Esmond Knight - Actor Profile

Esmond Knight

Acting
Updated: May 10, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: May 4, 1906
Birth Place: East Sheen, Surrey, England

About Esmond Knight

Esmond Penington Knight (4 May 1906 – 23 February 1987) was an English actor. He was an accomplished actor with a career spanning over half a century. For much of his career Esmond Knight was virtually blind. He had been badly injured in 1941 whilst on active service on board HMS Prince of Wales when she fought the Bismarck at the Battle of the Denmark Strait, and remained totally blind for two years, though he later regained some sight in his right eye. During this period, Esmond dictated an early autobiography to his secretary, Annabella Cloudsley, Seeking The Bubble (Hutchinson & Co. 1943). He played the captain of the HMS Prince of Wales in the 1960 movie Sink the Bismarck! He starred as Professor Ernest Reinhart in the 1961 British science fiction television series, A for Andromeda, alongside Patricia Kneale and Peter Halliday. His daughter is the actress Rosalind Knight. Knight died of a heart attack. He was cremated. Description above from the Wikipedia article Esmond Knight, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Esmond Knight Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Esmond Knight reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Esmond Knight's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 76% of Esmond Knight's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Father and Son, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Esmond Knight Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Esmond Knight's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Esmond Knight has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
1984 The Element of Crime Osborne Average Similar →
1984 A Voyage Round My Father Judge Hit Similar →
1983 King Lear Old Man Hit Similar →
1981 Troilus & Cressida Priam Super Hit Similar →
1981 Antony & Cleopatra Lepidus Hit Similar →
1978 Romeo and Juliet Old Capulet Super Hit Similar →
1977 The Man in the Iron Mask Armand Average Similar →
1976 Robin and Marian Old Defender Average Similar →
1969 Anne of the Thousand Days Kingston Hit Similar →
1969 Where's Jack? Ballad Singer Super Hit Similar →
1968 The Winter's Tale Camillo Hit Similar →
1965 The Spy Who Came In from the Cold Old Judge Hit Similar →
1963 Decision at Midnight Peter Hauser Super Hit Similar →
1960 Peeping Tom Arthur Baden Hit Similar →
1960 Sink the Bismarck! Captain Leach - 'Prince of Wales' Hit Similar →
1957 The Prince and the Showgirl Hoffman Average Similar →
1956 Helen of Troy High Priest Average Similar →
1953 The Steel Key Prof. Newman Hit Similar →
1952 Girdle of Gold Evans the Milk Super Hit Similar →
1951 The River The Father Hit Similar →
1950 Gone to Earth Abel Woodus Average Similar →
1948 Hamlet Bernardo Hit Similar →
1948 The Red Shoes Livy Super Hit Similar →
1947 The End of the River Dantos Average Similar →
1947 Uncle Silas Dr. Bryerly Average Similar →
1947 Holiday Camp Camp Announcer Hit Similar →
1947 Black Narcissus The Old General Super Hit Similar →
1944 Henry V Fluellen - Captain in the English Army Hit Similar →
1944 A Canterbury Tale Narrator / Seven-Sisters Soldier / Village Idiot Hit Similar →
1944 The Halfway House David Davies Hit Similar →
1943 The Silver Fleet Von Schiffer Average Similar →
1941 This England Vicar's Son Hit Similar →
1940 Contraband Mr. Pidgeon Hit Similar →
1939 The Arsenal Stadium Mystery Raille Hit Similar →
1938 Weddings Are Wonderful Guy Rogers Super Hit Similar →
1938 What Men Live By Michael Super Hit Similar →
1937 The Vicar of Bray Dennis Melross Average Similar →
1936 Black Roses Pavo Collin Hit Similar →
1936 Pagliacci Cadet Silvio Super Hit Similar →
1935 Someday Curly Blake Super Hit Similar →
1935 Crime Unlimited Pete Borden Average Similar →
1935 Dandy Dick Tony Mardon Hit Similar →
1935 Father and Son Michael Bolton Super Hit Similar →
1934 The Blue Squadron Captain Carlo Banti Hit Similar →
1934 Girls Will Be Boys Geoffrey Dawson Average Similar →
1933 The Bermondsey Kid Eddie Martin Super Hit Similar →
1931 Deadlock John Tring Hit Similar →
1931 The Ringer John Lenley Super Hit Similar →
1931 Romany Love Davy Summers Hit Similar →
1928 The Blue Peter Radio operator Super Hit Similar →

Esmond Knight - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best movie of Esmond Knight?

According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Esmond Knight is "Father and Son" with a rating of 10.0/10.

How many movies has Esmond Knight acted in?

Esmond Knight has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.

What are some other popular movies by Esmond Knight?

Other notable films include "The Ringer", "Weddings Are Wonderful", and "Pagliacci".

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