The English actor Valentine Dyall was born 7th May 1908. He was a character actor in many British film productions but his distinctive voice made him especially popular as a voice actor and he was known for many years as "The Man in Black", the narrator of the BBC Radio horror series Appointment with Fear.
It was as a BBC narrator (pictured) that he appeared in the mad-cap comedy film Helter Skelter in 1949.
One of his more memorable roles was in 1946, as the character Stephen Lynn in the romantic film drama Brief Encounter; Lynn is protagonist Alec Harvey's friend whose unexpected arrival spoils Alec's opportunity of consummating his romance.
Some of the other notable films that he appeared in include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), The Silver Fleet (1943), Yellow canary (19430 – he played the role of a German U-Boat Commander while his father played the Captain of the ship that the U-Boat was pursuing. Other films he appeared in include; I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), Pink String and Sealing Wax (1945), Night Boat to Dublin (1946), My Brother’s keeper (1948), The Case of Charles Peace (1949), Man in Black (1949), Doctor Morelle (1949), Ivanhoe (1952), Night Train for Inverness (1960) and Casino Royale (1967) where he voiced the character of Vesper Lynd's Assistant, the evil Dr. Noah.
His film acting career continued in to the 1970’s with appearances in Lust for a Vampire (1971), The Slipper and the Rose (1976), Come Play with Me (1977) and Arabian Adventure 1979.
He also had a productive TV career with appearances in Secret Army as Dr Pascal Keldermans, Blackadder (1983) and various roles in BBC’s Doctor Who.
He died 24th June 1985.
It was as a BBC narrator (pictured) that he appeared in the mad-cap comedy film Helter Skelter in 1949.
One of his more memorable roles was in 1946, as the character Stephen Lynn in the romantic film drama Brief Encounter; Lynn is protagonist Alec Harvey's friend whose unexpected arrival spoils Alec's opportunity of consummating his romance.
Some of the other notable films that he appeared in include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), The Silver Fleet (1943), Yellow canary (19430 – he played the role of a German U-Boat Commander while his father played the Captain of the ship that the U-Boat was pursuing. Other films he appeared in include; I Know Where I'm Going! (1945), Pink String and Sealing Wax (1945), Night Boat to Dublin (1946), My Brother’s keeper (1948), The Case of Charles Peace (1949), Man in Black (1949), Doctor Morelle (1949), Ivanhoe (1952), Night Train for Inverness (1960) and Casino Royale (1967) where he voiced the character of Vesper Lynd's Assistant, the evil Dr. Noah.
His film acting career continued in to the 1970’s with appearances in Lust for a Vampire (1971), The Slipper and the Rose (1976), Come Play with Me (1977) and Arabian Adventure 1979.
He also had a productive TV career with appearances in Secret Army as Dr Pascal Keldermans, Blackadder (1983) and various roles in BBC’s Doctor Who.
He died 24th June 1985.
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