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Rentaghost
''Rentaghost'' is a British children's television comedy show, originally broadcast by the BBC between 6 January 1976 and 6 November 1984. The show's plot centred on the antics of a number of ghosts who worked for a firm called Rentaghost, which hired out the spirits for various tasks. Background The firm, located in South Ealing, is originally run by Fred Mumford, a recently deceased loser who feels he can find work for ghosts whose lives were as unsuccessful as his. His first (and only) recruits are Timothy Claypole, a mischievous medieval jester with a comical lack of knowledge about modern technology, and Hubert Davenport, a delicate Victorian-era gentleman who is morally shocked by the modern world. The ghosts work from an office, which they rent from Harold Meaker, who discovers the truth about them in the third episode. Over the course of several series, other characters were added: Hazel McWitch, a Scottish witch; Nadia Popov, a Dutch ghost who suffers from hay fever a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Staniforth
Michael Peter Staniforth (15 December 1942 – 31 July 1987), born in Selly Oak, Birmingham, was a British stage actor. Life Staniforth's father was a sergeant major in the Army and so Michael's childhood was spent with his family in Germany, Egypt and Libya. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 21 and two years later landed a role in ''South Pacific'' at The Menzies Theatre Restaurant in Sydney, where for the next few years he performed in a further 12 musicals, including ''Wonderful Town'' and Cole Porter's '' Out Of This World'', followed by a national tour of ''The Boy Friend''. He returned to England in late 1969 and first appeared in the West End in ''Hair'' at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He also appeared in the ''Two Gentlemen Of Verona'' (Speed) and ''Winnie The Pooh'' (Tigger) at the Phoenix Theatre. In 1977 he played the role of Paul in the original British cast of ''A Chorus Line'', returning to the same venue (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) three years later as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ann Emery
Ann Emery (12 March 1930 – 28 September 2016) was a British actress. Early life and education Educated at Mrs Smith's School for Young Ladies and the Cone Ripman School, Emery excelled in tap dancing, which led to her first stage role as a Babe in ''Babes in the Wood'' at King's Theatre. Career Theatre Emery had a long stage career that culminated in the creation of the role of Grandma in ''Billy Elliot the Musical''. Reviewing the musical in ''The Guardian'', Michael Billington noted, "... when Ann Emery, as Billy's gran, sings of her sour memories of her husband, we get on the other side of the stage a collective demonstration of the slow movements of the inebriated working-class male. It is the kind of effect that can only be achieved in a musical." Emery stayed with the production for five years until 2010. She appears on the Original London Cast Recording of the show, as well as a live-streamed performance of the show that was subsequently released on DVD. Fol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Block
Bob Block (20 July 1921 – 17 April 2011) was a British radio and television comedy scriptwriter. Career His earliest work was for radio, best known for co-writing the domestic sitcom '' Life with the Lyons'' for Ben Lyon, as well as working with Arthur Askey and Frankie Howerd. Block was best known for writing television comedy series for children, including ''Pardon My Genie'' (1972–73), '' Robert's Robots'' (1974–75), '' Galloping Galaxies'' (1985) and the BBC's ''Rentaghost'' (1976–84). Notable credits Radio *''Variety Bandbox'' (1940s–1950s) *'' Radio Rinso'' (1950) *'' The Starlight Hour'' (1950) *'' Life with the Lyons'' (1951–1961) *''Festival of Britain'' (1951) *''Arthur's Inn'' (1952) *'' Discord in Three Flats'' (1962) Television *'' Our House'' (1960) *'' That's My Boy'' (1963) *'' Crackerjack'' (1964–1973) *'' Hey Presto It's Rolf'' (1966) *''Broaden Your Mind'' (1968–1969) *'' Ken Dodd and the Diddymen'' (1969–1970) *'' The Dave King Show'' (1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sue Nicholls
Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls (born 23 November 1943) is an English actress. She is best known for her long-running role as Audrey Roberts in the soap opera '' Coronation Street'' (1979–1982, 1984–present). Her other roles on British television include '' Crossroads'' (1964–1968), '' The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin'' (1976–1979), and '' Rentaghost'' (1981–1984). She also appeared on Broadway in the 1974 revival of '' London Assurance''. Nicholls made her first appearance on ''Coronation Street'' in 1979 and appeared intermittently for six years, before joining the cast permanently in 1985. For her portrayal of Roberts, she won the 2000 British Soap Award for Best Comedy Performance and the 2003 British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance, as well as receiving an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019. Early life and education Susan Frances Harmar Nicholls was born in Darlaston, Wednesbury. Her father was Sir Harmar Nicholls, later Lord Harmar-Nicholls ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ealing
Ealing () is a district in west London (sub-region), west London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. It is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex. Until the urban expansion of London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a rural village. Improvement in communications with London, culminating with the opening of the railway station in 1838, shifted the local economy to market garden supply and eventually to suburban development. By 1902 Ealing had become known as the "Queen of the Suburbs" due to its greenery, and because it was halfway between city and country. As part of the growth of London in the 20th century, Ealing significantly expanded and increased in population. It became a municipal borough in 1901 and part of Greater London in 1965. It is now a significant commercial and retail centre wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthony Jackson (actor)
Anthony Thomas Jackson (18 February 1944 – 26 November 2006) was an English actor. He appeared as the founder of the eponymous ghost hiring agency in the BBC children's comedy series '' Rentaghost'' and as Sid Abbott's neighbour Trevor, in the sitcom '' Bless This House''. Jackson began his career with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He studied at Rose Bruford College and in 1965 joined the Radio Drama Company by winning the Carleton Hobbs Bursary. Later he played at the Mermaid Theatre and the Nottingham Playhouse. Roles Jackson played the part of The Tale Bearer (a narrator not included in the original story) in the 1968 BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit''. Jackson also provided a large number of voices in the animated children's series ''Ivor the Engine'' and went on to have roles in many long-running British television series. He also appeared in the sitcoms '' Bless This House'', '' All Our Saturdays'', ''Mind Your Language'', ''Citizen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenneth Connor
Kenneth Connor (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London, the son of a naval petty officer who organised concert parties. He first appeared on the stage at the age of two as an organ-grinder's monkey in one of his father's shows, in Portsmouth. By the age of 11 he had his own act. He attended the Central School of Speech and Drama, where he was a Gold Medal winner. Connor made his professional debut in J. M. Barrie's ''The Boy David'', at His Majesty's Theatre, London, in December 1936. His brother was a Doctor in General Practice in Hampshire. During the Second World War he served as an infantry gunner with the Middlesex Regiment, but continued acting by touring Italy and the Middle East with the Stars in Battledress concert party and ENSA. Earlier in the war, in 1941, he was apparently per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty Alberge
Betty Alberge (22 January 1922 – 18 May 1991) was an English theatre, radio and television actress, with an extensive career which ran from the late 1930s to the 1980s. She was best known for her roles as Florrie Lindley in ''Coronation Street'', in which she appeared between 1960 and 1965, and as Edna Cross in '' Brookside'' between 1983 and 1985. Early life Alberge was born in Manchester, Lancashire on 22 January 1922, and received her formal education at Fallowfield Central School for Girls in Manchester. Whilst at school she became interested in acting after performing in a school theatrical production of Maurice Maeterlinck's '' The Death of Tintagiles'' with school friend Patricia Pilkington, later to become known as Pat Phoenix and play Elsie Tanner in ''Coronation Street''.Profile of Betty Alberge on the 'Corrie Net' website, acting profiles of the cast through the history of the 'Coronation Street' television series. http://www.corrie.net/profiles/actors/alberge_bet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeffrey Segal
Jeffrey Segal (1 August 1920 – 5 February 2015) was an English actor and scriptwriter. He made his first screen appearance, as an extra, in the film '' Jew Süss'' (1934). From the early 1960s onwards he appeared in many British TV series, notably ''Callan'', ''Z-Cars'', ''The Protectors'', ''Terry and June'', ''The Pallisers'', ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' and ''Dad's Army''. Career Segal played "Arthur Perkins" in the children's comedy series ''Rentaghost'', in the "Gourmet Night" episode of ''Fawlty Towers'', he played a hotel guest who is a hen-pecked husband and father of a babied spoiled brat; his character name was given, although this is never mentioned in dialogue, as Mr Heath in the credits, and he appeared as a civil servant in an episode in ''Yes Minister''. He appeared in ''The Sweeney'' and ''Minder''. In the mid-1980s he appeared in the mini-series of ''Oliver Twist'', ''Vanity Fair'', and in an episode of ''Jonathan Creek''. Segal broadcast on British radio o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Brayshaw
Edward John Brayshaw (18 October 1933 – 28 December 1990) was an Australian actor who worked in Australia and England. Australian career He was a Melbourne-based actor in the 1950s and 1960s and often appeared on television and stage. He left Australia for England in May 1963. British career His television roles include the part of Rochefort in the 1966 serial ''The Three Musketeers'' and 1967's ''The Further Adventures of the Musketeers''. He is perhaps most recognised for playing Harold Meaker in the children's series ''Rentaghost'', throughout its eight-year run on BBC1. He often appeared in TV adventure series, taking roles in several ITC series including '' The Saint'', '' The Baron'' (in two episodes but in different roles), ''The Champions'' and ''Return of the Saint'', often in villainous roles. In ''The Champions'', for example, he played a mob boss. He appeared twice in ''Doctor Who'': first as Léon Colbert in 1964's '' The Reign of Terror'', and second as the W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Darbyshire
Michael Darbyshire (15 October 1917 – 20 November 1979) was an English actor of stage and screen. He is perhaps best known for his role as Hubert Davenport, the Victorian ghost, in the long running BBC TV children's comedy series '' Rentaghost''. He also played one of the eccentric inventors in the 1968 film ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang''. On stage, he appeared in the original West End cast of the musical '' Pickwick'' in 1963, its Broadway transfer in 1965, and a BBC TV adaptation in 1969. He was a member of the Players Theatre Company based in London in Villiers Street, appearing regularly and also on many occasions on the BBC TV series '' The Good Old Days''. Michael Darbyshire died in 1979, during the interval of the first performance of a production of the Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, ''Run for Your Wife (play), Run for Your Wife' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Molly Weir
Mary Weir (17 March 1910 – 28 November 2004), known as Molly Weir, was a Scottish actress. She appeared as the character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series '' Rentaghost''. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir. Biography Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the city, Weir began in amateur dramatics. In her early professional career, she was a well-known radio actress, featuring in many comedy shows, such as ''ITMA''. Her greatest theatrical success came in '' The Happiest Days of Your Life''. She made her film debut in 1949, and had a regular role as the housekeeper, Aggie McDonald, in the radio and television sitcom '' Life With The Lyons''. During the 1970s and early 1980s she became famous as a writer, with several volumes of best-selling memoirs, notably, '' Shoes Were For Sunday''. She also appeared in a series of television advertisements for ''Flash'' the household cleaning agent. In 1969, she appeared in '' The Prime of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
