George Pastell (born Georgiou Pastellides; 13 March 1923 – 4 April 1976) was a Cypriot actor, known for playing various character roles in British films and television during the 1950s and 1960s.
Early life and education Born to a French mother of Indian origin and a Greek merchant father, Pastell began his career spending two years in banking. His mother hoped for him to become a doctor but he had ambitions from a young age to become an actor after starting an amateur drama group in his hometown. Aged 21, he joined the Greek National Theatre. Leaving Cyprus a few years later with only £50 in his pocket, Pastell came to England, scarcely able to speak much English. However, he studied the language by taking evening classes at the Pitman School and soon graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Acting career He made his film debut in Give Us This Day (1949), credited as Nino Pastellides, and played villains in film and television. He was often cast by Hammer Film Productions as Eastern characters such as Mehemet Bey in The Mummy (1959), the High Priest of Kali in The Stranglers of Bombay (1960), Inspector Etienne in Maniac (1963), and Hashmi Bey in The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964).
His exotic looks often saw him cast in spy films of the '60s such as From Russia with Love (1963); Licensed to Kill (1965); A Man Could Get Killed (1966); That Riviera Touch (1966); and Deadlier Than the Male (1967). He also appeared in the films Tiger Bay, The Angry Hills (1959), The Siege of Sidney Street (1960), Konga, The Frightened City (1961), On the Beat (1962), The Moon-Spinners (1964), The Long Duel (1967) and The Magus (1968).
He also appeared as the villain in the '60s television series Danger Man, The Avengers (1966 episode "Honey for the Prince"), Doctor Who, The Champions, The Saint and Department S.
Pastell's stage acting credits included the King of Siam in the musical The King and I, first as a replacement for Herbert Lom on the original West End production, and then in the UK national tour (1956-57). He starred as Wang Chi Yang in the 1960-62 West End run of Flower Drum Song.
Other work At the suggestion of his wife, backing singer Gloria George (of The Ladybirds), Pastell went into the recording business. In 1968 with his partner Alexander Dembeniotis and help from a couple of bankers, the Duboff Brothers, he took over Recorded Sound Studio to make it a more commercially viable studio. The place would go on to house consoles and equipment created by electronics engineer Rupert Neve. Pastell acted as studio manager and by 1971, the studio was renamed Nova Sound after being acquired by a group named Scotia Investments.
Personal life Pastell married singer Gloria George in 1958. In the latter years of his life, the couple moved to the United States, with residences in Miami and Manhattan.
Death He died in Miami on 4 April 1976 from a heart attack.
Selected filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1949Adam and EvelyneHeadwaiterUncreditedMadness of the Heart WaiterGive Us This Day Lucy1952Moulin Rouge Man at First BarUncreditedThe Gambler and the LadyJacko Spina1953Deadly Nightshade FerrariUncreditedSouth of AlgiersHassan1958Blind SpotSchriederBattle of the V-1 Eryk1959Tiger Bay'POLOMA' CaptainDeadly Record AngeloThe Angry Hills Papa PanosThe Mummy Mehemet BeyThe Stranglers of BombayHigh Priest of Kali1960Bottoms Up Swarthy ManThe Siege of Sidney Street Brodsky1961Konga Prof. TagoreThe Frightened CitySanchetti1962Village of DaughtersSecond PickpocketMasters of Venus KallasOn the Beat Manzini1963Tarzan's Three ChallengesKhan (voice)UncreditedImpact Sebastian 'The Duke' DukelowManiacInspector EtienneFrom Russia with Love Train Conductor1964The Moon-Spinners Police lieutenantThe Curse of the Mummy's TombHashmmi Bey1965The High Bright Sun PrinosThe Intelligence MenAssassinUncreditedSheHaumeid (voice)Licensed to KillSecond Russian Commisar1966A Man Could Get KilledLazloThat Riviera TouchAliKhartoum Giriagis BeyUncredited1967Deadlier Than the MaleCarloggioThe Long DuelRam Chand1968The Magus Marco Ponti
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1957Rheingold TheatreUniformed Man in Street (uncredited)Episode: "The Trouble with Destiny"1959The Invisible ManGuard (uncredited)Episode: "Man in Power"1959-1960Interpol CallingCaptain Pagano4 episodesThe Four Just MenVarious3 episodes1959–1965The Third ManProkrian/Parker1960International DetectiveBaron ConstantineEpisode: "The Bristol Case"BBC Sunday-Night PlayMexican PriestEpisode: "Playhouse 90: A Town Has Turned to Dust"Man from InterpolKubetz/Vic2 episodes1961The Cheaters LeonEpisode: "Murder Fugue"1961–1963Ghost Squad Various3 episodes1962Richard the LionheartGamalEpisode: "The Conjurer"Man of the World SebastianEpisode: "Masquerade in Spain"Zero OneMasraEpisode: "Glidepath"MaigretBelliniEpisode: "The Amateurs"1962–1965Z-CarsMr. Tovarini/Bob Bowler2 episodes1962–1969The SaintVarious6 episodes1963Taxi!George VlachosEpisode: "Barricades in Bailey Street"The Sentimental AgentDaliEpisode: "A Box of Tricks"1963–1964No Hiding PlaceZunderman/Also Russi2 episodes1964It's Dark OutsideDimitradesEpisode: "One Man's Right"EspionageRussian CaptainEpisode: "Some Other Kind of Word"Danger Man PetelEpisode: "The Colonel's Daughter"1965The Sullavan BrothersHari BadpurEpisode: "The Men on the Dolman Islands"Out of the UnknownMajor KhanEpisode: "No Place Like Earth"1966The AvengersArkadiEpisode: "Honey for the Prince"BBC Play of the MonthPakhomevEpisode: "Defection! The Case of Colonel Pretov"Softly, SoftlyNorazioEpisode: "The Jackpot"1967The TroubleshootersDr. QadirEpisode: "My Daughter Knows Her Way Around"Doctor WhoEric KliegSerial: "The Tomb of the Cybermen"1968The ChampionsCol. SantosEpisode: "Operation Deep-Freeze"1969Department SSarrat/Camilo Garria2 episodes
Stage credits +YearTitleRoleNotes1953The Shrike John AnkoritisUK Tour1953–1956The King and IKing of Siam (replacement)Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London1956–1957King of SiamUK Tour1961Flower Drum SongWang Chi YangPalace Theatre, London
References
External links
George Pastell at Theatricalia