Cec Linder

Cec Linder (March 10, 1921 – April 10, 1992) was a Polish-born Canadian film and television actor. In the 1950s and 1960s, he worked extensively in the United Kingdom, often playing Canadian and American characters in various films and television programmes.

In television, he is best remembered for playing Dr. Matthew Roney in the BBC serial Quatermass and the Pit (1958–59). In film, he is best remembered for his role as James Bond's friend, CIA agent Felix Leiter, in Goldfinger (1964). Another well-known film in which he appeared was Lolita (1962), as Doctor Keegee.

Early life

He was born in Galicia, Poland. His family moved to Canada when Linder was very young, and he became a naturalised Canadian citizen.

Career

Linder enjoyed an extensive and successful television career on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, probably his most prominent role was as the palaeontologist Roney in the original BBC version of Quatermass and the Pit (1958–59). In the United States, he was a regular in the CBS soap operas The Secret Storm and The Edge of Night and in the 1980s appeared in several of the Perry Mason revival TV films as District Attorney Jack Welles. Linder was also a regular on the popular 1980s Canadian crime series Seeing Things, playing Crown Attorney Spenser.

During his career, he also had guest roles in episodes of a variety of other popular British, American and Canadian television programmes, including: The Forest Rangers, Doomwatch, The Littlest Hobo, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ironside, The Saint, Danger Bay and The New Avengers.

During his time in Canada, Linder worked as an announcer at CKGB in Timmins, Ontario.

Linder's last work was as Syd Grady in two episodes of the television series Sweating Bullets (1991). He died the following year at home in Toronto, Ontario, of complications from emphysema.