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Patrick Allen (actor)
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==Life and career== Allen was born in [[Nyasaland]] (now [[Malawi]]), where his father was a tobacco farmer.<ref name ="Times"/> After his parents returned to Britain, he was evacuated to Canada during the [[Second World War Hangar No. 7|Second World War]], where he remained to finish his education at [[McGill University]] in [[Montreal]]. Before returning to Britain, he gained experience as a local radio broadcaster and appeared on television in plays and documentaries. Returning to the UK in 1953, Allen made his film debut in [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s ''[[Dial M for Murder]]'' (1954). He subsequently appeared in character roles in many films, including ''[[Captain Clegg (film)|Captain Clegg]]'', ''[[The Wild Geese]]'', ''[[The Sea Wolves]]'', ''[[Puppet on a Chain (film)|Puppet on a Chain]]'', and ''[[Who Dares Wins (film)|Who Dares Wins]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patrick Allen |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee292d7 |url-status=dead |website=2.bfi.org.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929042529/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee292d7 |archive-date=29 September 2017}}</ref> He was also the lead actor in the [[Associated-Rediffusion]] adventure series ''[[Crane (TV series)|Crane]]'' (1963β65) and in the [[BBC1]] series ''Brett'' (1971). Allen played Moriarty's deputy [[Colonel Sebastian Moran]] in ''[[Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV series)|The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes]]'' and ''[[Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV series)|The Return of Sherlock Holmes]]''. Allen made regular appearances in [[ITC Entertainment|ITC]] television series during the 1960s and early 1970s, including ''The Power Game'', ''[[The Baron (TV series)|The Baron]]'', ''[[The Champions]]'', ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'', ''[[Gideon's Way]]'' and latterly ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]'' (in the episode "[[Timelash (UFO)|Timelash]]" 1971), although he never had an ongoing role in any of these series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patrick Allen |url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=258 |website=Aveleyman |access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref> Alongside [[Roger Moore]], he made one episode of ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'' ("The Man Who Could Not Die"), broadcast in the UK in July 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-saint--the-man-who-could-not-die-vm241641|title=The Saint : The Man Who Could Not Die (1965) - Roger Moore | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related|website=AllMovie|access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref> Allen also worked with the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]] in a number of stage roles, along with many BBC productions, including appearing as [[Mr Gradgrind]] in a television production of Dickens' ''[[Hard Times (novel)|Hard Times]]'' in 1977.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} In 1967, Allen and his wife [[Sarah Lawson (actress)|Sarah Lawson]] appeared together playing a married couple in the [[science fiction]] film, ''[[Night of the Big Heat (1967 film)|Night of the Big Heat]]''.<ref name=independent/> He and Lawson also played husband and wife in the BBC radio series, ''Stand By For West'', based on the [[John Creasey]] novels about [[Scotland Yard]] Chief Inspector Roger West.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f00f70dbfa6947a08d13fcb49762e66e|title=BBC Programme Index|date=10 June 1969|website=Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref> Allen's distinctive, authoritative voice was familiar across the United Kingdom, even amongst those who did not recognise him as an actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/patrick-allen-vn15867562|title=Patrick Allen | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos|website=AllMovie.com|access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref> He dubbed [[Leon Greene]], who played Rex, in the 1968 [[Hammer Films|Hammer]] film ''[[The Devil Rides Out (film)|The Devil Rides Out]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Charles |title=The Devil on Screen: Feature Films Worldwide, 1913 through 2000 |year=2015 |page=77 |isbn=978-0786446995}}</ref> Allen narrated the British Government's ''[[Protect and Survive]]'' series of [[public information films]] in the 1970s; some of his lines in that production were re-recorded and [[Sampling (music)|sampled]] into the single "[[Two Tribes]]" by the band [[Frankie Goes to Hollywood]]. He also appeared in and voiced numerous commercials for house builder [[Barratt Homes]] and car manufacturers [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and [[British Leyland]] among many others. His voice-over work led him to start up his own business, running a successful recording studio for voice-over work.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} Allen provided the narration (the voice of Captain Star) for the 1989 children's series ''[[Tugs (TV series)|TUGS]]''. Allen remained uncredited for his work, which was revealed in an interview with the show's producer [[Robert D. Cardona]]. Allen's voice was heard at the beginning of videocassettes distributed in the UK by Video Network in the 1980s, welcoming viewers and reading an anti-copying warning.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gale |first=Dan|title=70's and 80's VHS Distribution Logos |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxNMR5t820s |url-status=live |publisher=YouTube |date=7 March 2011 |access-date=5 March 2021 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/LxNMR5t820s |archive-date=12 December 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He also narrated the first series of ''[[Blackadder]]'', and appeared in the last episode, "[[The Black Seal (Blackadder)|The Black Seal]]", as Edmund's nemesis, Phillip of Burgundy β known to his enemies as "The Hawk".{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} Allen's voice became synonymous with British alternative comedy in the 1990's after his recurring role as the Announcer for shows written by and starring [[Vic Reeves]] and [[Bob Mortimer]], including ''[[Vic Reeves Big Night Out]]'', ''[[The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer]]'' and ''[[Bang, Bang, It's Reeves and Mortimer]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author1=<!--not stated--> |title=Patrick Allen |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/patrick_allen/ |website=BRITISH COMEDY GUIDE |access-date=30 April 2024}}</ref> In 2005, Allen became the voice of the British television channel [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]], providing voiceovers for many of its [[Television ident|idents]] and promotions.{{Citation needed|date=November 2021}} Allen was also the voice of the ''[[Christian O'Connell]] Breakfast Show'' on [[XFM]], the late show on [[Galaxy South Coast|103.2 Power FM]], [[Hirsty's Daily Dose]] on [[Galaxy Yorkshire]] and briefly [[Absolute Radio|Virgin Radio]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}
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