William Arthur Squire (29 April 1917 – 3 May 1989) was a Welsh actor of stage, film and television.
Career As a stage actor, Squire performed at Stratford-upon-Avon and at the Old Vic, and notably replaced his fellow-countryman Richard Burton as King Arthur in Camelot at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. One of his first film appearances was in the 1956 film Alexander the Great, which starred Burton in the title role.
Squire had many roles in television and movies over his career, including Thomas More in the 1969 film version of Maxwell Anderson's play Anne of the Thousand Days; Sir Daniel Brackley in the 1972 television adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Black Arrow; the voice of Gandalf in the 1978 animated version of The Lord of the Rings; and the Shadow in the 1979 Doctor Who serial The Armageddon Factor. According to the website Television Heaven, Squire's best-known role was the spy chief code-named Hunter in the British series Callan. Squire's Hunter was the fourth, and longest-lasting, in the main series, taking over the role from Derek Bond.
In a set of Encyclopædia Britannica-produced educational films about William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Squire played the role of Macbeth. This was in keeping with his long career as a Shakespearean actor, which included roles in the classic 1960s TV series, An Age of Kings. Squire also played Leontes in the Marlowe Society recording of The Winter's Tale.
On 15 June 1967, the St. John's College choir at University of Cambridge recorded A Meditation on Christ's Nativity. Squire read several poems, including The Annunciation by John Donne and A Dialogue by George Herbert, and 1 John 1:1-10 from the New English Bible for the album.
In the late 1960s Squire narrated a series of radio advertisements for Findus Foods under the pseudonym Frobisher Collingwood. The advertisements were played on Radio Caroline. According to Squire's son Nick, the idea to use a pseudonym was a joke between Squire and his friend Hugh Bredin, who wrote the advertisements, with the name itself being a combination of two telephone exchanges in London at the time.
Personal life Squire was born on 29 April 1917 in Neath,Glamorgan, to William Squire and his wife Martha (née Bridgeman).
He was first married to the actress Betty Dixon. He later married the actress Juliet Harmer in 1967.
There is a park bench on Hampstead Heath dedicated to him.
Squire died on 3 May 1989 in London, England, 4 days after his 72nd birthday.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1951 The Long Dark Hall Sgt. Cochran 1956 The Man Who Never Was Lt. Jewell Alexander the Great Aeschenes The Battle of the River Plate Ray Martin 1958 Dunkirk Captain Uncredited Innocent Sinners Father Lambert 1967 A Challenge for Robin Hood Sir John 1968 Where Eagles Dare Capt. Lee Thomas 1969 Anne of the Thousand Days Thomas More 1978 The Lord of the Rings Gandalf Voice The Thirty Nine Steps Harkness 1988 Testimony Khatchaturyan
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1954-1958BBC Sunday Night TheatreVarious5 episodes1956The Adventures of Robin HoodVefEpisode: "The Byzantine Treasure"1956-1959ITV Television PlayhouseVarious4 episodes1957-1963ITV Play of the Week1959The Invisible ManWaringEpisode: "The Big Plot"1960Boyd Q.C.Mr. CorbyEpisode: "Uncle George"1961The House Under the Water Griffith TregaronMiniseriesBBC Sunday-Night PlayDr. TerryEpisode: "Scene of the Accident"1967Softly, SoftlyDr. KelperEpisode: "Cash on Deliverance"Armchair TheatrePaolo BracchinaEpisode: "Quite an Ordinary Knife"1969The ChampionsDuncanEpisode: "Nutcracker"The Wednesday PlayReverend Elwyn WildernessEpisode: "Blowden, Home from Rachel's Marriage"ITV PlayhouseMaxEpisode: "Like Puppies in a Basket"Paul Temple Howard HortonEpisode: "Which One of Us Is Me?"1969-1970ITV Saturday Night TheatreNick Slater/Alec Kooning2 episodes1970Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)Sam SeymourEpisode: "A Sentimental Journey"1970-1972CallanHunterSeasons 3-41972Jason KingColonel SardnerEpisode: "The Stones of Venice"1973Spy TrapNigel StewartEpisode: "Sale of Work"1975The VenturersSir George FieldingMiniseries1976Play for TodayArnoldEpisode: "Buffet"1977The XYY ManLaidlaw4 episodes1978Off to Philadelphia in the MorningDaniel Parry3 episodesAll Creatures Great and SmallRoderick PerowneEpisode: "Attendant Problems"Les Misérables MagistrateTV film1979Blake's 7KommissarEpisode: "Horizon"Doctor WhoThe ShadowSerial: "The Armageddon Factor"1981When the Boat Comes InJohn Hartley2 episodesThe Life and Times of David Lloyd GeorgeDr. CliffordEpisode: "He is Wise and Merciful"1982The Hound of the BaskervillesMr. Frankland1 episodeMarco PoloInn-Keeper1984Look and ReadSam NorthSerial: "Badger Girl"1985Late StarterVice-ChancellorFirst episode1988Rumpole of the BaileySir Daniel DerwentEpisode: "Rumpole and the Quality of Life"
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