Donald Pleasence
Acting Born Oct 5, 1919 Died Feb 2, 1995 Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK 255 credits
Biography
Donald Henry Pleasence was an English actor born on October 5, 1919, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He died on February 2, 1995, at the age of 75. He was the younger of two sons of a railway stationmaster and quit school a year before graduation to pursue his childhood dream of becoming an actor. Known for his bald head and intense, staring eyes, Pleasence played more than 250 stage, film, and television roles across a career spanning over four decades, accumulating more than 200 screen credits. He was often typecast as villainous or psychopathic characters and is known for his work in the James Bond and Halloween franchises, as well as films including The Twilight Zone, Watch Out We Are Mad, and The Great Escape.
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Career overview
Donald Henry Pleasence OBE was an English actor born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom, on October 5, 1919. The younger of two sons of a railway stationmaster, he quit school a year before graduation to pursue his childhood dream of becoming an actor.
During a career that spanned over four decades, Pleasence accumulated more than 200 screen credits, with various sources noting more than 240 known credits or over 250 stage, film, and television roles. Known for his bald head and intense, staring eyes, he was often typecast as villainous or psychopathic characters. Pleasence is recognized for his work in two successful cinema franchises, James Bond and Halloween, and also became known for his appearances in films such as The Twilight Zone, Watch Out, We're Mad, and The Great Escape.
Pleasence passed away on February 2, 1995, at the age of 75.
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Jean Marsh
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Christopher Lee
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Clive Swift
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Jamie Lee Curtis
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Charles Cyphers
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Nancy Stephens
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Warren Mitchell
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Patrick Magee
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Rupert Davies
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Trevor Howard
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Career timeline
The Dr. Loomis Tapes
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Driving Lessons
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
Fatal Frames
Halloween: The Curse of Michael MyersSigns and WondersSafe Haven
The World of HammerGuinevereFreeze: But is it Art?
Femme FataleThe Thief and the CobblerThe Big FreezeThe Hour of the Pig
Dien Bien Phu
Shadows and FogWomen in ArmsThe Vulture Is a Patient BirdMillions
Life of General De Gaulle
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael MyersBuried AliveRiver of DeathTen Little IndiansThe House of Usher
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael MyersNosferatu in VeniceThe Great Escape II: The Untold StoryMetropolitan AnimalsThe Great Escape II: The Untold Story
Warrior QueenPrince of DarknessScoopDjango Strikes AgainGila and Rik
To Kill a StrangerNaso di caneInto the DarknessDeadheatCobra Mission
Screen TwoScreen TwoThe Ray Bradbury TheaterPhenomenaTreasure of the Amazon
Master of the GameA Breed ApartArch of TriumphTerror in the AislesWhere Is Parsifal?
Warrior of the Lost WorldThe Devonsville TerrorThe Falklands Factor
WoganThe Barchester ChroniclesAlone in the DarkWitness for the ProsecutionComputercide
Escape from New YorkHalloween IIThe Monster ClubRace for the Yankee Zephyr
Blade on the FeatherPumaman
Mrs. ColumboDick TurpinThe French Atlantic AffairAll Quiet on the Western FrontDracula
HalloweenCentennialThe BastardSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandThe Dark Secret of Harvest Home
Jesus of NazarethTelefonThe UncannyOh, God!
The Eagle Has LandedLaurence Olivier PresentsGoldenrodThe Last TycoonThe Joke
Saturday Night LiveThe Count of Monte-CristoEscape to Witch MountainJourney into FearPeep Show
PlayhousePlayhousePlayhouseWatch Out, We're MadThe Black Windmill
Orson Welles' Great MysteriesLonely WaterTales That Witness MadnessDr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeMalachi's Cove
Innocent BystandersThe Pied PiperDeath LineThe Man OutsideWedding in White
ColumboThe Rivals of Sherlock HolmesTHX 1138Wake in FrightKidnapped
Full Filmography
255 titles- The Dr. Loomis Tapes (2026) as Dr. Loomis
- Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Driving Lessons (2012) as Dr. Sam Loomis (archive footage)
- Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest (2003) as Self / Dr. Samuel 'Sam' Loomis (archive footage)
- Fatal Frames (1996) as Professor Robinson
- Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) as Dr. Loomis
- Signs and Wonders (1995) as Cornelius Van Damm
- Safe Haven (1995) as The Sailor
- The World of Hammer (1994) as Self (archive footage)
- Guinevere (1994) as Merlin
- Freeze: But is it Art? (1994) as Sinister Dentist
- Femme Fatale (1993) as Victor Harty
- The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) as Phido the Vulture (voice)
- The Big Freeze (1993) as Soup slurper
- The Hour of the Pig (1993) as Pincheon
- Dien Bien Phu (1992) as Howard Simpson
- Shadows and Fog (1991) as Doctor
- Women in Arms (1991) as Dreyfuss
- The Vulture Is a Patient Bird (1991) as Armon Shalik
- Millions (1991) as Ripa
- Life of General De Gaulle (1990) as Winston Churchill
- Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) as Dr. Sam Loomis
- Buried Alive (1989) as Dr. Schaeffer
- River of Death (1989) as Heinrich Spaatz
- Ten Little Indians (1989) as Mr. Justice Lawrence Wargrave
- The House of Usher (1989) as Walter Usher
- Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery (1989) as Jason Rafiel
- American Rickshaw (1989) as Rev. Mortom
- Paganini Horror (1989) as Mr. Pickett
- Casablanca Express (1989) as Colonel Bats
- Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) as Dr. Loomis
- Nosferatu in Venice (1988) as Don Alvise
- The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988) as Dr. Absalon
- Metropolitan Animals (1988) as Prof. Livingstone
- The Great Escape II: The Untold Story (1988) as Dr. Absalon
- Phantom of Death (1988) as Inspector Datti
- Hanna's War (1988) as Captain Thomas Rosza
- The Commander (1988) as Henry Carlson
- Last Platoon (1988) as Colonel B. Abrahams
- Warrior Queen (1987) as Clodius Flaucus
- Prince of Darkness (1987) as Priest
- Scoop (1987) as Lord Copper
- Django Strikes Again (1987) as Ben Gunn
- Gila and Rik (1987) as Joe Gardenia
- Basements (1987) as Mr. Kidd (segment "The Room")
- Ground Zero (1987) as Prosper Gaffney
- Double Target (1987) as Sen. Blaster
- Specters (1987) as Professor Lasky
- To Kill a Stranger (1986) as Col. Kostik
- Naso di cane (1986) as Olindo Cuomo
- Into the Darkness (1986) as David Beckett
- Deadheat (1986) as Aldo Rossi
- Cobra Mission (1986) as Father Lenoir
- Screen Two (1985) as Victor Harty
- Screen Two (1985) as Pincheon
- The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985) as George Hill
- Phenomena (1985) as Professor John McGregor
- Treasure of the Amazon (1985) as Klaus von Blantz
- Nothing Underneath (1985) as Commissioner Danesi
- The Ambassador (1985) as Minister Eretz
- The Corsican Brothers (1985) as The Chancellor
- Black Arrow (1985) as Sir Oliver Oates
- Reel Horror (1985) as Axel MacGregor (archive footage)
- Master of the Game (1984) as Salomon Van der Merwe
- A Breed Apart (1984) as J.P. Whittier
- Arch of Triumph (1984) as Ivon Haake
- Terror in the Aisles (1984) as Self - Host
- Where Is Parsifal? (1984) as Mackintosh
- Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillie (1984) as Victor Frankenstein / Baron Frankenstein
- Warrior of the Lost World (1983) as Prossor
- The Devonsville Terror (1983) as Dr. Warley
- The Falklands Factor (1983) as Dr. Samuel Johnson
- Wogan (1982) as Self
- The Barchester Chronicles (1982) as Septimus Harding
- Alone in the Dark (1982) as Leo Bain
- Witness for the Prosecution (1982) as Mr. Myers
- Computercide (1982) as George Dettler
- Escape from New York (1981) as President of the United States
- Halloween II (1981) as Sam Loomis
- The Monster Club (1981) as Pickering, Chief of the B-Squad
- Race for the Yankee Zephyr (1981) as Gilbert Carson
- Blade on the Feather (1980) as John Cavendish
- Pumaman (1980) as Kobras
- Mrs. Columbo (1979)
- Dick Turpin (1979) as Ignatius Slake
- The French Atlantic Affair (1979) as Max Dechambre
- All Quiet on the Western Front (1979) as Kantorek
- Dracula (1979) as Dr. Jack Seward
- L'Homme en colère (1979) as Albert Rumpelmayer
- Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff (1979) as Dr. Steiner
- Jaguar Lives! (1979) as General Villanova
- Gold of the Amazon Women (1979) as Clarence Blasko
- Better Late Than Never (1979) as Colonel Riddle
- Halloween (1978) as Loomis
- Centennial (1978) as Sam Purchas
- The Bastard (1978) as Solomon Sholto
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) as B.D. Brockhurst
- The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978) as Narrator (voice)
- Tomorrow Never Comes (1978) as Dr. Todd
- Power Play (1978) as Blair
- Blood Relatives (1978) as James Doniac
- The Defection of Simas Kudirka (1978) as Capt. Vladimir Popov
- Night Creature (1978) as Axel MacGregor
- Last In, First Out (1978) as Rothko
- Jesus of Nazareth (1977) as Melchior
- Telefon (1977) as Nicolai Dalchimsky
- The Uncanny (1977) as Valentine De'ath (segment "Hollywood 1936")
- Oh, God! (1977) as Doctor Harmon
- The Eagle Has Landed (1976) as Himmler
- Laurence Olivier Presents (1976) as Nat Jeffcote
- Goldenrod (1976) as John Tyler Jones
- The Last Tycoon (1976) as Boxley
- The Joke (1976) as Bendel
- Hindle Wakes (1976) as Nat Jeffcote
- I Don't Want to Be Born (1976) as Dr. Finch
- The Passover Plot (1976) as Pontius Pilate
- The Devil's Men (1976) as Father Roche
- Trial by Combat (1976) as Sir Giles Marley
- Meriel the Ghost Girl (1976) as George Livingston
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- The Count of Monte-Cristo (1975) as Danglars
- Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) as Lucas Deranian
- Journey into Fear (1975) as Kuvetli
- Peep Show (1975)
- Shades of Greene (1975) as Puckler
- Hearts of the West (1975) as A.J. Nietz
- Playhouse (1974) as George Livingston
- Playhouse (1974) as Bendel
- Playhouse (1974) as Aaron
- Watch Out, We're Mad (1974) as Doctor
- The Black Windmill (1974) as Cedric Harper
- Occupations (1974) as Christo Kabak
- From Beyond the Grave (1974) as Jim Underwood
- The Mutations (1974) as Professor Nolter
- The Cafeteria (1974) as Aaron
- House of the Damned (1974) as Martin Zayas
- Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) as Erich Count von Plasma
- Orson Welles' Great Mysteries (1973) as Cawser
- Lonely Water (1973) as The Spirit (voice)
- Tales That Witness Madness (1973) as Prof. R.C. Tremayne
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1973) as Fred Smudge
- Malachi's Cove (1973) as Malachi
- The Rainbow Boys (1973) as Ralph Logan
- Innocent Bystanders (1972) as Loomis
- The Pied Piper (1972) as The Baron
- Death Line (1972) as Inspector Calhoun
- The Man Outside (1972) as Victor Cobb
- Wedding in White (1972) as Jim Dougall, Sr.
- Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972) as Thomas Cromwell
- The Jerusalem File (1972) as Major Samuels
- Columbo (1971) as Adrian Carsini
- The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971) as Carnacki
- THX 1138 (1971) as SEN
- Wake in Fright (1971) as Doc Tydon
- Kidnapped (1971) as Ebenezer Balfour
- The Fox Trot (1971) as Tom
- Skin Deep (1971) as Gerry Muddiman
- Play for Today (1970) as Samuel Johnson
- Play for Today (1970) as Gerry Muddiman
- Confession (1970) as Sergeant Hurby
- Soldier Blue (1970) as Isaac Q. Cumber
- The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969) as The Prospector
- Mr. Freedom (1969) as Dr. Freedom
- Arthur? Arthur! (1969) as Arthur Brownjohn / Sir Easonby 'E' Mellon
- Last to Go (1969)
- Hawaii Five-O (1968) as Hans Vogler
- Sleep is Lovely (1968) as Clive
- Creature of Comfort (1968) as James Thorne
- The News-Benders (1968) as J.G.
- Will Penny (1967) as Preacher Quint
- You Only Live Twice (1967) as Ernst Stavro Blofeld
- The Night of the Generals (1967) as General Kahlenberge
- NBC Experiment in Television (1967) as (voice)
- Call Me Daddy (1967) as Ben Hoffman
- The Diary of Anne Frank (1967) as Albert Dussel
- Matchless (1967) as Gregori Andreanu
- Cul-de-sac (1966) as George
- Fantastic Voyage (1966) as Dr. Michaels
- Eye of the Devil (1966) as Pere Dominic
- Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965) as Richard Pratt
- Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965) as J.G.
- The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) as The Dark Hermit - Satan
- The Hallelujah Trail (1965) as 'Oracle' Jones
- The Wednesday Play (1964) as The Head Waiter
- The Caretaker (1964) as Mac Davies / Bernard Jenkins
- The Fugitive (1963) as Max Pfeiffer
- The Outer Limits (1963) as Harold J. Finley
- The Great Escape (1963) as Blythe 'The Forger'
- Espionage (1963) as Escalon
- Dr. Crippen (1963) as Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen
- The Inspector (1962) as Wolters
- The Defenders (1961) as Dr. Byron Saul
- The Horsemasters (1961) as Captain Pinski
- No Love for Johnnie (1961) as Renfrew
- What a Carve Up! (1961) as Everett Sloane
- Spare the Rod (1961) as Mr. Jenkins
- The Wind of Change (1961) as Pop
- Danger Man (1960) as Nikolides
- Danger Man (1960) as Captain Aldrich
- Sunday-Night Play (1960) as Admiral Vespery
- Armchair Mystery Theatre (1960) as Host
- The Battle of the Sexes (1960) as Irwin Hoffman
- Circus of Horrors (1960) as Vanet
- The Flesh and the Fiends (1960) as William Hare
- Hell Is a City (1960) as Gus Hawkins
- The Hands of Orlac (1960) as Graham Coates
- Suspect (1960) as Parsons, alias Bill Brown
- The Big Day (1960) as Victor Partridge
- Sons and Lovers (1960) as Mr. Pappleworth
- A Story of David (1960) as Nabal
- Toff and Fingers (1960) as Self/Host
- The Shakedown (1960) as Jessel Brown
- The Cupboard (1960) as Fred Watson
- Alice Through the Looking Box (1960) as Caterpillar
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Ellis Fowler
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Harvey Laurence
- Interpol Calling (1959) as Karl Haussman
- Look Back in Anger (1959) as Hurst
- Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) as Captain
- The Traitor (1959) as Grantley Caypor
- The Adventures of William Tell (1958)
- The Two-Headed Spy (1958) as Gen. Hardt
- A Tale of Two Cities (1958) as Barsad
- The Man Inside (1958) as Organ Grinder
- The Wind Cannot Read (1958) as Doctor
- Heart of a Child (1958) as Spiel
- The Telltale Heart (1958) Writer
- The Greatest Man in the World (1958) as US President
- Manuela (1957) as Evans
- The Man in the Sky (1957) as Crabtree
- Barnacle Bill (1957) as Cashier
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Nominee
- 1984 (1956) as R. Parsons
- Armchair Theatre (1956) as President of the USA
- Armchair Theatre (1956)
- Armchair Theatre (1956) as Fred Watson
- Armchair Theatre (1956) as Ben Hoffman
- The Black Tent (1956) as Ali
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955) as Prince John
- ITV Play of the Week (1955) as Supt. Smith
- The Moment of Truth (1955) as The Foreign Minister
- Value for Money (1955) as Limpy
- Round the World in 80 Days (1955) as Voices
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Captain Pinski
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1954) as Lucas Deranian
- Nineteen Eighty-Four (1954) as Syme
- Orders Are Orders (1954) as Cpl. Martin (as Donald Plesance)
- The Beachcomber (1954) as Tromp
- The Dybbuk (1952) as Second batlon
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Kantorek
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Myers
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as The Chancellor
- Sunday Night Theatre (1950) as Syme
- Sunday Night Theatre (1950) as Corporal
- New Line: Independent Legacies as Self (archive footage)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Donald Pleasence best known for?
Donald Pleasence is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Due West: Our Sex Journey (2012), Shadows and Fog (1991), With You and the Rain (2025).
When and where was Donald Pleasence born?
Donald Pleasence was born on October 5, 1919 in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. They passed away on February 2, 1995.
How many credits does Donald Pleasence have?
Donald Pleasence has accumulated over 255 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1950 to 2026.
What is Donald Pleasence's background in cinema and television?
Donald Henry Pleasence was an English actor born on October 5, 1919, in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He died on February 2, 1995, at the age of 75. He was the younger of two sons of a railway stationmaster and quit school a year before graduation to pursue his childhood dream of becoming an actor. Known for h...