The character actor Nigel Green, born in Pretoria, South Africa, in
1924, was educated in England and studied chemical engineering before
winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
By age 24, he was appearing on stage at both the Old Vic and
Stratford-on-Avon, and in the early 1950s, he made his film and
television debuts. In 1956, he received serious injuries in an
accident, but he fully recovered and established himself as a familiar
figure in British film and television. His forceful, dominant manner
inevitably led Green to military and authoritarian roles throughout his
career while his tall, muscular physique was appropriate for playing
such characters as Fertog "The Bear" in the television series William Tell (1958),
Little John in Das Schwert des Robin Hood (1960), and Hercules in Jason und die Argonauten (1963). Green had a number of
small film roles in the early 1960s until his appearance in the
critically acclaimed Zulu - Die Schlacht von Rorke's Drift (1964), after which his film roles improved.
Perhaps his best-known performance is that of Michael Caine 's superior in
the stylish spy film Ipcress - streng geheim (1965). In addition to a few British horror
films, such as Der Schädel des Marquis de Sade (1965), Ich, Dr. Fu Man Chu (1965), and Comtesse des Grauens (1971), Green also appeared in a
number of Hollywood films, including Die Kanonen von Tobruk (1967), Rollkommando (1968) and Der Brief an den Kreml (1970).
Green's later films brought him international recognition and a chance
at stardom; however, his career was brought to an abrupt end by his
sudden death in 1972 at age 47 from an overdose of sleeping
pills. It is unknown if his death was intentional, although Green's family believed it to be accidental. He was separated from his wife at the time of his death.
