Alan, a Surrey-born actor, was renowned for his sharp features and incisive performances, particularly his distinctive, melodious voice. He utilized this talent to portray a wide range of suave, urbane, and often likable villains, rogues, and shady characters, frequently imbuing them with an air of superior disdain.
Initially, Alan abandoned his career as an industrial psychologist to pursue acting, making his theatrical debut in 1928 in George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House". He continued to appear on the London stage, taking on supporting roles in works by Shakespeare, John Galsworthy, J.M. Barrie, and Oscar Wilde. Throughout the 1930s, he worked extensively in provincial theatre, also making appearances on the grand stage of the Old Vic and on Broadway in 1936.
During World War II, Alan's voice became a familiar presence on the BBC European Service as an announcer and newsreader. This led to a steady stream of work as a radio actor and reader of English literature and poetry. Over the next three decades, he brought to life a diverse range of characters, from the heroic Lord Peter Wimsey to the villainous Othello, Judas, and Richard III.
Alan's television career began in 1938 and followed a similar trajectory. He was the first BBC Sherlock Holmes in 1951, drawing inspiration from Sidney Paget's drawings and Arthur Conan Doyle's characterizations. The six live transmissions received positive reviews, but the resulting publicity led to a decline in job offers due to his agent's requests for higher salaries.
On the big screen, Alan's notable roles included Fred Hale in "Brighton Rock" (1948),the duplicitous traveller in "Sleeping Car to Trieste" (1948),and the corrupt financier Mark Cruden in "Delayed Action" (1954). On television, he remains best known for his portrayal of the Sheriff of Nottingham in "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1955),a devious and cunning character who proved to be a worthy adversary for Richard Greene's Robin Hood.
After his tenure as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Alan appeared in various popular series, including "Danger Man" (1960) and "Department S" (1969),playing police inspectors, professionals, legal eagles, and men of the cloth. He retired from the screen in 1970 and passed away in August 1991 at the age of 84 in London.
