Fawcett, Charles


Less-known performers of the European Cult Movies
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PeplumParadise
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Fawcett, Charles

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 12:51

Charles Fawcett 1957.jpg
Charles Fawcett in Cineguida 1957
Charles Fernley Fawcett was a fascinating character whose real life escapades were just as fantastic as the plots of any of the films he appeared in. He worked as an actor from the start of the 50's until the mid-70's, appearing predominantly in Italian films, but also turning up in all sorts of international productions.

He was born on December 2nd 1915 in Waleska, Georgia, USA, a descendent of former US presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. His mother died when he was 6 and, along with his brother and 2 sisters, he went to live with an aunt in Greenville, South Carolina, where he attended Greenville high school and became a star athlete.

Following the break up of an affair with his best friend's mother at the age of 15, Charles travelled to Asia, working his way as a ship's crewman. Returning to the US by 1937 he worked as a wrestler and jazz musician (reportedly getting tips from Louis Armstrong), before travelling by ship to France, where he worked as an artist's model and continued wrestling.

At the outbreak of World War II, following a very brief stint in the Polish army, he joined the French ambulance corps, then became part of the Free French, helping to rescue over 2,000 Jews from Vichy France. This included posing as the husband of various Jewish women who had been former prisoners in concentration camps, helping them to flee France with an American visa. He fled France on a few hours notice after being alerted that the gestapo were coming to arrest him and went on to fly for the British RAF and fight for the French Foreign Legion. This barely scratches the surface of his wartime exploits, which resulted in him being awarded the French Croix de Guerre and the American Eisenhower medal.

From 1949 he began an acting career in films, theatre and radio, initially in a handful of French productions. From 1952 he made his home in Rome and worked predominantly in Italian productions, becoming a prominent figure on the Roman social scene (he was allegedly a lover of Hedy Lamarr during this period). From the late 50's he appeared in films shot in many international locations including the USA, Mexico, Sweden, Britain, Spain, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Brazil and Morocco (in the interview he claims 31 countries). He continued acting until the late 70's. He was frequently cast in the roles of Americans or British in foreign settings.

Concurrent to his acting career he continued to aid the smuggling of refugees from war and disaster zones, helping Hungarians escape following Russian invasion in 1956 and refugees flee the Belgian Congo in 1959, he fought in several wars and co-founded the International Medical corps. Following a spell living in Houston, Texas, in 1979 he was in Afghanistan training soldiers who were fighting the Soviet Union and was responsible for producing films which secured vital American aid.

He was married twice. His first wife, with whom he had a daughter, died in 1956. He married his second wife, April Ducksbury, in 1991, following a 30-year engagement, and moved to live with her in London, where he remained for the rest of his life, concentrating on composing music in his later years.

He died on February 3rd 2008 in London, aged 92. His ashes were scattered in the Seine.

His life has been well documented, the biographical details come from multiple websites and obituaries and are corroborated by a 2-hour-plus interview with Charles found on You Tube.

While the majority of his known roles were small credited supporting parts, he also has a fair number of uncredited bit parts. I have found several previously undocumented appearances and his Wikipedia page claims he appeared in over 100 films (in the interview he says around 90), so I am certain there must be more roles to be found.

Filmography

1949
  1. Hans le marin .... Ship's captain (credited)

    1950
  2. Casimir .... Mr. Brown (credited)
  3. Le grand rendez-vous .... Ambassador (role unconfirmed - poster credit)
  4. Souvenirs perdus .... The American (uncredited)

    1951
  5. Adventures of Captain Fabian .... Defence attorney (credited)
  6. Clandestino a Trieste .... President of the tribunal (credited as Charles Fowcett)
  7. Ils étaient cinq .... American Military Police officer (credited)

    1952
  8. Tre storie proibite .... Mottaroni (uncredited)
  9. When in Rome .... Mr. Cates (credited)

    1953
  10. Egypt by Three .... American doctor Walter Jansen (credited)
  11. Fermi tutti... arrivo io! .... Mr. Brown (credited)
  12. Frine, cortigiana d'Oriente .... King Arconte (uncredited)
  13. I sette dell'orsa maggiore .... role? (uncredited)
  14. L'incantevole nemica .... Silvia's friend who shoots the lights (uncredited)
  15. La cieca di Sorrento .... Marchese Giuliano di Rionero (credited as "Carlo Fazzetti")
  16. Le infedeli .... Harry Rodgers (credited as "Charles Fawcet")
  17. Orient Express (TV series) S. 1, ep. 13: "The 13th Spy" .... Mr. Thompson (credited as "Chas Fawcett")
  18. Stazione Termini .... Man sending a telegram (uncredited)
  19. The Man From Cairo / Dramma nella Kasbah .... Pierre de Montfort, the Prefect of Police (uncredited)

    1954
  20. Appassionatamente .... Count D'Alberti (credited)
  21. Il paese dei campanelli .... The Admiral (poster credit)
  22. Mambo .... Carlo (uncredited)
  23. Mizar .... Major Crobb (credited)
  24. Pietà per chi cade .... Oliver (uncredited)
  25. Un americano a Roma .... Mr. Brooks (credited as Charles Fawcet)

    1955
  26. Addio, Napoli! .... Charles Burton (credited)
  27. Andrea Chenier .... Man on the hunt (credited)
  28. Il falco d'oro .... Ubaldo della Torre (credited)
  29. Paris precinct (TV series) - season 1, episode 12: "A Woman Scorned" .... Cafe owner (credit unknown)

    1956
  30. Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (TV series) - season 2, episode 11: "Cuffy's Good Deed" .... The Doctor (credited)
  31. Incatenata dal destino .... John Carrington (role unconfirmed - poster credit)
  32. Mai ti scorderò .... Neri (credit unknown - role unconfirmed)
  33. War and Peace .... Russian captain (uncredited)

    1957
  34. Boy on a Dolphin .... William B. Baldwin (uncredited)
  35. Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (TV series) - season 2, episode 21: "Dr. Legionaire" .... Shargue (credited)
  36. I vampiri .... Mr. Robert (credited)
  37. La ragazza del palio .... Game show host (credited)

    1958
  38. El último rebelde .... Captain Harry Love (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
  39. La violetera .... The American (credited)
  40. Lonelyhearts .... Smitty (credited)
  41. The Rough Riders (TV series) - season 1, episode 7: "Blood Feud" .... Hays Maddox (credited)

    1959
  42. Face of Fire .... Barber shop customer (credited)
  43. La duchessa di Santa Lucia .... Archibald's father (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
  44. Mantelli e spade insanguinate .... Duke of Clermont (poster credit - role unconfirmed)
  45. Poveri milionari .... Actor in film at the drive-in (uncredited)

    1960
  46. Il mattatore .... Man Elena hitches a ride from (uncredited)
  47. Les canailles / Le canaglie .... Emiliano Sarti (credited)
  48. Salambò .... Annone (credited)

    1961
  49. Come September .... Warren (uncredited)
  50. L'ammutinamento .... Captain of the British ship (uncredited)

    1962
  51. Copacabana Palace .... Mr. Morton (credited as Charly Fawcett)
  52. It Happened in Athens .... Ambassador Cyrus T. Gaylord (credited)
  53. Maciste all'inferno .... Doctor (credited)
  54. Sodoma e Gomorra .... Angel (uncredited)
  55. The 300 Spartans .... Megistias (credited)

    1963
  56. Captain Sindbad .... Not found (credited)
  57. Giacobbe ed Esau .... role? (poster credit)
  58. Io Semiramide .... High priest (credited)
  59. Zorro e i tre moschettieri .... Priest (credited as "Charles Fawcet")

    1964
  60. Die Todesstrahlen des Dr. Mabuse / I raggi mortali del Dr. Mabuse .... Commander Addams (credited as "Charly Fawcett")
  61. L'intrigo .... Martin Thompson (credited)
  62. La Battaglia di Forte Apache .... General Taylor (credited)
  63. Panic Button .... Gino (credited)

    1965
  64. Durchs wilde Kurdistan .... Sheik Kadir Bey (credited)
  65. Im Reich des silbernen Löwen .... Sheik Kadir Bey (credited)
  66. La capanna dello zio Tom .... Mr. Shelby (credited as "Charley Fawcett")
  67. Savage Pampas .... Private El Gato (credited)

    1966
  68. Residencia para espías .... Doctor (uncredited)

    1967
  69. La casa de las mil muñecas .... Monsieur Luke (uncredited)
  70. Mister Dynamit - Morgen küßt euch der Tod / Muori lentamente... te la godi di più .... General Stikker (credited)
  71. Misión en Ginebra / Per 50.000 maledetti dollari .... Professor Peers (credited as "Charles Faweet")

    1968
  72. Caccia ai violenti .... One of the escaped convicts (credited)

    1969
  73. It Takes a Thief (TV series) - season 3, episode 9: "The King of Thieves" .... Journalist (uncredited)
  74. La muchacha del Nilo .... Marco Alfieri (credited)

    1972
  75. Kalimán, el hombre increíble .... Professor Morgan (credited)

    1975
  76. Per le antiche scale .... Doctor Sfamini (credited)

    1976
  77. La fine dell'innocenza .... Michael (credited as Charles Fawcet)

    1978
  78. Un second souffle .... Dental patient (credited as Charlie Fawcett)

Additional credits
  • The Sleepwalkers (1959) - unreleased (and maybe uncompleted) feature film
  • Melodrammore (1978) contains re-used footage of Charles from Appassionatamente (1954)
  • Video interview with Bernice Krantz (1996)

More Fawcett!
There are still a number of titles I have not yet been able to find in which Charles may appear, so if you have images of him in any of these you know what to do.
  • La ville et ses chansons (1949) 16 minute short film, CITWF.com
  • L'inconnue de Montréal (1950) IMDb
  • Ha da venì... don Calogero (1952) ANICA as Don Andrea
  • La p... respectueuse (1952) IMDb
  • Le due orfanelle (1954) IMDb
  • Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion (1955) TV series, season 1, episode 11: "The Golden Loop", IMDb as Denner
  • Conrad Nagel Theatre (1955) TV series, season 1, episode 19: "The Other Don Juan", IMDb as The Tourist
  • Band of Angels (1957) seen in a You Tube tribute, however IMDb credits William Fawcett rather than Charles, so his credit here could be incorrect
  • El aventuero (1957) may be the unknown film where he appears opposite Dennis O'Keefe
  • Civitas Dei (1958) IMDb
  • Heaven on Earth (1960) IMDb as Henry Brent
  • Cowboy in Africa (1968) TV series, season 1, episode 23: "Work of Art", IMDb as Duncan
  • Unknown version of The Three Musketeers, as Athos - from interview (possibly Les mousquetaires du roi (1951)?)

    Images and credit shots are also needed for the following "poster credit" titles
  • Le grand rendez-vous (1950)
  • Il paese dei campanelli (1954)
  • Incatenata dal destino (1956)
  • El último rebelde (1958)
  • La duchessa di Santa Lucia (1959)
  • Mantelli e spade insanguinate (1959)
  • Giacobbe ed Esau (1963)
  • Un second souffle (1978)

No Charles!
As always seems to be the case there are also a few titles where Charles is credited on the internet, but where I have been unable to find him.
  • Ai margini della metropoli (1953) IMDb with no role. Not found.
  • Barabba (1961) IMDb as Old man warning Rachel. I've looked closely at this one and I can't see that Charles could be any of the characters who could fit this description.
  • The Massacre of Glencoe (1972) Does not appear. Credited on IMDb as playing John MacDonald, but he is not credited and it is another actor playing this role.
Attachments
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Charles Fawcett in Boy on a Dolphin (1957)
Last edited by PeplumParadise on 13/10/2023, 18:14, edited 24 times in total.

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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:13

Hans le marin (1949) credited, as Ship's captain.

Charles's earliest film credit, confirmed in his interview, comes from this French production. I didn't originally recognise him, but found him thanks to the description of his role in the interview. Charles says he only took the role by chance, as he was only standing in for the actor originally cast in the role who was sick.
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:18

Casimir (1950) credited, as Mr. Brown
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:21

Souvenirs perdus (1950) as The American in the segment "Une statuette d'Osiris"
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:25

Clandestino a Trieste (1951) credited as Charles Fowcett, as President of the tribunal
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:29

Ils étaient cinq (1951) credited, as American Military Police officer
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AMERICAN MILITARY POLICE.jpg

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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:31

Adventures of Captain Fabian (1951) credited, as Defence attorney
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:34

When in Rome (1952) credited, as Mr. Cates
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:39

Fermi tutti... arrivo io! (1953) credited, as Mr. Brown
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Re: Charles Fawcett

Post by PeplumParadise » 09/08/2020, 13:42

Frine, cortigiana d'Oriente (1953) as King Arconte
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