Frederick Arthur Round Emney (12 February 1900 – 25 December 1980) was an English

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

and

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

. Emney was born in

Prescot Prescot is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside, England. It lies about to the east of Liverpool city centre. At the 2001 Census, the civil parish population was 11,184 (5,265 males, 5,919 femal ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

,GRO Register of Births Mar 1900 Frederick Arthur R Emney 8b 725 PRESCOT1901 Census: RG13/500 f.123 p.3 Fred Arthur Emney aged 1 living in Camberwell, but born Liverpool, Lancashire the son of Blanche (née Round) and Fred Emney, a

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

entertainer. His great-uncle was the actor Arthur Williams. Emney junior grew up in London and was educated at Cranleigh School. He made his film debut in 1935, having previously worked in

. He became a familiar figure to screen audiences, usually playing the "posh fat bloke", usually gruff and invariably wearing a

monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens placed in front of the eye and held in place by the eye socket itself. Often, to avoid losing the monoc ...

. During the 1950s, he had his own television show which featured sketches and deft piano pieces often composed by him. Some were released on record. He had a short spell as straight man to puppets Pinky and Perky. His sister Joan Emney was an actress who sometimes appeared with him in the same stage productions. Fred Emney died in Bognor Regis,

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

, on

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...

1980.GRO Register of Deaths: DEC 1980 18 1714 CHICHESTER – Frederick Patrick R. Emney, DoB = 12 Feb 1900

Filmography

* '' A Man of Mayfair'' (1932) - (uncredited) * ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from ...

'' (1935) - Freddy * '' Come Out of the Pantry'' (1935) - Lord Axminster * '' The Lilac Domino'' (1937) - Baron Ladislas de Gonda * '' Let's Make a Night of It'' (1937) - Henry Boydell * '' Jane Steps Out'' (1938) - General Wilton * '' Hold My Hand'' (1938) - Lord Milchester * '' Luck of the Navy'' (1938) - Cook * '' Just like a Woman'' (1939) - Sir Charles Devoir * '' Yes, Madam?'' (1939) - Sir Charles Drake-Drake * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1939) - Herbert * '' The Middle Watch'' (1940) - Adm. Sir Reginald Hewett * '' Just William'' (1940) - Mr. Brown * '' Let the People Sing'' (1942) - Sir George Denberry-Baxter * ''

Fun at St. Fanny's ''Fun at St. Fanny's'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson and Vera Day. The film revolves around the teachers and students at St Fanny's private school. It was based on Robinson's "Ca ...

'' (1955) - Dr. Jankers * '' The Fast Lady'' (1962) - 1st Golfer * '' A Home of Your Own'' (1964) - The Mayor * '' Father Came Too!'' (1964) - Sir Francis Drake * '' I've Gotta Horse'' (1965) - Lord Bentley * '' Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'' (1965) - Colonel * '' San Ferry Ann'' (1965) - Gourmet * '' Bunny Lake Is Missing'' (1965) - Man in Soho * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) - Sir Mervyn Moleskin * '' Oliver!'' (1968) - Workhouse Chairman * '' The Assassination Bureau'' (1969) - Elevator Victim (uncredited) * '' Lock Up Your Daughters!'' (1969) - Earl of Ware * '' The Italian Job'' (1969) - Birkinshaw * '' The Magic Christian'' (1969) - Fitzgibbon * ''Under the Table You Must Go'' (1969) - Himself (documentary) * '' Doctor in Trouble'' (1970) - Father * '' Up the Chastity Belt'' (1971) - Mortimer * '' Mistress Pamela'' (1974) - Dr. Livesey * '' The Amorous Milkman'' (1975) - Magistrate * '' Adventures of a Private Eye'' (1977) - Sir Basil (final film role)

References

External links

* * 1902 births 1980 deaths People educated at Cranleigh School English male comedians English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Male actors from London British music hall performers 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English comedians People from Prescot Comedians from Lancashire Comedians from London {{England-actor-stub