The son of a solicitor, British character actor John Le Mesurier
attended public school in Dorset, England, before embarking on a career
in law. However, acting was his true calling, and at age 20, with his
parents' approval, he began his acting career by studying drama at the
Fay Compton School of Acting, where one of his classmates was
Alec Guinness.
After acting school he performed in repertory until World War II, when
he served as a captain in the Northwest Indian Frontier.
After the war, he returned to the stage and made his film debut in
Death in the Hand (1948). By the late 1950s Le Mesurier had made appearances in numerous films,
especially those made by the Boulting Brothers, and also on television,
particularly on
Hancock's Half Hour (1956). In 1968 he landed arguably his most popular
role, that of Sgt. Wilson in the long-running television series
Dad's Army (1968). Although preferring comedy, Le Mesurier also excelled in
drama, winning a BAFTA award for Best Actor of the Year in 1971 for his
performance in
Dennis Potter's "Traitor (1971) (TV)".
In 1977, during "Dad's
Army", he had become very ill, but he recovered and continued acting
until his death six years later.
The Passionate Pilgrim(1983)as Narrator
A Married Man(1983)as Eustace Lough
Facelift(1983)as Bruce
Hi-de-Hi!(1980)as Hugo Buxton
Bognor(1981)as Blight-Purley
Nationwide(1969)
Dad's Army(1968)
3-2-1(1978)as Judge, Self - Guest Star
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop(1976)as Self
This Is Your Life(1955)as Self, Self - Guest
The Royal Variety Performance(1975)as Sergeant Wilson
Dad's Army at the BBC(2025)as Sgt. Arthur Wilson
Saucy!: Secrets of the British Sex Comedy(2024)as Self
The Amazing Hattie Jacques: Larger than Life(2022)as Self
The Secret Lives of Dad's Army(2021)as Sgt. Arthur Wilson, Self
Dad's Army: The Missing Episodes(2023)as Sgt. Arthur Wilson, Sergeant Wilson
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2007)as Bilbo Baggins
