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Basil Radford

Basil Radford

Actor · Died October 20, 1952, aged 55 · Chester, England, UK

Arthur Basil Radford (25 June 1897 – 20 October 1952) was an English character actor who featured in many British films of the 1930s and 1940s. He is probably best remembered for his appearances alongside Naunton Wayne as one half of Charters and Caldicott, two cricket-obsessed Englishmen who appeared in several films from 1938 to 1949, most famously in Alfred Hitchcock's The Lady Vanishes.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 25, 1897
Died
October 20, 1952 (aged 55)
From
Chester, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
16 on MovieCove · 50 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 27% in 30 days

What are Basil Radford's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 74th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th 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
28%
Bonds
27%
Society
17%
Self
14%
Survival
9%
Power
5%
Community3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

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 5 · 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 4 · Even-paced 6 · 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 6 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 4
Hero
1 of 4
Shadow
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Warm
3
Melancholic
3
Hopeful
4
Bittersweet
3
Other
5

How their films linger

Bittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy6
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1

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 Basil Radford's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 16 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Basil Radford'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

50 credits, 16 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Galloping Major (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Idea · as Major Arthur Hill

  • White Corridors(1951)

    as Retired Civil Servant

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Ha'penny Breeze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Shopkeeper (uncredited)

  • Chance of a Lifetime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Dickinson

  • Passport to Pimlico(1949)

    as Gregg

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Helter Skelter(1949)

    as Maj. Bright (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Whisky Galore!(1949)

    as Captain Paul Waggett

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Stop Press Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as The Mechanical Type

  • It's Not Cricket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Maj. Bright

  • Quartet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Henry Garnet (segment "The Facts of Life")

  • The Winslow Boy(1948)

    as Desmond Curry

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • A Girl in a Million (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Prendergast

  • The Captive Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Major Ossy Dalrymple

  • Dead of Night(1945)

    as George Parratt (Segment "The Golfing Story")

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Johnny in the Clouds(1945)

    as 'Tiny' Williams

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Twilight Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Lord Chetwood

  • Dear Octopus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Kenneth

  • Millions Like Us (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Charters

  • Unpublished Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Lamb

  • The Next of Kin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Careless Talker on Train

  • Flying Fortress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Captain Wilkinson

  • Room for Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Robert Spencer

  • The Flying Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Sederman

  • Crook's Tour(1940)

    as Hawtrey Charters

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Night Train to Munich(1940)

    as Charters

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Girl in the News(1940)

    as Doctor Threadgrove

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Just William (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mr. Sidway

  • The Girl Who Forgot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Mr. Barradine

  • Secret Journey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as John Richardson

  • The Secret Four(1939)

    as (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Jamaica Inn(1939)

    as Lord George

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • She Couldn't Say No (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Lord Pilton

  • Spies of the Air (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Bill Madison

  • Let's Be Famous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Watson

  • Trouble Brewing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Guest at Madame Berdi's

  • Climbing High (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Reggie Baird

  • The Lady Vanishes(1938)

    as Charters

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Convict 99 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Deputy Governor

  • Captain's Orders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Murdoch

  • Jump for Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Defending Counsel

  • Young and Innocent(1937)

    as Erica's Uncle Basil

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Dishonour Bright (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Henry Crane

  • Broken Blossoms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Mr. Reed

  • Foreign Affaires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Basil Mallory (uncredited)

  • A Southern Maid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Tom

  • Leave It to Smith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Sir John Moynton

  • There Goes the Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Rudolph (uncredited)

  • Seven Days Leave(1930)

    as Corporal

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Barnum Was Right (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    as Standish

  • Woman to Woman(1929)

    as Officer in Street

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 93rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 49 titles from 1929 to 1951.

Biggest box office

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

$128K worldwide

Highest rated

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

  • 1937Screen debut· Young and Innocent
  • 1949First top-billed film· Whisky Galore!
  • 1949Career best· Whisky Galore!

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting49 of 49: 48 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score74thWriting1 of 49: 0 only writing, 1 with another role

By decade

1920s1 · acting1930s20 · acting1940s24 · acting1950s4 · 4 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 10% of 10 roles

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.

How do Basil Radford's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 73rd percentile, the median of all 16; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

None of their 16 titles divides audiences: 9 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most loved · actor

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Midcredits 97th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 75/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 47. 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.

Who does Basil Radford work with?

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

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers