Born: 19th April 1907, Tolworth, Surrey. Died: 30th August 1991, London.
Prior to Alan Wheatley’s involvement in ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’, he had most definitely been no stranger to the screen. A former radio announcer, he had already appeared in countless TV plays as well as films. He played the title role in an early TV series of ‘Sherlock Holmes’, and appeared in films such as ‘Brighton Rock’ and ‘The Pickwick Papers’. He will always be best remembered for his memorable portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham in ‘The Adventures...’, as Robin’s chief nemesis. Obsessed with Robin Hood’s capture, but with more than a soft spot for Maid Marian. In the Season 4 episode ‘The Devil You Don’t Know’ he makes his final appearance in the series, as he has been ordered to London. John Arnatt replaced him, as the Deputy Sheriff. After the series, Alan went on to make further film and television appearances for the next decade or so. He made guest appearances in TV series such as ‘Danger Man’, ‘Maigret’, ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Department S’. He also had the dubious distinction being the first person to be killed by a dalek in the TV series ‘Doctor Who’. Alan Wheatley died of a heart attack in 1991, aged 84.
Film Roles: -
Conquest of the Air (1936) ... Borelli
William Tindale (1937) ... William Tindale
The Importance of Being Earnest (1937) (TV) ... Lane
The Gay Lord Quex (1938) (TV)
Bardell Against Pickwick (1938) (TV) ... Sam Weller
Julius Caesar (1938) (TV) ... Titinius
The Importance of Being Earnest (1938) (TV) (Remake of 1937 version)
Edna's Fruit Hat (1939) (TV) ... Sid
The Tempest (1939) (TV) ... Alonso
Cæsar's Friend (1939) (TV) ... Judas
Katherine and Petruchio (1939) (TV) ... Hortensio
Annajanska, the Bolshevik Empress (1939) (TV) ... Schniedekind
The Chance of a Lifetime (1939) (TV) ... Joe Bessano
Magic (1939) (TV) ... The Stranger
Fiat Justitia (1939) (TV)
Mr. Jones Dines Out (1939) (TV) ... The Waiter
The Circle (1939) (TV) ... Arnold Champion-Cheney, MP
The Rake's Progress (aka Notorious Gentleman) (1945) ... Edwards
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) ... The Persian
A Phoenix Too Frequent (1946) (TV) ... Tegeus
Bardell Against Pickwick (1946) (TV) ... Sam Weller (Remake of 1938 version)
Appointment with Crime (1946) ... Noel Penn
Spring Song (aka Springtime) (1946) ... Menelli
Jassy (1947) ... Sir Edward Walker
The End of the River (1947) ... Irygoyen
Brighton Rock (aka Young Scarface)(1947) ... Fred Hale, alias Kolly Kibber
King Lear (1948) (TV) ... The Fool
Counterblast (1948) (aka Devil’s Plot) ... M.W. Kennedy
Corridor of Mirrors (1948) ... Edgar Orsen
Calling Paul Temple (1948) ... Edward Lathom
Sleeping Car to Trieste (1948) ... Karl/Charles Poole
It's Not Cricket (1949) ... Felix
For Them That Trespass (1949) ... Librarian
The Happiest Days of Your Life (1949) (TV) ... Mr. Billings
Rope (1950) (TV) ... Rupert Cadell
Mrs. Dot (1950) (TV) ... James Blenkinsop
The Tragedy of Othello (1950) (TV) .... Roderigo
King Richard II (1950) (TV) ... King Richard II
The Late Edwina Black (1950) (TV) ... Gregory Black
Those in Favour... (1951) (TV) ... Lozovsky
Home to Danger (1951) ... Hughes
Sherlock Holmes (1951) (TV Series) ... Sherlock Holmes - 6 episodes
The Sire de Maletroit’s Door (1951) (TV) ... Sire de Maletroit
Whispering Smith Hits London (1951) ... Hector Reith
La Fenetre Ouverte (1952) ... Commentator (English version)
The Pickwick Papers (1952) ... Fogg
Small Town Story (1953) ... Nick Hammond
The Limping Man (1953) ... Inspector Braddock
Spaceways (1953) ... Dr. Smith
The House Across the Lake (aka Heat Wave) (1954) ... Inspector MacLennan
The Diamond (aka The Diamond Wizard) (1954) ... Thompson Blake
Delayed Action (1954) ... Mark Cruden
Elizabethan Express (1954) ... Narrator
Hunt Royal (1954) (TV) ... Duke of Angoulems
Simon and Laura (1955) ... Adrian Lee
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955-60) (TV Series) ... The Sheriff of Nottingham - 80 episodes
Oil in Pakistan (1956) ... Narrator
The Duke Wore Jeans (1958) ... King of Ritallia
A Farthing Damages (1959) (TV) ... Marcus Dane
Inn for Trouble (1960) ... Harold Gaskin
An Arabian Night (1960) (TV) ... Jafar, the Grand Wazir
Frederic Chopin (1961)
Shadow of the Cat (1961) ... Inspector Rowles
Gilbert and Sullivan: The Immortal Jesters (1961) (TV Mini-Series) ... Richard D’Oyly Carte
Tomorrow at Ten (1964) ... Assistant Commissioner Bewley
Master Spy (1964) ... Paul Skelton
Clash by Night (aka Escape by Night) (1964) ... Major Ronald Grey-Simmons
A Jolly Bad Fellow (aka They All Died Laughing) (1964) ... Epicene
English Country Church (1967) (TV Series) ... Commentator
Power Links (1973) ... Commentator
TV Guest Appearances: -
Festival Drama - ‘Saint Joan’ (1951) ... Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick
Festival Drama - ‘The Way of The World’ (1951) ... Fainall
Colonel March of Scotland Yard - ‘The Second Mona Lisa’ (1955) ... O'Brien
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents (aka Rheingold Theatre) - ‘Dimitrios’ (1956) ... Nicolis
The Count of Monte Cristo - ‘Bordeaux’ (1956) ... Bennet
Calling Scotland Yard - ‘The Javanese Dagger’ (1956) ... Victor
The Count of Monte Cristo - ‘A Matter of Justice’ (1956) ... Colonel Michelle
The New Adventures of Charlie Chan - ‘No Holiday for Murder’ (1957) ... Professor Ambrose
The New Adventures of Charlie Chan - ‘The Man with a Hundred Faces’ (1958) ... Pietro Monti
Play of the Week - ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ (1958) ... Jonathan Brewster
Armchair Summer Theatre - ‘Young David’ (1959) ... Mr. Murdstone
International Detective - ‘The Oakland Case’ (1960) ... Colonel Dugga
No Hiding Place - ‘Two-Time Loser’ (1960) ... Dandy Henderson
Danger Man - ‘The Hired Assassin’ (1961) ... Alexis
You Can't Win - ‘Professional Status’ (1961) ... Hearn
Maigret - ‘The Lost Sailor’ (1961)
The Six Proud Walkers - ‘The Seven Stars’ & ‘The Twelve Apostles’ (1962) ... Oscar Lilywhite
It Happened Like This - ‘The Missing Line’ (1963) ... Hastings
Maigret - ‘The Fontenay Murders’ (1963) ... Julien Chabot
Doctor Who - ‘The Daleks’ (1964) ... Temmosus - 2 episodes
Crane - ‘Man Without a Past’ (1964) ... Michaud
The Protectors - ‘Channel Crossing’ (1964) ... James Benson
The Midnight Men - ‘The Man from Miditz’ (1964) ... Prince Rohat
Danger Man - ‘Such Men Are Dangerous’ (1965) ... Solicitor
Crane - ‘The Man in the Gold Waistcoat’ (1965) ... Dr. Hilfe
Play of the Week - ‘The Successor’ (1965) ... Cardinal of Palermo
Armchair Theatre - ‘The One Eyed Monster’ (1966) ... Hendry
The Baron - ‘The Edge of Fear’ (1967) ... Lord Mountford
The Avengers - ‘Who Was That Man I Saw You With?’ (1969) ... Dangerfield
Department S - ‘A Ticket to Nowhere’ (1969) ... Carter