Bernard Fox (actor)

Bernard Lawson (11 May 1927  14 December 2016), better known as Bernard Fox, was a Welsh actor. He is remembered for his roles as Dr. Bombay in the comedy fantasy series Bewitched (1964–1972), Colonel Crittendon in the comedy series Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971), Malcolm Merriweather in The Andy Griffith Show (19631965), Colonel Redford in Barnaby Jones (1975), Max in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977), and Archibald Gracie IV in the disaster film Titanic (1997).

Bernard Fox
Fox in Hogan's Heroes (1968)
Born
Bernard Lawson

(1927-05-11)11 May 1927
Died14 December 2016(2016-12-14) (aged 89)
OccupationActor
Years active1955–2004
Spouse(s)
Jacqueline Fox
(m. 1962)
Children2
FamilyWilfrid Lawson (uncle)

Early life

Fox was a fifth-generation performer.[1] He was born in Port Talbot, Glamorgan, the son of Queenie (née Barrett) and Gerald Lawson, both stage actors.[2][3][4] He had an older sister, Mavis, and his uncle was English actor Wilfrid Lawson.[5]

Career

Film

Fox began his film career at the age of 18 months, and by age 14 was an apprentice assistant manager of a theatre. After serving with the Royal Navy in World War II and the Korean War, he resumed his acting career and appeared in over 30 cinema films from 1956 to 2004, including two cinematic dramatizations of the sinking of the doomed passenger liner the RMS Titanic, separated by 39 years, viz, Titanic (1997) (as Colonel Archibald Gracie IV) and the earlier version of the tragedy A Night to Remember (1958) (uncredited as Frederick Fleet). In the latter, he delivered the line "Iceberg dead ahead, sir!" while playing the part of the sailor in the ship's crow's nest. His other screen roles ranged from supporting parts in broad comedies (Yellowbeard, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, and The Private Eyes, playing a homicidal butler in the last) to supplying the voice of the Chairmouse in the Disney animated features The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under. He played the role of Winston Havelock, a put out to grass former Royal Flying Corps airman in the 1999 adventure film The Mummy. In 2004, Fox made his final appearance in Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes.

Television

Between 1967 and 1972, Fox portrayed the witch doctor Dr. Bombay on 18 episodes of the sitcom Bewitched. However, his first appearance on that show was not as Dr. Bombay, but as a professional witch debunker. He reprised the role of Dr. Bombay on the 1977 sequel series Tabitha, and again in 1999 on the soap opera Passions, and spoofed it as a genie doctor ("wish doctor") in a 1989 episode of Pee-wee's Playhouse. Fox was the penultimate surviving adult recurring cast member of Bewitched, leaving Nancy Kovack (who portrayed character Darrin Stephens' ex-girlfriend Sheila throughout the series) as the only remaining adult cast member upon his death; child actors Erin Murphy and David Lawrence, who portrayed Darrin and Samantha's children (Tabitha and Adam) are still alive.

Between 1965 and 1970, Fox portrayed the bumbling "Colonel" Crittendon (actually an RAF Group Captain, though always referred to as a Colonel) on eight episodes of Hogan's Heroes. He appeared in two episodes in the detective mystery series Columbo, "Dagger of the Mind" and "Troubled Waters". Fox also appeared as English valet Malcolm Meriweather in three episodes of The Andy Griffith Show, and in Knight Rider as Commander Smiths in season 2, episode 8.

Fox appeared as a British Major in "The Phantom Major", episode 3 of F Troop, and in "Tea and Empathy", episode 17 of season 6 of M*A*S*H. In 1964, Fox appeared in episode 117 of The Dick Van Dyke Show, titled "Girls Will Be Boys". Fox plays the father of a little girl who keeps beating up Richie Petrie. He also appeared in "Teacher's Petrie", where he played a night school creative writing teacher, and in "Never Bathe on Saturday" as the house detective. In 1965 Fox made a guest appearance on Perry Mason as murderer Peter Stange in "The Case of the Laughing Lady."

Fox also appeared in McHale's Navy; in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ("The Thor Affair" episode as munitions magnate Brutus Thor, intent on assassinating a "Gandhi-like" figure who's attempting to bring world peace (1966) as well as in the two-part episode "The Bridge of Lions Affair" in 1966, wherein he starred as THRUSH agent Jordin, whose constant response to each additional assignment is "I'll look into it"); and in the Murder, She Wrote episode "One White Rose for Death" in 1986. In addition, he co-starred with Michael Evans as Dr. Watson in Sherlock & Me in the early 1980s.

Personal life

Fox married his wife Jacqueline in 1962. They had two daughters, Amanda and Valerie.[6]

Death

On the morning of 14 December 2016, Fox died of heart failure at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California.[7] He was 89 years old.[8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1956Soho IncidentMcLeod
1956Home and AwayJohnnie Knowles
1956The Counterfeit PlanDetective Sergeant
1957Blue Murder at St. Trinian'sPhotographeruncredited
1958The SafecrackerShafter
1958A Night to RememberLookout Frederick Fleetuncredited
1958The Two-Headed SpyLieutenant
1959CapturedMorrisonuncredited
1962The Longest DayPvt. Hutchinsonuncredited
1963The List of Adrian MessengerLynchuncredited
1964Honeymoon HotelRoom Clerk
1964Quick, Before It MeltsLeslie Folliott
1965Strange BedfellowsPoliceman
1966Munster, Go Home!Squire Lester Moresby
1966Hold On!Dudley Hawks
1966One of Our Spies Is MissingJordin
1968Star!Asst. to Lord Chamberlainuncredited
1968The Bamboo SaucerEphram
1971Big JakeScottish Shepherduncredited
1971The Million Dollar DuckCar Salesmanuncredited
1972The Hound of the BaskervillesDr. Watson
1973ArnoldConstable Hooke
1977The RescuersThe Chairmanvoice
1977Herbie Goes to Monte CarloMax
1978The House of the DeadInspector McDowal
1980The Private EyesJustin
1980Gauguin the SavageCaptain Chablat
1983YellowbeardTarbuck
198818 Again!Horton
1990The Rescuers Down UnderChairman/Doctorvoice
1997TitanicCol. Archibald Gracie
1999The MummyCapt. Winston Havelock
2004Surge of Power: The Stuff of HeroesHimselffinal film role

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1955–56Sixpenny CornerTom Norton10 episodes
1957Wire ServiceNaval OfficerEpisode: Atom at Spithead
1958VictoryPerformerTelevision Movie
1959Dixon of Dock GreenSmiler HodgesEpisode: A Case for the Inland Revenue
1959The Golden SpurSoldier at InnEpisode: #1.3
1959ITV Television PlayhouseMorton LeslieEpisode: Ticket for Tomorrow
1960No Hiding PlaceInsp. BrighouseEpisode: The Golden Crown
1960The Love of MikeMalcolm Danders2 episode
1960ITV Play of the WeekCaptain ScottEpisode: Beyond the Horizon
1961Armchair TheatreBarmanEpisode: Honeymoon Postponed
1961Three Live WiresMalcolm26 episodes
1963Ensign O'TooleHastingsEpisode: Operation  Intrigue
1963The Great AdventureRedcoat Lt.Episode: A Boy at War
1962–63The Danny Thomas ShowAlfie Wingate4 episodes
1963–65The Andy Griffith ShowMalcolm Merriweather3 episodes
1964McHale's NavySub-Lieutenant ClivedonEpisode: The British Also Have Ensigns
1964–65The Dick Van Dyke ShowVarious Roles3 episodes
1964–66Twelve O'Clock HighVarious Roles3 episodes
1965Perry MasonPeter StangeEpisode: The Case of the Laughing Lady
1965F-TroopMajor Bentley RossEpisode: The Phantom Major
1965I SpyHaroldEpisode: Carry Me Back to Old Tsing-Tao
1965–70Hogan's HeroesCol. Crittendon8 episodes
1966I Dream of JeannieArnieEpisode: Is There an Extra Jeannie in the House?
1966The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Jordin/Brutus Thor3 episodes
1966–72BewitchedDr. Bombay19 episodes
1968The MonkeesSir TwigglyEpisode: Monkees Mind Their Manor
1969Here Come the BridesFather NedEpisode: The Wealthiest Man in Seeattle
1971Night GalleryMr. Canby/GhostSegment: House with Ghost
1971–73Love, American StyleVarious Roles3 episodes
1972ColumboDet. Chief William DurkEpisode: Dagger of the Mind
1973IntertectBarrettTelevision Movie
1975ColumboPurser WatkinsEpisode: Troubled Waters
1975CannonAllen FarrellEpisode: The Victim
1975Emergency!Mr. Kern2 episodes
1978SoapRandolph GatlingEpisode: #1.5
1977–78TabithaDr. Bombay2 episodes
1978M*A*S*HMajor RossEpisode: Tea and Sympathy
1978What's Happening!!BritisherEpisode: Diplomatic Immunity
1979Fantasy IslandBrian LipscombEpisode: Amusement Park/Rock Stars
1980The Dukes of HazzardHiggins the ButlerEpisode: Southern Comfurts
1981Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-DooAdditional VoicesVarious Episodes
1980Lou GrantClive WhitcombEpisode: Libel
1981The Love BoatHenry WhitewoodSeason 5  Episode 10
1982Hart to HartNigel HeglandEpisode: Million Dollar Harts
1982The JeffersonsAndrew Derek2 episodes
1983Gun ShySir Charles W.R.Episode: Western Velvet
1983Knight RiderComm. SmytheEpisode: Custom K.I.T.T.
1984HotelAdam PartridgeEpisode: Ideals
1984Simon & SimonRupert GinniasEpisode: Revolution 9 1/2
1985The Fall GuySantaEpisode: Escape Claus
1986RiptideProf. HolcombeEpisode: The Play's the Thing
1986Murder, She WroteAndrew WyckhamEpisode: One White Rose for Death
1988Punky BrewsterWhitmoreEpisode: Aunt Larnese Is Coming to Town
1989Pee-wee's PlayhouseDr. Jinga-JangaEpisode: Sick? Did Somebody Say Sick?
1990Chip 'n Dale: Rescue RangersVoiceEpisode: Gorilla My Dreams
1999–
2000
PassionsDr. Bombay3 episodes
2001Dharma & GregHenry CooperEpisode: Without Reservations
2003Time SquadSir Henry Morton StanleyEpisode: Out with the In Crowd

Awards and Nominations

YearAwardCategoryTitleResult
1997Screen Actors GuildOutstanding Cast in a Motion PictureTitanicNominated

References

  1. "Bernard Fox". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  2. Bernard Fox Biography (1927-). Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2011-07-09.
  3. Bernard Fox at. Hollywood.com. Retrieved on 2011-07-09.
  4. "Bernard Fox Makes Fans Merry!". Bewitched.net. Retrieved 2011-07-09.
  5. Erickson, Hal. Biography AllMovie. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  6. "Obituary - Bernard Fox, actor and star of Bewitched and Titanic". The Herald. Glasgow. 16 December 2016.
  7. Barnes, Mike (14 December 2016). "Bernard Fox, Who Played Dr. Bombay on 'Bewitched,' Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  8. "Bernard Fox, Film and TV Star of BEWITCHED, TITANIC, THE MUMMY and More, Passes Away". Broadway World. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016.
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