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to more sophisticated productions. He showed a knack for playing comedy, and his 1930s films fell mainly into this genre, with occasional ventures into straight drama and thrillers. Purdell's screenwriting career began in 1932 and he was most productive in this field during the late 1930s, with only
33:
187:. On returning to civilian life after the war, he decided to try his luck as an actor under the name of Purdell and gained experience on the stage through the 1920s. His move into films in 1930 coincided with the advent of the
127:(4 November 1896 – 22 April 1953) was an English actor and screenwriter who appeared in over 40 films between 1930 and 1951. During the same period he also contributed to the screenplays of 15 feature films, such as
164:
In 1892, Grasdorff was listed as "Grasdorff, Carl H. W., Newport, Monmouthshire, and Bute Docks, Cardiff, Sailing and
Steamship Broker, Coal Exporter, and Managing Steamship Owner".
257:
In the 1940s
Purdell's acting career diversified, with fewer throwaway comedies and more appearances in high-quality dramatic vehicles. His credits included war dramas
254:. Both films were reasonably well-received, but Purdell appears to have decided that directing was not for him, as there would be no more ventures in this area.
226:
in an attempt to prove that a
European company could challenge the dominance of American studios in the new era of sound by delivering a continent-wide hit.
161:
under the name of Carl
Hermann Wilhelm Grasdorff. Mary Ann Grasdorff's maiden name of Piddill, suitably improved, later provided their son's stage name.
1000:
767:
Marriages Mar 1881: GRASDORFF, Charles
William, and PIDDILL, Mary Ann, in Register of Marriages for Newport Monmouthshire, vol. 11a (1881), p. 191
923:
Births 1932: John R W Grasdorff, mother's maiden name Watson, in
Register of Births for Kensington Rrgistration District, vol. 1a (1932), p. 114
1005:
914:"Grasdorff, Reginald W H, & Watson, May" in Register of Marriages for Wandsworth Registration District, vol. 1d (September 1928), p. 169
310:
Purdell died on 22 April 1953, at
Kensington, London. His death was registered under the name of Reginald Purdell and his age stated as 57.
153:, and his father stated his name as Carl H. W. Grasdorff, giving his place of birth as Germany, about 1844, while his mother gave hers as
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Deaths 1953: PURDELL, Reginald, aged 57, in
Register of Deaths for Kensington Registration District, vol. 5c (1953), p. 896
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990:
554:
417:
758:"Grasdorff, Reginald W H", in Register of Births for Wandsworth Registration District, vol. 1d (December 1896), p. 694
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737:
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995:
666:
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In the summer of 1928, under his real name of
Reginald William Henry Grasdorff, Purdell married May Watson at
880:"Der Kongress Tanzt (1931) - Eric Charell - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie"
1025:
806:
James
William Dawson, "Commerce and customs: a history of the ports of Newport and Caerleon" (1932), p. 114
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occasional ventures later in his career. He tried his hand at film directing in 1937 with two comedies
129:
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Purdell soon began to accumulate screen credits in a wide variety of films ranging from cheaply made
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785:"Grasdorff, Carl H. W". In United Kingdom Naturalisation Certificates and Declarations, 1870-1916
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145:, London, the son of Charles William Grasdorff by his marriage to Mary Ann Piddill. At the
776:
1891 Census for Monmouthshire, Wales, household of Carl H W Grasdorff and Mary A Grasdorff
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8:
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film company, involving the simultaneous filming of three versions of the same story in
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797:, Volume 27 (Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for England and Wales, 1892) p. 131
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200:, in a role he would later reprise in a 1940 remake. He next travelled to
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As a young man, under the name of Reginald Grasdorff, he served in the
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133:, and had a brief foray into directing with two films in 1937.
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815:
Carl H W Gerasdorff, Spouse Mary A Gerasdorff, Census for 1901
149:, a few weeks after the marriage, the couple were living in
194:
Purdell's first screen appearance was in the 1930 comedy
905:, 23 April 1953. (Subscription required to read online)
307:
and registered under the name of John R. W. Grasdorff.
99:
826:"Reginald Purdell - Movies and Filmography - AllMovie"
210:, an ambitious and lavishly budgeted project by the
962:
291:. Purdell's last screen appearance was in 1951.
167:Both parents were living in Clapham in 1901.
157:, about 1857. Grasdorff was naturalized as a
895:
893:
16:English actor and screenwriter (1896–1953)
1001:Actors from the London Borough of Lambeth
900:"Reginald Purdell, British Actor, Dead"
890:
710:(1950) - Police Car Driver (uncredited)
963:
313:
1006:British Army personnel of World War I
279:, notorious box-office flop musical
13:
1016:20th-century English screenwriters
303:. They had a son in 1932, born in
110:Actor, screenwriter, film director
14:
1037:
1021:20th-century English male writers
939:
598:(1943) - Coxwain - C / P.O. Dabbs
183:regiment for the duration of the
1011:20th-century English male actors
294:
44:Reginald William Henry Grasdorff
31:
926:
917:
908:
872:
854:
836:
204:to feature in historical drama
818:
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752:
730:
1:
948:at BFI Film & TV Database
723:
136:
862:"The Congress Dances (1931)"
341:(1932) - Waiter (uncredited)
7:
550:(1939) - Pilot (uncredited)
10:
1042:
991:English male screenwriters
686:(1947) - American reporter
844:"The Middle Watch (1940)"
534:(1938) - Pvt. Nuts Nutter
244:vehicle co-directed with
170:
114:
106:
76:
39:
30:
23:
981:English male film actors
718:(1951) - Inspector Gower
715:Files from Scotland Yard
996:Male actors from London
622:(1944) - Birdie Edwards
510:(1938) - Algy Beresford
440:(1935) - Radio Listener
191:era in British cinema.
986:English film directors
662:(1946) - Stage Manager
646:(1944) - Charles Lacey
566:(1940) - Tommy Perkins
496:(1937, Short) - Reggie
418:The Old Curiosity Shop
691:A Man About the House
563:Pack Up Your Troubles
558:(1940) - Bunny Reeves
531:Many Tanks Mr. Atkins
464:(1936) - Dick Burgess
456:(1936) - Pedro Salvas
432:(1935) - Tom Kirkwood
413:(1934) - Harry Stubbs
373:(1933) - Jimmy Catlin
330:A Night in Montmartre
325:(1930) - Cpl. Duckett
251:Patricia Gets Her Man
181:South Wales Borderers
667:The Root of All Evil
638:(1944) - Alec Harvey
574:(1940) - Cpl Duckett
555:His Brother's Keeper
402:The Luck of a Sailor
141:Purdell was born in
1026:People from Clapham
868:on 13 October 2018.
378:Three Men in a Boat
314:Partial filmography
738:"Reginald Purdell"
635:Two Thousand Women
619:Bell-Bottom George
579:Busman's Honeymoon
518:(1938) - Announcer
394:The Queen's Affair
266:Two Thousand Women
237:Don't Get Me Wrong
606:(1943) - Joe Swan
582:(1940) - MacBride
539:It's in the Blood
526:(1938) - Sam Todd
501:The Dark Stairway
485:Side Street Angel
477:Hail and Farewell
410:What's in a Name?
365:(1933) - Reporter
362:Crime on the Hill
338:A Night Like This
122:
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115:Years active
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952:Reginald Purdell
946:Reginald Purdell
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864:. Archived from
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846:. Archived from
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795:The Weekly Notes
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748:on 11 July 2012.
744:. Archived from
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678:(1947) - Redcoat
670:(1947) - Perkins
590:(1941) - Creeper
571:The Middle Watch
469:Crown v. Stevens
405:(1934) - Jenkins
397:(1934) - Soldier
322:The Middle Watch
285:and the classic
197:The Middle Watch
125:Reginald Purdell
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35:
25:Reginald Purdell
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683:Captain Boycott
643:Candles at Nine
630:(1944) - Albert
611:It's in the Bag
603:Variety Jubilee
595:We Dive at Dawn
523:Simply Terrific
488:(1937) - McGill
445:Get Off My Foot
437:Royal Cavalcade
389:(1934) - Reggie
357:(1933) - Artist
346:Congress Dances
316:
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260:We Dive at Dawn
246:Arthur B. Woods
207:Congress Dances
185:First World War
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159:British subject
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54:4 November 1896
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504:(1938) - Askew
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480:(1936) - Nobby
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461:Where's Sally?
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453:Debt of Honour
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429:Key to Harmony
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423:Dick Swiveller
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370:Up to the Neck
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231:quota quickies
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130:The Dark Tower
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84:(aged 56)
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354:My Lucky Star
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349:(1932) - Pepi
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333:(1931) - Tino
332:
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295:Personal life
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288:Brighton Rock
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80:22 April 1953
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746:the original
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707:Stage Fright
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675:Holiday Camp
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614:(1944) - Joe
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508:Quiet Please
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472:(1936) - Alf
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177:British Army
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82:(1953-04-22)
18:
976:1953 deaths
971:1896 births
659:London Town
282:London Town
147:1881 census
118:1930 – 1952
965:Categories
724:References
627:Love Story
386:On the Air
305:Kensington
301:Wandsworth
276:Love Story
273:melodrama
242:Max Miller
137:Early life
88:Kensington
50:1896-11-04
515:The Viper
421:(1934) -
179:with the
884:AllMovie
830:AllMovie
651:Dreaming
547:Q Planes
587:Fingers
220:English
202:Germany
155:Cardiff
143:Clapham
96:England
66:England
58:Clapham
654:(1944)
542:(1938)
381:(1933)
248:, and
224:French
216:German
189:talkie
171:Career
92:London
62:London
956:IMDb
263:and
240:, a
222:and
77:Died
40:Born
954:at
742:BFI
212:UFA
967::
892:^
882:.
828:.
740:.
269:,
218:,
100:UK
98:,
94:,
90:,
70:UK
68:,
64:,
60:,
886:.
832:.
52:)
48:(
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