British Character Actors

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

53 minutes ago, msc said:

 

Its a bit of circular evidence (ie the Who sites which usually cite sources are citing the Dr Who cast and crew project which didn't cite sources annoyingly!) but the date given is 29 October 2019, which is last quarter. I've no idea if it was a stage name, not having tracked down his birth date of 16/4/1931 in the records - which make you appreciate the quality of Scotlands People tbh.

You wouldn’t be able to see his birth date on Scotland’s People either, unless you order the certificate specifically, which is pricey.

[msc 17,712]

8 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

You wouldn’t be able to see his birth date on Scotland’s People either, unless you order the certificate specifically, which is pricey.

 

Its been a while, I forgot the age limit on digital birth certificates is different (100 years compared to 50) than with death certificates!

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

List from 29/12/20 updated to 3/8/21.

Possible that one or two others have done a Godfrey James and since died off radar.
 

Spoiler

Arnold Yarrow (wiki, b. 1920) EastEnders; Doctor Who
Geoffrey Chater (wiki, b. 1921) One Foot in the Grave; Harry's Game; Z-Cars; Bognor
Elizabeth Kelly (wiki, b. 1921) EastEnders
Nadia Cattouse (wiki, b. 1924) Angels; Johnny Jarvis
Raymond Mason (IMDb, b. 1924) Z-Cars; The Two Ronnies; The Bill
Donald Pelmear (IMDb, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Yes Minister
Leslie Phillips (wiki, b. 1924) Revolver; The House of Windsor
William Russell (wiki, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Coronation Street
Laurie Webb (IMDb, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Hancock's Half Hour
Ysanne Churchman (wiki, b. 1925) Doctor Who; The Railway Children
Michael Godley (IMDb, b. 1925) The Bill, Watt on Earth
David Graham (wiki, b. 1925) Doctor Who; Thunderbirds
Dame Angela Lansbury (wiki, b. 1925) Little Women
Pete Murray (wiki, b. 1925) Mum's Boys; Happily Ever After
Morris Perry (wiki, b. 1925) Crown Court; The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Sweeney
Thelma Ruby (IMDb, b. 1925) Doctors; Coronation Street; Nicholas Nickleby
Stanley Baxter (wiki, b. 1926) The Stanley Baxter Show; Mr. Majeika
James Belchamber (IMDb, b. 1926) The Avengers
Elizabeth Benson (IMDb, b. 1926) Fawlty Towers, Z-Cars, The Liver Birds
Barbara Clegg (wiki, b. 1926) Emergency Ward 10
Leonard Fenton (wiki, b. 1926) EastEnders
Denys Graham (wiki, b. 1926) One the Line, Lovejoy, The Bill
Doreen Mantle (wiki, b. 1926) One Foot in the Grave; Coronation Street
André Maranne (wiki, b. 1926) Fawlty Towers; Yes Minister DIED 12/04/2021
Gordon Peters (wiki, b. 1926) Hi-de-Hi!; One Foot in the Grave; Dad's Army
Oscar Quitak (wiki, b. 1926) Howards' Way; Z-Cars; The Kenny Everett Television Show
Gudrun Ure (wiki, b. 1926) Super Gran; Casualty
June Brown (wiki, b. 1927) EastEnders
Jeannette Charles (wiki, b. 1927) Q6
Robert Crewdson (IMDb, b. 1927) Epitaph For a Spy
David de Keyser (wiki, b. 1927) Crown Court; Holby City DIED 20/02/2021
June Flewett aka Jill Freud (wiki, b. 1927) Crown Court
Frank Mills (wiki, b. 1927) Coronation Street DIED 11/02/2021
Lee Montague (wiki, b. 1927) Bergerac; Minder
Neville Phillips (IMDb, b. 1927) Midsomer Murders, Mansfield Park, Rumpole of the Bailey
Joss Ackland (wiki, b. 1928) Z-Cars
Denise Bryer (wiki, b. 1928) The Adventures of Twizzle, Terrahawks
Peter Cellier (wiki, b. 1928) Yes Minister; Yes, Prime Minister; Keeping Up Appearances
Michael Craig (wiki, b. 1928) Doctor Who; Triangle
Bernard Cribbins (wiki, b. 1928) The Wombles; Fawlty Towers; Coronation Street
Anthony Dawes (IMDb, b. 1928) Z-Cars; Who, Sir? Me, Sir? DIED 21/01/2021
Mark Eden (wiki, b. 1928) Coronation Street DIED 01/01/2021
Sarah Lawson (wiki, b. 1928) Within These Walls
Thelma Barlow (wiki, b. 1929) Coronation Street; Dinnerladies
Maria Charles (wiki, b. 1929) Coronation Street; Agony
Damaris Hayman (wiki, b. 1929) One Foot in the Grave; Doctor Who DIED 03/06/2021
Colin Jeavons (wiki, b. 1929) House of Cards; Epitaph For a Spy
John Nettleton (wiki, b. 1929) Yes Minister; Yes, Prime Minister
Robin Parkinson (wiki, b. 1929) 'Allo 'Allo!
Clifford Rose (wiki, b. 1929) One by One; Doctor Who; Secret Army
Patricia Routledge (wiki, b. 1929) Keeping Up Appearances
John Woodvine (wiki, b. 1929) Z-Cars
Cyril Appleton (wiki, b. 1930) Coronation Street
John Cairney (wiki, b. 1930) This Man Craig
Alan Curtis (wiki, b. 1930) The Saint; Z-Cars; Doctor Who DIED 18/02/2021
Robert Fyfe (wiki, b. 1930) Last of the Summer Wine (most sources say 1925 but born in 1930 according to his son)
Jack Hedley (wiki, b. 1930) Colditz; Who Pays the Ferryman?; One by One
Henry Lincoln (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; Triangle; No Hiding Place
Una McLean (wiki, b. 1930) Taggart, River City
Jeanne Moody (IMDb, b. 1930) Emergency-Ward 10; The Saint
Bill Treacher (wiki, b. 1930) EastEnders
Gary Watson (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; The Avengers; Doctor Who
Henry Woolf (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; Doctor Who; Full House
Denyse Alexander (wiki, b. 1931) Father Charlie; The Bill; Silent Witness
June Bland (wiki, b. 1931) The Newcomers; Doctor Who
Claire Bloom (wiki, b. 1931) Brideshead Revisited
Sheila Brennan (IMDb, b. 1931) Open All Hours
Jeremy Burnham (wiki, b. 1931) United!; The Saint; The Avengers DIED 31/12/2020
Kenneth Cope (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street; Brookside
Eileen Derbyshire (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street
James Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Mapp & Lucia; The Bill; Moon Stallion DIED 05/01/2021
Leon Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Lorna Doone; A Man Called Intrepid DIED 19/06/2021

Patricia Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Doctors
Gerald Harper (wiki, b. 1931) Hadleigh; Adam Adamant Lives!
Veronica Hurst (wiki, b. 1931) Dixon of Dock Green; The Flaxton Boys
Brian Jackson (wiki, b. 1931) Z-Cars; Doctors
Godfrey James (wiki, b. 1931) The Bill; Emmerdale Farm; Oliver Twist; Armchair Thriller DIED 29/10/2019 (late announcement; unconfirmed)
John Kelland (IMDb, b. 1931) The Idiot
Harry Landis (wiki, b. 1931) EastEnders
James Martin (wiki, b. 1931) Still Game
Ellen McIntosh (IMDb, b. 1931) The Common Room; 199 Park Lane; This Man Craig
Virginia McKenna (wiki, b. 1931) The Scold's Bridle; The Camomile Lawn
Stanley Meadows (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street

Arthur Nightingale (IMDb, b. 1931) The Bill, The Crown
Trevor Peacock (wiki, b. 1931) The Bill; The Vicar of Dibley DIED 08/03/2021

Vivian Pickles (wiki, b. 1931) Birds of a Feather; Uncle Jack
Corinne Skinner-Carter (wiki, b. 1931) EastEnders
John Swindells (IMDb, b. 1931) Z-Cars
Josephine Tewson (wiki, b. 1931) Last of the Summer Wine; Keeping Up Appearances
Cy Town (IMDb, b. 1931) Doctor Who
Frank Williams (wiki, b. 1931) Dad's Army; You Rang, M'Lord?

 

[Bibliogryphon 8,615]

1 hour ago, Ulitzer95 said:

List from 29/12/20 updated to 3/8/21.

Possible that one or two others have done a Godfrey James and since died off radar.
 

  Hide contents

Arnold Yarrow (wiki, b. 1920) EastEnders; Doctor Who
Geoffrey Chater (wiki, b. 1921) One Foot in the Grave; Harry's Game; Z-Cars; Bognor
Elizabeth Kelly (wiki, b. 1921) EastEnders
Nadia Cattouse (wiki, b. 1924) Angels; Johnny Jarvis
Raymond Mason (IMDb, b. 1924) Z-Cars; The Two Ronnies; The Bill
Donald Pelmear (IMDb, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Yes Minister
Leslie Phillips (wiki, b. 1924) Revolver; The House of Windsor
William Russell (wiki, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Coronation Street
Laurie Webb (IMDb, b. 1924) Doctor Who; Hancock's Half Hour
Ysanne Churchman (wiki, b. 1925) Doctor Who; The Railway Children
Michael Godley (IMDb, b. 1925) The Bill, Watt on Earth
David Graham (wiki, b. 1925) Doctor Who; Thunderbirds
Dame Angela Lansbury (wiki, b. 1925) Little Women
Pete Murray (wiki, b. 1925) Mum's Boys; Happily Ever After
Morris Perry (wiki, b. 1925) Crown Court; The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Sweeney
Thelma Ruby (IMDb, b. 1925) Doctors; Coronation Street; Nicholas Nickleby
Stanley Baxter (wiki, b. 1926) The Stanley Baxter Show; Mr. Majeika
James Belchamber (IMDb, b. 1926) The Avengers
Elizabeth Benson (IMDb, b. 1926) Fawlty Towers, Z-Cars, The Liver Birds
Barbara Clegg (wiki, b. 1926) Emergency Ward 10
Leonard Fenton (wiki, b. 1926) EastEnders
Denys Graham (wiki, b. 1926) One the Line, Lovejoy, The Bill
Doreen Mantle (wiki, b. 1926) One Foot in the Grave; Coronation Street
André Maranne (wiki, b. 1926) Fawlty Towers; Yes Minister DIED 12/04/2021
Gordon Peters (wiki, b. 1926) Hi-de-Hi!; One Foot in the Grave; Dad's Army
Oscar Quitak (wiki, b. 1926) Howards' Way; Z-Cars; The Kenny Everett Television Show
Gudrun Ure (wiki, b. 1926) Super Gran; Casualty
June Brown (wiki, b. 1927) EastEnders
Robert Crewdson (IMDb, b. 1927) Epitaph For a Spy
David de Keyser (wiki, b. 1927) Crown Court; Holby City DIED 20/02/2021
June Flewett aka Jill Freud (wiki, b. 1927) Crown Court
Frank Mills (wiki, b. 1927) Coronation Street DIED 11/02/2021
Lee Montague (wiki, b. 1927) Bergerac; Minder
Neville Phillips (IMDb, b. 1927) Midsomer Murders, Mansfield Park, Rumpole of the Bailey
Joss Ackland (wiki, b. 1928) Z-Cars
Peter Cellier (wiki, b. 1928) Yes Minister; Yes, Prime Minister; Keeping Up Appearances
Michael Craig (wiki, b. 1928) Doctor Who; Triangle
Bernard Cribbins (wiki, b. 1928) The Wombles; Fawlty Towers; Coronation Street
Anthony Dawes (IMDb, b. 1928) Z-Cars; Who, Sir? Me, Sir? DIED 21/01/2021
Mark Eden (wiki, b. 1928) Coronation Street DIED 01/01/2021
Sarah Lawson (wiki, b. 1928) Within These Walls
Thelma Barlow (wiki, b. 1929) Coronation Street; Dinnerladies
Maria Charles (wiki, b. 1929) Coronation Street; Agony
Damaris Hayman (wiki, b. 1929) One Foot in the Grave; Doctor Who DIED 03/06/2021
Colin Jeavons (wiki, b. 1929) House of Cards; Epitaph For a Spy
John Nettleton (wiki, b. 1929) Yes Minister; Yes, Prime Minister
Robin Parkinson (wiki, b. 1929) 'Allo 'Allo!
Clifford Rose (wiki, b. 1929) One by One; Doctor Who; Secret Army
Patricia Routledge (wiki, b. 1929) Keeping Up Appearances
John Woodvine (wiki, b. 1929) Z-Cars
Cyril Appleton (wiki, b. 1930) Coronation Street
John Cairney (wiki, b. 1930) This Man Craig
Alan Curtis (wiki, b. 1930) The Saint; Z-Cars; Doctor Who DIED 18/02/2021
Robert Fyfe (wiki, b. 1930) Last of the Summer Wine (most sources say 1925 but born in 1930 according to his son)
Jack Hedley (wiki, b. 1930) Colditz; Who Pays the Ferryman?; One by One
Henry Lincoln (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; Triangle; No Hiding Place
Una McLean (wiki, b. 1930) Taggart, River City
Jeanne Moody (IMDb, b. 1930) Emergency-Ward 10; The Saint
Bill Treacher (wiki, b. 1930) EastEnders
Gary Watson (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; The Avengers; Doctor Who
Henry Woolf (wiki, b. 1930) Z-Cars; Doctor Who; Full House
Denyse Alexander (wiki, b. 1931) Father Charlie; The Bill; Silent Witness
June Bland (wiki, b. 1931) The Newcomers; Doctor Who
Claire Bloom (wiki, b. 1931) Brideshead Revisited
Sheila Brennan (IMDb, b. 1931) Open All Hours
Jeremy Burnham (wiki, b. 1931) United!; The Saint; The Avengers DIED 31/12/2020
Kenneth Cope (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street; Brookside
Eileen Derbyshire (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street
James Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Mapp & Lucia; The Bill; Moon Stallion DIED 05/01/2021
Leon Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Lorna Doone; A Man Called Intrepid DIED 19/06/2021

Patricia Greene (wiki, b. 1931) Doctors
Gerald Harper (wiki, b. 1931) Hadleigh; Adam Adamant Lives!
Veronica Hurst (wiki, b. 1931) Dixon of Dock Green; The Flaxton Boys
Brian Jackson (wiki, b. 1931) Z-Cars; Doctors
Godfrey James (wiki, b. 1931) The Bill; Emmerdale Farm; Oliver Twist; Armchair Thriller DIED 29/10/2019 (late announcement; unconfirmed)
John Kelland (IMDb, b. 1931) The Idiot
Harry Landis (wiki, b. 1931) EastEnders
James Martin (wiki, b. 1931) Still Game
Ellen McIntosh (IMDb, b. 1931) The Common Room; 199 Park Lane; This Man Craig
Virginia McKenna (wiki, b. 1931) The Scold's Bridle; The Camomile Lawn
Stanley Meadows (wiki, b. 1931) Coronation Street

Arthur Nightingale (IMDb, b. 1931) The Bill, The Crown
Trevor Peacock (wiki, b. 1931) The Bill; The Vicar of Dibley DIED 08/03/2021

Vivian Pickles (wiki, b. 1931) Birds of a Feather; Uncle Jack
Corinne Skinner-Carter (wiki, b. 1931) EastEnders
John Swindells (IMDb, b. 1931) Z-Cars
Josephine Tewson (wiki, b. 1931) Last of the Summer Wine; Keeping Up Appearances
Cy Town (IMDb, b. 1931) Doctor Who
Frank Williams (wiki, b. 1931) Dad's Army; You Rang, M'Lord?

 

If you were going to add any more to this list the following might be appropriate 

 

Jeanette Charles b.1927 - Q, Mind Your Language, Doctor Who

Denise Bryer b.1928 - Star Fleet, Terrahawks, Hector's House

Joan Plowright b.1929 - Mostly work on stage but some literary adaptations such as Return of the Native

 

Pretty comprehensive list though

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

1 hour ago, Bibliogryphon said:

If you were going to add any more to this list the following might be appropriate 

 

Jeanette Charles b.1927 - Q, Mind Your Language, Doctor Who

Denise Bryer b.1928 - Star Fleet, Terrahawks, Hector's House

Joan Plowright b.1929 - Mostly work on stage but some literary adaptations such as Return of the Native

 

Pretty comprehensive list though

Thanks. I’ll add Charles and Bryer later. 
 

Plowright was discussed earlier in the year. She’s never been a regular on any British television series. The Return of the Native was a made-for-TV film.

[Bibliogryphon 8,615]

3 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Thanks. I’ll add Charles and Bryer later. 
 

Plowright was discussed earlier in the year. She’s never been a regular on any British television series. The Return of the Native was a made-for-TV film.

There is a Theatre topic where she might fit better

[Book 3,343]

10 minutes ago, Bibliogryphon said:

There is a Theatre topic where she might fit better

And there will be a DL for 2022 where she would also fit very well... 

Joan Plowright for DL 2022!

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

Not going to let this one go until it's solved. Spent an hour(?!) last night trying to find out who this man really was from the records to no avail!

So... Godfrey James

This is what we know. IF information widely circulated online is to be believed, born 16 Apr 1931 in London (east London to be precise and the son of a grocer). According to a 1985 newspaper article he had been married to a "Vivian" (elsewhere spelt "Vivienne") at that point for 32 years (so married c.1953???). The article also said he had a 24 year old daughter called Tracy. For most of his life, until his death in 2019, he resided in Eastbourne.

Now, with this info, you'd have thought that between the GRO, FreeBMD, Ancestry et al. you'd be able to pull up records which potentially match. I can't find shit. Who was this man? Is Godfrey James a stage name? I've tried James Godfrey as well. There's more of them, but nothing standing out.

[RoverAndOut 3,397]

20 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Not going to let this one go until it's solved. Spent an hour(?!) last night trying to find out who this man really was from the records to no avail!
So... Godfrey James
This is what we know. IF information widely circulated online is to be believed, born 16 Apr 1931 in London (east London to be precise and the son of a grocer). According to a 1985 newspaper article he had been married to a "Vivian" (elsewhere spelt "Vivienne") at that point for 32 years (so married c.1953???). The article also said he had a 24 year old daughter called Tracy. For most of his life, until his death in 2019, he resided in Eastbourne.
Now, with this info, you'd have thought that between the GRO, FreeBMD, Ancestry et al. you'd be able to pull up records which potentially match. I can't find shit. Who was this man? Is Godfrey James a stage name? I've tried James Godfrey as well. There's more of them, but nothing standing out.

 

Ok, I've also spent too much time looking into this and am also struggling to find any leads, but in the absence of anything else right now, how's this for a possibility?

 

Godfrey J. Coleman m. Vivienne M. Saunders, March 1963 in Battle, Sussex (not far at all from Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne, which he's linked to). 10 years too late, but if the newspaper article is a typo and it's 22 years then it's perfect. And I know that doesn't work with the daughter either, and I can't find a matching Tracy that works either. And you may have already seen this option! But of all the possibilities, that's the closest I've found so far, so thought it might be worth throwing out there.

 

[msc 17,712]

ELLIS - Mary Irene Colette (nee McCrossan) (stage name Colette O'Neil) Mary Irene Colette passed away peacefully on Sunday 11th July 2021. Actress and much loved mother to Dominic, Lara, Natasha, sister to Pat and grandmother to Nyree, Aaron, Maisy, Mya and Grace. Family and friends welcome to attend a service to celebrate Colette's life held at St Gabriel's Church, Merrylee Road, Glasgow, on 11th August at 10am. Family flowers only, if wished donations to Alzheimer's Research UK please.

 

In the Herald.

 

This is for Scottish actress Colette O'Neil (born 1937). She appeared in Taggart, Shetland, Hamish MacBeth, Adam Adamant Lives, Wallander, Z-Cars and Doctor Who (Snakedance, she played Martin Clunes's mum) among many others. Looks like the family only just announced it 2 days ago.

 

Lucky to make it to 84 after a near fatal accident performing on stage in the 1960s!

 

 

 

 

 

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

24 minutes ago, RoverAndOut said:

 

Ok, I've also spent too much time looking into this and am also struggling to find any leads, but in the absence of anything else right now, how's this for a possibility?

 

Godfrey J. Coleman m. Vivienne M. Saunders, March 1963 in Battle, Sussex (not far at all from Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne, which he's linked to). 10 years too late, but if the newspaper article is a typo and it's 22 years then it's perfect. And I know that doesn't work with the daughter either, and I can't find a matching Tracy that works either. And you may have already seen this option! But of all the possibilities, that's the closest I've found so far, so thought it might be worth throwing out there.

 

This is a good shout. Could be our man. I will have a look at the residency records on Ancestry and see if I find any matches.

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

@RoverAndOut, bad news. Not our man.

Godfrey J. Coleman... the middle name was James so that part checks out, but he died in 2017 in Sussex and he was born in 1932 in Rye, Sussex. Not a match.

[RoverAndOut 3,397]

1 minute ago, Ulitzer95 said:

@RoverAndOut, bad news. Not our man.
Godfrey J. Coleman... the middle name was James so that part checks out, but he died in 2017 in Sussex and he was born in 1932 in Rye, Sussex. Not a match.

 

Back to the drawing board... 

[TQR 12,056]

Una Stubbs, off of Aunt Sally, dead at 84.

[Slackhurst Broadcasting 330]

It feels as if a little bit of the Sixties has died.

[RolandDeschain 91]

I just realised as well that with Una Stubbs dying, both of Peter Gilmore’s wives have now died within months of each other (Anne Stallybrass)

[Bentrovato 988]

1 hour ago, Slackhurst Broadcasting said:

It feels as if a little bit of the Sixties has died.

About time the Sixties died. But not Una. 

[Vinegar Tits 584]

21 minutes ago, The Quim Reaper said:

Una Stubbs, off of Aunt Sally, dead at 84.

 

Sad news, but time to drag out my anecdote.

 

While she was starring in She Stoops To Conquer at Bradford Alhambra she stopped me in the centre of town and asked for directions to M&S, which I duly give her. She was nice and not as fragile looking as she often appeared on screen.

[time 7,939]

27 minutes ago, The Quim Reaper said:

Una Stubbs, off of Aunt Sally, dead at 84.

There can't be many of 'til Death... left now.

[Toast 14,800]

Really sad to hear this.  My memories of her go back to Till Death Us Do Part, and she was a regular on Give Us A Clue which lasted a few years.

And I've just remembered she was in the first film I ever saw in a cinema - Summer Holiday.

[Spade_Cooley 9,001]

There were always a lot of rumours about what Una Stubbs liked in the bedroom, but I thought that was a load of shit.

[One shot Paddy 1,132]

 

1 hour ago, Spade_Cooley said:

There were always a lot of rumours about what Una Stubbs liked in the bedroom, but I thought that was a load of shit.

Give us a Poo. 

[markb4 794]

Loved her in Sherlock as well.

[Ulitzer95 10,947]

3 hours ago, time said:

There can't be many of 'til Death... left now.

Stubbs was the last main cast member.

There were 53 episodes in total. Looking at IMDb, no cast members who appeared in 3 or more of them are living. Just a few minor bit parts who appeared in 1-2.

[Lord Fellatio Nelson 6,132]

I'm gutted.

I so fancied her, she was just soooooo cute and a lil bit sexy.

Mind you, I'd not have fancied the idea of her dropping a number 2 onto my chest or leaving one on the pillow next to me as a mark of affection or summat.

You have to draw the line somewhere, aye.