|
Michael Knowles (actor)
Michael Sydney Knowles (born 26 April 1937) is a British actor and scriptwriter who is best known for his roles in BBC sitcoms written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft. He often starred alongside Donald Hewlett with whom he first appeared in ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum''. They later appeared together in '' Rogue's Rock, Come Back Mrs. Noah'' and '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' In Knowles' writing career, he co-adapted (with Harold Snoad) the radio version of ''Dad's Army'' and writing with Snoad the ''Dad's Army'' spinoff series '' It Sticks Out Half a Mile'' for radio, which became the television series ''High and Dry''. Early life Knowles attended Bemrose Grammar School for Boys, Derby (now Bemrose School), where he stayed on into the 6th form and played the lead role in the school's production of Shakespeare's ''Henry V.'' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spondon
Spondon is a ward of the city of Derby. Originally a small village, Spondon dates back to the Domesday Book and it became heavily industrialised in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with companies such as British Celanese. History The name Spondon is Anglo-Saxon and describes a gravelly hill. The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.''Domesday Book: A Complete Translation''. London: Penguin, 2003. p.748 In about 1333,Roger de Bankwell at Dictionary of National Biography now in the public domain a great fire, starting at The Malt Shovel, a local pub, and aided by an easterly wind, swept through the village destroying the church and all but a few houses, with just one casualty, the mayor. The damage was so great that a judge, Roger de Bankwell, was sent to hear pleas for relief from taxes. The Great Fire of Spondon is still commemorated and taught as part of the curriculum in local schools. A village fair was held on its 650th anniversary (circa.1990). Spon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Snoad
Harold Edward Snoad (born 28 August 1935) is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having directed and produced ''Ever Decreasing Circles'' starring Richard Briers and Peter Egan, as well as '' Don't Wait Up'' starring Tony Britton and Nigel Havers. He has also had a successful writing career with his writing partner Michael Knowles, writing the radio spinoff of ''Dad's Army'', ''It Sticks Out Half a Mile'' which evolved into the short-lived television series for ITV called '' High & Dry''. Directing and Producing Career Harold Snoad joined the BBC in 1957, after working in the theatre, and had numerous roles, including as a ‘call boy’ for an episode of ''Hancock's Half Hour'' in 1960. Snoad soon gained promotion, becoming a producer and director in 1969. At the time, he was one of the youngest directors work in televisio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dad's Army Missing Episodes
The ''Dad's Army'' missing episodes are lost episodes of the British sitcom programme ''Dad's Army'', plus some short sketches. The programme ran for nine series between 1968 and 1977. Three out of six episodes from Series 2 and two of the four Christmas sketches (1968 and 1970) are missing as the BBC routinely reused videotape as a cost saving measure for many years. Background Until 1978, when the BBC Film and Videotape Library was created as a permanent archive for all its television programmes, the BBC had no central archive. The videotapes and film recordings stored in the BBC's various libraries were often either wiped or discarded for recording new programmes and to free storage space to reduce costs. The BBC Film Library kept only some programmes that were made on film, whilst the Engineering Department handled videotape but had no mandate to retain material. Some shows were kept by BBC Enterprises, but they too had limited storage space and only kept material that was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Walker
"The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker" is a missing episode in the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 15 March 1969. One of the three missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes, only a few short clips and screenshots survive in the archives. Synopsis To his complete surprise, Walker receives his call-up papers. Mainwaring tries his best to get the authorities to reconsider. Plot When Walker is called up, he applies to the Military Service Hardship Committee, which rejects him on the grounds that he does not keep books for his business. After Jones's attempts to sabotage his medical test fail, Walker is invalided out because he is allergic to corned beef. Cast * Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring *John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson *Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones *John Laurie as Private Frazer *James Beck as Private Walker *Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey *Ian Lavender as Private Pike * Anthony Sharp as Brigadier (War Office) *Diana King as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linda James (actor)
Linda Mary James (born 1951, Birmingham, England) is an established artist who has been working in New Zealand for over twenty-five years. She creates large figurative paintings and landscapes. Biography Born in Birmingham, at the age of 2 Linda emigrated to New Zealand with her family. She attended thSchool of Fine Arts University of Canterbury and in 1983 received a Diploma of Fine Arts (Honours) for painting. She lives and works in North Canterbury, New Zealand. Career as an artist Linda James regularly exhibits her work and recent solo exhibitions include ''Out of the Chaos: Precious Lives'' (2007), ''New Zealand: Sleep in the Forest/Dreams of the Sea'' (2007), ''Love Story, Precious Lives II'' (2009) and ''Fallen'' (2010) all at the Centre of Contemporary Art in Christchurch, New Zealand. She has exhibited throughout New Zealand in solo and group shows, including the following galleries: Robert McDougall Gallery, Adam Art Gallery, Judith Anderson Gallery, Jonathan Jensen Gall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Williams (actor)
Frank John Williams (2 July 1931 – 26 June 2022) was an English actor, best known for playing Reverend Timothy Farthing in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1969–1977). Often cast as a member of the clergy, Williams appeared in similar roles in '' You Rang, M'Lord?'', ''Hi-de-Hi!'', '' What’s Up Nurse'', '' The Worker'', and '' Vanity Fair''. He reprised the role of Farthing in the 2016 film adaptation of ''Dad's Army''. Early life Williams was born in Edgware, Middlesex, on 2 July 1931, to William Williams, a Welsh nonconformist, and his wife Alice (née Myles). He was educated at a school which temporarily functioned in St Andrew’s Church, Edgware, and two private schools before attending Ardingly College, West Sussex, and Hendon School (then Hendon County School). Williams was an only child and in 1956 bought a house one and a half miles away from his parents' house. Career Williams started his acting career in repertory theatre and worked with the Watfo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeffrey Holland (actor)
Jeffrey Holland (born Jeffrey Michael Parkes, 17 July 1946) is a British actor who is well known for roles in television sitcoms, playing comic Spike Dixon at the Maplin's holiday camp in ''Hi-de-Hi!'', as well as BBC Radio comedy, including ''Week Ending''. He also played leading roles in the sitcoms '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' and ''Oh, Doctor Beeching!''. Early life Born in Walsall, Staffordshire, he was educated at Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall. Holland joined an amateur theatre company and soon found that he had a talent for comedy, but despite this he could not pursue a career in comedy until after he left home. He has said that "my father died when I was 14, so right after leaving school at 16 I secured a job to earn money to help my mother. I worked at a wine merchant's and an office in Walsall, where I was brought up". After leaving home Holland trained at Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art and became a professional actor. His first stage appeara ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Clegg (actor)
John Walter Lawrence Clegg (born 9 July 1934) is an Indian-born English actor, best known for playing the part of Gunner 'Paderewski' Graham in the BBC sitcom ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum''. Early life and career Clegg was born on 9 July 1934 in Murree, British India (present-day Pakistan) to English parents. When he and his parents arrived back in England, Clegg became a student at RADA. After leaving RADA Clegg joined the Watford Palace Theatre Company, where he met Jimmy Perry, who would go on to cast Clegg in the role for which he is best known. It was there that he also met many of his future co-stars, including Michael Knowles, Donald Hewlett, and Mavis Pugh (whom he married in 1959). Pugh appeared in Croft and Perry sitcoms including ''Dad's Army'', ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' and ''Hi-de-Hi!'', but she is best known for playing Lady Lavender Southwick in ''You Rang, M'Lord?''. Due to the twenty year age gap between Clegg and Pugh many were sceptical as to whether the marri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Bean
Colin Bean (15 April 1926 – 20 June 2009) was an English actor. He was best known for his role as Private Sponge in the BBC comedy series ''Dad's Army''. Early life Born in Wigan, Lancashire, Bean's father played football for local side Wigan Borough F.C., Wigan Borough, and he attended Wigan Grammar School. Bean's first appearance had been as a shepherd in a school play, and much against paternal intentions, he took up acting professionally until being called up for national service. He served for four years in the British Army after World War II, spending some time in Japan, and taking the opportunity to continue his acting by joining the British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF). After graduating from drama school in 1952, he joined the Sheffield Rep as assistant stage manager; regular theatre work followed. Career His work in ''Dad's Army'' came as a result of working at Watford Rep in 1962 under series co-writer Jimmy Perry as the company's actor-manager, in addition to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Watford Palace Theatre
Watford Palace Theatre, opened in 1908, is an Edwardian Grade II listed building in Watford, Hertfordshire. The 600-seat theatre on Clarendon Road was refurbished in 2004. It houses its own rehearsal room, wardrobe, cafe and bar. History The theatre was originally built for the Watford Hippodrome Co., Ltd. The foundation stone of what was to become the Palace Theatre was laid on 3 June 1908. Five days later Mr H.M. Theobald, the architect, lodged the notification of his intention to build the theatre. Construction was undertaken by Barker Brothers of Maidenhead, and took six months, opening on 14 December 1908. The opening proprietors were the Watford Palace of Varieties Co., the Managing Director: Mr. T.M. Sylvester. In early days it put on variety shows and plays, mostly imported from other theatres. Variety artists who appeared at the Palace included Marie Lloyd, Evie Greene and Lottie Lennox. The theatre also puts on regular Christmas pantomimes. For almost a decade (aro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry V (play)
''Henry V'' is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled ''The Cronicle History of Henry the fift'', and ''The Life of Henry the Fifth'' in the First Folio text. The play is the final part of a tetralogy, preceded by '' Richard II'', ''Henry IV, Part 1'', and '' Henry IV, Part 2''. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the ''Henry IV'' plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In ''Henry V'', the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army badly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt. Characters * Chorus The English * King Henry V * Duke of Gloucester – Henry's brother * Duke of Bedford – Henry's brother * Duke of Clarence – He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the " Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Spondon")
