This episode of John Nesbitt's THE PASSING PARADE tells bit of the story of Fridtjof Nansen. He had first come to notice as an arctic explorer. Later, he had joined the diplomatic service, and became a leading force in helping international refugees in the aftermath of the First World War.
The role of Nansen is acted in dumb show by Lumsden Hare, one of those now-forgotten actors who played elder statesmen and lawyer in the movies in the 1930s. His career was longer than that. He was born in 1875 in Ireland, and was playing Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes productions by 1899. He was one of the earlier actors to portray George Bernard Shaw characters on stage. He made his first movie not after the dawn of sound, but in 1916, and his career ended not with the Second World War, but in 1959, five years before his death.
We sometimes forget that actors are adept at many roles, but producers are making a commercial product, and when they thought of Lumsden Hare, they thought of his "brand".
The role of Nansen is acted in dumb show by Lumsden Hare, one of those now-forgotten actors who played elder statesmen and lawyer in the movies in the 1930s. His career was longer than that. He was born in 1875 in Ireland, and was playing Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes productions by 1899. He was one of the earlier actors to portray George Bernard Shaw characters on stage. He made his first movie not after the dawn of sound, but in 1916, and his career ended not with the Second World War, but in 1959, five years before his death.
We sometimes forget that actors are adept at many roles, but producers are making a commercial product, and when they thought of Lumsden Hare, they thought of his "brand".
