Esmond Knight

Biography

Esmond Penington Knight (4 May 1906 – 23 February 1987) was a notable English actor whose career extended over more than fifty years. Throughout a significant portion of his professional life, Knight faced the challenge of near-total blindness. This condition resulted from severe injuries he sustained in 1941 while serving on the HMS Prince of Wales during its encounter with the Bismarck at the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Following the incident, he experienced complete blindness for two years before eventually regaining partial vision in his right eye.

During his time of blindness, Esmond took the opportunity to dictate an early autobiography, titled *Seeking The Bubble*, to his secretary, Annabella Cloudsley, which was published in 1943 by Hutchinson & Co. He portrayed the captain of the HMS Prince of Wales in the 1960 film *Sink the Bismarck!*.

In addition, Knight played the role of Professor Ernest Reinhart in the 1961 British sci-fi television series *A for Andromeda*, alongside co-stars Patricia Kneale and Peter Halliday.

Esmond Knight was the father of actress Rosalind Knight. He passed away from a heart attack and was subsequently cremated.