Born in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
on 3rd June 1949, of Sierra Leonian descent. She trained at the Guildhall
School of Acting and Drama. She is best remembered on TV for playing Elizabeth
in the children's science fiction series The Tomorrow People, and Maggie
in sitcom Father, Dear Father.
IMDB
- The
Tomorrow People
Neville Aurelius played Philip Smith in the Leicester performances of the play The Banana Box.
Neville arrived in England
in 1952. After a spell in the RAF, he joined the London Negro Theatre Workshop.
He appeared in numerous theatre performances during the 1960s and 70s,
as well as TV appearances in Softly, Softly and Jason King. He toured Europe
with a theatre group, and appeared on Broadway in New York, where he now
lives.
IMDB
Roy Barraclough
played the Barman in the TV episode Pink
Carnations.
Born in Preston on 12th July
1935. Roy spent eight years as a draughtsman in an engineering company
while acting in his spare time until he decided his hobby was what he wanted
to do full time. He became the entertainment manager at an Isle Of Wight
holiday camp and then joined Huddersfield Rep., then subsequently toured
the country. As was the natural progression in the late 1960s, Roy transferred
to television, and when he met with Lancashire comedian and New Faces winner
Les Dawson, a lifelong partnership was launched. He appeared in many of
Les' series, including Sez Les, and their hilarious gossipping housewives
routine Cissie and Ada became firm favourites with the British viewing
public. He is also well remembered on TV as Alec Gilroy in Coronation Street,
eventual husband of brassy barmaid Bet Lynch and owner of the Rover's Return.
He actually holds the record for playing the most number of characters
in 'The Street'!
IMDB
- Corrie.net
Ann Beach
played Mrs. Brent in the TV episode That's
My Boy. 
Born in Wolverhampton on
7th June 1938. A natural singer, she was first to be heard on radio with
the BBC Welsh Orchestra. She later joined RADA, then Joan Littlewood's
Theatre Workshop and won bit parts in many sitcoms, including Steptoe And
Son, Only When I Laugh, The Rag Trade and most notably as Julia McKenzie
and Anton Rodgers' nosey neighbour Sonia Barratt in Fresh Fields. She was
also to be seen in children's show Rainbow occasionally, and narrated the
Fred Bassett cartoons for the BBC. Ann lists her hobbies as travel, art
and music. She is married to Francis Coleman and is the mother of actress
daughter Lisa Coleman (Casualty, Bottom). On 14th November 2001, Ann visited
the flat of her other actress daughter Charlotte Coleman (Four Weddings
And A Funeral, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit), who had not replied to
her mother's calls. She found her daughter dead in bed. She had suffered
a massive asthma attack. Her inhaler was found on the kitchen table. Charlotte
Coleman was 33 years old.
IMDB
Norman Bird
played the Vicar in the TV episode Things
That Go Bump In The Night. 
Born in Coalville, Leicestershire
on 30th October 1924. A familiar bit-part actor on screen during the 1970s
and 80s, Norman's long list of credits include Ever Decreasing Circles,
Yes Minister, To Serve Them All My Days, and Boon. His film appearances
include Whistle Down The Wind, An Inspector Calls and The Punch And Judy
Man with Tony Hancock. Norman died on April 22nd 2005 from cancer.
IMDB
Peter Bowles
played Hilary in the TV episode Stage
Struck.
Born in London on 16th October
1936, peter joined RADA on leaving school and became a professional actor
at the age of just 18. He has never been out of work since. Despite a huge
repertoire of theatre performances, Peter is best known for his TV roles,
in particular as Richard deVere in To The Manor Born, Archie Glover in
(another Eric Chappell creation) Only When I Laugh, and Howard Booth in
(yet another Chappell work) The Bounder. His hobbies include collecting
modern art, and he is married to Susan with 1 daughter Sasha and two sons,
Guy and Adam.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"I'd never done situation comedy before, and when I made my first entrance,
the laughter was so enormous - it surprised me. It really did surprise
me. In fact, it was so enormous they couldn't continue with the recording.
The great thing about Leonard was that he always played to the other actors.
There's a tendency in situation comedy to play to the audience, but Leonard
never did."
"Len was a remarkable actor
with a unique style. I remember his spring-footedness more than anything...
His stylistic approach was very powerful and was something he was unaware
of until later in his career, when he began exploiting it. He was a great
actor."
IMDB
Wilfrid Brambell
played Rooksby in the Leicester performances of the play The
Banana Box.
Wilfrid was born in Dublin,
Ireland on 22nd March 1912 to a father who was a cashier at a Guinness
brewery, and a mother, Edith Marks, who was an opera singer. Wilfrid Brambell's
first foray into acting was at the age of just two, entertaining wounded
soldiers in World War One. As a teen, he had a soprano voice, and it won
him medals at festivals, until his voice broke during an argument with
an aunt! After leaving school, he became a reporter for The Irish Times,
and started amateur dramatics at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Turning professional,
he then moved to Dublin's Gate Theatre, then on tour with ENSA during the
Second world War, and then into repertory theatre at Bristol, Chesterfield
and Swansea. His London appearances included roles in Canterbury Tales
and The Ghost Train (written by Dad's Army actor Arnold Ridley - Private
Godfrey). His Broadway career was less successful, however, as the first
night of the play Kelly was also the last. The advent of regular television
programming in Britain brought Wilfrid regular roles on TV, not least in
Arthur Askey's shows, plus many diverse roles such as in The Quatermass
Experiment and as a tramp in No Fixed Abode. It was this last role which
was seen by two British writers, and he was instantly signed-up for Galton
and Simpson's new production The Offer, part of their Comedy Playhouse
series of one-off TV plays. The comedy, about a retired rag-and-bone dealer
and his son, was commissioned as a series and in 1962 what became the classic
sitcom Steptoe and Son was born. By now, Wilfrid was in demand as an actor
and appeared in many more roles, including films such as The Thirty-Nine
Steps, Carry On Again Doctor, Dry Rot and as Paul McCartney's grandfather
in The Beatles' movie A Hard Day's Night. On a personal level, Wilfrid's
wife Molly was found to have been made pregnant by a lodger and he subsequently
threw her out, divorcing her on grounds of adultery. She died the following
year. Many years later Wilfrid Brambell shared his Pimlico home with a
male Chinese-born companion Yussof Ben mai Saman, to whom he left his fortune
after his death in London from cancer on 18th January 1985.
Remembering The Banana
Box: "[Wilfrid Brambell] was wonderful. Such a dapper, wee man. He
used to wear a diamond ring, beautiful suits, starched collar and tie and
and would have his hair slicked back...He was very funny off stage as well
as on, and would tell the filthiest jokes - he just made a perfect Rooksby."
IMDB
- Steptoe
& Son - Museum.tv
James Bree played Peppery Man in the TV episode Clunk Click (scene edited out due to time constraints).
James appeared in many performances
from the 1960s to the 1980s, including The Avengers, Dr. Who, The Professionals,
The Sweeney and The Duchess of Duke St. He even appeared in the 1969 James
Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Died 1st December 2008.
IMDB
- Filmography
Roger Brierley
played Osborne in the TV episode Suddenly,
At Home.
Born in Stockport, Cheshire,
Roger became involved in amateur dramatics at the tender age of 14, but
trained as a chartered accountant after leaving school. He returned to
acting after conscription, however, and has since appeared in a handful
of films and over 200 TV roles, including many sitcoms (including The Likely
Lads, The Fall & Rise of Reginald Perrin, The Legacy of Reginald Perrin
(the only actor to play two different roles in the Perrin series), In Loving
Memory and Jeeves and Wooster). He is often seen playing authority roles,
such as bankers or vicars, due in no small part to his lofty height! Roger
died on Friday 23rd September 2005 from a heart attack. He was 70.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"It was a very good episode. The script was great and the character wonderful
to play..." "Success on television is down to the writing, and Eric Chappell
hit on a great idea. But it would never have worked without someone in
the lead role, and Len was one of those actors who wasn't afraid to play
unloved characters...It was a remarkable performance from Len Rossiter,
who was a wonderful actor..."
IMDB
Ronnie Brody
played Charlie, the bailiff's assistant in the TV episode Last
Of The Big Spenders. He also played an Italian Waiter in The
Movie.
Born in Bristol on 6th November,
1918, the son of Bourne & Lester, a huge music hall act at the turn
of the century. He served in the merchant navy and with the RAF during
World War Two. After a number of subsequent years in rep. companies and
variety shows, Ronnie turned to film and television, working with Dave
Allen, Lenny Henry, The Beatles and Dick Emery, among many others. Ronnie
died in London of a heart attack on 8th May 1991.
IMDB
Avis Bunnage
played Rigsby's estranged wife, Veronica, in the TV episode Great
Expectations.
Born in Manchester on 22nd
April 1923, the daughter of a variety performer mother and dentist father,
Avis became a member of Chorlton Rep., then joined the Joan Littlewood
Theatre Workshop. She toured Europe and America with the company, then
found her way into films, including Gandhi, The L-Shaped Room, The Krays,
The Whisperers and The Wrong Box (these last two, ironically, also starring
Leonard Rossiter). Her television credits include Inspector Morse, In Loving
Memory and Coronation Street. Avis died on 4th October 1990.
IMDB
Judy Buxton
played Alan's girlfriend Caroline Armitage in the TV episodes Clunk
Click and The
Cocktail Hour.
Judy was an actress from
an early age, and professionally so during her time as a college student.
She became ASM at Chesterfield Rep., and then moved into television during
the 1970s and 80s, with roles including Blake's 7, Angels, Lovejoy and
General Hospital. She later returned to theatre in classical roles, and
spent three years with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She is still active
in the theatre.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"Leonard was a true perfectionist. He was wonderful to watch in rehearsals
because he was so precise in everything; he had every little movement off
to a tee - I admired him for that. It was a bit nerve-wracking working
with him, but I'm glad I had the opportunity."
IMDB
John Cater
played Bert in The
Movie.
Born in 1932, John's career
spanned five decades. Most recently, he played Kathy Staff's beau Arthur
Williams in the revamped Crossroads, but was more active in the 1960s when
he played in Dr. Who, The Avengers and TV plays. Since then he has starred
in Inspector Morse, Lovejoy, Home To Roost (another Eric Chappell creation),
Bergerac and One Foot In The Grave, amongst many others. His film credits
include Loot, Dr. Phibes Rides Again and Savage Hearts. Died 21st March
2009.
IMDB
Jonathan Cecil
played a Boutique Assistant in The
Movie.
Born in London in 1939. Died
September 2011. Jonathan has a long career in theatre, film and television,
including Agatha Christie, The Taming Of The Shrew, Little Doritt, Victoria
& Albert and three films with Leonard Rossiter: Otley, Barry Lyndon
and Rising Damp.
IMDB
Alan Clare
played the Accordianist in The
Movie.
Born in London on 31st May
1921. A self-taught pianist, Alan Clare became a professional musician
at the age of 15 and during the next few years became a familiar figure
on the London jazz scene. He played with Carlo Krahmer, Sid Phillips and
others in the early '40s before military service intervened. Wounded soon
after D-Day, he returned to civilian life, playing in the comedy band led
by Sid Milward and also began a long sporadic association with Stéphane
Grappelli. From the '50s onwards, Clare was busy playing jazz in small
groups, some of which he led, mostly in nightclubs but also appearing occasionally
on television. An exceptionally gifted pianist with a light, subtle touch,
he had a seemingly endless knowledge of tunes and chord progressions. Allied
to a gift for accompaniment and the ability to play with unflagging swing,
Clare was an outstanding figure of British jazz. It was his involvement
in the jazz scene that lead to his teaming up with Spike Milligan (himself
an accomplished jazz trumpeter). Alan appeared in both Spike's series Q
and There's A Lot Of It About, and not just in musical sketches. He died
on 29th November 1993.
IMDB
John Clive
played a Samaritan in the TV episode The
Good Samaritan, and later played pious student Gwyn Williams in the
TV episode Fire
And Brimstone.
Born in London on 6th January
1938, John Clive became an actor as a child, then became pageboy at a theatre
before landing regular roles in the theatre from the early 1960s onwards.
He went on to make over 100 TV and film appearances, including appearing
opposite Dick Emery and Tommy Cooper and in series such as The Sweeney,
The Perils of Pendragon, and the lead role in Robert's Robots. His films
encompass all genres, from Carry On Dick through Revenge of The Pink Panther
and The Italian Job to A Clockwork Orange. He was married with one son
Alexander and one daughter Hannah. He later had a stepson from his second
marriage. John died on October 14th 2012, aged 79.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"It was a delight to appear with Frances de la Tour, whose subtle performance
complemented everything you did. I thought the episode [The Good Samaritan]
worked rather well, especially as Eric's writing was so good..."
IMDB
- Official
Site
George A.
Cooper played
Mr. Cooper, the father of one of Alan's girlfriends in the TV episodePermissive
Society.
Born in 1916. After a brief
career as a draughtsman, George became an amateur actor, then became professional
aged 23. He toured with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop before landing
TV roles. He appeared in Z Cars, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Mind Your Language
and major roles in Grange Hill and Billy Liar. George also has over 40
films to his credit.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"It was absolutely spot-on...Although I only appeared in one episode, it
was terrific fun."
IMDB
David Daker
played Mr. Brent in the TV episode That's
My Boy.
A popular sight on British
screens from the 1980s onwards, David is probably best remembered as Michael
Elphick's boss Harry Crawford in seven series of Boon, and as Gordon Lewis,
landlord of the Rover's Return in Coronation Street for five years. He
has also appeared in Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Crown Prosecutor and
Casualty.
IMDB
Bill Dean
played a Workman in The
Movie.
Born in Liverpool on 3rd
September 1921. Bill is best remembered as curmudgeonly resident Harry
Cross in Brookside Close. Bill died of a heart attack in London on 20th
April 2000.
IMDB
- Obituary
Robert Dorning
played a lovestruck tenant's Father in the TV episode Hello
Young Lovers.
Born in St. Helen's on 13th
May 1914, Robert trained as a ballet dancer, then became a musical comedian.
He returned to this form of entertainment after demob from the RAF. His
move into acting resulted in three major television roles, in Coronation
Street, Bootsie & Snudge, and Pardon The Expression (with Arthur Lowe).
Robert died of diabetes in London on 20th February 1989.
IMDB
Keith Drinkel played Noel Parker in the Leicester performances of the play The Banana Box.
Born in York on 14th November
1944. After a career beginning with rep., Keith began being offered TV
roles. He appeared in many period dramas, as well as Tales Of The Unexpected,
The Bill, Grange Hill and Thatcher, in which he played Prime Minister John
Major. Keith is still active in the theatre.
Remembering The Banana
Box: "I thought it had a lot of potential...Eric had a great facility
for good lines, the characters were believable..."
IMDB
Liz Edmiston
played Maureen in the TV episode Charisma.
Other than Rising Damp, Liz
had only appeared several times on television since, including Juliet Bravo,
Touched By An Angel and Forgotten. She had also appeared in a number of
theatre roles during the 1980s. Liz died from a stroke on board the ship
Oriana, aged 62, on 10th April 2008.
IMDB
Glynn Edwards
played Mr. Cooper in The
Movie.
Born in Malaya, Malaysia
February 2nd 1931, Glynn trained at Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop.
He worked as a sugar farmer in Trinidad, and was married to George &
Mildred actress Yootha Joyce (dissolved), then Christine Pilgrim (dissolved),
now Valerie. Has one son, Tom (from 2nd marriage). Now semi-retired, Glynn
lives in Spain and on a houseboat on the River Thames, London. He is best
remembered for playing landlord Dave Harris in Minder, and also appeared
in Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, Please Sir! and The Fall and Rise of Reginald
Perrin.
IMDB
Denholm Elliott
CBE played
Seymour in The
Movie.
Born in Ealing, London on
13th May 1922. After an education at Malvern College, Denholm Elliott joined
RADA, but was later expelled. At the onset of war, Denholm joined the RAF,
in which he served as a gunner and radar operator. After being shot down
over Denmark, Denholm resumed his acting career in a prisoner of war camp
(where he was interned for three years), including such parts as Macbeth
and Eliza Doolittle! After the war, and against the wishes of his family,
he decided to become a full-time actor, starting at repertory theatre in
Amersham, Bucks in 1945. His long and varied film career included such
classics as Zulu Dawn, The Cruel Sea, A Private Function, Raiders Of The
Lost Ark and Room With A View, which earned him an Oscar nomination for
Best Supporting Actor. He was also a prolific TV drama actor, starring
in the award-winning Hotel du Lac and Blade On The Feather, which won him
Best Actor at the 1980 BAFTA Awards. His first marriage, to actress Virginia
McKenna, ended in divorce. A second marriage, to actress Susan Robinson,
bore him two children, Mark and Jennifer. A bisexual, Denholm Elliott died
of AIDS on the Spanish Balearic island of Ibiza on 6th October 1992.
Remembering The Movie:
"I am the cad, the scrounger. Despite that, I do expose each character;s
weaknesses or secrets. They kick me out but are left facing each other
with their skeletons no longer locked in the cupboard. I enjoyed it. It
was an excellent part."
IMDB
- BritMovie
Jonathan Elsom
played the curate, Douglas, in the TV episode Fawcett's
Python.
Born in New Zealand, Jonathan
came to Britain in 1959 and studied at LAMDA for two years. This resulted
in terms at many theatres across country and on tours abroad. On TV he
has starred in Z Cars, To The Manor Born, Ladykillers, Danger UXB, Minder
and Bergerac. Jonathan is also an accomplished artist and sculptor.
IMDB
Derek Francis
played Mr. French in the TV episode Clunk
Click.
Born in Brighton on 7th November
1923. Derek appeared in a huge list of theatre, film and television performances
throughout his long career. Among his TV appearances were The Sweeney,
The Professionals, Man In A Suitcase and Doctor Who. His films included
six Carry Ons, plus Press for Time, Scrooge and Ring of Spies. Derek died
on 28th March 1984.
IMDB
- Biography
Gretchen
Franklin played
Aunt Maud in the TV episode Great
Expectations.
Born in Covent Garden, London
on 7th July 1911. With her parents a theatre double act, it was perhaps
inevitable that Gretchen would become an actress. She started as a chorus
girl, but has been seen on television more in her later years, playing
elderly characters. These include roles in George and Mildred, You're Only
Young Twice, General Hospital, and more recently, Ethel Skinner in Eastenders.
She was married to the writer Caswell Garth (deceaed). She died on Sunday
10th July 2005.
IMDB
- Biography
Helen Fraser
played the postmistress Gwen in the TV episode For
The Man Who Has Everything, and also played a new Bride in the TV episode
Pink
Carnations.
Helen attended a theatrical
boarding school from the age of nine, which led to her first public performance
in a pantomime aged 15. She studied at RADA and was soon landing roles
in both the theatre and on television. She has appeared in One Foot In
The Grave, Doctor In Charge and in the sci-fi series The Uninvited. She
also starred in the film of Billy Liar in 1963, in a scene with Leonard
Rossiter.
IMDB
Frank Gatliff
played 'Charlie', the Manager at The Grange restaurant in the TV episode
A
Night Out.
Born in Melbourne, Australia
on New Year's Eve 1927, Frank moved to London and soon started to appear
in small roles in films and on TV. He has starred in many roles on TV including
The Avengers, Department S, The Good Life, Robin's Nest and Doctor Who.
His films included The Ipcress File and On The Beach. Frank died in London
on 23rd June 1990.
IMDB
Robert Gillespie
played a Gas Man in the TV episode Last
Of The Big Spenders.
Born in Lille, France on
November 9th, 1933 of a Hungarian mother and Canadian father of Scottish
descent. Robert arrived in Plymouth in 1940, speaking no English. He became
an amateur actor, then semi-pro in 1951. Having trained at RADA, Robert
then spent two years at Old Vic, Bristol. He was a familiar face on television
thorughout the 1970s and 1980s, appearing in Whatever Happened To The Likely
Lads?, Rosie and a title role in Keep It In The Family.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"Leonard was just excellent. He had a particular line of comedy which was
unusual in this country - a highly satirical edge... He was an absolute
perfectionist who worked and worked..."
"He [Len] devised a wonderful
gag where he was caught red handed and hadn't time to do anything with
all the coins so he put them in his pocket. He wanted a pay off while he
was lying and denying everything. He wanted this chink as slowly they all
fell down till he was standing in a pool of coins. He had to get it right.
No one could be bothered to see to it. He said do you want this sketch
to work so he organised the whole thing. He told them where he wanted the
holes sewn in the pockets. He had a box put it one pocket so he could put
the coins in there and turn it round. He organised the whole thing. I remember
one of the last rehearsals, we were circling round the room and he caught
sight of one of the monitors and suddenly stopped and he said I'm doing
this thing, I'm jiggling these pockets because I am trying to build up
to the pocket gag and you are cutting it here. He said I don't mind but
I am trying to build up the gag so do you want it to be funny? It wasn't
heavy at all, he was just trying to get it right. It was nothing personal.
Of course, it worked and it was one of the funniest physical gags I have
ever seen."
IMDB
- Biography
Born in Woking, Surrey on
15th July 1946, Derek was a popular face on television during the 1970s
and 1980s, at a time when black characters were needed a lot more in socially-aware
dramas and comedies, such as The Alf Garnett Saga. Derek was also a children's
TV presenter, fronting programmes including Play School, Play Away and
Jackanory. He has provided the voice for Superted and Vervain in Watership
Down. Derek is also a talented musician, singer and songwriter. He wrote
several songs and themes for television, including Heads and Tails and
the character introduction songs for Bod (Frank The Postman, Aunt Flo,
etc.).
IMDB
Kelwyn Harrison
played a non-speaking Policeman in the TV episode The
Prowler.
Peter Jeffrey
played Ambrose in the TV episode Under
The Influence.
Born in Bristol on 18th
April 1929. After completing education at Harrow and Oxford University,
Peter joined RADA and spent mny years in rep. (including a season at Bristol
with Leonard Rossiter). A large number of theatre roles followed, and he
spent thirty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon.
His TV appearances include Lovejoy, Triangle, By The Sword Divided, Lipstick
On Your Collar, Porridge and Jewel In The Crown. On film, he has starred
in The Odessa File and with Leonard Rossiter again in Britannia Hospital.
Peter died of prostate cancer in Stratford-upon-Avon on Christmas Day 1999.
IMDB
Carrie Jones
played Sandra in The
Movie.
Carrie has appeared on TV
in Minder and Shoestring, and in adult films.
IMDB
Paul Jones played Noel Parker in all but the Leicester performances of the play The Banana Box.
Born in Portsmouth on 24th
February 1942. Paul is best remembered as lead singer with pop group Manfred
Mann, whose hits in the 1960s included the number ones Pretty Flamingo,
Doo Wah Diddy Diddy and The Mighty Quinn, plus Ha Ha Said The Clown and
5-4-3-2-1. Paul later left the band and became a very sought-after actor
on stage. His TV appearances included Beat Club and The Sweeney, and he
was also the quizmaster on the children's TV show Beat The Teacher.
IMDB
- Biography
Andonia Katsaros
played exotic dancer Marilyn in the TV episode Fawcett's
Python.
Born in 1949 in New South
Wales, Australia, Andonia moved to England in 1969. TV roles were soon
offered, including Porridge, Please Sir! and Helen - A Woman Of Today.
She now lives in the USA, where she tours her one-woman show. She is also
a qualified flying instructor.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"...Rising Damp was great, and Leonard Rossiter always made me feel part
of the group."
IMDB
Diana King
played Mrs. Armitage in the TV episode The
Cocktail Hour.
Born in Buckinghamshire in
August 1918. She attended the Fay Compton School of Drama, and was a prolific
theatre performer during and after World War Two. On TV, she appeared in
sitcoms Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em, You're
Only Young Twice and Marriage Lines. Her films included A Farewell To Arms
with Rock Hudson. Diana died in Nettlebed, Oxfordshire on 31st July 1986.
IMDB
Ian Lavender
played political canvasser Mr. Platt in the TV episode Stand
Up And Be Counted.
Born in Birmingham on 16th
February 1946. On leaving school, Ian went to drama school at The Old Vic,
Bristol, then travelled extensively in theatre performances. He will be
best remembered, however, for playing Frank Pike, the "Stupid Boy!" of
Captain Mainwaring's platoon in Dad's Army, alongside Arthur Lowe and John
Le Mesurier. He has recently appeared in Eastenders.
IMDB
Rosemary Leach played Ruth Jones in the East Grinstead, Oxford and Newcastle performances of the play The Banana Box.
Born in Much Wenlock, Shropshire
on 18th December 1925. Unsure of which career path to follow, Rosemary's
sister suggested she went along to RADA's auditions in London before the
war. She was accepted, and went on to play theatres nationwide in a huge
number of performances. On TV she has appeared in Jewel InThe Crown, Swallows
and Amazons, Life Begins At Forty, The Tomorrow People and a major role
in The Power Game.
Remembering The Banana
Box: "I thought the play was good...He [Leonard] was a very talented
man and Frances, who took on the role of Ruth after me, was absolutely
super...".
IMDB
Alun Lewis
played Robin in the TV episode Hello
Young Lovers.
Born in Garnant, South Wales,
the brother of actor Hywel Bennett (Shelley). Joining RADA at 18, Alun
honed his skills at various theatres and repertory companies around the
country, before making the inevitable break into TV. He has appeared in
Minder, Angels, Rumpole of the Bailey, but most notably as jailbird Daryl
in Birds of A Feather and as Vic Windsor in Emmerdale (from which his talents
as singer and guitarist with The Woolpackers became known).
IMDB
Larry Martyn
played Rigsby's milkman Fred in the TV episode For
The Man Who Has Everything.
Born in London in 1934, Larry
was a singer and comedian in variety shows until the late 1950s, when he
started to appear on television. Many serious roles throughout the 1960s
were soon replaced by comedy roles such as Mr. Mash in Are You Being Served?,
Up Pompeii, Never The Twain and as James Beck's replacement as Private
Walker in the radio adaptations of Dad's Army. Larry died in 1994.
IMDB
Henry McGee
played Seymour in the TV episode The
Perfect Gentleman.
Born in Kensington, London
on 14th May 1929. Henry decided to give acting a go after deciding he wasn't
much good at anything else! He joined the Italia Conti School of Drama
in London, then gained experience by touring the country in various repertory
theatres, plus two years in Australia. He was first to be seen on television
in Charlie Drake's The Worker. This bought him a constant supply of serious
roles to play against comedians, including Tommy Cooper, Dick Emery, Eric
Sykes, The Goodies, Max Wall, Frankie Howerd and, in particular, a 23-year
association with Benny Hill. Henry died from Alzheimer's on January 28th
2006, aged 77.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"It's probably the most interesting part I've had on television...people
are still coming up to me saying 'You're Seymour!'" "Working on Rising
Damp was a very happy experience; it was the only time I ever worked with
Leonard but he was very inspiring because he had enormous energy. It was
great fun." "I've watched some repeats recentlyand have become even more
impressed with the show because you appreciate the timelessness of it;
the wonderful witticisms flow so smoothly...Eric's scripts were always
so good."
IMDB
Janet Michael
played Ruth Jones in the Leicester performances of the play The
Banana Box.
Born in Scotland, Janet has
remained faithful to her country's training of her acting skills. After
turning professional at Glasgow's Citizen's Theatre, she has now spent
over twenty-five years with Perth Rep. But she has also appeared in numerous
productions in London's West End and starred in Scottish soap High Road,
and Glasgow crime drama Taggart.
Remembering The Banana
Box: "I played Ruth as very prim and proper, which seemed to complement
Wilfrid Brambell's performance."
IMDB
Louise Nelson played Lucy in the Leicester performances of the play The Banana Box.
A trained singer and dancer,
Louise worked in cabaret abroad before returning to the UK to join the
famous Italia Conti Stage School, and has since appeared in numerous theatre
performances. She has also starred in TV roles in Z Cars, Troubleshooters
and The Power Game.
IMDB
Derek Newark
played wrestler and tenant Spooner in the TV episodes A
Night Out and All
Our Yesterdays.
Born in Great Yarmouth in
1933, Derek served in the merchant navy and Coldstream Guards beore becoming
a Services DJ in Singapore. On returning to the UK, he enrolled at RADA
and appeared in many theatre roles, culminating in more than ten years
at the National Theatre. On TV he appeared (often in tough-guy roles) in
The Avengers, The Saint, Jason King, Doctor Who, Coronation Street and
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. Derek died on 11th August 1998, after a long
illness, from a heart attack.
IMDB
Daphne Oxenford
played the Radio announcer in the TV episode That's
My Boy.
Daphne was the voice of children's
hour programme Listen With Mother from 1950 to 1971. Prior to this, she
worked extensively in theatres nationwide, and could be seen on television
in To The Manor Born (shopkeeper Mrs Patterson), Fresh Fields and Man About
The House (Chrissie's mum), as well as in films Sweet William and That'll
Be The Day. She died on December 21st, 2012, aged 93.
IMDB
Robin Parkinson
played Ruth's beau Desmond in the TV episode Moonlight
And Roses.
After leaving school and
working for his artist father, Robin attended drama school, then moved
straight into television. Among many roles are Dad's Army, Dick Emery,
Outside Edge, three series of 'Allo 'Allo and 20 episodes of The Many Wives
of Patrick. He was also the narrator of the children's TV show Button Moon.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"...[T]he centrepiece was Leonard Rossiter's performance. I sit in awe
of him. He was fantastic. I regard him as the best comedy actor this country
has produced in the last thirty or forty years..."
IMDB
Brian Peck
played Rigsby's brother Ron Rigsby in the TV episode Come
On In, The Water's Lovely.
Born in Hull on 24th October
1930, Brian was a child actor, appearing in many children's films. He later
enrolled at the Webber Douglas Academy and went on to appear in many theatre
and TV roles, including Crossroads, Coronation Street, Doomwatch, Boon,
Sorry! and Last of The Summer Wine.
IMDB
John Quayle
played the Groom in the TV episode Pink
Carnations.
Born in Lincoln on 21st December
1938. He trained at RADA and has appeared on TV in Terry and June, The
Good Life, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and recently Coronation
Street, where he played Rita Fairclough's beau Anthony.
IMDB
- Corrie.net
Pat Roach
played a Rugby Player in The
Movie.
Born in Birmingham on 19th
May 1943, Pat became a professional wrestler and was often to be seen on
Saturday afternoon TV during the 1970s and 1980s sparring with the likes
of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks. He has appeared in many films, mainly
as tough-guys or even monsters. His roles included Raiders of the Lost
Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,
Willow, Superman III, and as Bomber in three series of the comedy-drama
Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. Died 17th July 2004.
IMDB
- Official
Site
Gay Rose
played Brenda in the TV episodes Moonlight
And Roses, Last
Of The Big Spenders, Things
That Go Bump In The Night and For
The Man Who Has Everything.
Born in Canada, Gay's entry
into acting was perhaps inevitable, as her grandfather was co-author of
Me And My Girl. She trained at Bristol Old Vic and had six years experience
of acting in Britain before returning to Canada. She later returned to
the UK where her TV roles included Machinegunner (with Leonard Rossiter)
and, more recently, an episode of The X-Files.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"I was nervous because the cast, being so good, were a little intimidating...But
when I look back on the job it was fun."
IMDB
Fanny Rowe
played Ruth's Mother in the TV episode Come
On In, The Water's Lovely.
Born in Preston on 26th June
1913, Fanny abandoned her University education when her urge to act became
too great. She went on to be an accomplished actress, especially in plays
by Bernard Shaw. She had major roles in The Forsyte Saga, Fresh Fields,
Life Begins At Forty, Vanity Fair and Jane Eyre. Fanny died on 31st July
1988.
IMDB
David Rowlands
played the cricket-mad Curate, Gordon, in the TV episode Things
That Go Bump In The Night.
Born in Abergavenny, Wales.
He trained at the Guild Hall School of Music and Drama and was seen in
roles including 'Allo 'Allo, The Two Ronnies, Doctor Who and The Fall and
Rise of Reginald Perrin. David is a qualified teacher, and now lives on
a farm in Wales. He has worked for Radio Sussex as a reporter, and is now
a supply teacher in Wales.
IMDB
Andrew Sachs
played Mr. Snell in the TV episode Great
Expectations.
Born in Berlin, Germany on
7th April 1930, Andrew's family fled the emerging Nazi Germany in 1937
and settled in the UK. At the age of 16 he had decided for life as an actor
because, as he says, "I wanted to sign autographs!". In 1964 he wrote an
avante-garde radio play called The Revenge, which featured no characters,
but instead simply sound effects of a man escaping from an asylum, murdering
someone and eventually giving himself up. Apart from his most famous roles
as Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, Andrew has appeared in Bergerac,
Crown Court and can often be heard narrating wildlife and nature documentaries.
He is married to Melody, and has one daughter, Kate and two sons John and
William.
IMDB
- Fawlty
Towers
Joan Sanderson
played the bride's Mother in the TV episode Pink
Carnations.
Born in Bristol on 24th November
1912, Joan Sanderson trained in RADA to be an actress, and acted extensively
in repertory theatre. Her debut in London's West End was in See How They
Run, and subsequent performances included Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus,
Simple Spymen, When We Are Married and Anyone For Denis? By the late 1960s,
she was familiar to TV viewers from her role in All Gas And Gaiters, but
found fame in the 1970s school sitcom Please, Sir!, in which she resumed
her by now stereotypical battleaxe role. Joan was also to be seen in Ripping
Yarns, The Other 'Arf, The Ghosts Of Motley Hall and Upstairs, Downstairs.
Many people will remember Joan Sanderson, however, for her almost upstaging
of John Cleese in the Fawlty Towers episode 'Communication Problem', in
which she played Mrs. Richards, the deaf hotel guest from Hell. She went
on to play regular roles in Me And My Girl with Richard O'Sullivan and
After Henry with Prunella Scales. Shortly after completing a fifth series
of this last comedy, Joan Sanderson died, on 24th May 1992.
IMDB
George Sewell
played a prowler masquerading as 'Detective Constable Baker' in the TV
episode The
Prowler.
Born in 1924. Often cast
as an authoritarian figure, George is a regular face on TV in the UK, having
appeared in Minder, The Sweeney, The Gentle Touch, Redcap, Heartbeat and
The Detectives. He has also starred in several films, including Get Carter,
Barry Lyndon and This Sporting Life. Died 1st April 2007.
IMDB
- Biography
Anthony Sharp
played Conservative Party candidate Colonel DeVere-Brown in the TV episode
Stand
Up And Be Counted.
Born in Highgate, London
on 16th June 1915, Anthony often played upper-class characters, including
roles in To The Manor Born, Dad's Army, Doomwatch and Counterstrike. His
films included Crossed Swords, Rebound and the James Bond movie Never Say
Never Again. Anthony died in London on 23rd July 1984.
IMDB
Campbell Singer
played the bailiff, Mr. Flint, in the TV episode Last
Of The Big Spenders.
Born in London on 16th March
1909, Campbell had a prolific career on both stage and screen, and particularly
in movies, numbering more than fifty. These included The Square Peg, The
Titfield Thunderbolt, Operation Diamond and Home At Seven. Campbell died
in March 1976.
IMDB
Michael Stainton
played a Policeman in the TV episode The
Prowler.
With a long career starting
in various repertory theatres, Michael soon moved into television, and
has been seen in many roles, including French Fields, Ever Decreasing Circles,
Grange Hill, London's Burning, Bread, Only Fools and Horses, and as the
father of the household in which loveable robot Metal Mickey resided. He
is still active in the theatre and on TV.
IMDB
Christopher Strauli
played the student John Harris in The
Movie.
Born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire
on 13th April 1946. Christopher trained as a maths and science teacher
before training with RADA as an actor, followed by further experience at
The Old Vic, Bristol. He had a major role on TV in the 1980s in Eric Chappell's
Only When I Laugh, plus appearances in Bergerac, Victoria Wood - As Seen
On TV, and Raffles. He is married to Lesley, with two daughters Belinda
and Hanneli, and two sons Barnaby and Dominic.
Remembering The Movie:
"The film turned out fine, and I think I did averagely well, though I could
have done better..."
"I thought it might be difficult
joining the cast who have worked together for five years. It was quite
the contrary. It's an excellent part and Eric knows my work too, which
helps."
IMDB
David Swift
played suicidal Mr. Gray in the TV episode The
Good Samaritan.
David only became an actor
at the age of thirty, after being a businessman for many years. He toured
with a number of repetory companies, before landing TV roles such as Bergerac,
War And Peace and another two roles with Richard Beckinsale, Bloomers and
Going Straight. He is the brother of Clive Swift, who played hen-pecked
Mr. Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances.
IMDB
Michael Ward
played the Labour Candidate in the TV episode Stand
Up And Be Counted.
Born in Redruth, Cornwall
on 9th April 1909. Michael trained as a teacher before enrolling with the
Central School of Speech and Drama. He appeared in a huge number of films
and theatre roles, including five Carry Ons and five Norman Wisdom films.
On TV he starred in Steptoe and Son, Morecambe & Wise and The Two Ronnies.
Michael died in Ladbroke Grove, London on 9th November 1997.
IMDB
- Official
Site
Deborah Watling
played Lorna in the TV episode Hello Young Lovers.
Born in Fulmer Chase, Buckinghamshire
on 2nd January 1948, into a family of actors (father Jack and sister Dilys),
Deborah has a long list of theatre roles to her credit, plus TV including
Doctor Who, Danger UXB and Life of Bliss. She also starred in films of
David Essex and Cliff Richard.
Remembering Rising Damp:
"I adored Leonard Rossiter, Richard Beckinsale and Frances de la Tour,
so you can imagine my delight and excitement when I was offered the part...Everyone
was super, especially Leonard who was a marvellous actor. It was like walking
into a family. I was made to feel welcome from the beginning."
IMDB
- Official
site