SuperEpicFailpedia Wiki

Donald Henry Pleasence OBE (5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor of stage and screen.

Biography[]

Service in World War II[]

Pleasence served as an aircraft wireless-operator with No. 166 Squadron, and was serving on Lancaster NE112 on August 31st, 1944[1] when he was shot down[1][2] and bailed out, not expecting to survive.[2]

After unbuckling himself from his parachute, he saw "about fifty Germans" advancing on him, armed with "everything from machine guns to axes", led by a young blond officer. The officer ordered him to pick up his parachute, and Pleasence told him to pick it up himself.[2]

An interaction between the officer and his sergeant in which the sergeant performed a fervent Nazi salute made Pleasence laugh, as he'd only seen such performances in film and hadn't thought they actually acted as such.[2]

Subsequently, he was brought to a hut for a search and inspection, which caused him to remember a collection of condoms he had in his breast pockets, which were used on the plane to protect the delicate microphones. When his searcher reached his pockets, and removed the comments, he stated to Pleasence, "You will not be needing these."[2]

Career[]

Television[]

Pleasence was expected to star as Dr. Watson in an ultimately cancelled program,[3] opposite Robert Shaw as Sherlock Holmes.[4]

Partial Filmography[]

Pleasence wasn't aware of the number of films he'd made; when asked by Michael Aspel about whether his supposed two-hundred-plus film career was a "British record", he replied, "No, I'm not sure of the number, and I don't- I never kept count, you know, when they got past one hundred," referencing another interview he'd done years before with Eamonn Andrews, in which he was asked the same question, and hadn't known then either. He then added, "... which was a silly question, because I got a letter, a fan letter, the next day, or two days later, with a whole list of every film that I'd ever done..."[2]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1963 The Great Escape Colin Blythe
1966 Fantastic Voyage Dr. Michaels
1968 Mr. Freedom Dr. Freedom
1971 Wake in Fright Doc Tydon
1972 The Jerusalem File Major Samuels
1972 Wedding in White Jim Dougall
1972 Death Line Inspector Calhoun
  • Also released under the title "Raw Meat".
1973 The Rainbow Boys Ralph Logan
1974 From Beyond the Grave Jim Underwood
1974 The Mutations Professor Nolter
  • Also released under the title, "The Freakmaker".
1975 Escape to Witch Mountain Lucas Deranian
1976 The Eagle Has Landed Heinrich Himmler
1976 Trial by Combat Sir Giles Marley
  • Also released under the title "Dirty Knight's Work".
1978 Blood Relatives James Doniac
1978 Halloween Dr. Sam Loomis
  • First collaboration with John Carpenter.
1978 Power Play Blair
  • Also released under the title "Coup D'État".
1978 Blood Relatives James Doniac
1980 The Puma Man Kobras
1981 Escape from New York President of the United States
  • Second collaboration with John Carpenter.
1981 Halloween II Dr. Sam Loomis
  • Third collaboration with John Carpenter.
1983 Warrior of the Lost World Prossor
1987 Spectres Professor Lasky
1987 Double Target Senator Blaster
1987 Ground Zero Prosper Gaffney
  • Pleasence was nominated for the award for "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" by the Australian Film Institute.
1987 Prince of Darkness Priest
  • Fourth and final collaboration with John Carpenter.
1988 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Dr. Sam Loomis
1989 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers Dr. Sam Loomis
1990 American Tiger Reverend Mortom
  • Alternate titles include "American risciò" and "American Rickshaw".
1991 Shadows and Fog Doctor
1995 Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Dr. Sam Loomis
1996 Fatal Frames Professor Robertson
2014 Halloween 6: The Producer's Cut Dr. Sam Loomis

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1959 The Scarf Inspector Harry Yates
  • The series is believed lost.
1973 Lonely Water The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water
  • Voice-only role in a public information film.
1982 The Barchester Chronicles Reverend Septimus Harding

Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Flying Officer Donald Pleasence from 166 Squadron.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Aspel & Company - February 8th, 1992
  3. USH Volume 3, Section X -- Actors, Performances, and Recordings (continued) - University of Minnesota Libraries - Retrieved 31 May 2025 - Archived 16 April 2016
  4. Robert Shaw will play in one hour mystery drama - 11 July 1975 - The Dispatch Lexington, N. C. Volume 94 Number 56 - Retrieved 31 May 2025