The Magic Box
1951 · 1 hr 58 min
Approved7.078%64%
Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene (Robert Donat) was once very different. As young and handsome William Green he changed his name to include his first wife's so that it sounded more impressive for the photographic portrait work at which he was so good. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.
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Cast of The Magic Box
Robert DonatWilliam Friese-Greene
Margaret JohnstonEdith Harrison Friese-Greene
Maria SchellHelena Friese-Greene
Renée AshersonMiss Tagg
Richard AttenboroughJack Carter
Robert BeattyLord Beaverbrook
Martin BoddeySitter in Bath Studio
Edward ChapmanFather in Family Group
John CharlesworthGraham Friese-Greene
Maurice ColbourneBride's Father in wedding group
Roland Culver1st Company Promoter
John Howard DaviesMaurice Friese-Greene
Michael DenisonReporter
Joan DowlingMaggie
Henry EdwardsFox Talbot's Butler
Mary EllisNell Collings
Marjorie FieldingElderly Viscountess
Robert FlemyngDoctor
Leo GennMaida Vale Doctor
Marius GoringHouse Agent
Everley GreggBridegroom's Mother
Joyce GrenfellMrs Claire
Robertson HareSitter in Bath Studio
Kathleen HarrisonMother in Family Group
William HartnellRecruiting Sergeant
Joan HicksonMrs Stukely
Thora HirdDoctor's Housekeeper
Stanley HollowayBroker's Man
Patrick HoltSitter in Bath Studio
Michael HordernOfficial Receiver
Jack HulbertHolborn Policeman
Sid JamesArmy Sergeant
Glynis JohnsMay Jones
Mervyn JohnsGoitz
Barry JonesDoctor
Peter JonesIndustry Man
James KenneyKenneth Friese-Greene
Ann LancasterBridesmaid in Wedding Group
Herbert LomasWarehouse Manager
John LongdenSpeaker in Connaught Rooms
Bessie LoveBride's Mother in Wedding Group
Miles MallesonOrchestra Conductor
Garry MarshCompany Promoter
Muir MathiesonSir Arthur Sullivan
A.E. MatthewsOld Gentleman
Bernard MilesCousin Alfred
Richard MurdochSitter in Bath Studio
John McCallumSitter in Bath Studio
David OakeClaude Friese-Greene
Laurence OlivierPolice Constable 94-B
Cecil Parker1st Platform Man
Frank PettingellBridegroom's Father in Wedding Group
Norman PierceSpeaker in Connaught Rooms
Eric PortmanArthur Collings
Dennis PriceHarold
Michael RedgraveMr. Lege
Peter ReynoldsBridegroom in Wedding Group
Margaret RutherfordLady Pond
Janette ScottEthel Friese-Greene
Ronald ShinerFairground Barker
Sheila SimNursemaid
Oda SlobodskayaSoloist at Bath Concert
John Stuart2nd Platform Man at Connaught
Marianne StoneBride in Wedding Group
Basil SydneyWilliam Fox-Talbot
Ernest ThesigerEarl
Sybil ThorndikeSitter in Bath Studio
David TomlinsonLab Asst
Cecil TrouncerJohn Rudge
Michael TrubshaweSitter in Bath Studio
Peter UstinovIndustry Man
Frederick ValkMaurice Guttenburg
Amy VenessGrandmother in Wedding Group
Charles VictorIndustry Man
Kay WalshHotel Receptionist
Norman WatsonDoctor in Connaught Rooms
Emlyn WilliamsBank Manager
Googie WithersSitter in Bath Studio
Joan YoungGlove Shop Colleague