Donald Pleasence

Acting

Donald Pleasence

Born October 5, 1919Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England, UK236 credits

Donald Henry Pleasence OBE (October 5, 1919 – February 2, 1995) was an English actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades. Often typecast as villainous and/or psychopathic characters, Pleasence is arguably best-known for his work in two of cinema's most successful franchises - James Bond and Halloween.

Known For

The Dr. Loomis Tapes

The Dr. Loomis Tapes

Movie

2026

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies

Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies

Movie

2025

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
7.8

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

Movie

2025

Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies

Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies

Movie

2022

Driving Lessons
6.0

Driving Lessons

Movie

2012

Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
8.0

Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest

Movie

2003

Filmography

The Dr. Loomis Tapes
2026The Dr. Loomis Tapesas Dr. LoomisMovie
Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Movies
2025Legacy of Screams: The Evolution of Horror Moviesas Self - (archive footage)Movie
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Musicas Self (archive footage)Movie
Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Movies
2022Way of Tomorrow: The Evolution of Science Fiction Moviesas Self - (archive footage)Movie
Driving Lessons
2012Driving Lessonsas Dr. Sam Loomis (archive footage)Movie
Halloween: A Cut Above the Rest
2003Halloween: A Cut Above the Restas Self / Dr. Samuel 'Sam' Loomis (archive footage)Movie
Fatal Frames
1996Fatal Framesas Professor RobinsonMovie
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
1995Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myersas Dr. Sam LoomisMovie
Signs and Wonders
1995Signs and Wondersas Cornelius Van DammTV
S
1995Safe Havenas The SailorMovie
The World of Hammer
1994The World of Hammeras Self (archive footage)TV
Guinevere
1994Guinevereas MerlinMovie
Freeze: But is it Art?
1994Freeze: But is it Art?as Sinister DentistMovie
The Big Freeze
1993The Big Freezeas Soup slurperMovie
The Hour of the Pig
1993The Hour of the Pigas PincheonMovie
The Thief and the Cobbler
1993The Thief and the Cobbleras Phido the Vulture (voice)Movie
Femme Fatale
1993Femme Fataleas Victor HartyMovie
Diên Biên Phu
1992Diên Biên Phuas Howard SimpsonMovie
Shadows and Fog
1991Shadows and Fogas DoctorMovie
Millions
1991Millionsas RipaMovie
Women in Arms
1991Women in Armsas DreyfussMovie
The Vulture Is a Patient Bird
1991The Vulture Is a Patient Birdas Armon ShalikMovie
Life of General De Gaulle
1990Life of General De Gaulleas Winston ChurchillMovie
Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mystery
1989Miss Marple: A Caribbean Mysteryas Jason RafielMovie
Casablanca Express
1989Casablanca Expressas Colonel BatsMovie
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
1989Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myersas Dr. Sam LoomisMovie
River of Death
1989River of Deathas Heinrich SpaatzMovie
Ten Little Indians
1989Ten Little Indiansas Mr. Justice Lawrence WargraveMovie
Buried Alive
1989Buried Aliveas Dr. SchaefferMovie
Paganini Horror
1989Paganini Horroras Mr. PickettMovie
The House of Usher
1989The House of Usheras Walter UsherMovie
American Rickshaw
1989American Rickshawas Rev. MortomMovie
The Great Escape II: The Untold Story
1988The Great Escape II: The Untold Storyas Dr. AbsalonTV
The Great Escape II: The Untold Story
1988The Great Escape II: The Untold Storyas Dr. AbsalonMovie
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
1988Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myersas Dr. LoomisMovie
Nosferatu in Venice
1988Nosferatu in Veniceas Don AlviseMovie
Last Platoon
1988Last Platoonas Colonel B. AbrahamsMovie
Metropolitan Animals
1988Metropolitan Animalsas Prof. LivingstoneMovie
The Commander
1988The Commanderas Henry CarlsonMovie
Hanna's War
1988Hanna's Waras Captain Thomas RoszaMovie
Phantom of Death
1988Phantom of Deathas Inspector DattiMovie
Prince of Darkness
1987Prince of Darknessas PriestMovie
Django Strikes Again
1987Django Strikes Againas Ben GunnMovie
Ground Zero
1987Ground Zeroas Prosper GaffneyMovie
Double Target
1987Double Targetas Sen. BlasterMovie
Basements
1987Basementsas Mr. Kidd (segment "The Room")Movie
Scoop
1987Scoopas Lord CopperMovie
Specters
1987Spectersas Professor LaskyMovie
Warrior Queen
1987Warrior Queenas Clodius FlaucusMovie
Gila and Rik
1987Gila and Rikas Joe GardeniaMovie
N
1986Naso di caneas Olindo CuomoTV
Cobra Mission
1986Cobra Missionas Father LenoirMovie
To Kill a Stranger
1986To Kill a Strangeras Col. KostikMovie
Deadheat
1986Deadheatas Aldo RossiMovie
Into the Darkness
1986Into the Darknessas David BeckettMovie
Nothing Underneath
1985Nothing Underneathas Commissioner DanesiMovie
Black Arrow
1985Black Arrowas Sir Oliver OatesMovie
Reel Horror
1985Reel Horroras Axel MacGregor (archive footage)Movie
Treasure of the Amazon
1985Treasure of the Amazonas Klaus von BlantzMovie
The Ray Bradbury Theater
1985The Ray Bradbury Theateras George HillTV
The Corsican Brothers
1985The Corsican Brothersas The ChancellorMovie
Phenomena
1985Phenomenaas Professor John McGregorMovie
The Ambassador
1985The Ambassadoras Minister EretzMovie
Screen Two
1985Screen Twoas Victor HartyTV
Arch of Triumph
1984Arch of Triumphas Ivon HaakeMovie
Terror in the Aisles
1984Terror in the Aislesas Self - HostMovie
A Breed Apart
1984A Breed Apartas J.P. WhittierMovie
Master of the Game
1984Master of the Gameas Salomon Van der MerweTV
Where Is Parsifal?
1984Where Is Parsifal?as MackintoshMovie
Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillie
1984Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillieas Victor Frankenstein / Baron FrankensteinMovie
The Devonsville Terror
1983The Devonsville Terroras Dr. WarleyMovie
The Falklands Factor
1983The Falklands Factoras Dr. Samuel JohnsonMovie
Warrior of the Lost World
1983Warrior of the Lost Worldas ProssorMovie
Witness for the Prosecution
1982Witness for the Prosecutionas Mr. MyersMovie
Alone in the Dark
1982Alone in the Darkas Leo BainMovie
The Barchester Chronicles
1982The Barchester Chroniclesas Septimus HardingTV
Computercide
1982Computercideas George DettlerMovie
Wogan
1982Woganas SelfTV
Race for the Yankee Zephyr
1981Race for the Yankee Zephyras Gilbert CarsonMovie
Halloween II
1981Halloween IIas Dr. Sam LoomisMovie
Escape from New York
1981Escape from New Yorkas President of the United StatesMovie
The Monster Club
1981The Monster Clubas Pickering, Chief of the B-SquadMovie
Blade on the Feather
1980Blade on the Featheras John CavendishMovie
Pumaman
1980Pumamanas KobrasMovie
The French Atlantic Affair
1979The French Atlantic Affairas Max DechambreTV
All Quiet on the Western Front
1979All Quiet on the Western Frontas KantorekMovie
Better Late Than Never
1979Better Late Than Neveras Colonel RiddleMovie
Jaguar Lives!
1979Jaguar Lives!as General VillanovaMovie
Dracula
1979Draculaas Dr. Jack SewardMovie
Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff
1979Good Luck, Miss Wyckoffas Dr. SteinerMovie
L'Homme en colère
1979L'Homme en colèreas Albert RumpelmayerMovie
Gold of the Amazon Women
1979Gold of the Amazon Womenas Clarence BlaskoMovie
Mrs. Columbo
1979Mrs. ColumboTV
Dick Turpin
1979Dick Turpinas Ignatius SlakeTV
Power Play
1978Power Playas BlairMovie
Halloween
1978Halloweenas LoomisMovie
Centennial
1978Centennialas Sam PurchasTV
Last In, First Out
1978Last In, First Outas RothkoMovie
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1978Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bandas B.D. BrockhurstMovie
Night Creature
1978Night Creatureas Axel MacGregorMovie
The Bastard
1978The Bastardas Solomon SholtoTV
Tomorrow Never Comes
1978Tomorrow Never Comesas Dr. ToddMovie
Blood Relatives
1978Blood Relativesas James DoniacMovie
The Defection of Simas Kudirka
1978The Defection of Simas Kudirkaas Capt. Vladimir PopovMovie
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home
1978The Dark Secret of Harvest Homeas Narrator (voice)TV
Telefon
1977Telefonas Nicolai DalchimskyMovie
Oh, God!
1977Oh, God!as Doctor HarmonMovie
The Uncanny
1977The Uncannyas Valentine De'ath (segment "Hollywood 1936")Movie
Jesus of Nazareth
1977Jesus of Nazarethas MelchiorTV
The Eagle Has Landed
1976The Eagle Has Landedas HimmlerMovie
Hindle Wakes
1976Hindle Wakesas Nat JeffcoteMovie
Laurence Olivier Presents
1976Laurence Olivier Presentsas Nat JeffcoteTV
The Last Tycoon
1976The Last Tycoonas BoxleyMovie
The Passover Plot
1976The Passover Plotas Pontius PilateMovie
Meriel the Ghost Girl
1976Meriel the Ghost Girlas George LivingstonMovie
Goldenrod
1976Goldenrodas John Tyler JonesMovie
The Devil's Men
1976The Devil's Menas Father RocheMovie
The Joke
1976The Jokeas BendelMovie
Trial by Combat
1976Trial by Combatas Sir Giles MarleyMovie
I Don't Want to Be Born
1976I Don't Want to Be Bornas Dr. FinchMovie
P
1975Peep ShowTV
The Count of Monte-Cristo
1975The Count of Monte-Cristoas DanglarsMovie
Saturday Night Live
1975Saturday Night Liveas Self - HostTV
Hearts of the West
1975Hearts of the Westas A.J. NietzMovie
Journey into Fear
1975Journey into Fearas KuvetliMovie
Escape to Witch Mountain
1975Escape to Witch Mountainas Lucas DeranianMovie
Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
1974Barry McKenzie Holds His Ownas Erich Count von PlasmaMovie
House of the Damned
1974House of the Damnedas Martin ZayasMovie
Occupations
1974Occupationsas Christo KabakMovie
The Cafeteria
1974The Cafeteriaas AaronMovie
The Mutations
1974The Mutationsas Professor NolterMovie
The Black Windmill
1974The Black Windmillas Cedric HarperMovie
Watch Out, We're Mad
1974Watch Out, We're Madas DoctorMovie
Playhouse
1974Playhouseas George LivingstonTV
From Beyond the Grave
1974From Beyond the Graveas Jim UnderwoodMovie
Tales That Witness Madness
1973Tales That Witness Madnessas Prof. R.C. TremayneMovie
Malachi's Cove
1973Malachi's Coveas MalachiMovie
Orson Welles' Great Mysteries
1973Orson Welles' Great Mysteriesas CawserTV
Lonely Water
1973Lonely Wateras The Spirit (voice)Movie
The Rainbow Boys
1973The Rainbow Boysas Ralph LoganMovie
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1973Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hydeas Fred SmudgeMovie
The Pied Piper
1972The Pied Piperas The BaronMovie
Wedding in White
1972Wedding in Whiteas Jim Dougall, Sr.Movie
Death Line
1972Death Lineas Inspector CalhounMovie
Innocent Bystanders
1972Innocent Bystandersas LoomisMovie
Henry VIII and His Six Wives
1972Henry VIII and His Six Wivesas Thomas CromwellMovie
The Jerusalem File
1972The Jerusalem Fileas Major SamuelsMovie
Kidnapped
1971Kidnappedas Ebenezer BalfourMovie
Skin Deep
1971Skin Deepas Gerry MuddimanMovie
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
1971The Rivals of Sherlock Holmesas CarnackiTV
Columbo
1971Columboas Adrian CarsiniTV
Wake in Fright
1971Wake in Frightas Doc TydonMovie
The Fox Trot
1971The Fox Trotas TomMovie
THX 1138
1971THX 1138as SENMovie
Play for Today
1970Play for Todayas Samuel JohnsonTV
Soldier Blue
1970Soldier Blueas Isaac Q. CumberMovie
The Madwoman of Chaillot
1969The Madwoman of Chaillotas The ProspectorMovie
Arthur? Arthur!
1969Arthur? Arthur!as Arthur Brownjohn / Sir Easonby 'E' MellonMovie
Mr. Freedom
1969Mr. Freedomas Dr. FreedomMovie
Last to Go
1969Last to GoMovie
Hawaii Five-O
1968Hawaii Five-Oas Hans VoglerTV
Sleep is Lovely
1968Sleep is Lovelyas CliveMovie
The News-Benders
1968The News-Bendersas J.G.Movie
Creature of Comfort
1968Creature of Comfortas James ThorneMovie
Will Penny
1967Will Pennyas Preacher QuintMovie
The Diary of Anne Frank
1967The Diary of Anne Frankas Albert DusselMovie
Matchless
1967Matchlessas Gregori AndreanuMovie
You Only Live Twice
1967You Only Live Twiceas Ernst Stavro BlofeldMovie
C
1967Call Me Daddyas Ben HoffmanMovie
NBC Experiment in Television
1967NBC Experiment in Televisionas (voice)TV
The Night of the Generals
1967The Night of the Generalsas General KahlenbergeMovie
Eye of the Devil
1966Eye of the Devilas Pere DominicMovie
Fantastic Voyage
1966Fantastic Voyageas Dr. MichaelsMovie
Cul-de-sac
1966Cul-de-sacas GeorgeMovie
The Hallelujah Trail
1965The Hallelujah Trailas 'Oracle' JonesMovie
The Greatest Story Ever Told
1965The Greatest Story Ever Toldas The Dark Hermit - SatanMovie
The Caretaker
1964The Caretakeras Mac Davies / Bernard JenkinsMovie
Espionage
1963EspionageTV
The Fugitive
1963The Fugitiveas Max PfeifferTV
The Outer Limits
1963The Outer Limitsas Harold J. FinleyTV
Dr. Crippen
1963Dr. Crippenas Dr. Hawley Harvey CrippenMovie
The Great Escape
1963The Great Escapeas Blythe 'The Forger'Movie
The Inspector
1962The Inspectoras WoltersMovie
The Horsemasters
1961The Horsemastersas Captain PinskiMovie
The Defenders
1961The Defendersas Dr. Byron SaulTV
What a Carve Up!
1961What a Carve Up!as Everett SloaneMovie
Spare the Rod
1961Spare the Rodas Mr. JenkinsMovie
The Wind of Change
1961The Wind of Changeas PopMovie
No Love for Johnnie
1961No Love for Johnnieas RenfrewMovie
Alice Through the Looking Box
1960Alice Through the Looking Boxas CaterpillarMovie
The Cupboard
1960The Cupboardas Fred WatsonMovie
The Hands of Orlac
1960The Hands of Orlacas Graham CoatesMovie
A Story of David
1960A Story of Davidas NabalMovie
Suspect
1960Suspectas Parsons, alias Bill BrownMovie
Danger Man
1960Danger ManTV
T
1960Toff and Fingersas Self/HostMovie
The Big Day
1960The Big Dayas Victor PartridgeMovie
Sons and Lovers
1960Sons and Loversas Mr. PappleworthMovie
A
1960Armchair Mystery Theatreas HostTV
Hell Is a City
1960Hell Is a Cityas Gus HawkinsMovie
Circus of Horrors
1960Circus of Horrorsas VanetMovie
The Battle of the Sexes
1960The Battle of the Sexesas Irwin HoffmanMovie
The Flesh and the Fiends
1960The Flesh and the Fiendsas William HareMovie
The Shakedown
1960The Shakedownas Jessel BrownMovie
The Twilight Zone
1959The Twilight Zoneas Ellis FowlerTV
Killers of Kilimanjaro
1959Killers of Kilimanjaroas CaptainMovie
Look Back in Anger
1959Look Back in Angeras HurstMovie
Interpol Calling
1959Interpol Callingas Karl HaussmanTV
T
1959The Traitoras Grantley CayporMovie
One Step Beyond
1959One Step Beyondas Harvey LaurenceTV
The Two-Headed Spy
1958The Two-Headed Spyas Gen. HardtMovie
T
1958The Greatest Man in the Worldas US PresidentMovie
The Adventures of William Tell
1958The Adventures of William TellTV
The Man Inside
1958The Man Insideas Organ GrinderMovie
The Wind Cannot Read
1958The Wind Cannot Readas DoctorMovie
Heart of a Child
1958Heart of a Childas SpielMovie
T
1958The Telltale HeartWriterMovie
A Tale of Two Cities
1958A Tale of Two Citiesas BarsadMovie
Barnacle Bill
1957Barnacle Billas CashierMovie
Manuela
1957Manuelaas EvansMovie
The Man in the Sky
1957The Man in the Skyas CrabtreeMovie
Armchair Theatre
1956Armchair Theatreas President of the USATV
The Black Tent
1956The Black Tentas AliMovie
Tony Awards
1956Tony Awardsas Self - NomineeTV
1984
19561984as R. ParsonsMovie
The Adventures of Robin Hood
1955The Adventures of Robin Hoodas Prince JohnTV
Value for Money
1955Value for Moneyas LimpyMovie
The Moment of Truth
1955The Moment of Truthas The Foreign MinisterMovie
R
1955Round the World in 80 Daysas VoicesMovie
Nineteen Eighty-Four
1954Nineteen Eighty-Fouras SymeMovie
The Wonderful World of Disney
1954The Wonderful World of Disneyas Captain PinskiTV
Orders Are Orders
1954Orders Are Ordersas Cpl. Martin (as Donald Plesance)Movie
The Beachcomber
1954The Beachcomberas TrompMovie
The Dybbuk
1952The Dybbukas Second batlonMovie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951Hallmark Hall of Fameas KantorekTV
Sunday Night Theatre
1950Sunday Night Theatreas SymeTV