John Horsley (actor)

John Lovell Horsley (21 July 1920 – 12 January 2014) was an English actor.

He was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England. The son of a doctor, he made his acting debut at the Theatre Royal in Bournemouth. After appearing in repertory theatres he was called up for military service in the Royal Devon Yeomanry in which he served in Sicily and Italy during the Second World War. He then contracted hepatitis and become a member of an Army drama company that toured military units.

His early acting career saw him playing a succession of doctors and policemen in many films, the former on film in Hell Drivers (1957), the latter on television in Big Breadwinner Hog (1969). He was more prolific in television from the 1960s and played character roles in many series and programmes including The Lotus Eaters (1972–73) and The Duchess of Duke Street (1976-77), though is perhaps best known for his role as Doc Morrissey in the BBC sitcom The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976–79) in which his catchphrase was "Take two aspirins". He reprised the role in The Legacy of Reginald Perrin in 1996. Horsley also starred in the 1980s comedy series 'My Husband and I'.

Horsley was also cast in the role of Sir Ralph Shawcross in the BBC sitcom You Rang, M'Lord? (1990–93), as the Bishop of Tatchester in the BBC adaptation of John Masefield's The Box of Delights (1984), and appeared in Miss Marple (Nemesis) in 1987 as Professor Wanstead and Agatha Christie's Poirot (Hercule Poirot's Christmas) in 1995 as Edward Tressilian. He also appeared in Hi-de-Hi, in the first episode of the fourth season, titled "Co-respondents Course", as Clive. His final role was in the TV mini-series Rebecca in 1997.

Horsley was married to the actress June Marshall (1923-1988) from 1948 until her death, and had two daughters. He died on 12 January 2014 at Denville Hall, the retirement home for actors.

Selected filmography

 * Highly Dangerous (1950) - Customs Officer
 * Blackmailed (1951) - Maggie's Doctor
 * The Quiet Woman (1951) - Inspector Bromley
 * Appointment with Venus (1951) - Naval Officer Kent
 * Encore (1951) - Joe, Mate (segment "Winter Cruise")
 * The Frightened Man (1952) - Harry Armstrong
 * The Lost Hours (1952) - Brown
 * The Long Memory (1953) - Bletchley
 * Time Bomb (1953) - Constable Charles Baron
 * Deadly Nightshade (1953) - Inspector Clements
 * Sailor of the King (1953) - Cmdr. John Willis
 * Wheel of Fate (1953) - Detective Sergeant Simpson
 * Recoil (1953) - Inspector Trubridge
 * Personal Affair (1953) - Parson (uncredited)
 * Meet Mr. Malcolm (1954) - Tony Barlow
 * Impulse (1954) - Police Officer
 * The Maggie (1954) - Man in Office (uncredited)
 * The Runaway Bus (1954) - Inspector Henley
 * Double Exposure (1954) - Lamport
 * Night People (1954) - Lt. Col. Stanways
 * Forbidden Cargo (1954) - Customs Officer (uncredited)
 * Father Brown (1954) - Inspector Wilkins
 * Delayed Action (1954) - Worsley
 * Seagulls Over Sorrento (1954) - John Phillips - Doctor / Surgeon (uncredited)
 * Up to His Neck (1954) - Navigating Officer (uncredited)
 * Mad About Men (1954) - Sports Organiser (uncredited)
 * Destination Milan (1954)
 * The Brain Machine (1955) - Dr. Richards
 * Above Us the Waves (1955) - Lt. Anderson
 * Little Red Monkey (1955) - Det. Sgt. Gibson
 * Barbados Quest (1955) - Det. Insp. Taylor
 * They Can't Hang Me (1955) - Assistant Commissioner
 * A Time to Kill (1955) - Peter Hastings
 * Bond of Fear (1956) - Motor Cycle Policeman
 * Breakaway (1956) - Michael Matlock
 * The Weapon (1956) - Johnson
 * Circus Friends (1956) - Bert Marlow
 * Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) - Chief Staff Officer
 * Stranger in Town (1957) - Inspector Powell
 * Hell Drivers (1957) - Doctor Attending Gino
 * Man in the Shadow (1957) - Alan Peters
 * Barnacle Bill (1957) - First Surgeon
 * Dunkirk (1958) - Padre
 * Stormy Crossing (1958) - Detective Inspector Parry
 * Operation Amsterdam (1959) - Commander Bowerman
 * Ben-Hur (1959) - Spintho (uncredited)
 * A Touch of Larceny (1959) - 1st Editor (uncredited)
 * Wrong Number (1959) - Supt. Blake
 * Sink the Bismarck! (1960) - Captain (Sheffield)
 * Seven Keys (1961) - Police Sergeant. (Opening Scene)
 * The Secret Ways (1961) - Jon Brainbridge
 * The Sinister Man (1961) - Pathologist
 * Serena (1962) - Mr. Fisher
 * Jigsaw (1962) - Supt. Ramsey (uncredited)
 * Night of the Prowler (1962) - Det. Insp. Cameron
 * Return to Sender (1963) - Supt. Gilchrist
 * Panic (1963) - Inspector Malcolm
 * The Comedy Man (1964) - Co-pilot (uncredited)
 * Where the Bullets Fly (1966) - Air Marshal
 * The Limbo Line (1968) - Richards
 * Secrets (1983) - Dr. Jefferies
 * The Doctor and the Devils (1985) - Dr. Mackendrick
 * The Fourth Protocol (1987) - Sir Anthony Plumb
 * Stanley's Dragon (1994) - Mr. Little