Claud Allister

English character actor, typically cast as a "silly-sot" Englishman, with an extensive film career in both Britain and Hollywood, where he appeared in more than 70 films between 1929 and 1955.

Allister made his film debut in 1929 in the Norma Shearer vehicle The Trial of Mary Dugan and in the same year played Algy opposite Ronald Colman in Bulldog Drummond (Allister was to reprise this role opposite Ralph Richardson in 1934 in The Return of Bulldog Drummond and opposite John Lodge in 1937 in Bulldog Drummond at Bay)

A cascade of films followed his debut, including Jean Harlow’s Platinum Blonde (1931), Charles Laughton’s The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), The Private Life of Don Juan (starring Douglas Fairbanks, 1934), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), Pride and Prejudice (1940) and W.C Field’s Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941).

Allister made his last film appearance in 1954 in Technicolor in The Black Shield of Falworth, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

This is a rare vintage sepia photograph (9.5" x 7.5"), nicely signed in dark blue fountain pen ink across the image. Some light silvering down the right side of the image and the odd mark but in very good overall condition.