Lester Matthews
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- June 5, 1900 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK
- Died
- June 6, 1975
- Active Years
- 1931–1970 (40 Years)
- Total Credits
- 165 credits in database
Acting Born Jun 5, 1900 Died Jun 6, 1975 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK 165 credits
Biography
Lester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom. Throughout his career, he made more than 180 appearances in film and on television, and he was credited on occasion as Lester Mathews and sometimes known as Les Matthews in later years. His television work included an appearance in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour titled Completely Foolproof, which had an original air date of March 29, 1965. According to available records, he passed away in Los Angeles, California, with his death date noted as either June 5, 1975 or June 6, 1975. Following his death, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
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Career overview
Lester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom. Throughout his acting career, he made numerous appearances in film and on television, with more than 180 appearances recorded across media, alongside 153 known acting credits listed on The Movie Database.
During his career, he was on occasion erroneously credited as Lester Mathews, and especially in his later years he was sometimes known as Les Matthews. His television work included many appearances, such as a role in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour titled Completely Foolproof, which had an original air date of March 29, 1965.
Born on June 6, 1900, Matthews lived until June 5, 1975, or June 6, 1975, depending on the historical record, dying at the age of 75 in Los Angeles, California. Following his death, he was cremated, and his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Savage Intruder
Adam-12The Name of the Game
The Scorpio Letters
Family AffairThe Pruitts of SouthamptonAssault on a Queen
Daniel BooneThe RoguesA Global Affair
The Lucy ShowThe Beverly Hillbillies
HazelRipcordBy Love Possessed
Surfside 6AngelCoronado 9Walk Like a Dragon
BonanzaRawhideOne Step BeyondOne Step BeyondPhilip Marlowe
77 Sunset Strip77 Sunset Strip77 Sunset StripYancy DerringerBehind Closed Doors
Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveHow to Marry a Millionaire
Telephone TimeDr. Fu Manchu
Ten Wanted MenThe Far HorizonsMoonfleetFlame of the Islands
Father Knows BestDecember BridePublic DefenderPublic DefenderPassport to Danger
You Are ThereNiagaraTrouble Along the WayFort TiThe Desert Rats
OmnibusThe Ford Television TheatreThe Ford Television Theatre5 FingersAgainst All Flags
The Red Skelton ShowRacket SquadThe Desert Fox: The Story of RommelLorna DooneThe Son of Dr. Jekyll
The George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowThe George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowThe George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowThe George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowThe George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
Free For All
Ford Theatre
Monsieur VerdouxThe ExileDark DelusionBulldog Drummond at Bay
Objective, Burma!Salty O'RourkeTwo O'Clock CourageJungle QueenI Love a Mystery
The Invisible Man's RevengeNine GirlsMinistry of FearBetween Two WorldsShadows in the Night
Northern PursuitAppointment in BerlinCorvette K-225The Mysterious DoctorTwo Tickets to London
Across the PacificSon of Fury: The Story of Benjamin BlakeDesperate JourneyThe Pied PiperManila Calling
Man HuntA Yank in the R.A.F.
The Sea HawkNorthwest PassageThe Lone Wolf Keeps a DateThe Biscuit EaterGaucho Serenade
The Three MusketeersSusannah of the MountiesBritish IntelligenceRulers of the SeaConspiracy
The Adventures of Robin HoodMysterious Mr. MotoThere's Always a WomanIf I Were KingThree Loves Has Nancy
The Prince and the PauperLancer Spy
Full Filmography
165 titles- Savage Intruder (1970) as Ira Jaffee
- Adam-12 (1968) as Gregory Benton
- The Name of the Game (1968) as Winston More
- The Scorpio Letters (1967) as Mr. Harris
- Family Affair (1966)
- The Pruitts of Southampton (1966) as Butler
- Assault on a Queen (1966) as Doctor
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Major
- The Rogues (1964) as Bailiff
- A Global Affair (1964) as British Delegate (uncredited)
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Lord Van Cleve
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) as Mr. Fleming Pendleton
- Hazel (1961) as Reginald Archibald
- Ripcord (1961) as Hugh Olds
- By Love Possessed (1961) as Club Patron (uncredited)
- Surfside 6 (1960) as Inspector Campbell
- Angel (1960) as Charles
- Coronado 9 (1960)
- Walk Like a Dragon (1960) as Peter Mott
- Bonanza (1959) as Forrester
- Rawhide (1959) as Larkins
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Prison Governor
- One Step Beyond (1959) as Civil Defense Man
- Philip Marlowe (1959)
- The Dennis O'Keefe Show (1959)
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Inspector T. Carnahan
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Mr. Craythrope
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958) as Pillsbury
- Yancy Derringer (1958) as Jerrison Ames
- Behind Closed Doors (1958) as Colonel Brookston
- Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1957) as Frank Grace
- How to Marry a Millionaire (1957)
- Telephone Time (1956)
- Dr. Fu Manchu (1956) as Sir Denis Nayland Smith
- Ten Wanted Men (1955) as Adam Stewart
- The Far Horizons (1955) as Mr. Hancock
- Moonfleet (1955) as Major Hennishaw
- Flame of the Islands (1955) as Gus
- Father Knows Best (1954) as Major Alden
- December Bride (1954)
- Public Defender (1954) as Mr. Harrington
- Public Defender (1954) as Ben Pearce
- Passport to Danger (1954) as U.S. Consul Charlie Edmunds
- Désirée (1954) as Caulaincourt (uncredited)
- King Richard and the Crusaders (1954) as Archbishop of Tyre / Narrator
- Charge of the Lancers (1954) as Gen. Stanhope
- Jungle Man-Eaters (1954) as Comm. Kingston
- You Are There (1953) as Ganzel
- Niagara (1953) as Doctor (uncredited)
- Trouble Along the Way (1953) as Cardinal William Patrick O'Shea
- Fort Ti (1953) as Lord Jeffrey Amherst
- The Desert Rats (1953) as Foreign Secretary (uncredited)
- Young Bess (1953) as Sir William Paget
- Bad for Each Other (1953) as Dr. Homer Gleeson
- Man in the Attic (1953) as Chief Insp. Melville
- Sangaree (1953) as Gen. Victor Darby
- Savage Mutiny (1953) as Maj. Walsh
- Omnibus (1952) as The Chief
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) as Carlton
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952)
- 5 Fingers (1952)
- Against All Flags (1952) as Sir Cloudsley
- Les Miserables (1952) as Mentou Sr. (uncredited)
- Captain Pirate (1952) as Col. Ramsey
- The Brigand (1952) as Dr. Lopez
- Operation Secret (1952) as Robbins
- Lady in the Iron Mask (1952) as Prime Minister Rochard
- Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land (1952) as Commissioner Kingston
- The Red Skelton Show (1951) as Sylvester
- Racket Squad (1951)
- The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951) as British Officer (uncredited)
- Lorna Doone (1951) as King Charles II
- The Son of Dr. Jekyll (1951) as Sir John Utterson
- The Lady and the Bandit (1951) as Ridgely, Joyce's Interrogator
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Mr. Duffy
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Mr. Larkin
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Mr. Burke
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Thomas Marshall
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Professor Hopkins
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Mr. Buzby
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Mr. Fortune
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Sponsor
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Referee
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as John Hillgrove
- Cameo Theatre (1950)
- Montana (1950) as George Forsythe
- Rogues of Sherwood Forest (1950) as Alan-A-Dale
- Tyrant of the Sea (1950) as Horatio Nelson
- Free For All (1949) as Mr. Aberson
- Ford Theatre (1948)
- Monsieur Verdoux (1947) as Prosecutor (uncredited)
- The Exile (1947) as Robbins
- Dark Delusion (1947) as Wyndham Grace
- Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1947) as Shannon Eskdale
- Objective, Burma! (1945) as British Maj. Fitzpatrick
- Salty O'Rourke (1945) as Salesman
- Two O'Clock Courage (1945) as Mark Evans
- Jungle Queen (1945) as Commissioner Braham Chatterton
- I Love a Mystery (1945) as Justin Reeves / Mr. G
- The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944) as Sir Jasper Herrick
- Nine Girls (1944) as Horace Canfield
- Ministry of Fear (1944) as Dr. Norton at Lembridge Asylum (uncredited)
- Between Two Worlds (1944) as Steamship Dispatcher (uncredited)
- Shadows in the Night (1944) as Stanley Carter
- Four Jills in a Jeep (1944) as Capt. Lloyd (uncredited)
- Northern Pursuit (1943) as Colonel (uncredited)
- Appointment in Berlin (1943) as Air Marshal (uncredited)
- Corvette K-225 (1943) as British Captain
- The Mysterious Doctor (1943) as Dr. Frederick Holmes
- Two Tickets to London (1943) as Treathcote (uncredited)
- London Blackout Murders (1943) as Oliver Madison
- Across the Pacific (1942) as Canadian Major
- Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942) as Prosecutor
- Desperate Journey (1942)
- The Pied Piper (1942) as Mr. Cavanaugh
- Manila Calling (1942) as Wayne Ralston
- Man Hunt (1941) as Major (uncredited)
- A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) as Group Captain
- The Sea Hawk (1940) as Guard Officer
- Northwest Passage (1940) as Sam Livermore
- The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (1940) as Mr. Lee
- The Biscuit Eater (1940) as Mr. Ames
- Gaucho Serenade (1940) as Frederick Willoughby
- The Three Musketeers (1939) as Duke of Buckingham
- Susannah of the Mounties (1939) as Harlan Chambers
- British Intelligence (1939) as Henry Thompson
- Rulers of the Sea (1939) as Lieut. Roberts
- Conspiracy (1939) as Gair - Henchman
- Should a Girl Marry? (1939) as Dr. White
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) as Sir Ivor
- Mysterious Mr. Moto (1938) as Sir Charles Murchison
- There's Always a Woman (1938) as Walter Fraser
- If I Were King (1938) as General Saliere
- Three Loves Has Nancy (1938) as Dr. Alonzo Z. Stewart
- Think It Over (1938) as Ring Leader
- I Am a Criminal (1938) as District Attorney George Lane
- Time Out for Murder (1938) as Phillip Gregory
- The Prince and the Pauper (1937) as St. John
- Lancer Spy (1937) as Capt. Neville
- Crack-Up (1936) as Sidney Grant
- Lloyd's of London (1936) as Captain Hardy
- 15 Maiden Lane (1936) as Gilbert Lockhart
- Thank You, Jeeves! (1936) as Elliott Manville
- Song and Dance Man (1936) as C. B. Nelson
- Too Many Parents (1936) as Mark Stewart
- Werewolf of London (1935) as Paul Ames
- The Raven (1935) as Dr. Jerry Holden
- Professional Soldier (1935) as Prince Edric
- Borrowed Clothes (1934) as Sir Harry Torrent
- Blossom Time (1934) as Schwindt
- Facing the Music (1933) as Becker
- She Was Only A Village Maiden (1933) as Frampton
- On Secret Service (1933) as Coloneilo Romanelli
- The Melody-Maker (1933) as Tony Borrodaile
- Called Back (1933) as Gilbert Vaughan
- The Stolen Necklace (1933) as Clive Wingate
- The Song You Gave Me (1933) as Max Winter
- Fires of Fate (1932) as Lt. Col Egerton
- Her Night Out (1932) as Gerald Vickery
- Indiscretions of Eve (1932) as Ralph
- Creeping Shadows (1931) as Brian Nash
- Gipsy Blood (1931) as Zuniga
- The Old Man (1931) as Keith Keller
- The Man at Six (1931) as Campbell Edwards
- The Wickham Mystery (1931) as Charles Wickham
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Lester Matthews best known for?
Lester Matthews is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Savage Intruder (1970), Adam-12 (1968), Men of Honor (2000), Scum of the Brave (2026).
When and where was Lester Matthews born?
Lester Matthews was born on June 5, 1900 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. They passed away on June 6, 1975.
How many credits does Lester Matthews have?
Lester Matthews has accumulated over 165 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1931 to 1970.
What is Lester Matthews's background in cinema and television?
Lester Matthews was an English actor born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom. Throughout his career, he made more than 180 appearances in film and on television, and he was credited on occasion as Lester Mathews and sometimes known as Les Matthews in later years. His television work included an app...
Lester Matthews by the numbers
165credits
114films
51TV series
1931–1970active years
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Rogues (1964) as Bailiff — aged about 64
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) as Carlton — aged about 52
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) — aged about 52
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Sponsor — aged about 50
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Referee — aged about 50
- Monsieur Verdoux (1947) as Prosecutor (uncredited) — aged about 47
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