John Carson

John Carson

John Derek Carson-Parker (28 February 1927 – 5 November 2016), known as John Carson, was an English actor known for his appearances in film and television. Born to English parents in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where his father worked on tea and rubber plantations, he was educated in Australia and went to Britain to do national service as an artillery officer in an anti-aircraft regiment between 1944 and 1945. He then studied law at Queen's College, Oxford before leaving for New Zealand, where he worked in amateur theatre before returning to Britain to begin his professional career. His stage appearances included the original productions of A Man For All Seasons and A Day in the Death of Joe Egg. Making his film debut in 1947, Carson carved out a career appearing in low-budget British films such as Seven Keys (1961); Smokescreen (1964); and Master Spy (1964). His saturnine looks and sinister voice (sometimes compared with James Mason) led to him starring in a number of horror films including The Night Caller (1965); The Plague of the Zombies (1966); The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970); Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970); and Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1972). Beside his appearances in horror films he was also known for his many villainous turns in adventure series of the 1960s, such as The Adventures of Robin Hood; The Avengers; The Saint; Adam Adamant Lives!; The Baron; Man in a Suitcase; The Champions and Department S.

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