James Robertson Justice

With his broad chest, bushy beard, and booming voice, Scottish actor James Robertson Justice brought a commandingly regal air to his performances in films of the '40s, '50's, and '60s. Justice flitted between colleges in England and Germany before landing at Reuters, serving as a reporter beside future James Bond creator Ian Fleming. Additional exploits included selling insurance in Canada and fighting against Franco in the Spanish Civil War before Justice made his way into small film roles in the mid '40s. Eventually, he began to get larger parts, including that of an ill-fated explorer in "Scott of the Antarctic." Further climbing the credits, he put his stature to good use as King Henry VIII in "The Sword and the Rose" before establishing his best known role, as the intimidating Sir Lancelot Spratt in "Doctor in the House," a part he would revisit in several more films in the series. He played strong supporting roles in other renowned dramas of the era, including "Moby Dick" and "The Guns of Navarone," both with Gregory Peck. As the amusingly named Lord Scrumptious in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," he had the chance to bring to a life a less famous character created by his old friend Ian Fleming. Off-screen, he also lived a full life, with a passion for women, fast cars, falconry, and politics, as well as serving as the Rector of the University of Edinburgh for two separate terms.