Editing James Mason (section)

=== 1931–1939: Early roles ===
After Cambridge, Mason made his stage debut in [[Aldershot]] in ''The Rascal'' in 1931.<ref>{{cite news| last=Russell| first= William| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19840728&id=0_89AAAAIBAJ&pg=2052,4920354| title=James Mason: Star of Magnetism and Menace| newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]]| date=28 July 1984| page=8| via=[[Google News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| last=Sweeney| first=Kevin| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DVtVA4EajSgC&pg=PA5| title=James Mason: A Bio-bibliography| publisher=Greenwood Press| date=30 January 1999| page=5| isbn=978-0-313-28496-0}}</ref> He joined [[the Old Vic]] theatre in London under the guidance of [[Tyrone Guthrie]].<ref>Brian McFarlane [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/447497/index.html "Mason, James (1909–1984)"], BFI screenonline; McFarlane (ed) ''The Encyclopedia of British Film'', London: Methuen/BFI, 2003, p.438</ref> While there he appeared in productions of ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'', ''[[Henry VIII (play)|Henry VIII]]'', ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', ''[[The Importance of Being Earnest]]'', ''[[Love for Love]]'', ''[[The Tempest]]'', ''[[Twelfth Night]]'', and ''[[Macbeth]]''. Featuring in many of these were [[Charles Laughton]] and [[Elsa Lanchester]]. In the mid-1930s he also appeared at the [[Gate Theatre]], Dublin, notably in ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' with [[Betty Chancellor]].<ref>Christopher Fitz-Simon, ''The Boys'' (London: Nick Hern Books, 1994) p. 73 et seq.</ref> In 1933, [[Alexander Korda]] gave Mason a small role in ''[[The Private Life of Don Juan]]'' but sacked him three days into shooting.<ref>{{cite book| first=James| last=Mason| title=Before I forget: autobiography and drawings| location=London| publisher= Hamish Hamilton| date=7 September 1981| page=89|url-access=subscription | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sGRZAAAAMAAJ&q=don+juan| isbn=978-0-241-10677-8}}</ref>

From 1935 to 1938, Mason starred in many British [[quota quickies]], starting with his first film ''[[Late Extra]]'' (1935), in which he played the lead. Albert Parker directed. Mason appeared in ''[[Twice Branded]]'' (1936); ''[[Troubled Waters (1936 film)|Troubled Waters]]'' (1936), also directed by Parker; ''[[Prison Breaker]]'' (1936); ''[[Blind Man's Bluff (1936 film)|Blind Man's Bluff]]'' (1936), for Parker's ''[[The Secret of Stamboul]]'' (1936), and ''[[The Mill on the Floss (film)|The Mill on the Floss]]'' (1936), an "A" movie. Mason had a key support role in Korda's ''[[Fire Over England]]'' (1937) with [[Laurence Olivier]] and [[Vivien Leigh]]. He was in another "A", ''[[The High Command]]'' (1937) directed by [[Thorold Dickinson]], then went back to quickies, starring in ''[[Catch as Catch Can (1937 film)|Catch As Catch Can]]'' (1937), directed by [[Roy Kellino]]. Korda cast him as the villain in ''[[The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel]]'' (1937)

Mason began appearing in some televised productions of plays, made in the very early days of television: ''[[Cyrano de Bergerac (1938 film)|Cyrano de Bergerac]]'' (1938), ''The Moon in the Yellow River'' (1938), ''Bees on the Boat-Deck'' (1939), ''Square Pegs'' (1939), ''L'Avare'' (1939), and ''The Circle'' (1939). He returned to features with ''[[I Met a Murderer]]'' (1939) based on a story by Mason and Pamela Kellino, who also starred with Mason and whom he would marry. Her husband Roy Kellino directed.