The Life and Times of Donald Pleasence Quiz

Answer: He quit school a year before he was due to graduate

Born in 1919, the youngest son of a railway stationmaster and his wife, Donald knew by the time he was five years old that he wanted to act. His parents always told him they would stand behind him no matter what, but when he quit school a year before he was due to graduate, they became very upset.

They knew Donald was desperately trying to gain entrance into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and quitting school was not the way to go, because he needed to be able to qualify for a scholarship which would pay for his entire stay at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Answer: No

Pleasence worked for about ten months as a railway station manager in Swinton, Yorkshire, before he was able to wiggle his way into an assistant manager position at a theatre playhouse in Jersey, on the Channel Islands.

Answer: Hareton Earnshaw

He found great success through this stage production and his captivating portrayal of Hareton Earnshaw...the critics and audiences loved him. Pleasence worked steadily on stage for the next several years. He was growing as an actor, but he longed to be the best.

In 1942, he was offered and accepted a part in Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," which was his first London stage performance and for which he received rave reviews ... he had succeeded in taking the acting world by storm.

Answer: Yes

Pleasence joined the British Royal Air Force in the latter part of 1944, and during his first flight pattern his plane was shot down and he was thrown into a Nazi prisoner of war camp. While the war was on the verge of ending in 1945, Pleasence was being physically and mentally torutured by his captors. He would pray every night that freedom would be his.

His prayers were finally answered in the early part of 1946, when he and his fellow prisoners were freed. Wanting to forget about the horrors that he saw and experienced, he quickly set his sights back toward acting.

Answer: "Caesar and Cleopatra" and "Antony and Cleopatra"

In "Caesar and Cleopatra," he portrayed Major Domo and in "Antony and Cleopatra," he portrayed Lemprius Euphronius. Each production had a total of sixty-six performances. While his parts were not considered major pieces, he nevertheless won over the audiences.

After these productions, he returned to London and appeared in "Hobson's Choice," for which he again won acclaim from critics. In 1952, he produced his first stage production, "Ebb Tide," which was based on Robert Louis Stevenson's short novel of the same name. "Ebb Tide" ran until 1953 at Edinburgh Festival and Royal Court Theatre in London.

Answer: The Caretaker

On April 27, 1960, "The Caretaker" opened and Pleasence was an instant hit. This single portrayal made him a sought after actor. "The Caretaker," is about two brothers (Robert Shaw and Alan Bates), who take in Davies (Donald Pleasence) as caretaker for their home. However, once employed by the brothers, Davies begins to come between them and turmoil results.

"The Caretaker," was an instant hit and Pleasence received critical acclaim for his breathtaking performance. His portrayal of Davies was seen in the United States when "The Caretaker" made its Broadway debut. Between London and New York, "The Caretaker" ran for a total of 165 performances. For his portrayal of Davies, Pleasence was awarded the British Critics Award for "Best Performance of the Year" in 1960, and he was nominated for a Tony Award.

In 1964, Pleasence starred with Alan Bates and Robert Shaw in Clive Donner's film version of "The Caretaker," entitled "The Guest." While the film version was not as popular as the stage version, moviegoers and critics began to take another look at Notts' favorite son....he was dubbed as "The Man with the Hypnotic Eye."

Answer: The Great Escape

In 1963, Pleasence appeared in "The Great Escape" opposite Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, Richard Attenborough, and James Coburn. Director, John Sturges' film, which is based on the true story of POWs who attempt to flee from the camp in which they are held, brought back many memories and nightmares for Pleasence. Because of his time spent as a prisoner of war, his portrayal of Flight Lt. Colin "The Forger" Blythe, was all the more realistic.

Answer: Dr. R.C. Tremayne

In "Tales That Witness Madness," Pleasence had second billing as Dr. R.C. Tremayne, a psychiatrist whose sole purpose is to operate and maintain a futuristic asylum that holds in its possession four special cases. It was during the 1970s that he became associated with horror/occult films such as "Death Line," "From Beyond the Grave," and "The Mutations."

Answer: London

In 1991, he had the rare opportunity to revive the character of Davies, in a reprisal of the stage production "The Caretaker," which starred Colin Firth. Once again, he proved that he could still captivate and thrill the audience.

Answer: France

Pleasence was in his home in St. Paul de Vence, France, when he slipped quietly away, due to complications from heart valve surgery. With over two hundred stage and film credits to his name, it is no wonder he was a legend in his own time. Thousands of fans and friends turned out to pay their final respects to "The Man with the Hypnotic Eye." But, we can never forget the great talent that he possessed. All we have to do is watch any one of his films and that eerie sensation comes back once again. No matter the decade, Pleasence will always be remembered as one of stage and Hollywood's greatest legends.