Born Francois Cellier, he was the son of a conductor by the same name.
On stage from 1903, Frank was a classically-trained actor who acted in
both Shakespearean and modern plays. According to contemporary reviews,
he essayed a particularly noteworthy Macbeth in 1923. He was also fond
of playing Hamlet and Shylock. He toured extensively (Europe, South
Africa from 1915-19, America, West Indies etc.) and latterly turned to
directing at London's West End. In films, he was more often than not
seen as menacing or unsympathetic characters in melodramas or murder
mysteries, at his most effective in
The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935)
and
Non-Stop New York (1937).
The Blind Goddess(1948)as The Judge
Easy Money(1948)as Manager (segment The Teddy Ball Story)
The Magic Bow(1946)as Antonio Paganini
Quiet Weekend(1946)as Adrian Barrasford
Give Us the Moon(1944)as Pyke
Living Famously(2002)as The Sheriff (clip from The 39 Steps (1935))
