---
name: "George Sewell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/george-sewell"
fi1m_id: "george-sewell"
imdb_id: "nm0786577"
tmdb_id: 109200
wikidata_id: "Q721297"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "31 August 1924"
died: "1 April 2007"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 86
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-09-18T07:36:31.226027+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."
---

# George Sewell

## Identity

George Sewell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/george-sewell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** george-sewell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0786577
- **TMDB ID:** 109200
- **Wikidata ID:** Q721297
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sewell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721297, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0786577/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/109200

Actor. Born 31 August 1924 in Hoxton, London, England, UK. Died 1 April 2007.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 31 August 1924, Hoxton, London, England, UK
- **Died:** 1 April 2007
- **Active:** 1971–1979
- **Average Fi1m score:** 86, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 2, Comedy 1, Crime 1, History 1, Mystery 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $32m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Sewell, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q721297, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0786577/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/109200

## Streaming the US now

- **BritBox:** [*Rising Damp*](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on George Sewell

> George Sewell's rough features and soft voice made him useful on either side of the law. We value his steadiness: he could give a supporting part authority, and television gave him room to lead.

Sewell's rugged face suggests a harder voice than the one that comes out. The softness matters: his authority figures have another way of being firm besides barking, and his villains need not announce themselves with a growl. The cultivated manner is useful for an actor asked to make both policemen and criminals convincing. His early screen work included Jeff in Lindsay Anderson's *This Sporting Life* (1963), before crime series made authority a regular assignment.

In Mike Hodges's *Get Carter* (1971), Sewell plays Con, one of the criminals around whom there is little reason to relax. We were unsettled by the film because Michael Caine's Jack Carter offers no reassuring decency to soften the violence. Sewell is a reliable supporting presence here, though our high regard for the thriller does not make his part its principal attraction. Hodges keeps it tense and vicious; the treatment of women remains harder to defend, even when the cruelty is meant to repel us.

The 1970s also gave Sewell more responsibility on television. Gerry Anderson's *UFO* (1970) cast him as Colonel Alec Freeman, the second-in-command, while *Special Branch* (1973) put DCI Alan Craven at the centre. It matters that Craven was a leading role: calling Sewell a dependable supporting actor is fair, but incomplete. Mendel, Smiley's former Special Branch minder in *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), belongs to the same run of men whose professional experience makes them useful.

*Rising Damp* (1974) puts his Detective Constable Baker into comedy, though the pace there belongs to Leonard Rossiter and an ensemble able to match him. We value the series for the unhappiness beneath its jokes, and have reservations about lines that need the actors' help. For a fuller sense of what Sewell could carry himself, try *Special Branch* after *Get Carter*.

## Biography

George Sewell (31 August 1924 – 2 April 2007) was an English actor. He appeared in the film *Get Carter* (1971) as Con and in the television series *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979) as Mendel.

Born in Hoxton, London, Sewell left school at the age of 14. He worked in printing and building, trained as an RAF pilot, and later served in the Merchant Navy before holding various other jobs. He began acting in his mid-thirties after auditioning for Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop, appearing in productions including *Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be* and *Oh, What a Lovely War* (1963).

Sewell became known for television roles including Colonel Alec Freeman in *UFO* (1970–1971) and DCI Alan Craven in *Special Branch*. His other film credits include *This Sporting Life* (1963) and *Barry Lyndon* (1975). He was the subject of *This Is Your Life* in 1973.

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

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), Fi1m 88, as Mendel — [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)
- *Barry Lyndon* (1975), Fi1m 85, as Barry's Second — [page](https://film.one/film/barry-lyndon.md)
- *Rising Damp* (1974), Fi1m 84, as Detective Constable Baker — [page](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md)
- *Get Carter* (1971), Fi1m 86, as Con — [page](https://film.one/film/get-carter.md)

## Complete filmography (86)

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

- *Let's Stick Together* (1998), as Carter
- *The Fix* (1997), as Chairman
- *The Detectives* (1993), series, as Superintendent Cottam
- *Heartbeat* (1992), series, as Ray Walker
- *Sticky Wickets* (1990), as Friedrich
- *The Upper Hand* (1990), series, as George Carver
- *Screen One* (1989), series, as Friedrich
- *The Nineteenth Hole* (1989), series, as Ray Smollett
- *Doctor Who: Remembrance of the Daleks* (1988), as Ratcliffe
- *Home James!* (1987), series, Actor
- *Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense* (1984), series, as Det. Inspector Grant
- *Mark of the Devil* (1984), as Det. Inspector Grant
- *Andy Robson* (1982), series, as Peter Mueller
- *Wet Job* (1981), as Haggerty
- *The Chinese Detective* (1981), series, as Jack Longman
- *If You Go Down in the Woods Today* (1981), as Knocker
- *The Gentle Touch* (1980), series, as Dave Connally
- *Invasion: UFO* (1980), as Col. Alec Freeman
- *Minder* (1979), series, as Frank — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/minder.md)
- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), series, as Mendel — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)
- *Tales of the Unexpected* (1979), series, as Laughlin
- *Running Blind* (1979), as Slade
- *The Bass Player and the Blonde* (1978), series, as The Drummer
- *Winterspelt 1944* (1978), as Colonel
- *Don't Forget to Write!* (1977), series, as Pierre
- *Barry Lyndon* (1975), as Barry's Second — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/barry-lyndon.md)
- *Operation: Daybreak* (1975), as Heinz Panwitz, Chief Investigator
- *The Sweeney* (1975), series, as Vic Tolman — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sweeney.md)
- *Churchill's People* (1974), series, as Colonel Michelburn
- *Taking Leave* (1974), as Father
- *UFO: Radar contact... They're landing!* (1974), Actor
- *Born Free* (1974), series, as Sam Willis
- *Rising Damp* (1974), series, as Detective Constable Baker — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/rising-damp.md)
- *Diamonds on Wheels* (1973), as Henry Stewart
- *The Edwardians* (1972), series, as Gus Elen
- *The Adventurer* (1972), series, as Harry Venner
- *UFO: Take Them Alive* (1972), as Colonel Alec Freeman
- *UFO: Annihilate SHADO... Kill Straker...* (1972), as Colonel Alec Freeman
- *Six Days of Justice* (1972), series, as Anthony Brown
- *Home and Away* (1972), series, as Winslow Scott
- *UFO: Destroy Luna Base!* (1971), as Colonel Alec Freeman
- *Get Carter* (1971), as Con — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/get-carter.md)
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, as Father
- *UFO* (1970), series, as Alec Freeman
- *Shadows of Fear* (1970), series, as Harry
- *Manhunt* (1970), series, as Allard
- *Paul Temple* (1969), series, as Sammy Carson
- *Suspect* (1969), as DI Barnes
- *Special Branch* (1969), series, as Det. Chief Insp. Alan Craven
- *Doppelgänger* (1969), as Mark Neuman
- *The Haunted House of Horror* (1969), as Bob Kellett
- *The Main Chance* (1969), series, as Harry Kenton
- *The Caesars* (1968), series, as Ennius
- *The Expert* (1968), series, as Louis Scammell
- *Spindoe* (1968), series, as Scaliger
- *The Vengeance of She* (1968), as Harry
- *Man in a Suitcase* (1967), series, Actor
- *ITV Playhouse* (1967), series, as DI Barnes
- *The Education of Corporal Halliday* (1967), as Staff Sgt. Graham
- *Robbery* (1967), as Ben
- *The Voices in the Park* (1967), as Gurney
- *The Investigation* (1967), as Witness
- *Deadlier Than the Male* (1967), as Car Park Assassin
- *Sir Arthur Conan Doyle* (1967), series, as Mr. Stapleton
- *The Informer* (1966), series, as Vaughn
- *Kaleidoscope* (1966), as Billy
- *The Coming Out Party* (1965), as Ricketts
- *The Power Game* (1965), series, as Frank Hagadan
- *Up the Junction* (1965), as Barny
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, as Nicholls
- *The Man in Room 17* (1965), series, as Shelton
- *Londoners* (1965), series, as Bert, Barman
- *Three Clear Sundays* (1965), as Johnny May
- *Gideon's Way* (1965), series, as Tim Murphy
- *Public Eye* (1965), series, as Jakeman, Harry Brierly
- *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, as Ricketts, George Barking, Gurney, Eddie
- *The Four Seasons of Rosie Carr* (1964), series, Dialogue Coach
- *Detective* (1964), series, Actor
- *The Informers* (1963), as Fred Hill
- *Doctor Who* (1963), series, as Ratcliffe — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who.md)
- *A Place to Go* (1963), as Market Trader
- *Sparrows Can't Sing* (1963), as Bert
- *This Sporting Life* (1963), as Jeff
- *Z-Cars* (1962), series, Actor
- *The Criminal* (1960), as Prison Guard (uncredited)
- *No Hiding Place* (1959), series, Actor

## Gallery

- ![George Sewell](https://film.one/media/person/59638/gallery-602854fb01c7.jpg) George Sewell — Image via TMDB
- ![George Sewell](https://film.one/media/person/59638/gallery-9b650c0ceed3.jpg) George Sewell — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/george-sewell