- Charles Gray, The Legacy, 1977. Failing to be Harry Liebnecht, immolated in Jimmy Sangster’s literal horror – with Hollywood leads, of course (Katharine Ross, Sam Elliott) in an English country house, of course – were the obviously much relieved Bernard Archard, Harry Andrews, Peter Cushing, Michael Gough (the future Batman’s man, Alfred), Troughton (the second Doctor Who, 1966-1969), Peter Vaughan. Plus two Donalds: Houston and Pleasence. Gray was totally mis-cast. Better German accents would have from the also listed Peter Arne, Anton Diffring, Christopher Lee and Herbert Lom.
- Lee Montague, The Legacy, 1977. Welsh director Richard Marquand’s list for the hotelier, Grandier, also included Arne – plus were Joss Ackland, Ian Bannen, John Carson Frank Finlay, Ian Hendry, Peter Jeffrey. Also in the literal horror was Who singer Roger Daltrey – his price for allowing his country house to be used for five murders. Leading man Sam Elliott warned the Associated Press off the film: “I wouldn’t rush out to see it. It’s about 15 years behind its time.”
- Emrys James, Doctor Who #112: State of Decay, TV, 1980. There were 21 potential Aukons and all – except James – had been this way before, standing at the Whoverse portal, awaiting a callback… Arne, Colin Baker, Steven Berkoff, John Carson, David Collings, Peter Gilmore, Michael Gothard, John Hallam, Donald Houston, Martin Jarvis, Michael Jayston, Ronald Lacey, William Lucas, Ian McKellen, John Normington, Patrick Stewart, Anthony Valentine, Peter Vaughan, David Warner, Peter Wyngarde.
- Richard Easton, Doctor Who # 122: Time Flight, TV, 1982. The 19 nominations for Concorde pilot Captain Stapley in the worst Doc5 Peter Davison episode (the budget ran out…) were Arne, Easton, Terence Alexander, Keith Barron, Brian Blessed, John Carson, Michael Craig, Paul Darrow, Peter Gilmore, Michael Gothard, John Hallam, Terrence Hardiman, Del Henney, Glyn Houston, Martin Jarvis, William Lucas, Conrad Phillips, Anthony Valentine and Frank Windsor.
- Ian McCulloch, Doctor Who #130: Warriors of The Deep, 1983. The 13 possible Nilsons were Arne, Ian Holm, Dennis Lill, Alfred Lynch, Ian McKellen, Clive Merrison (BBC Radio 4’s Sherlock Holmes), John Normington plus five of the astonishing army of 203 candidates for just 18 roles in that year’s Lifeforce movie mess: Nicholas Ball, Tom Chadbon, Michael Gothard, Ronald Lacey, Edward Peel. Not the happiest of Whoverse shoots – and not just because Doc5 Peter Davison folllowed Doc2 Patrick Troughton’s rule. Three seasons and out.
- William Lucas, Doctor Who #132: Frontios, TV, 1984. A casting director’s nightmare… Lucas was urgently called up to play Range after Arne, the original choice, was found brutally murdered in his home. (In the same four-parter, production designer David Buckingham replaced Barrie Dobbins, who had committed suicide). Back home in Knightsbridge from a costume fitting in Clerkenwell for his Range rôle, Arne was killed by a homeless Italian schoolteacher, who then drowned himself in the Thames. He had bludgeoned Arne to death with a stool and a log from the fireplace. The actor had been giving him food. Police suspected his killer became violent when Arne either made a pass or refused him accommodation. I ran in to Arne a few times on UK film sets. Good bloke, busy actor: 89 roles in 41 years.
Birth year: 1920Death year: 1983Other name: Casting Calls: 6