Donald Henry Pleasence (1919-1995) was a prolific British actor, known for his ability to portray complex characters, often unsettling or morally ambiguous. With his penetrating eyes and distinctive voice, he excelled in roles as eccentric scientists, subtle psychopaths, and authoritative figures.

Among his most famous films are "The Great Escape" (1963), where he played Lieutenant Colonel Colin Blythe, "You Only Live Twice" (1967) as the nefarious Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and especially "Halloween" (1978), where his Dr. Samuel Loomis became an icon of the horror genre, a role he reprised in several sequels. His film career spanned from drama to the science fiction genre, including titles such as "THX 1138" and "Escape from New York". Pleasence remains an unforgettable figure thanks to his intense screen presence.