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Donald Wolfit

Donald Wolfit

Actor · Died February 17, 1968, aged 65 · New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, England, UK

Donald Wolfit (born Donald Woolfitt; 20 April 1902 – 17 February 1968) was an English actor-manager, best known for touring productions of Shakespeare and his performances as King Lear. Born in New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, he made his London stage debut in 1924 and later joined the companies at the Old Vic and the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. After playing Hamlet at Stratford, he formed his own touring company in 1937, taking Shakespeare and other plays to audiences across Britain and abroad. His company continued performing during the Second World War, including lunchtime productions in London. Among the actors who worked with him were Harold Pinter and Brian Rix. Wolfit also appeared in films, including Svengali (1954), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Becket (1964). He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1950 and knighted in 1957 for his services to the theatre.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 20, 1902
Died
February 17, 1968 (aged 65)
From
New Balderton, Nottinghamshire, England, UK
Works as
Actor
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 44 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 16% in 30 days

What are Donald Wolfit's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 28th 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
30%
Self
27%
Bonds
20%
Power
19%
Ideas
3%
Society
2%
Class3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 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 3 · Serious 2 · Dark 6

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 5 · Intense 3

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

Steady 5 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 2

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

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 4 of 8 analyzed roles.

Shadow
4 of 8
Threshold guardian
2 of 8
Trickster
1 of 8
Hero
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Melancholic
5
Dread
3
Romantic
2
Contemplative
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

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 Donald Wolfit's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Donald Wolfit'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

44 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page.

  • Decline and Fall... of a Birdwatcher(1968)

    as Dr. Augustus Fagan

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Charge of the Light Brigade(1968)

    as 'Macbeth'

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Sandwich Man(1966)

    as Car Salesman

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Life at the Top(1965)

    as Abe Brown

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as Pastor Manders

  • 90° in the Shade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Bažant (Auditor #1)

  • Becket(1964)

    as Bishop Folliot

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Crippen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    as R.D. Muir (as Sir Donald Wolfit)

  • Lawrence of Arabia(1962)

    as General Archibald Murray

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Ghost Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 52 episodes · Actor

  • The Mark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    as Clive

  • The Hands of Orlac(1960)

    as Professor Volchett

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • On Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Admiral Byng

  • The House of the Seven Hawks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Inspector Van Der Stoor

  • The Rough and the Smooth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Lord Drewell

  • The Angry Hills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    as Dr. Stergion

  • Room at the Top(1958)

    as Mr. Brown

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Blood of the Vampire(1958)

    as Doctor Callistratus

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • I Accuse! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Gen. Mercier

  • The Master Builder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    as Halvard Solness

  • The Accursed(1957)

    as Colonel Price

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Satellite in the Sky(1956)

    as Prof. Merrity

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · as James Saward

  • Guilty? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Judge

  • The Man in the Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Prof. Cattrell

  • A Man on the Beach (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Carter

  • A Prize of Gold(1955)

    as Alfie Stratton

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Folio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Lilli Palmer Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as Sergeant Buzfuz

  • Svengali (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    as Svengali

  • Uncle Willie's Bicycle Shop(1953)

    as Willie, the boy's uncle

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Ringer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Dr. Lomond

  • The Pickwick Papers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Sergeant Buzfuz

  • England's Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Hamlet

  • The Claydon Treasure Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    as Executive

  • Calling the Tune (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Dick Finlay

  • Late Extra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Inspector Greville

  • Checkmate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Jack Barton

  • The Silent Passenger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Henry Camberley

  • Drake of England (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Thomas Doughty

  • Hyde Park Corner (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as George Francis Howard

  • Death at Broadcasting House (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Sydney Parsons

  • Inasmuch... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as St. Francis

  • Down River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 85th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles from 1931 to 1968.

Biggest box office

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

$46M worldwide

Highest rated

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting44 of 44: 44 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score32nd

By decade

1930s11 · acting1950s20 · acting1960s13 · acting

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.

How do Donald Wolfit's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 32nd percentile, the median of all 13; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 13 titles are Broadly Agreed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

The Sandwich Man (1966)

59th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 11 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 51. 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 Donald Wolfit's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian of all films: 32

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

Who does Donald Wolfit work with?

People who share at least 2 of Donald Wolfit's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; John Braine shares the most, 2.

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers