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Anthony Quayle

Anthony Quayle

Actor · Died October 20, 1989, aged 76 · Ainsdale, Southport, Lancashire, England, UK

Sir John Anthony Quayle (7 September 1913 – 20 October 1989) was a British actor who was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role as Thomas Wolsey in the film Anne of the Thousand Days (1969). He also played important roles in such major studio productions as The Guns of Navarone (1961), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), Operation Crossbow (1965), QB VII (1974) and The Eagle Has Landed (1976). Quayle was knighted in the 1985 New Year Honours. Description above from the Wikipedia article Anthony Quayle, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 7, 1913
Died
October 20, 1989 (aged 76)
From
Ainsdale, Southport, Lancashire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
39 on MovieCove · 89 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 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What are Anthony Quayle's films like?

Across their 30 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Adventure4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 87th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
Morality
31%
Bonds
23%
Survival
15%
Self
12%
Power
11%
Ideas
6%
Society
2%
Justice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeWar4 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 29 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 6 · Serious 7 · Dark 16

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 13 · Stylized 11 · Heightened 5

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 9 · Intense 17

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

A split, not a type: Steady 15 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 24 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 17 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 12

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

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

19 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 6 of 19 analyzed roles.

Shadow
6 of 19
Mentor
4 of 19
Threshold guardian
3 of 19
Hero
2 of 19
Herald
2 of 19
Ally
2 of 19
Show the 19 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
23
Melancholic
14
Dread
10
Thrilling
6
Contemplative
5
Other
22

How their films linger

Bittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet17
  • Tragic6
  • Cyclical1

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 Anthony Quayle's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 39 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Anthony Quayle'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

89 credits, 39 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Thief and the Cobbler(1993)

    as King Nod (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • King of the Wind(1989)

    as Lord Granville

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Confessional (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Pope

  • The Endless Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Glanville

  • The Endless Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Glanville

  • Magdalene (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Father Noessler

  • Buster(1988)

    as Sir James McDowell

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Reaching for the Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 12 episodes · as Narrator - Himself

  • The Legend of the Holy Drinker(1988)

    as Distinguished Gentleman

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Bourne Identity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as François Villiers

  • Theban Plays: Oedipus at Colonus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Oedipus

  • The Key to Rebecca(1985)

    as Abdullah

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Eastern Front (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Narrator

  • The Last Days of Pompeii (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Quintus

  • Lace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Geneste

  • The Heart of the Dragon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 12 episodes · as Narrator

  • Natural World(1983)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Manions of America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 3 episodes · as Lord Montgomery

  • Dial 'M' for Murder(1981)

    as Insp. Hubbard

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Masada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 4 episodes · as Rubrius Gallus

  • Cause for Celebration (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Narrator

  • Henry IV Part II(1979)

    as Sir John Falstaff

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Henry IV Part I(1979)

    as Sir John Falstaff

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Kyros Kassoulas

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Murder by Decree(1979)

    as Sir Charles Warren

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Ice Age (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as The Old Man

  • The Secret Life of Edward James (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Readings

  • The Chosen(1977)

    as Professor Griffith

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • BBC2 Play of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as The Old Man

  • 21 Hours at Munich(1976)

    as Zvi Zamir

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Eagle Has Landed(1976)

    as Admiral Canaris

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Story of David(1976)

    as King Saul

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Story of David (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 2 episodes · as King Saul

  • Moses the Lawgiver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    as Aaron

  • Moses the Lawgiver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 6 episodes · Actor

  • Moses the Lawgiver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 7 episodes · as Aaron

  • The Lives of Benjamin Franklin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Dartmouth

  • The Tamarind Seed(1974)

    as Jack Loder

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • QB VII (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tom Banniester

  • Great Expectations (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Jaggers

  • The Evil Touch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Show 26 episodes · Actor

  • The Nelson Affair(1973)

    as Lord Minto

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Jarrett (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Cosmo Bastrop

  • Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask(1972)

    as The King

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Six Wives of Henry VIII(1970)

    Show 6 episodes · as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Anne of the Thousand Days(1969)

    as Wolsey

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Destiny of a Spy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Col. Malendin

  • Strange Report (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 16 episodes · as Adam Strange

  • Mackenna's Gold(1969)

    as Older Englishman

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Before Winter Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    as Brigadier Bewley

  • The Judgement of Albion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Voice

  • A Case of Libel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Colonel Douglas

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Daniel Bloch

  • Misunderstood(1966)

    as Sir John Edward Duncombe

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • See You at the Pillar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Actor

  • Barefoot in Athens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    as King Pausanias of Sparta

  • The Poppy Is Also a Flower(1966)

    as Captain Vanderbilt

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • A Study in Terror(1965)

    as Doctor Murray

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Operation Crossbow(1965)

    as Bamford

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • East of Sudan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    as Private Baker

  • The Fall of the Roman Empire(1964)

    as Verulus

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Espionage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Philip

  • Lawrence of Arabia(1962)

    as Colonel Harry Brighton

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Saint (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Lord Thornton Yearley

  • Man of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Moretti

  • Damn the Defiant!(1962)

    as Vizard

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Rose Affair (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Betumain

  • The Guns of Navarone(1961)

    as Maj. Roy Franklin

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Drama 61-67 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · as Samurai

  • Sunday-Night Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as The General

  • It Takes a Thief(1960)

    as Jim

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Scent of Fear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Colonel Kralik

  • Tarzan's Greatest Adventure(1959)

    as Slade

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Serious Charge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Reverend Howard Phillips

  • Ice Cold in Alex(1958)

    as Captain van der Poel

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Wouldn't Talk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Dr. Frank Smith

  • No Time for Tears (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Dr. Graham Seagrave

  • Suspicion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · as Graham

  • Woman in a Dressing Gown(1957)

    as Jim Preston

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Wrong Man(1956)

    as Frank D. O'Connor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Pursuit of the Graf Spee(1956)

    as Commodore Harwood - H.M.S. Ajax

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Armchair Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 1 episode · as Betumain · as Colonel Kralik · as Harry Albert

  • The Barretts of Wimpole Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Robert Browning

  • Oh... Rosalinda!!(1955)

    as Gen. Orlovsky

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Producers' Showcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Pasusanias

  • Hamlet(1948)

    as Marcellus

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Saraband(1948)

    as Durer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Pygmalion(1938)

    as Eliza's Hairdresser (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 89 titles from 1938 to 1993; peak year 1961.

Biggest box office

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

$46M worldwide

Highest rated

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

19381993

Peak 1961 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. 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.

  • 1938Screen debut· Pygmalion
  • 1967First top-billed film· Misunderstood
  • 1967Career best· Misunderstood

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting89 of 89: 89 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score70th

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s2 · acting1950s15 · acting1960s26 · acting1970s24 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s2 · acting

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 4% of 23 roles
386373

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 Anthony Quayle's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 69th percentile, the median of all 36; across their 29 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Reach · how many have seen their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Midcredits score across 39 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up17
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th5

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 39 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

The Story of David (1976)

76th percentile spread · 25% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 29 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 46. 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 Anthony Quayle's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles17–62 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles10–44 · median 16 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 22 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 48 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Anthony Quayle work with?

People who share at least 2 of Anthony Quayle's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; J. Lee Thompson shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers