Alfie Bass (born Abraham Basalinsky, 10 April 1916 – 16 July 1987) was an English actor. He was born in

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heath Road. By ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; his parents had left Russia many years before he was born. He appeared in a variety of stage, film, television and radio productions throughout his career.

Personal life

Alfie Bass was born Abraham Basalinsky in

in London's

East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...

. He was the youngest of ten children of Jacob Basalinsky, who had fled Jewish persecution in Russia, and his wife, Ada Miller. After leaving school, he worked in his father's trade as a cabinet-maker. During this time he took part in amateur dramatics at a local boys' club. He was active in the labour movement and often attended union meetings. In 1936 he took part in the

Battle of Cable Street The Battle of Cable Street was a series of clashes that took place at several locations in the inner East End, most notably Cable Street, on Sunday 4 October 1936. It was a clash between the Metropolitan Police, sent to protect a march by mem ...

, in which activists attempted to prevent a march through the East End by the

British Union of Fascists The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a British fascist political party formed in 1932 by Oswald Mosley. Mosley changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists in 1936 and, in 1937, to the British Union. In 1939, f ...

. At the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he was rejected by the RAF, and went to work in an engineering factory. He was later called up into the

Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers R ...

as a despatch rider. He maintained his interest in acting by appearing in concert parties and in Army Film Unit documentaries. In 1946, he married Beryl Bryson, a dressmaker, in Liverpool. They had a son and a daughter.

Stage career

Bass's acting career began at London's Unity Theatre in the late 1930s, appearing in ''Plant in the Sun'' alongside

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional American football, football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplish ...

, and as the

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speakin ...

King in ''Babes In the Wood''. His stage career included plays by

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 nation ...

and

Shaw Shaw may refer to: Places Australia *Shaw, Queensland Canada * Shaw Street, a street in Toronto England *Shaw, Berkshire, a village * Shaw, Greater Manchester, a location in the parish of Shaw and Crompton * Shaw, Swindon, a suburb of Swindon ...

. During the 1950s, he continued to direct shows at Unity, and on one occasion appeared in court (along with Vida Hope), charged with putting on a play without a licence. His stage work also included an adaptation of

Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

's short story '' The Bespoke Overcoat'', transposed to the

East End of London The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have univ ...

, which was filmed by Jack Clayton in 1956, and won the Oscar for Best Short. In addition, Bass took over from

Chaim Topol Chaim Topol ( he, חיים טופול; born September 9, 1935), also spelled Haym Topol, mononymously known as Topol, is an Israeli actor, comedian, singer, film producer, author, and illustrator. He is best known for his portrayal of Tevye the ...

in the role of Tevye in ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...

'' on the

West End stage West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1 ...

Film career

Bass first appeared on film in wartime documentaries.Alfie Bass biography
accessed 26 Jun 2007 He also appeared in a number of feature films including ''

The Lavender Hill Mob ''The Lavender Hill Mob'' is a 1951 comedy film from Ealing Studios, written by T. E. B. Clarke, directed by Charles Crichton, starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway and featuring Sid James and Alfie Bass. The title refers to Lavend ...

'' (1951), '' Hell Drivers'' (1957), ''

A Tale of Two Cities ''A Tale of Two Cities'' is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. The novel tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his 18-year-long imprisonment in ...

'' (1958) and '' Alfie'' (1966) starring

Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...

and

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

. In the latter he played Harry Clamacraft, a man Alfie meets and befriends in a

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...

. He starred in

Roman Polanski Raymond Roman Thierry Polański , group=lower-alpha, name=note_a ( né Liebling; 18 August 1933) is a French-Polish film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, tw ...

's vampire film ''

The Fearless Vampire Killers ''The Fearless Vampire Killers, or Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck'' (shortened to ''The Fearless Vampire Killers''; originally released in the United Kingdom as ''Dance of the Vampires'') is a 1967 British comedy horror film directed b ...

'' (1967) (British title ''The Dance of the Vampires'') as innkeeper Yoine Shagal with his daughter Sarah played by

Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover ...

. In the course of the film, he and his daughter become vampires. When a maid tries to scare him off with a

crucifix A crucifix (from Latin ''cruci fixus'' meaning "(one) fixed to a cross") is a cross with an image of Jesus on it, as distinct from a bare cross. The representation of Jesus himself on the cross is referred to in English as the ''corpus'' (La ...

, he responds with "Oy, have ''you'' got the wrong vampire!". Bass also appeared in the "Pride" segment of ''

The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins ''The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins'' is a 1971 British sketch comedy film directed and produced by Graham Stark. Its title is a conflation of '' The Magnificent Seven'' and the seven deadly sins. It comprises a sequence of seven sketches, each ...

'' (1971) and had a leading role in the 1977 sex comedy '' Come Play with Me''. He has had many

cameo role A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

s, such as the Indian restaurant doorman in

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' film ''

Help! ''Help!'' is the fifth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles and the soundtrack to their film of the same name. It was released on 6 August 1965. Seven of the fourteen songs, including the singles " Help!" and " Ticket to Ride", ...

'' (1965), as Clouseau's seafaring informant in ''

Revenge of the Pink Panther ''Revenge of the Pink Panther'' is a 1978 comedy film. It is the sixth film in '' The Pink Panther'' comedy film series. Released in 1978, it is the final on-set performance of Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau. It was al ...

'' (1978), and in '' Moonraker'' (1979), in which he was cast as a heavy smoking hard drinker. Bass had a small part in ''

I Was Monty's Double ''I Was Monty's Double'' (released in the US as ''The Counterfeit General Montgomery''

Television and radio

Bass appeared as a poacher rescued by

Robin Hood Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is dep ...

in the first episode of ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia d ...

'' starring Richard Greene, in episode 2 "The Moneylender", as well as in episode 10 of the first series which was titled "The Ordeal". He also appeared in two later episodes during season two titled "The Goldmaker" (episode 5) and "The Goldmaker's Return" (episode 22) as Lepidus, the roguish alchemist, rescued from the Sheriff by

Little John Little John is a companion of Robin Hood who serves as his chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men. He is one of only a handful of consistently named characters who relate to Robin Hood and one of the two oldest Merry Men, al ...

(Archie Duncan). He appeared in '' The Army Game'' (1957–61), a British TV comedy series, as Private Montague 'Excused Boots' Bisley, and its sequel ''

Bootsie and Snudge ''Bootsie and Snudge'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV for three series from 1960 to 1963, with a fourth in 1974. The show is a spin-off of '' The Army Game'', a sitcom about soldiers undertaking national service, and follows two of the m ...

'' from 1960–63 (there was also a one series revival in colour in 1974), working at a Gentlemen's club with

Bill Fraser William Simpson Fraser (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years. In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play '' ...

as 'Claude Snudge' and

Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...

as 'Henry Beerbohm Johnson'. Bass additionally played the character in another spin-off, ''

Foreign Affairs ''Foreign Affairs'' is an American magazine of international relations and U.S. foreign policy published by the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy a ...

'', in 1964. Bass also played Lemuel "Lemmy" Barnet in the third and fourth series of the landmark 1950s

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

BBC Radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

series '' Journey into Space''. He continued working throughout the 1970s and 80s, particularly in the TV series' '' Till Death Us Do Part'' and '' Are You Being Served?'', the latter as Mr. Goldberg, the second in a series of replacements for

Arthur Brough Arthur Brough (born Frederick Arthur Baker; 26 February 1905 – 28 May 1978) was a British actor and theatre founder, producer and director best known for portraying the character of bumbling senior menswear salesman Ernest Grainger on the BBC ...

's Mr. Grainger character (the first being James Hayter's Mr. Tebbs). As in the Mr. Goldberg role, he often emphasised his Jewish background in his on-screen characterisations. Bass played a memorable Silas Wegg in the BBC's 1976 adaptation of Dickens's ''

Our Mutual Friend ''Our Mutual Friend'', written in 1864–1865, is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is one of his most sophisticated works, combining savage satire with social analysis. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, quo ...

''. He also played Isaac Rag in a notable recurring character role in the 1979-1980 ''

Dick Turpin Richard Turpin (bapt. 21 September 1705 – 7 April 1739) was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's trade as a butcher ea ...

'' series, and Morrie Levin, a shrewd accountant, in the '' Minder'' episode ''The Son Also Rises'' (1982). Bass appeared in a 1979 episode of the ITV drama series '' Danger UXB: Just Like a Woman'', as a family man with an unexploded bomb in his back garden. He also guest starred in two episodes of the British comedy television '' The Goodies'', in which he appeared as the "Town Planner" in ''

Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as th ...

'', and as the "Giant" in ''

The Goodies and the Beanstalk "The Goodies and the Beanstalk" is a special episode of the British comedy television series ''The Goodies (TV series), The Goodies''. Written by The Goodies, with songs and music by Bill Oddie. Plot Homeless and penniless, the Goodies have no ...

''. He was a subject of the television programme ''

This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...

'' in March 1970, when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

Recording career

In 1955, Bass recorded the

novelty song A novelty song is a type of song built upon some form of novel concept, such as a gimmick, a piece of humor, or a sample of popular culture. Novelty songs partially overlap with comedy songs, which are more explicitly based on humor, and wit ...

"Pity the Downtrodden Landlord". It was issued by the folk music label

Topic Records Topic Records is a British folk music label, which played a major role in the second British folk revival. It began as an offshoot of the Workers' Music Association in 1939, making it the oldest independent record label in the world.M. Brocken, ...

on a 78rpm single, backed with "Housing Repairs And Rents Act", written by Fred Dallas; on both sides, Bass was accompanied by "The Four Bailiffs". With his fellow cast members from '' The Army Game'',

Bernard Bresslaw Bernard Bresslaw (25 February 193411 June 1993) was a British actor. He is best known as a member of the ''Carry On'' film franchise. Bresslaw also worked on television and stage, did recordings and wrote a series of poetry. Biography Bernard B ...

, Leslie Fyson and

Michael Medwin Michael Hugh Medwin, OBE (18 July 1923 – 26 February 2020) was an English actor and film producer. Life and career Medwin was born in London. He was educated at Canford School, Dorset, and the Institute Fischer, Montreux, Switzerland. He ...

, Bass was part of a vocal quartet who scored a number 5 hit in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in 1958 with "The Signature Tune Of The Army Game". It was backed with the same actors singing "What Do We Do In The Army". In 1960,

Pye Records Pye Records was a British record label. Its best known artists were Lonnie Donegan (1956–1969), Petula Clark (1957–1971), the Searchers (1963–1967), the Kinks (1964–1971), Sandie Shaw (1964–1971), Status Quo (1968–1971) and Brotherho ...

issued two solo recordings by Bass on a single, " Villikens And His Dinah" and "Rat Catcher's Daughter".

Death

Alfie Bass died on 16 July 1987 in

Barnet General Hospital Barnet Hospital is a district general hospital situated in Barnet, in North London. It is managed by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Overview The original hospital on the site was the Wellhouse Hospital which was opened by Viscount H ...

, north London, following a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

. He was survived by his wife and their son and daughter. His last home was in Well End, a suburb of

Borehamwood Borehamwood (, historically also Boreham Wood) is a town in southern Hertfordshire, England, from Charing Cross. Borehamwood has a population of 31,074, and is within the London commuter belt. The town's film and TV studios are commonly know ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For gov ...

Selected filmography

* '' The Bells Go Down'' (1943) – (uncredited) * ''

Johnny Frenchman ''Johnny Frenchman'' is a 1945 British comedy-drama romance war film produced by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend. The film was produced by Michael Balcon from a screenplay by T. E. B. Clarke, with cinematography by Roy Kellino. ...

'' (1945) – Corporal * ''

Brief Encounter ''Brief Encounter'' is a 1945 British romantic drama film directed by David Lean from a screenplay by Noël Coward, based on his 1936 one-act play ''Still Life''. Starring Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, and Joyce Carey, ...

'' (1945) – Waiter at the Royal (uncredited) * ''

Holiday Camp A holiday camp is a type of holiday accommodation that encourages holidaymakers to stay within the site boundary, and provides entertainment and facilities for them throughout the day. Since the 1970s, the term has fallen out of favour with term ...

'' (1947) – Redcoat * '' Jassy'' (1947) – Witness (uncredited) * '' It Always Rains on Sunday'' (1947) – Dicey * '' Vice Versa'' (1948) – 1st Urchin * '' The Monkey's Paw'' (1948) – Speedway Track Manager * '' Man on the Run'' (1949) – Bert the Barge Mate * ''

The Hasty Heart ''The Hasty Heart'' is a 1949 war drama film, an Anglo-American co-production starring Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, and Richard Todd and directed by Vincent Sherman. The film is based on the 1945 play of the same name by John Patrick. ''Th ...

'' (1949) – Orderly * ''

Boys in Brown ''Boys in Brown'' is a 1949 black and white British drama film directed by Montgomery Tully, which depicts life in a borstal for young offenders. It stars Jack Warner, Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde and Jimmy Hanley. It is based on a 1940 ...

'' (1949) – 'Basher' Walker * ''

Stage Fright Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, real or imagined, whether actually or potentially (for example, when perf ...

'' (1950) – Stage Hand With Microphone (uncredited) * ''

Pool of London The Pool of London is a stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Limehouse. Part of the Tideway of the Thames, the Pool was navigable by tall-masted vessels bringing coastal and later overseas goods—the wharves there were th ...

'' (1951) – Alf, a henchman * ''

Talk of a Million ''Talk of a Million'' (also known as ''You Can't Beat the Irish'') is a 1951 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, starring Jack Warner, with an early appearance from Sid James. Premise Shakespeare-loving Bartley Murnahan, (Jac ...

'' (1951) – Lorcan * '' The Galloping Major'' (1951) – Charlie – the newsboy * ''

'' (1951) – Shorty * ''

High Treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

'' (1951) – Albert Brewer (uncredited) * ''

Brandy for the Parson ''Brandy for the Parson'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Kenneth More, Charles Hawtrey, James Donald and Jean Lodge. It was based on a short story by Geoffrey Household from ''Tales of Adventurers'' (195 ...

'' (1952) – Dallyn * '' Treasure Hunt'' (1952) – Tipster (uncredited) * '' Derby Day'' (1952) – Spider Wilkes * '' The Planter's Wife'' (1952) – Soldier (uncredited) * '' Made in Heaven'' (1952) – Bert Jenkins * '' Top of the Form'' (1953) – Artie Jones * '' The Square Ring'' (1953) – Frank Forbes * ''

Murder by Proxy ''Murder by Proxy'' is a 1954 British film noir crime drama film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Dane Clark, Belinda Lee and Betty Ann Davies. The screenplay concerns a man who is offered money to marry a woman. It was produced by Hamme ...

'' (1954) – Ernie * ''

Time Is My Enemy ''Time Is My Enemy'' is a 1954 British crime film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Dennis Price, Renée Asherson and Patrick Barr. Plot Small-time crook Radley (Dennis Price) returns after a long absence to discover his wife Barbara (Renee ...

'' (1954) – Ernie Gordon * ''

The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp ''The Angel Who Pawned Her Harp'' is a 1954 British fantasy comedy film directed by Alan Bromly and starring Felix Aylmer, Diane Cilento and Jerry Desmonde. The film was based on a novel by Charles Terrot and is a remake of his television ...

'' (1954) – Lennox * ''

The Passing Stranger ''The Passing Stranger'' is a 1954 British crime film written and directed by John Arnold, produced by Anthony Simmons (who also wrote the original film story) and Ian Gibson-Smith, with Leon Clore serving as the film's executive producer, for ...

'' (1954) – Harry * '' To Dorothy a Son'' (1954) – Cab Driver * ''

Svengali Svengali () is a character in the novel ''Trilby'' which was first published in 1894 by George du Maurier. Svengali is a man who seduces, dominates and exploits Trilby, a young half-Irish girl, and makes her into a famous singer. Definition ...

'' (1954) – Carrell * '' The Night My Number Came Up'' (1955) – The Soldier * '' The Ship That Died of Shame'' (1955) – Sailor on 1087 (uncredited) * '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1955) – Alf the Bird Man (uncredited) * '' Make Me an Offer'' (1955) – Fred Frames * ''

King's Rhapsody ''King's Rhapsody'' is a musical with book and music by Ivor Novello and lyrics by Christopher Hassall. The musical was first produced at the Palace Theatre, London, on 15 September 1949 and ran for 841 performances, surviving its author, who d ...

'' (1955) – Man in Crowd (uncredited) * '' Jumping for Joy'' (1956) – Blagg * '' Behind the Headlines'' (1956) – Sammy * '' Child in the House'' (1956) – Ticket Collector * '' Sailor Beware!'' (1956) – Organist (uncredited) * '' A Touch of the Sun'' (1956) – May * '' The Bespoke Overcoat - Fender * ''

No Road Back ''No Road Back'' is a 1957 British crime film directed by Montgomery Tully.''No Road Back''
at the

'' (1957) – Rudge Harvey * '' Carry On Admiral'' (1957) – Orderly (uncredited) * '' Hell Drivers'' (1957) – Tinker * ''

'' (1958) – Jerry Cruncher * ''

I Was Monty's Double ''I Was Monty's Double'' (released in the US as ''The Counterfeit General Montgomery''I Only Arsked! ''I Only Arsked!'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin and Alfie Bass. It was based on the television series ''The Army Game'' and was made by Hammer Films. Plot Slapstick ens ...

'' (1958) – Excused Boots Bisley * '' The Millionairess'' (1960) – Fish Curer * ''

'' (1965) – Doorman * ''Bindle (One of Them Days)'' (1966) – Joseph Bindle * ''

Doctor in Clover ''Doctor in Clover'' is a British comedy film released in 1966, starring Leslie Phillips. The film is based on the novel of the same title by Richard Gordon. It is the sixth of the seven films in the ''Doctor'' series. The film was released i ...

'' (1966) – Fleming * '' Alfie'' (1966) – Harry * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) – Yachtsman * ''

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman playwright Plautu ...

'' (1966) – Gatekeeper * ''

A Challenge for Robin Hood ''A Challenge for Robin Hood'' is a 1967 British adventure film directed by C. M. Pennington-Richards and starring Barrie Ingham, Peter Blythe and John Arnatt. Plot When the father of the De Courtenay family dies, the brothers argue about the ...

'' (1967) – Pie Merchant * ''

'' (1967) – Shagal, the Inn-Keeper * '' Up the Junction'' (1968) – Charlie * '' The Fixer'' (1968) – Potseikin (uncredited) * ''

'' (1971) – Mr. Spencer (segment "Pride") * '' Come Play with Me'' (1977) – Kelly / Luigi * ''

'' (1978) – Fernet * '' Moonraker'' (1979) – consumptive Italian * ''High Rise Donkey'' (1980) – Donkey Derby photographer

Footnotes

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bass, Alfie 1916 births 1987 deaths English people of Russian-Jewish descent English male stage actors English male television actors Jewish English male actors People from Bethnal Green 20th-century English male actors British novelty song performers Male actors from London British male comedy actors British Army personnel of World War II Middlesex Regiment soldiers