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 The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance was an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Award ...

for his stage role in the play '' When We Are Married''.

Early life

Fraser was born in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

and educated at Strathallan School. He began his career as a clerk in a bank before beginning to act. In the early days when acting work was scarce, Fraser was often penniless, frequently sleeping rough on the Embankment in London. Before the

Second World War 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he ran the Connaught Theatre in

Worthing Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Ho ...

; when called up he served in a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

Special Liaison Unit, reaching the rank of

flight lieutenant Flight lieutenant is a junior Officer (armed forces)#Commissioned officers, commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) RAF officer ranks, system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries. I ...

, where he met and became friends with

Eric Sykes Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...

. Just after the war a chance meeting in a London street led to Fraser's giving Sykes his first work as a writer for radio comedy and the two friends worked together many times over the following years. Fraser is also credited with giving Peter Cushing his first acting job.

Career

Fraser often played irascible or belligerent characters on screen and had many roles as a policeman, soldier or judge. His first television appearance was on '' The Tony Hancock Show'' in 1956, after which he briefly became a regular actor on ''

Hancock's Half Hour ''Hancock's Half Hour'' was a BBC radio comedy, and later television comedy series, broadcast from 1954 to 1961 and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The series starred Tony Hancock, with Sidney James; the radio version also co-starr ...

''. He then joined '' The Army Game'' as Sgt Claude Snudge, followed by a sequel called '' Bootsie and Snudge''. He also played Snudge in the 1964 series ''

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 ...

''. Later comedic roles included parts in the TV dramatisation of '' The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾'' as well as '' Ripping Yarns'', ''

The Train Now Standing ''The Train Now Standing'' is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1972 to 1973. Set in a quiet country railway station, the series starred Bill Fraser, known by that point for playing Snudge in the sitcoms ''The Army Game'' and ''Bootsie a ...

'', ''

The Corn is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' and ''

Father, Dear Father ''Father, Dear Father'' is a British television sitcom produced by Thames Television for ITV from 1968 to 1973 starring Patrick Cargill. It was subsequently made into a spin-off film of the same title released in 1973. An Australian sequel ...

''. He also appeared in the comedy films ''

The Amorous Milkman ''The Amorous Milkman'' is a 1975 British comedy film directed by Derren Nesbitt and starring Julie Ege, Diana Dors and Brendan Price. The plot is about a young milkman who enjoys a number of adventures with bored women on his round. One versi ...

'' and '' Doctor at Large''; the big-screen version of '' Love Thy Neighbour''; and the

Frankie Howerd Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian. Early life Howerd was born the son of soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...

trilogy '' Up Pompeii!'', ''

Up the Front ''Up the Front'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series ''Up Pompeii!'' (the previous films being ''Up th ...

'' and '' Up the Chastity Belt''. He had a recurring role on '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' as Judge Roger Bullingham, an unsympathetic judge privately nicknamed "the Mad Bull" by defence

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and givin ...

Horace Rumpole ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, oft ...

. Fraser's straight parts included Boanerges in ''

The Apple Cart ''The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza'' is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. The plot follows the fictional ...

'' and Eddie Waters in '' Comedians'', both for the BBC, and appearances on '' The Professionals'' and '' The Avengers''. He also featured in the ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the ...

'' story '' Meglos'' in 1980, and appeared in the spin-off show ''

K-9 and Company ''K-9 and Company'' is a one-episode television pilot, for a proposed 1981 television spin-off of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It features former series regulars Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist p ...

'' the following year. In the early 1980s, he was in two series of a straight drama on BBC1, ''Flesh and Blood''; his performance in its first episode of an industrialist sitting at the bedside of his dying wife was regarded by many as a ''tour de force''. He appeared as Mr Micawber in the TV dramatisation of ''David Copperfield'' in 1966. He played Serjeant Buzzfuzz in the TV musical '' Pickwick'' for the BBC in 1969; and his last role was as Mr Casby in the film version of '' Little Dorrit'' (1988). He was the subject of ''

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 1981 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 ...

at the Royalty Theatre in London. Fraser also appeared in an early advertisement for the Austin Metro. In 1985 he was cast as Bert Baxter in '' The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole''. During those periods when Fraser was not acting, he ran a small sweetshop and tobacconists at Ilford Lane in Ilford,

Essex Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...

. Bill Fraser played husband to

Googie Withers Georgette Lizette Withers, CBE, AO (12 March 191715 July 2011), known professionally as Googie Withers, was an English entertainer who was a dancer and actress with a lengthy career spanning some nine decades in theatre, film, and television. ...

in the Chichester Theatre production of Maugham's ''The Circle''. It transferred to the West End and played at the Haymarket, and then toured Britain. Also in the cast were Susan Hampshire and

John McCallum John McCallum (born 9 April 1950) is a Canadian politician, economist, diplomat and former university professor. A former Liberal Member of Parliament ( MP), McCallum was the Canadian Ambassador to China from 2017 to 2019. He was asked for h ...

, who was married to Googie Withers.

Awards

In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play '' When We Are Married''.

Death

He died from

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alv ...

in Bushey,

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 ...

, aged 79, leaving a widow, the actress

Pamela Cundell Pamela Isabel Cundell (15 January 1920 – 14 February 2015) was an English character actress. She played Mrs Fox in the long-running TV comedy '' Dad's Army''. She was a descendant of Henry Condell, one of the managers of the Lord Chamberla ...

, whom he had married in 1981.

Selected filmography

* '' Murder in the Family'' (1938) - Police Sergeant Feathers (uncredited) * '' East of Piccadilly'' (1941) - Maxie * '' The Common Touch'' (1941) - Harris * '' Forbidden'' (1949) - Railway Porter (uncredited) * '' Helter Skelter'' (1949) - Oliver Cromwell * '' Meet Me Tonight'' (1952) - Bert Bentley: Red Peppers * '' Lady in the Fog'' (1952) - Sales Manager * '' Time Bomb'' (1953) - Constable J. Reed * ''

The Captain's Paradise ''The Captain's Paradise'' is a 1953 British comedy film produced and directed by Anthony Kimmins, and starring Alec Guinness, Yvonne De Carlo and Celia Johnson. Guinness plays the captain of a passenger ship that travels regularly between Gibr ...

'' (1953) - Absalom (taxi driver) * '' Meet Mr. Lucifer'' (1953) - Band Leader * '' Duel in the Jungle'' (1954) - Smith - Hotel Clerk * '' The Barefoot Contessa'' (1954) - J. Montague Brown * '' Orders Are Orders'' (1954) - Private Slee * ''

Alias John Preston ''Alias John Preston'' is a 1955 British thriller film directed by David MacDonald and starring Betta St. John, Alexander Knox and Christopher Lee. Its plot is about a mysterious and wealthy man who moves to a small village where he outwardly a ...

'' (1955) - Joe Newton * '' Jumping for Joy'' (1956) - Drunk in Pool Hall (uncredited) * ''

Charley Moon ''Charley Moon'' is a 1956 British musical film directed by Guy Hamilton. It stars Max Bygraves, Dennis Price and Shirley Eaton. The screenplay and lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse. The story is based on Reginald Arkell's backstage novel of the sam ...

'' (1956) - Marber * '' Doctor at Large'' (1957) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Second Fiddle'' (1957) - Nixon * '' Just My Luck'' (1957) - Powell (uncredited) * '' Three Sundays to Live'' (1957) - Prison Warder (uncredited) * '' Another Time, Another Place'' (1958) - R.E. Sergeant * ''

The Man Who Liked Funerals ''The Man Who Liked Funerals'' is a 1958 British comedy film directed by David Eady and starring Leslie Phillips, Susan Beaumont and Bill Fraser. It was written by Margot Bennett, Cecily Finn and Joan O'Connor. Synopsis In order to help ...

'' (1959) - Jeremy Bentham * ''

Doctor in Love ''Doctor in Love'' is a 1960 British comedy film, the fourth of the seven films in the ''Doctor'' series, starring James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelot Spratt and Michael Craig as Dr Richard Hare. This was the first film in the series not t ...

'' (1960) - Police Sergeant (uncredited) * '' The Fast Lady'' (1962) - 3rd Golfer (uncredited) * '' What a Crazy World'' (1963) - Milligan * ''

The Americanization of Emily ''The Americanization of Emily'' is a 1964 British-American black-and-white romantic black comedy war film written by Paddy Chayefsky, produced by Martin Ransohoff, directed by Arthur Hiller and starring James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Dougl ...

'' (1964) - Port Commander * ''

Joey Boy Joey Boy ( th, โจอี้ บอย; born 1975) or Apisit Opasaimlikit ( th, อภิสิทธิ์ โอภาสเอี่ยมลิขิต, ), is a Thai hip hop singer and producer known as The Godfather of Thai Hip Hop. ...

'' (1965) - Sgt. Maj. Dobbs * '' A Home of Your Own'' (1965) - The Shop Steward * ''

Masquerade Masquerade or Masquerader may refer to: Events * Masquerade ball, a costumed dance event * Masquerade ceremony, a rite or cultural event in many parts of the world, especially the Caribbean and Africa * Masqueraders, the performers in the West ...

'' (1965) - Dunwoody * '' A Touch of Uplift'' (1965) - Charles Trotter * '' I've Gotta Horse'' (1965) - Mr. Bartholemew * '' David Copperfield'' (1966) - Mr. Micawber * '' Diamonds for Breakfast'' (1968) - Bookseller * '' The Best House in London'' (1969) - Inspector MacPherson * ''

Captain Nemo and the Underwater City ''Captain Nemo and the Underwater City'' is a 1969 British film starring Robert Ryan, Chuck Connors and Nanette Newman. It features the character Captain Nemo and is inspired by Jules Verne's 1870 novel ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea'' ...

'' (1969) - Barnaby Bath * '' All the Way Up'' (1970) - Arnold Makepiece * '' Up Pompeii'' (1971) - Prosperus Maximus * '' Up the Chastity Belt'' (1971) - Sir Braggart * ''

'' (1972) - Groping * ''

That's Your Funeral ''That's Your Funeral'' was a BBC sitcom from 1971 about a North of England funeral director called Basil Bulstrode (Bill Fraser). Storylines used many urban legends An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urba ...

'' (1972) - Basil Bulstrode * ''

Go for a Take ''Go for a Take'' is a 1972 British comedy film, directed by Harry Booth and featuring Dennis Price, Bob Todd, Reg Varney, Norman Rossington, Sue Lloyd and Anouska Hempel. Debbie Russ reprises her role as the character "Tiger" from the televis ...

'' (1972) - TV Studio Doorman * ''

Not Now Darling ''Not Now, Darling'' is a 1967 farce written by English playwrights John Chapman and Ray Cooney, first staged at the Richmond Theatre, in Richmond, England prior to a long West End run. The production starred Donald Sinden and Bernard Cribbi ...

'' (1973) - Commissionaire * '' Love Thy Neighbour'' (1973) - Mr. Granger (uncredited) * '' Dead Cert'' (1974) - Uncle George * '' Moments'' (1974) - Mr. Fleming * ''

'' (1975) - Gerald * '' Eye of the Needle'' (1981) - Mr. Porter * ''

Pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

'' (1986) - Governor * '' Little Dorrit'' (1987) - Mr. Casby (final film role)

References

External links

Performances listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol

Rotten Tomatoes
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Bill 1908 births 1987 deaths Scottish military personnel Burials in England People from Perth, Scotland People from Hertfordshire People from Ilford People educated at Strathallan School Royal Air Force officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Scottish male film actors Scottish male television actors Scottish male comedians 20th-century Scottish male actors Laurence Olivier Award winners Deaths from emphysema 20th-century British comedians