David Healy

Person

David Healy

Acting May 15, 1929

Manhattan, New York, USA

A rotund, jovial New Yorker, David Healy obligingly played every manner of stereotypical American in British films and on television for more than thirty years. The son of an Aust…

IMDb

Known for

Popular titles

Labyrinth

Labyrinth

7.3 1986 Movie
You Only Live Twice

You Only Live Twice

6.6 1967 Movie
Diamonds Are Forever

Diamonds Are Forever

6.4 1971 Movie
Patton

Patton

7.4 1969 Movie
Dallas

Dallas

6.9 1978 TV Show
Supergirl

Supergirl

5.4 1984 Movie
Charlie's Angels

Charlie's Angels

6.7 1976 TV Show
The Saint

The Saint

7.4 1962 TV Show
BBC Play of the Month

BBC Play of the Month

5.2 1965 TV Show
American Playhouse

American Playhouse

6.6 1982 TV Show
Tales of the Unexpected

Tales of the Unexpected

6.7 1979 TV Show
Phase IV

Phase IV

6.3 1974 Movie

Biography

A closer look

Read full biography

A rotund, jovial New Yorker, David Healy obligingly played every manner of stereotypical American in British films and on television for more than thirty years. The son of an Australian father and an American mother, he spent much of his youth in Texas. Studying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, he majored in drama and befriended another young acting hopeful, named Larry Hagman. David first arrived in England as a member of the U.S. Air Force and soon wound up, along with Hagman, in the cast of a touring show written by John Briley. This later grew into The Airbase (1965), a 25-minute BBC sitcom (with David as Staff Sergeant Tillman Miller), which took a humorous look at British-American cultural differences at an RAF base. Considering his job prospects to be rather more lucrative in Britain -- in keeping with the 'bigger fish, smaller pond' theory - David soon found himself in almost continuous demand for any part which required an affable or imperious American. His long gallery of characters included diplomats, businessmen, bureaucrats, spooks, military brass, and so on. There were rare occasions, when he acted against type and played 'Britishers' -- a notable point in case being a likeable Dr. Watson, opposite charismatic Ian Richardson as Sherlock Holmes, in The Sign of Four (1983). His comedic side was showcased in guest appearances with Dick Emery and Kenny Everett and a with couple of turns in Jeeves and Wooster (1990). Though married and settled in Surrey, David took job offers on both sides of the Atlantic. He was glimpsed as a cleric in Patton (1970) and in Robert Aldrich's doomsday thriller Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977); well-cast as Teddy Roosevelt in Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977); and he had recurring roles in TV's favourite soapie of the day, Dallas (1978). British TV audiences saw him guesting in just about every major crime series, from The Saint (1962) and Department S (1969), to The Persuaders! (1971). Simultaneously, from 1967, David pursued a successful career as a stage actor in classical plays with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. In 1975, he re-visited his roots, playing Falstaff at a Shakespeare festival in Dallas. Ever versatile, David found another calling in musicals, appearing in "Kismet", "Call Me Madam" and "The Music Man". He received much praise for his interpretation of Runyonesque gambler Nicely-Nicely Johnson (played definitively on screen by Stubby Kaye) in "Guys and Dolls", performing show-stopping encores of "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat". - IMDb Mini Biography By: I.S.Mowis

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2000
    It Had to Be You

    Movie David Allen

  2. 1994
    Space Precinct

    TV show Armand Loyster (voice)

  3. 1993
    Frank Stubbs Promotes

    TV show Jacob

  4. 1992
    The Puerto Rican Mambo (Not a Musical)

    Movie White Man in Bank/'Biff' in TV Commercial/White Man in Puerto Rico

  5. 1990
    Jeeves and Wooster

    TV show Waterbury

  6. 1990
    Perfect Scoundrels

    TV show John Bedlow

  7. 1989
    Bomber Harris

    Movie Lt. Gen. Ira Eaker USAAF

  8. 1987
    Three Wishes for Jamie

    Movie Father Kerry

  9. 1987
    Turnaround

    Movie

  10. 1986
    The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story

    Movie Dr. George Hyatt

  11. 1986
    Worlds Beyond

    TV show Herman Webster

  12. 1986
    Labyrinth

    Movie Right Door Knocker (voice)

  13. 1986
    Double Image

    Movie Newscaster

  14. 1986
    Space Police

    Movie

  15. 1985
    Lace 2

    Movie Mayor (as David Healey)

  16. 1984
    In Possession

    Movie Jack Mervyn

More credits
  1. 1984
    Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense

    TV show Jack Mervyn

  2. 1984
    Supergirl

    Movie Mr Danvers

  3. 1983
    The Sign of Four

    Movie Dr. John Watson

  4. 1982
    Filthy Rich

    TV show

  5. 1982
    American Playhouse

    TV show Samuel Greenspoon

  6. 1981
    Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars

    Movie Lunar Controller / Frazer (voice)

  7. 1981
    The Amazing Adventures Of Joe 90

    Movie Shane Weston / Russian Commander / Base 513 Controller / Kramer / Bates / Commander Kovac (voice)

  8. 1980
    Hammer House of Horror

    TV show Peter

  9. 1980
    Sanford

    TV show Juror

  10. 1980
    The Ninth Configuration

    Movie 1st General

  11. 1980
    Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons

    Movie (voice) (credit only)

  12. 1979
    Tales of the Unexpected

    TV show Jack Harrison

  13. 1978
    Vega$

    TV show

  14. 1978
    Return of the Saint

    TV show Hansen

  15. 1978
    Dallas

    TV show Senator Harbin

  16. 1978
    Winterspelt 1944

    Movie Pfc Foster

  17. 1978
    Blake's 7

    TV show

  18. 1977
    Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years

    Movie Theodore Roosevelt

  19. 1977
    Scott Joplin

    Movie Sam Bundler

  20. 1977
    Twilight's Last Gleaming

    Movie Maj. Winters

  21. 1976
    Dickens of London

    TV show Comm. Wentworth

  22. 1976
    Charlie's Angels

    TV show Cavendish

  23. 1976
    Second Verdict

    TV show Hosea Knowlton

  24. 1976
    Panache

    Movie Donat