley. Many films from this era are lost or have limited surviving records, making comprehensive documentation of Powley's early screen work challenging. He continued his career into the sound era following the transition to talkies.

Sound film era

Bryan Powley successfully transitioned to sound films in the early 1930s, continuing his career as a character actor in British productions where he typically took supporting roles. One of his notable early sound credits was in the aviation docudrama The Conquest of the Air (1931), in which he portrayed Sir George Cayley. His activity in talkies was prominent in the late 1930s with several appearances in 1937 and 1938 films, and he continued with occasional roles into the early 1940s. He played Dr. Gribble in A Night of Terror (1937), the U.S. release title for Love from a Stranger, a thriller featuring Basil Rathbone and Ann Harding. That same year, Powley appeared as Col. Burgoyne in Under Secret Orders (1937), a spy drama directed by Edmond T. Gréville. Additional credits include films such as Moonlight Sonata (1937), Strange Boarders (1938), and Old Mother Riley Joins Up (1939), as well as early TV productions. His last known credit is an uncredited role in We Dive at Dawn (1943). Powley's screen work gradually declined after the late 1930s, with fewer roles in later years.

Death

Later years and death

Bryan Powley died on 18 December 1962 in London, England, at the age of 91. His long career, which spanned the silent and sound eras of film, was followed by many years of retirement, though few details are documented about his activities in later life.
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