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Robert Coote

Robert Coote

Actor · Died November 26, 1982, aged 73 · London, England, UK

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Coote (4 February 1909 – 26 November 1982) was an English actor. He played aristocrats or British military types in many films, and created the role of Colonel Hugh Pickering in the long-running original Broadway production of My Fair Lady. Coote was born in London and educated at Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex. He began his stage career at the age of 16, performing in Britain, South Africa, and Australia before arriving in Hollywood in the late 1930s. He played a succession of pompous British types in supporting roles, including a brief but memorable turn as Sgt. Bertie Higginbotham in Gunga Din (1939). His acting career was interrupted by his service as a squadron leader in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. He played Bob Trubshawe in Powell and Pressburger's A Matter of Life and Death (1946), chosen for the first-ever Royal Film Performance on 1 November 1946, before he returned to Hollywood, where his films included The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Forever Amber (1947), The Three Musketeers (1948), and Orson Welles' Othello (1952). In 1956, Coote created the role of Colonel Pickering in the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady (1956–62), which he reprised in the musical's 1976–77 Broadway revival. He also originated the role of King Pellinore in the Broadway production of Camelot (1960–63). He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance as Timmy St. Clair in the NBC TV series The Rogues (1964–65). In 1966, Coote appeared with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney in an episode of The Honeymooners entitled "The Honeymooners in England", broadcast on CBS-TV from Miami. In his last feature film performance, Coote portrayed one of the critics dispatched by Vincent Price in Theatre of Blood (1973). His final role was on television, playing orchid nurse Theodore Horstmann in the 1981 NBC-TV series Nero Wolfe, starring William Conrad in the title role. In most film and TV adaptations of Nero Wolfe mysteries, before and since, Horstmann has been a very minor character, but Coote's Horstmann got considerable screen time in the series. The veteran British character actor died in his sleep at the New York Athletic Club in November 1982, at the age of 73. Coote was a close friend of actor David Niven, sharing a house with Niven for a time in the late 1930s and living in a flat over Niven's garage for several years after the Second World War.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 4, 1909
Died
November 26, 1982 (aged 73)
From
London, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 63 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 37% in 30 days

What are Robert Coote's films like?

Across their 25 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 77th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 80th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Morality
31%
Self
20%
Society
6%
Survival
5%
Power
4%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 25 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 12 · Heightened 7

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 11 · Charged 10 · Intense 4

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 15 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 8

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 13 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 5 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 5
Herald
1 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Joyful
7
Romantic
9
Warm
8
Thrilling
7
Other
22

How their films linger

Fun10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy12
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Robert Coote's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 9 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Coote's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

63 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Nero Wolfe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 14 episodes · as Theodore Horstmann

  • Filming Othello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • $weepstake$ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Butler

  • Institute for Revenge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Wellington

  • Theater of Blood(1973)

    as Oliver Larding

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Up the Front (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as General Burke

  • Charley's Aunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Col. Sir Francis Chesney

  • Prudence and the Pill(1968)

    as Henry Hardcastle

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Kenner(1968)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Cool Ones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Stanley Krum

  • The Whitehall Worrier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

  • The Swinger(1966)

    as Sir Hubert Charles

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Alice Through the Looking Glass(1966)

    as The Red King

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • A Man Could Get Killed(1966)

    as Hatton / Jones

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Col. Sir Francis Chesney · as Mr. Eager

  • The Rogues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 30 episodes · as Timmy St. Clair

  • The Golden Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • The V.I.P.s(1963)

    as John Coburn

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The League of Gentlemen(1960)

    as Bunny Warren

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    as Baines

  • Rawhide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show Actor

  • The Horse's Mouth(1958)

    as Sir William Beeder

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Terry

  • Merry Andrew(1958)

    as Dudley Larabee

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Swan(1956)

    as Capt. Wunderlich

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Constant Husband (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as The Best Man

  • The Prisoner of Zenda(1952)

    as Fritz von Tarlenheim

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Merry Widow(1952)

    as Marquis De Crillon

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Scaramouche(1952)

    as Gaston Binet

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Othello(1951)

    as Roderigo

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel(1951)

    as British Medical Officer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Soldiers Three(1951)

    as Maj. Mercer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Elusive Pimpernel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Sir Andrew ffoulkes

  • Lux Video Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · as Joe Worton · as Lawton · as Stephen

  • Robert Montgomery Presents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sir Archibald Bruern

  • The Red Danube(1949)

    as Brigadier C.M.V. Catlock

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Studio One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Gordon

  • The Three Musketeers(1948)

    as Aramis

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Berlin Express(1948)

    as James Sterling

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Exile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Dick Pinner

  • Forever Amber(1947)

    as Sir Thomas Dudley

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Lured(1947)

    as Detective Wilson

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Ghost and Mrs. Muir(1947)

    as Mr. Coombe

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • A Matter of Life and Death(1946)

    as Bob Trubshawe

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Cloak and Dagger(1946)

    as Cronin

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Forever and a Day(1943)

    as Blind Officer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Commandos Strike at Dawn(1942)

    as Robert Bowen

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • You Can't Fool Your Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Battincourt

  • Vigil in the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Dr. Caley

  • Nurse Edith Cavell(1939)

    as Bungey

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Bad Lands(1939)

    as Eaton

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The House of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Robert Morton

  • Gunga Din(1939)

    as Bertie Higginbotham

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Moto's Last Warning (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Rollo Venables

  • The Girl Downstairs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Karl

  • Blond Cheat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Gilbert Potts

  • A Yank at Oxford(1938)

    as Wavertree

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Sheik Steps Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Lord Eustace Byington

  • The Thirteenth Chair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Stanby

  • Rangle River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Reggie Mannister, Flight-Lieutenant

  • Loyalties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Robert

  • Sally in Our Alley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Waiter At Party

  • Best Of Enemies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 63 titles, 62 of them dated from 1931 to 1981; peak year 1973.

Biggest box office

The Merry Widow (1952)

$9.8M worldwide

Highest rated

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19311981

Peak 1973 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1939Screen debut· Mr. Moto's Last Warning
  • 1951Career best· Othello

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting63 of 63: 63 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

By decade

1930s13 · acting1940s14 · acting1950s15 · acting1960s14 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 18 roles
3949

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Robert Coote's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 25 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Reach · how many have seen their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 25

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th9
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 31 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

The Swinger (1966)

61st percentile spread · 32% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Robert Coote's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 19 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 17 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 27 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 25 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Robert Coote work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Coote's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; George Sidney shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers