The son of Alexander Sim JP and Isabella McIntyre, Alastair Sim was educated in Edinburgh. Always interested in language roles in British films from 1936 until his death in 1976.
He was awarded an honorary LLD by Edinburgh University at the end of his term as Rector.
He and Naomi had one daughter, Merlith McKendrick.
He never signed autographs.
He was awarded a CBE in the Coronation Honours List of 1953. He was also offered a knighthood but turned it down because it would have impinged too much on his private life.
He was made the rector of Edinburgh University in 1948.
He appeared in 61 films and 46 West End productions.
He met his wife Naomi Plaskitt when they both appeared in a stage production of "The Land of Hearts Desire" by William Butler Yeats. He was 27, she was 12. They married when Naomi was 18.
When he was made Rector of Edinburgh University, he beat Harold Macmillan (the future Prime Minister) by 2078 votes to 802.
By 1950, he topped the cinemagoers popularity poll.
His performance in London Belongs to Me so impressed Alec Guinness that he based his performance in The Ladykillers on it. So much so that Alastair is often thought to have done it.
Played the lead in Pineros "The Magistrate", opposite Patricia Routledge at the 1969 Chichester festival in what is often cited as his best stage performance.
Foster father and acting instructor of George Cole.
Between 1941 and 1968, he played "Captain Hook" in at least six different stage productions of J.M. Barrie s "Peter Pan" (the non-musical version), but he never starred in a film of the play.
Near the end of his life he maintained a correspondence with Ray Bradbury.
He shares the distinction, along with Seymour Hicks and Basil Rathbone , of portraying "Ebenezer Scrooge" in more than one production of the classic Charles Dickens novel.
He worked with Alfred Hitchcock in Alfred Hitchcock s Stage Fright , playing "Commodore Gill".
In 1950 he headed the British Cinema Exhibitors Poll.
He appeared in nine films with George Cole : Cottage to Let , The Happiest Days of Your Life , Lady Godiva Rides Again , Scrooge , Folly to Be Wise (1952) , An Inspector Calls , The Belles of St. Trinians , The Green Man and Blue Murder at St. Trinians .
As I passed imperceptibly from a beautiful child to a strong handsome,lad, I wanted more than anything else in the world to be of all things,a hypnotist. I practised on gentle dogs. . .
At first I was not sure if I liked films. The sequences are so,disconnected and mechanical I thought I should have difficulty "getting,into the skin" of the characters. But I soon found that the care,precision and concentrated energy that attends the photographing of,each scene conspires to pitch one into the right frame of mind.
It was revealed to me many years ago with conclusive certainty that I,was a fool and that I had always been a fool. Since then I have been as,happy as any man has a right to be. .
