---
name: "David de Keyser"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-de-keyser"
roles: []
born: "1 January 1927"
died: "20 February 2021"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 62
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-20T05:47:33.345295+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# David de Keyser

Actor. Born 1 January 1927 in London, England, UK. Died 20 February 2021.

## Details

- **Born:** 1 January 1927, London, England, UK
- **Died:** 20 February 2021
- **Active:** 1971–1973
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_de_Keyser, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1177364, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0209095/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/79866

## Biography

David de Keyser (22 August 1927 – 20 February 2021) was an English actor and narrator. Born in London, he appeared in supporting roles in films including *A Touch of Class* (1973) as Doctor Alvarez, *Diamonds Are Forever* (1971), *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), *Yentl* (1983) as Rabbi Zalman, and *Sunshine* (1999) as Emmanuel Sonnenschein.

He was frequently cast in voice roles, including the Tabernacle in *Zardoz* (1974), the Grail in *Excalibur* (1981), and the Atraxi in *Doctor Who* (2005). De Keyser worked with director John Boorman on several projects and narrated British Pathé Pictorial in the 1960s. He also appeared in television series such as *Agatha Christie's Poirot* (1989) and *Yes, Prime Minister* (1986).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *A Touch of Class* (1973), Fi1m 66, as Doctor Alvarez — [page](https://film.one/film/a-touch-of-class.md)
- *Diamonds Are Forever* (1971), Fi1m 58, as Doctor — [page](https://film.one/film/diamonds-are-forever.md)

## Complete filmography (80)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *samuel-613* (2015), as Zeidy
- *Closer to the Moon* (2014), as Moritz
- *God on Trial* (2008), as Hugo
- *Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire* (2006), series, as Senator Cluvius
- *Doctor Who* (2005), series, as Atraxi (voice) — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who-2005.md)
- *Dangerous and the Lonely Hearts* (2004), as Mr Green
- *The Statement* (2003), as Dom André (as David De Keyser)
- *Waking the Dead* (2001), series, as Marcus Freeman
- *Still* (2001), as Ludwig
- *The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz* (2000), as Exhumed rabbi
- *Sunshine* (1999), as Emmanuel Sonnenschein
- *Simon Magus* (1999), as Rabbi
- *The Designated Mourner* (1997), as Howard
- *Original Sin* (1997), series, as Mr Aron
- *Goodnight Sweetheart* (1993), series, as Dr Jakowitz
- *Leon the Pig Farmer* (1993), as Sidney Geller
- *The House of Eliott* (1991), series, as Sir Desmond Gillispie
- *Red King, White Knight* (1989), Actor
- *Confessional* (1989), series, as Professor Cherny
- *A Dry White Season* (1989), as Susan's Father
- *Agatha Christie's Poirot* (1989), series, as Gaston Beaujeu
- *Out of the Shadows* (1988), as James Bluminfeld
- *The Trial of Klaus Barbie* (1987), as Lawyer
- *Caprice* (1986), as Emilio (voice)
- *King David* (1985), as Ahitophel
- *Dr. Fischer of Geneva* (1984), as Belmont
- *Robin of Sherwood* (1984), series, as Joshua de Talmont
- *Yentl* (1983), as Rabbi Zalman
- *Martin Luther, Heretic* (1983), as Duke Frederick
- *The Ploughman's Lunch* (1983), as Gold
- *Man in the Sky* (1983), as Narrator
- *A Woman Called Golda* (1982), as David Ben-Gurion
- *Bergerac* (1981), series, as Leon Crouzil
- *Fothergill* (1981), as Curtis Bennett
- *All Quiet on the Western Front* (1979), as Cook (voice)
- *Ike* (1979), series, as FM Sir Alan Brooke
- *Ike* (1979), as FM Sir Alan Booke
- *Dick Turpin* (1979), series, as Duke of Hesse
- *Superman* (1978), as Warden (voice) (uncredited)
- *Disraeli* (1978), series, as Baron de Rothschild
- *Ice Age* (1978), as Axel Reich
- *The Medusa Touch* (1978), as Brunel (voice) (uncredited)
- *The Professionals* (1977), series, as Otto Hahn
- *Professional Foul* (1977), as Captain
- *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, as Captain, Axel Reich
- *Valentino* (1977), as Joseph Schenck
- *Night Call* (1977), Actor
- *Voyage of the Damned* (1976), as Joseph Joseph
- *The New Avengers* (1976), series, as Dr. Prator
- *The Chauffeur* (1976), as Ambassador
- *Paper Tiger* (1975), as Ambassador Kagoyama (voice)
- *The Romantic Englishwoman* (1975), as George
- *The Hiding Place* (1975), as Eusie Koonstra
- *Murder on the Orient Express* (1974), as Turkish Ticket Collector (uncredited)
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, as Curtis-Bennett
- *Zardoz* (1974), as Tabernacle (voice) (uncredited)
- *A Touch of Class* (1973), as Doctor Alvarez — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/a-touch-of-class.md)
- *Bequest to the Nation* (1973), as French Commander
- *Someone at the Top of the Stairs* (1973), as Cartney
- *The Death of Adolf Hitler* (1973), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Strauss Family* (1972), series, as Hirsch
- *Crown Court* (1972), series, as Mr. Colllings, Mr. Collings, Mr. Plenderbooth
- *Diamonds Are Forever* (1971), as Doctor — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/diamonds-are-forever.md)
- *The Horsemen* (1971), as Mukhi (uncredited)
- *Leo the Last* (1970), as David
- *You Can't Win 'Em All* (1970), as Gunner Major (uncredited) (voice)
- *Separation* (1968), as Husband
- *The Blood of Fu Manchu* (1968), Actor
- *One Pair of Eyes* (1967), series, Actor
- *The Executioner* (1966), as The Commentator / Psychiatrist
- *Catch Us If You Can* (1965), as Zissell
- *Six* (1964), series, as The Man
- *In Camera* (1964), Actor
- *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, as The Man
- *Song of London* (1964), as Commentator (Voice)
- *The Plain Man's Guide to Advertising* (1962), Actor
- *Night Conspirators* (1962), as Man in the Shadows
- *The Adventures of William Tell* (1958), series, as Karl
- *The Secret Place* (1957), as Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
- *Armchair Theatre* (1956), series, as Prison Chaplain, Man in the Shadows

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-de-keyser