''Arthur? Arthur!'' is a 1969 British

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by Samuel Gallu and starring

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 ...

Donald Pleasence Donald Henry Pleasence (; 5 October 1919 – 2 February 1995) was an English actor. He began his career on stage in the West End before transitioning into a screen career, where he played numerous supporting and character roles including RAF ...

and

Terry-Thomas Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 19118 January 1990) was an English character actor and comedian who became internationally known through his films during the 1950s and 1960s. He often portrayed disreputable members of th ...

.BFI.org
/ref> It is based on the 1967 novel ''

The Man Who Killed Himself ''The Man Who Killed Himself'' is a 1967 comedy crime novel by the British writer Julian Symons.Reymond & Keating p.133 Synopsis Sick of his life with his wealthy but domineering wife, Arthur Brownjohn creates a flamboyant alter ego for himself ...

'' by

Julian Symons Julian Gustave Symons (originally Gustave Julian Symons) (pronounced ''SIMM-ons''; 30 May 1912 – 19 November 1994) was a British crime writer and poet. He also wrote social and military history, biography and studies of literature. He was bor ...

Plot

A dull and unsuccessful inventor begins to develop a second identity as a man about town with a completely different life.

Cast

as Hester Green *

as Arthur Brownjohn / Sir Easonby 'E' Mellon *

as Clennery Tubbs *

Tammy Grimes Tammy Lee Grimes (January 30, 1934 – October 30, 2016) was an American film and stage actress. Grimes won two Tony Awards in her career, the first for originating the role of Molly Tobin in the musical '' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' and the ...

as Lady Joan Mellon * Rafiq Anwar as Majordomo *

Judith Arthy Judith Anne Arthy (born 12 November 1940 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian actress, now retired, and writer. Judith Arthy began her theatrical career in a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible with the Brisbane Repertory Th ...

as Patricia Parker * Michael Bates as Mr - Harrington *

Peter Bayliss Peter Bayliss (27 June 1922 – 29 July 2002) was an English actor. Bayliss was born in Kingston upon Thames and trained at the Italia Conti Academy and the John Gielgud Company. More than six feet tall, with a voice to match, he supplemente ...

as Doctor Hubble * Joan Benham as Mrs Payne * Mike Carnell as Postman *

Erik Chitty Erik Chitty (8 July 1907 in Dover, Kent – 22 July 1977 Brent, Middlesex), was an English stage, film and television actor. Early life Chitty was the son of a flour miller, Frederick Walter Chitty and his wife Ethel Elsie Assistance née Fra ...

as Uncle Ratty * Margaret Courtenay as Clare Brownjohn * Frank Crawshaw as Dustman *

Mark Eden Douglas John Malin (14 February 1928 – 1 January 2021), known professionally as Mark Eden, was an English actor. He was best known for his portrayal of villainous Alan Bradley in ''Coronation Street'' from 1986 to 1989. Early life Mark Ede ...

as Jack Parker *

Robin Ellis Anthony Robin Ellis (born 8 January 1942) is a British actor and cookbook writer best known for his role as Captain Ross Poldark in 29 episodes of the BBC classic series ''Poldark'', adapted from a series of books by the British author Winsto ...

as Ames *

Angela Grant Angela Grant (born 1950) is a British actress, best known for her appearances in four ''Carry On'' films, including ''Carry On Up the Khyber'' and ''Carry On Girls''. Prior to beginning her acting career, she was a teenage fashion model for Mi ...

as Cynthia *

Basil Henson Basil Henson (31 July 1918 – 19 December 1990) was an English actor. Henson had a lengthy career on stage and television. His stage performances included a number of parts in Shakespeare productions, including ''The Merchant of Venice'' oppos ...

as Coverdale * Raymond Huntley as George Payne * Stanley Lebor as Analyst *

Garry Marsh Garry Marsh (21 June 1902 – 6 March 1981) was an English stage and film actor. Born Leslie Marsh Gerahty in St Margarets, Surrey, his parents were George and Laura. His elder brothers were the author Digby George Gerahty and the journalist ...

as Golfer *

Keith Marsh Keith Marsh (1926 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor who appeared in numerous television productions over a 50-year period. Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, he is perhaps best known for playing Jacko in the Thames Television sitcom '' ...

as Lillywhite * Harry Shacklock as Attendant * Jeffrey Sirr as Waterboy * Patsy Smart as Miss Bonnamie *

Oliver Tobias Oliver Tobias Freitag (born 6 August 1947), known professionally as Oliver Tobias, is a Swiss-born UK-based film, stage, and television actor and director. Biography Born in Zürich, Switzerland, he is the son of the Austrian-Swiss actor Robe ...

as Peter 'Bobo' Jackson * Margery Withers as Susan * Victor Brooks as Minor part

Premise

The 1968 film ''

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom ''The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom'' is a 1968 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath. The screenplay by Alec Coppel and Denis Norden was adapted from a play by Coppel that was based on a short story by Josef Shaftel, who served as the fil ...

'' also portrays an obscure suburban man, from a different social class, seeking relief from a mundane life.

References

External links

* 1969 films 1960s English-language films 1969 comedy films British comedy films Films set in London Films shot in London Films directed by Samuel Gallu Films based on British novels 1960s British films {{1960s-UK-comedy-film-stub