Victor Harrington

[cornershop15]

Victor Harrington, was an Extra in countless films and TV shows for at least 20 years, possibly until the Early 1970s. He's regularly spotted by a few of us and screencaps have been posted at http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...se-people.html, where his identity was soon revealed, and http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...there-you.html, for those who do have a name. As one of the most ubiquitous actors of his kind, I think he deserves his own thread. It should also serve as a definitive record of his appearances (the IMDb has just one at the moment: Steptoe and Son - Without Prejudice). I hope the likes of Hummies and Gerald Lovell will follow my example in reposting old captures and adding new ones.

In the Gideon's Way episode The V-Men (filmed July 1964) Victor was the Conservative candidate in a local election.
He is being introduced to fascist leader Roland Culver - far right, aptly enough - by the Mayor, an uncredited actor:

Looking on is Roy Beck, another often seen Extra.

He also took part in one of the most famous scenes in Britmovie history. If you recognise Eunice Gayson then you'll know:

Sean Connery is about to introduce himself as James Bond in Dr. No (1962). Any other 'familiar' faces?

I have no biographical details at all and will have to guess that Victor is sadly long dead. In which case, R. I. P.

[harryfielder]

The boy done good....Thanks for the memories......

Aitch,

[Gerald Lovell]

Victor's sightings are coming thick and fast, so it's a good idea to try and collate them. Here are three I've posted before:



Victor bang in the middle as a bored barrister in Libel (1959)



Victor downing the vino in GHOST SQUAD "The Grand Duchess" (tx: 11.05.1963)

Slightly edited since my original post ages ago, Victor gives a good clap in THE AVENGERS "The Grandeur That Was Rome" (tx: 30.11.1963).

The earliest VH sighting for me so far is 1951 and the latest, 1972. His GIDEON'S WAY appearance in "The 'V' Men is down in my notes as "Rowle-Douglas". He can also be seen in that series as a punter in "The Housekeeper" and as a passenger on the Queen Elizabeth as well as a man in the Rochester Hotel lobby in "The Millionaire's Daughter"

[Gerald Lovell]

I think this is my earliest image of Victor so far, as a police operative/Scotland Yard clerk in High Treason (1951):



The earliest image of another favourite, Reg Thomason, is also from this film. Did these chaps go into film extra work after war service I wonder?

Victor as a window specialist P.O.W. in The Colditz Story (1954):



I particularly like this one of Victor.

Then just about the most "recent" sighting in Up the Front (1972):



He's on the far right enjoying the risqué show. Good old Victor!

[Gerald Lovell]

Victor's only credited appearance we've found (so far) is as a shocked neighbour in STEPTOE & SON "Without Prejudice" (tx: 30.11.1970). Sadly this episode, although originally in colour, now only exists in a ropey black and white print. Victor gets quite a few lines and here is his reaction when Albert says "Mind yer own bleedin' business":



And here is his credit:



According to my notes, Victor appears uncredited in two other STEPTOE & SON episodes, "Sixty-Five Today" (tx: 24.01.1963) as a diner and "Men of Property" (tx: 17.04.1970) again as a diner. Norman Bird is in both 70s episodes too.

[wearysloth]

Here he is having A Hard Day's Night...

[Gerald Lovell]

Victor was also in every episode of THE PERSUADERS! (kind of!):



There he is in the centre, back in casino mode for the title sequence!

[cornershop15]

Many thanks for all your contributions, Gerald. Well-spotted with The Persuaders titles. I recognise the sadly-late Paul Massie at the end of the front row in your Libel capture and Roger Avon as a security man in the one from Ghost Squad.

Reposts from http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...se-people.html and http://www.britmovie.co.uk/forums/ac...there-you.html:

In this scene from the H.G. Wells' Invisible Man episode Point of Destruction (1959), Victor plays a test pilot. He's given
the go-ahead by John Rudling, who later achieved fame as Penelope Keith's butler Brabinger in sitcom To the Manor Born:

Unfortunately, his plane crashes, as does Alfred Burke's - and it's all due to 'Brabinger'! You can see the episode here:

Invisible Man - Point of Destruction 1959 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

In The Saint - The Benevolent Burglary (1963) he's with Ken Hutchins (centre) and an as-yet unidentified Extra:

We were both mistaken in thinking he might be Hugh Elton and also mentioned his resemblance to Simon Callow.

I think I first noticed Victor in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased): That's How Murder Snowballs (filmed Oct/Nov 1968):


He's among the audience watching 'mind-reader' Randall (Mike Pratt), unaware that ghostly partner Hopkirk (Kenneth Cope) is sitting next to him.

More ITC appearances from the now-legendary Extra in my next post.

[wellendcanons]

Great thread Cornershop. Nice to see Victor get his own thread.

wec

[Gerald Lovell]

I think this is Victor's earliest sighting so far:



Giving a big clap to Irina Baronova in Train of Events (1949), this is surely a young Mr. Harrington wearing his D.J. in the second row and who's about to obscured from the camera by the blurred gentleman rising to his feet.

[cornershop15]

Thanks, Gerald (and wellend previously). I have every confidence that is a young(er) Victor but am interested in the other theatregoers as well, particularly the man two seats away. Train of Events was some 13 years before this episode of Ghost Squad, The Green Shoes, but the uncredited actor on the left here looks a bit like him:

His travelling companions on this train are Ray Smith, Marianne Stone & Fanny Carby. Entering the carriage is Ewen Solon.

[cornershop15]

Victor was the Cashier at the Almack's Club casino in the Danger Man episode The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove (1965):

With Patrick McGoohan and Edward Underdown.

And in the party scene in Georgy Girl (1966) where Lynn Redgrave stuns guests with her rendition of Whole Lotta Woman:

When this was first posted, at 'Who are these people?' last year, whitstablejim identified Roy Beck (hands on hips), his wife Ann,
and Rennie Hymer and Jerry Judge (at the front).

[wearysloth]

Burke and Hare (1972)

[Gerald Lovell]

I hope to post later another definite Victor sighting and a possible Victor sighting from the same film in the Sighted thread.

[Gerald Lovell]

A Victor sighting I picked up a while ago, but didn't get around to posting:



As a passerby at the very beginning of Too Hot to Handle (1960). I wonder if this film is the source of Victor's protruding eyes as Barbara Windsor crosses his path here plus the star is Jayne Mansfield!
This film was originally in Eastmancolor, but it seems only a poor black and white copy is obtainable.

[MovieDudeToo]

Here's another one for you cornershop. I've just recorded Brannigan (1975) which was filmed in London so I expected to spot a few well known extras and who should I see but Mr Harrington rubbing shoulders with Dickie Attenborough and John Wayne no less. Victor certainly moved in posh circles. Just before this scene Lewis Alexander can also be seen as the Head Waiter.

Victor Harrington.jpg

[Gerald Lovell]

I think Victor's appearance in Brannigan is the latest sighting we have of him so far.

[dissolute]

Just saw him in Dr Strangelove sitting a couple of seats away from General Turgidson.

[wearysloth]

The Omen (1976)

[cornershop15]

Many thanks for your additions, especially dissolute for inspiring me to watch Dr. Strangelove again. Filmed in Late 1963:

With George C. Scott (main figure) in 'The War Room', magnificently designed by Ken Adam. Recognise anyone else?

Expect one or two alternative shots later, including another actor playing the mad doctor (obscured here by George).