British Character Actors

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

On 16/01/2021 at 12:11, YoungWillz said:

Was watching Live It Up! on Talking Pictures last night (more of which later).

 

Veronica Hurst (b. 1931) still alive on Wiki and IMDB, unless you know better.

Veronica Hurst dead at 91.

 

Times obit.

 

Edit: Died in Denville Hall.

[Obitwatcher 21]

Toby Hadoke reports the death of Meg Wynn Owen earlier this year. Apologies that I can’t embed the tweet, but here is a link to the article which revealed her demise. A sad story: https://t.co/xZW1ikLWSy

[YoungWillz 21,058]

Audrey Leybourne, one of the Roly Polys and a well known theatre and lesser known TV and film actress, being reported dead: 

 

[YoungWillz 21,058]

Here's Audrey Leybourne on Britain's Got Talent in 2018:

 

 

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

On 23/11/2022 at 20:28, Obitwatcher said:

Toby Hadoke reports the death of Meg Wynn Owen earlier this year. Apologies that I can’t embed the tweet, but here is a link to the article which revealed her demise. A sad story: https://t.co/xZW1ikLWSy

Meg Wynn Owen scores a Guardian obit.

It confirms that she died in June 2022 (rather than July). Her birth name was Margaret Shuttleworth, and she was born in Lancaster (previously thought to have been Wales!).

[time 8,618]

37 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Meg Wynn Owen scores a Guardian obit.

It confirms that she died in June 2022 (rather than July). Her birth name was Margaret Shuttleworth, and she was born in Lancaster (previously thought to have been Wales!).

Anthony Hayward's 37th Guardian Obit this year, by my reckoning.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

26 minutes ago, time said:

Anthony Hayward's 37th Guardian Obit this year, by my reckoning.

Anthony Hayward puts a good shift in at The Guardian! 
 

The paper is utterly failing when it comes to music obits. Quite a few of the folk who used to do pop and rock write ups are now themselves deceased.

[time 8,618]

12 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Anthony Hayward puts a good shift in at The Guardian! 
 

The paper is utterly failing when it comes to music obits. Quite a few of the folk who used to do pop and rock write ups are now themselves deceased.

In terms of quality or quantity?; Caroline Sullivan's Christine McVie obit was her fourth of the year, Adam Sweeting has done 20, most recent being Irene Cara & Wilko Johnson; Robin Denselow has done a handful including some 'world' music performers, who it wouldn't necessarily be expected to see an obit for.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

11 minutes ago, time said:

In terms of quality or quantity?; Caroline Sullivan's Christine McVie obit was her fourth of the year, Adam Sweeting has done 20, most recent being Irene Cara & Wilko Johnson; Robin Denselow has done a handful including some 'world' music performers, who it wouldn't necessarily be expected to see an obit for.

Quantity. They cover most notable British film and television deaths. Same cannot be said of British musicians as the recent pile up of off radar deaths in the UK Singles Chart thread has shown.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

On 29/12/2020 at 23:51, Ulitzer95 said:

Wasn't quite sure where to put this, but thought we were overdue a masterlist for British television actors so went through a list of UK TV shows of the 60s–90s earlier and singled out all the actors turning 90+ in 2021. Vast majority of these names will obit for sure:

*snip*
Thelma Ruby (IMDb, b. 1925) Doctors; Coronation Street; Nicholas Nickleby
*snip*

Article from Jewish News covering 97 year old actress Thelma Ruby.

Still acting and looks pretty good!

Since I added her to this list in 2020, someone has created a Wikipedia page for her.

Because of her extensive stage career, I can see her easily pulling off a QO.

[Evil Grimace 359]

This is probably the best place for this….

 

Recently finished watching “The Vault of Horror” (1973), a film only previously mentioned on the forum at the creation of the Tom Baker thread.  Due to its age, it should not be a surprise that only four of the main cast are still alive*:

 

Michael Craig (93) - many mentions on the forum in various threads- recently discussed for notability in the Ideas & Possibilities 2023, with connections to  British Science Fiction series, British Character actors threads, etc.

Tom Baker (88) - needs no introduction!; appears in the film to still have his Rasputin beard from ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’. 

Glynis Johns (99) - perennial darling of the forum and ‘why hasn’t she been on the main DL’ question.

Geoffrey Davies (79) - the youngest living cast member, probably better known from ‘Doctor in the House’; only forum mention is a pick by @YoungWillz in a 2016 deadpool.

 

With respect to the film itself, it was a decent watch, with the notable living cast above and having also included the siblings Daniel and Anna Massey, Terry-Thomas, Curd Jurgens and Denholm Elliott.  To its credit beside the impressive cast, is the running time of 83 minutes.  And yes, it is an Amicus Productions film, but don’t let that put you off, unless the horror genre isn’t for you.

 

* With any luck it will be a long time until it can be mentioned in the ‘Films with entirely dead casts’ thread.

[YoungWillz 21,058]

Eddie Caswell, character actor most recently as the Station Master in 2022's The Railway Children Return, died in October: https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/obituary-eddie-caswell-railway-children

 

[Toast 16,146]

So, that makes a double with Bernard Cribbins.

[tracy 2,411]

Ronan Vibert, known for roles in The Pianist and Saving Mr. Banks, dead at 58

[TheKeysOfMarinus 390]

Stephen Greif, Travis in Blake’s 7 (before Brian Croucher) and Henry Fenning in Citizen Smith amongst various TV roles, dead at 78. 

[Thatcher 2,418]

Christian Roberts (IMDb) reportedly dead aged 78. Featured in To Sir, With Love alongside Sidney Poitier, as well as tv shows such as The Avengers, The Bill and Blake’s 7 amongst others.

[msc 18,478]

87 year old Michael Jayston on bbc4 tonight discussing Tinker Tailor. Aging, yes, though not as badly as he jokes, but still has a brilliant memory.

[YoungWillz 21,058]

5 minutes ago, msc said:

87 year old Michael Jayston on bbc4 tonight discussing Tinker Tailor. Aging, yes, though not as badly as he jokes, but still has a brilliant memory.

Good to hear, thanks for the brief.

[msc 18,478]

4 minutes ago, YoungWillz said:

Good to hear, thanks for the brief.

It should be on iPlayer by the morning.

[msc 18,478]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001gn4z/michael-jayston-remembers-tinker-tailor-so

 

There you go.

[time 8,618]

Wyllie Longmore dead aged 82, cancer. Appeared in Coronation Street, as Dr. McKinnon, and had a part in Love Actually as well as numerous other British drama staple of the 80s onward. Also a presence in theatre.

 

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

Mirror obit.

 

Surprised he doesn’t have a Wiki page.

[YoungWillz 21,058]

On 27/12/2022 at 16:45, Thatcher said:

Christian Roberts (IMDb) reportedly dead aged 78. Featured in To Sir, With Love alongside Sidney Poitier, as well as tv shows such as The Avengers, The Bill and Blake’s 7 amongst others.

Christian Roberts Times Obit: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/christian-roberts-obituary-wt60wv7p3

[YoungWillz 21,058]

Stage Obit for Iain Ormsby-Knox, part player in such as Terry And June and Inspector Morse: https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/obituary-actor-and-teacher-iain-ormsby-knox

[The Old Crem 3,608]

On 29/12/2020 at 23:51, Ulitzer95 said:

Wasn't quite sure where to put this, but thought we were overdue a masterlist for British television actors so went through a list of UK TV shows of the 60s–90s earlier and singled out all the actors turning 90+ in 2021. Vast majority of these names will obit for sure:

Now she is known to have been born in 1931 Barbara Young (Last of the Summer Wine, Coronation Street I, Claudius) can be added to the list.

 

If you doing a 1933 list anytime some suggestions

Joan Collins

Caroline Blakiston

Shelia Hancock 

Sian Phillips

Derek Martin

Barbara Knox

Keith Baxter (Lots of TV plays in the 1950’s/1960’s)