Derren Nesbitt - the charming villain of British film and TV.
by alexanderdavies-99382 | created - 31 Jan 2020 | updated - 31 Jan 2020 | PublicA highly popular actor in his day, Derren Nesbitt was a natural at playing villains. His characters usually had a sinister or quirky edge to them and I think that adds something to his acting. He was prolific from the mid 1950s, appearing regularly in both TV and films. Then Derren Nesbitt seemingly vanished after 1973, his output remaining limited until recently when resurfacing on TV.
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1. Special Branch (1969–1974)
60 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Groundbreaking British police drama series following the exploits of the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police: an elite group of officers tasked with protecting London from spies, terrorists, and subversives.
Stars: Derren Nesbitt, George Sewell, Morris Perry, Fulton Mackay
Votes: 195
2. Mr. Rose (1967–1968)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Chief Inspector Rose, previously seen in 'The Odd Man' and 'It's Dark Outside', has retired from the police and intends to write his memoirs - but is constantly distracted by intriguing mysteries.
Stars: William Mervyn, Donald Webster, Gillian Lewis, Graham Armitage
Votes: 50
3. Doctor Who (1963–1989)
TV-PG | 25 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The adventures in time and space of the Doctor, a Time Lord who changes appearance and personality by regenerating when near death, and is joined by companions in battles against aliens and other megalomaniacs.
Stars: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker
Votes: 39,545
4. Gideon C.I.D. (1964–1966)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Follows Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard and his family life.
Stars: John Gregson, Alexander Davion, Daphne Anderson, Richard James
Votes: 313
5. Man of the World (1962–1963)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Michael Strait is a high-flying photo-journalist and a real Man of the World. His business takes him to every corner of the world and every corner of society and with his eye for trouble it proves to be an irresistible combination.
Stars: Craig Stevens, Tracy Reed, Paul Maxwell, Ricardo Montez
Votes: 57
6. The Sentimental Agent (1963)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Argentinian shipping agent Carlos Varela (Carlos Thompson) finds that the people using his services often need a lot more of his help than purely shipping goods.
Stars: Burt Kwouk, Clemence Bettany, Carlos Thompson, John Turner
Votes: 44
7. Public Eye (1965–1975)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Cynical, dour and world-weary, private eye Frank Marker is frequently the unwitting stooge in bigger criminal wheels in his attempts to make a tenuous living on the outskirts of London.
Stars: Alfred Burke, Ray Smith, Pauline Delaney, Brenda Cavendish
Votes: 427
8. Emergency-Ward 10 (1957–1967)
30 min | Drama
Set in Oxbridge General Hospital, this soap opera focused equally on the lives and loves of its medical staff and the pressure of their work.
Stars: Jill Browne, Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Frederick Bartman, Desmond Carrington
Votes: 70
9. ITV Television Playhouse (1955–1967)
60 min | Drama
Richard O. Sullivan as a child genius in the play "Honour Bright".
Stars: Campbell Singer, Thomas Heathcote, Richard Caldicot, June Brown
Votes: 66
10. Armchair Theatre (1956–1974)
60 min | Drama
This show was a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by Associated British Corporation, and from mid-1968 by Thames Television.
Stars: Harry H. Corbett, Paul Whitsun-Jones, Billie Whitelaw, Neil McCallum
Votes: 246
11. No Hiding Place (1959–1967)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Tales of Scotland Yard centering on a detective team. A sort of halfway house between "Dixon of Dock Green" and "'Z' Cars." The detectives are still 1950s-style with good elocution and ... See full summary »
Stars: Raymond Francis, Eric Lander, Johnny Briggs, Michael McStay
Votes: 97
12. Man in a Suitcase (1967–1968)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
McGill (known as "Mac") is a former U.S. intelligence agent based in London. After being thrown out of the agency for something he did not do, he finds his infamous reputation has preceded ... See full summary »
Stars: Richard Bradford, Ricardo Montez, Warren Stanhope, Frank Forsyth
Votes: 461
13. Softly Softly (1966–1969)
50 min | Crime, Drama
Thie West Country police force solving local crime. its a spin-off from another BBC drama series, Z Cars (1962).
Stars: Stratford Johns, Frank Windsor, Norman Bowler, John Barron
Votes: 123
14. Dixon of Dock Green (1955–1976)
Crime, Drama
Constable George Dixon and his colleagues at the Dock Green police station in the East End of London deal with petty crime, successfully controlling it through common sense and human understanding.
Stars: Jack Warner, Peter Byrne, Geoffrey Adams, Arthur Rigby
Votes: 313
15. The Protectors (1964)
60 min | Crime, Drama
Ex-insurance investigator Ian Souter sets up his own security agency - the SIS (Specialists in Security) - along with ex-cop Robert Shoesmith & secretary Heather Keys - and fight crime.
Stars: Andrew Faulds, Michael Atkinson, Ann Morrish, John McKelvey
Votes: 20
16. The Saint (1962–1969)
TV-PG | 50 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Simon "The Saint" Templar, a wealthy adventurer and 20th-century Robin Hood, travels the world in his white Volvo P1800S, solving unsolvable problems and righting wrongs.
Stars: Roger Moore, Ivor Dean, Leslie Crawford, Justine Lord
Votes: 6,222
17. The Persuaders! (1971–1972)
60 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Two worlds collide when Lord Brett Sinclair, a titled British man, and Danny Wilde, a Bronx-raised, self-made American, reluctantly join forces to right wrongs and protect the innocent.
Stars: Tony Curtis, Roger Moore, Laurence Naismith, Juliet Harmer
Votes: 5,902
18. William Tell (1958–1959)
30 min | Adventure, Family, History
Depicts the legend of William Tell, who, as the stories say, shot an apple off of his son's head and lead the rebellion to free Switzerland.
Stars: Conrad Phillips, Willoughby Goddard, Jennifer Jayne, Richard Rogers
Votes: 212
19. The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1956–1957)
30 min | Adventure, Family
In all of Arthurian legend, the most famous of the Knights of the Round Table is undoubtedly Sir Lancelot. This series, painstakingly researched by the History and Literature Departments of... See full summary »
Stars: William Russell, Cyril Smith, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Robert Scroggins
Votes: 190
20. Return of the Saint (1978–1979)
TV-PG | 60 min | Adventure, Crime
This series chronicles the swashbuckling exploits of Simon Templar, a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts.
Stars: Ian Ogilvy, Gayle Hunnicutt, Stratford Johns, Derren Nesbitt
Votes: 583
21. The Prisoner (1967–1968)
TV-PG | 1,010 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
After he resigns, a secret agent is abducted and taken to what looks like an idyllic village, but is actually a bizarre prison. He refuses to give his warders information while attempting to escape.
Stars: Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat, Peter Swanwick, Peter Brace
Votes: 15,054
22. Danger Man (1960–1961)
TV-PG | 24 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
John Drake is a special operative for NATO, specializing in security assignments against any subversive element which threatened world peace.
Stars: Patrick McGoohan, Richard Wattis, Lionel Murton, Michael Ripper
Votes: 1,386
23. Secret Agent (1964–1967)
TV-PG | 49 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
John Drake is a special operative for M9, specializing in security assignments against any subversive element that threatens world peace.
Stars: Patrick McGoohan, Peter Madden, Frank Maher, Peter Brayham
Votes: 1,540
24. Strange Report (1969–1971)
60 min | Drama, Mystery
Retired Scotland Yard commissioner Adam Strange investigates bizarre mysteries in "Swinging Sixties" London.
Stars: Anthony Quayle, Kaz Garas, Anneke Wills, Charles Lloyd Pack
Votes: 175
25. The Protectors (1972–1974)
TV-14 | 30 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Challenges abound for worldwide crime-fighting team The Protectors. Organised into a global secret society, their mission is to protect the innocent and apprehend the guilty. Starring Emmy winner Robert Vaughn "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.".
Stars: Robert Vaughn, Nyree Dawn Porter, Tony Anholt, Yasuko Nagazumi
Votes: 572
26. UFO (1970–1971)
TV-PG | 45 min | Action, Sci-Fi
The missions of the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization (SHADO), which defends Earth from extra-terrestrial threats.
Stars: Ed Bishop, Dolores Mantez, Michael Billington, Ayshea Brough
Votes: 4,139
27. The Invisible Man (1958–1960)
30 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
While working on an invisibility formula, British scientist Dr. Peter Brady (Tim Turner) suffers a tragic accident which turns him invisible. Unfortunately, there is no antidote, so while ... See full summary »
Stars: Tim Turner, Lisa Daniely, Deborah Watling, Ernest Clark
Votes: 445
28. Probation Officer (1959–1962)
60 min | Drama
An early hit for ATV, this absorbing, rigorously researched and very human drama series centres on the work of a team of probation officers based in London, and the lives of the men and ... See full summary »
Stars: John Paul, John Scott, Jessica Spencer, David Davies
Votes: 30
29. Skyport (1959–1960)
30 min | Drama
Stars: George Moon, Manning Wilson, Edward Judd, Pauline Stroud
Votes: 9
30. ITV Play of the Week (1955–1974)
90 min | Comedy, Drama
An anthology series from the U.K., from 1955 to 1974, producing about five hundred ninety-minute episodes from Granada Television.
Stars: Derek Francis, Alfred Burke, Arthur Hewlett, Esther Lawrence
Votes: 93
31. Taxi! (1963–1964)
45 min | Comedy, Drama
Sidney James stars as a cabbie who takes Ray Brooks under his wing and helps him become a taxi driver. They become pals and share working a London black cab.
Stars: Sidney James, Ray Brooks, Bill Owen, Diane Aubrey
Votes: 15
32. The Larkins (1958–1964)
30 min | Comedy
66 Sycamore Street is home to the Larkins. Alf refuses to believe that he's henpecked. Ada's determined to make sure that he is.
Stars: Peggy Mount, David Kossoff, Barbara Mitchell, Ronan O'Casey
Votes: 85
33. The Rat Catchers (1966–1967)
60 min | Drama, Thriller
A highly secret British Intelligence Unit is set up to deal with enemy menaces, staffed by three tough & capable operatives - the flamboyant Peregrine Smith, cold & logical Davidson, and ... See full summary »
Stars: Gerald Flood, Glyn Owen, Philip Stone, James Kerry
Votes: 18
34. Write a Play (1965–1967)
Drama
A series of plays submitted to Rediffusion by children under the age of fifteen, as entrants in a writing competition.
Stars: Jimmy Hanley, Clive Goodwin, Geraldine Newman, Peter Halliday
35. Theatre 70 (1960–1961)
70 min | Drama
Anthology of 70-minute UK dramatic productions.
Stars: Alister Williamson, Kenneth J. Warren, Harry H. Corbett, Margaret Christensen
36. Mogul (1965–1972)
50 min | Drama
Adventure drama series based around the fictitious Mogul Oil Company and the exploits of its chief "troubleshooter", Peter Thornton (Ray Barrett).
Stars: Geoffrey Keen, Philip Latham, Ray Barrett, Robert Hardy
Votes: 92
37. The Chinese Detective (1981–1982)
50 min | Crime, Drama
Detective Sergeant John Ho, a maverick British Chinese police officer, solves crimes in and around London's docklands while dealing with occasional prejudice and distrust within the police force.
Stars: David Yip, Derek Martin, Arthur Kelly, Larrington Walker
Votes: 130
38. Market in Honey Lane (1967–1969)
Drama
Soap drama set in an east end market place following the lives of the Cockney vendors.
Stars: Ivor Salter, John Bennett, Ray Lonnen, Brian Rawlinson
Votes: 14
39. Sword of Freedom (1957– )
25 min | Adventure, Family
In sixteenth century Florence, Marco del Monte, a dashing Robin Hood-like figure, leads the Republicans against the tyrannical Duke de Medici and his minions.
Stars: Edmund Purdom, Martin Benson, Adrienne Corri, Roland Bartrop
Votes: 39
40. Victim (1961)
Not Rated | 100 min | Drama
A closeted lawyer risks his career to bring a blackmailer to justice.
Director: Basil Dearden | Stars: Dirk Bogarde, Sylvia Syms, Dennis Price, Anthony Nicholls
Votes: 7,210
41. Innocent Bystanders (1972)
PG | 111 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
Experienced British spy must retrieve a defecting Soviet scientist from Turkey. When a pretty female innocent bystander gets kidnapped by mistake by his enemies, he feels responsible and decides to help her as well.
Director: Peter Collinson | Stars: Stanley Baker, Geraldine Chaplin, Donald Pleasence, Dana Andrews
Votes: 343 | Gross: $0.31M
42. Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
Approved | 80 min | Adventure, Drama, History
While King Richard is away at the Crusades, some Nottingham nobles and their Sheriff plot to confiscate estates of fallen Crusaders but Robin Hood and Maid Marian foil their plan.
Director: Terence Fisher | Stars: Richard Greene, Peter Cushing, Niall MacGinnis, Richard Pasco
Votes: 1,483
43. Underworld Informers (1963)
105 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Johnnoe is investigating a string of bank robberies but the robbers are determined to compromise Johnnoe and the investigation.
Director: Ken Annakin | Stars: Nigel Patrick, Margaret Whiting, Katherine Woodville, Colin Blakely
Votes: 447
44. Where Eagles Dare (1968)
M | 158 min | Action, Adventure, War
Allied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding American brigadier general George Carnaby prisoner, but that's not all that's really going on.
Director: Brian G. Hutton | Stars: Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood, Mary Ure, Patrick Wymark
Votes: 62,941
45. Get Charlie Tully (1972)
PG | 97 min | Comedy, Crime
Charlie Tully and womanizing Reggie Peek con two rich Italians out of £500,000, but during their flight out Charlie is arrested for conning an American and a dog. Reggie puts the money in a... See full summary »
Director: Cliff Owen | Stars: Dick Emery, Derren Nesbitt, Ronald Fraser, Pat Coombs
Votes: 493
46. Spy Story (1976)
103 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
A British spy is framed, so he must evade the KGB, the CIA and the British Intelligence to reach the the heart of the conspiracy in Arctic.
Director: Lindsay Shonteff | Stars: Michael Petrovitch, Philip Latham, Don Fellows, Michael Gwynn
Votes: 67
47. The Naked Runner (1967)
101 min | Drama, Thriller
During the Cold War, an American industrial-designer living in London is used by the MI-6 as an unwilling pawn in the spy game during a trip to a trade show in East Germany.
Director: Sidney J. Furie | Stars: Frank Sinatra, Peter Vaughan, Derren Nesbitt, Nadia Gray
Votes: 554
48. Room at the Top (1958)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama, Romance
An ambitious young accountant plots to wed a wealthy factory owner's daughter despite falling in love with a married older woman.
Director: Jack Clayton | Stars: Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret, Heather Sears, Donald Wolfit
Votes: 7,333
49. The Man in the Back Seat (1961)
57 min | Crime, Drama
Two young thugs rob a bookie leaving a dog-racing track with his winnings, but when they grab his case full of money they discover that he has chained it to his wrist. They dash around town... See full summary »
Director: Vernon Sewell | Stars: Derren Nesbitt, Keith Faulkner, Carol White, Harry Locke
Votes: 192
50. Strongroom (1962)
Not Rated | 80 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Bank robbery goes awry, manager and cashier locked in vault. Robbers return after failed rescue attempt, race against time to free hostages before police arrive.
Director: Vernon Sewell | Stars: Colin Gordon, John Chappell, Ann Lynn, Derren Nesbitt
Votes: 634
51. Life in Danger (1959)
Not Rated | 63 min | Crime, Drama
The inhabitants of a small village, led by a war veteran, try to catch a vagrant, who they suspect to be an escaped mental patient.
Director: Terry Bishop | Stars: Derren Nesbitt, Julie Hopkins, Howard Marion-Crawford, Victor Brooks
Votes: 204
52. Burke & Hare (1972)
R | 94 min | Comedy, Crime, Horror
Two men go into business supplying medical colleges with cadavers by robbing graves.
Director: Vernon Sewell | Stars: Paul Luty, Roy Macready, Derren Nesbitt, Susan Coates
Votes: 563
53. The Blue Max (1966)
Approved | 156 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A young pilot in the German air force of 1918, disliked as lower-class and unchivalrous, tries ambitiously to earn the medal offered for 20 kills.
Director: John Guillermin | Stars: George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Jeremy Kemp
Votes: 7,633
54. A Night to Remember (1958)
Not Rated | 123 min | Drama, History
On her maiden voyage in April 1912, the supposedly unsinkable RMS Titanic strikes an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.
Director: Roy Ward Baker | Stars: Kenneth More, Ronald Allen, Robert Ayres, Honor Blackman
Votes: 17,173
55. Kill or Cure (1962)
TV-PG | 88 min | Comedy, Mystery
An undercover private detective investigates a suspicious death at a shady health clinic.
Director: George Pollock | Stars: Terry-Thomas, Eric Sykes, Dennis Price, Lionel Jeffries
Votes: 378
56. Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies (1969)
G | 122 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
An international car rally across Europe is complicated by smuggling, cheating, love at first sight, etc. etc.
Directors: Ken Annakin, Sam Itzkovitch | Stars: Bourvil, Lando Buzzanca, Walter Chiari, Peter Cook
Votes: 2,545 | Gross: $1.00M
57. The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965)
126 min | Comedy, Romance
A bawdy story of how a poor damsel surrenders her virtue again and again to get to the top of society.
Director: Terence Young | Stars: Kim Novak, Richard Johnson, Claire Ufland, Angela Lansbury
Votes: 691
58. The High Commissioner (1968)
Approved | 101 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
An Australian outback police detective is sent on a special assignment to the UK, to return an Australian citizen accused of murder. Only this is not an ordinary man, he is a UN high commissioner for peace talks taking place in London.
Director: Ralph Thomas | Stars: Rod Taylor, Christopher Plummer, Lilli Palmer, Camilla Sparv
Votes: 824
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