Hugh William Paddick (22 August 1915 – 9 November 2000) was an English actor. He starred in the 1960s

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

radio show ''

Round the Horne ''Round the Horne'' is a BBC Radio comedy programme starring Kenneth Horne, first transmitted in four series of weekly episodes from 1965 until 1968. The show was created by Barry Took and Marty Feldman, who wrote the first three series. The f ...

'', performing in sketches such as "Charles and Fiona" (as Charles) and " Julian and Sandy" (as Julian). He and

Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was a British actor and comedian. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 ''Carry ...

were largely responsible for introducing the underground language

Polari Polari () is a form of slang or Cant (language), cant historically used primarily in the United Kingdom by some actors, circus and fairground performers, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals and prostitutes, and particula ...

to the British public. Paddick also enjoyed success as Percival Browne in the original West End production of '' The Boy Friend'', in 1954.

Biography

Born in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, Paddick preferred theatre to any other form of acting and spent most of his life on the stage, from his first role at acting school in 1937 until his retirement. He appeared in the original Drury Lane production of ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'' as Colonel Pickering. He was an accomplished musician – singer, pianist and organist. He can be heard at the piano accompanying Julian and Sandy in several of their sketches on both ''Round the Horne'' and ''The Bona World of Julian and Sandy''. In his diaries,

, so often scathing of his colleagues, spoke warmly of Paddick's kindness as a man, and of his "subtlety and brilliance" as a performer. Paddick was gay and lived for over thirty years with his partner Francis, whom he met at a party in London. Paddick was very guarded about his privacy, and he and his partner were keen gardeners at their home in Bedfordshire. He was distantly related to

Brian Paddick Brian Leonard Paddick, Baron Paddick (born 24 April 1958), is a British life peer and retired police officer. He was the Liberal Democrat candidate for the London mayoral elections of 2008 and of 2012, and until his retirement in May 2007 wa ...

, now Lord Paddick, Britain's first openly gay police

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

. Paddick died in

Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of Milton Keynes urban area, its urban area was 264,349. The River Great Ouse forms t ...

, Buckinghamshire, on 9 November 2000, aged 85.

In popular culture

In the 2006 BBC television film '' Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!'', about the life of Williams, Paddick was portrayed by Guy Henry.

Films

* '' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) – Instructor * '' We Shall See'' (1964) – Connell * '' San Ferry Ann'' (1965) – French Commercial Traveller * ''

The Killing of Sister George ''The Killing of Sister George'' is a 1964 play by Frank Marcus that was later adapted into a 1968 film directed by Robert Aldrich. Stage version Sister George is a beloved character in the popular radio series ''Applehurst'', a district nu ...

'' (1968) – Freddie * '' Up Pompeii'' (1971) – Priest * '' Up the Chastity Belt'' (1971) – Robin Hood * '' That's Your Funeral'' (1972) – Window Dresser

Television

* '' Here and Now'' (1956) * '' The Two Charleys'' (1959) – Lionel Stone * '' The Larkins'' (1963–1964) – Osbert Rigby-Soames * '' The Strange World of Gurney Slade'' (episode 2, 1960) – Fairy * '' Winning Widows'' (1961–1962) * ''Worm's Eye View'' (play) (1962) see IMDB reference below * ''

Benny Hill Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill (21 January 1924 – 18 April 1992) was an English comedian, actor and scriptwriter. He is best remembered for his television programme, ''The Benny Hill Show'', a comedy-variety show whose amalgam of slapstick, bu ...

'' (1963) * ''

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 a soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...

'' (1965–1966) * '' Pure Gingold'' (1965) * ''

The Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of United Kingdom, British television plays which ran on BBC One, BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic ...

'' episode: '' The End of Arthur's Marriage'' (1965) – House Agent * '' Before the Fringe'' (1967) * '' Beryl Reid Says Good Evening'' (1968) – Various Roles * '' Comedy Playhouse'' (1968–1972) – Bernard Hooper / Sidney Jelliot * '' The Jimmy Tarbuck Show'' (1968) * '' Wink to Me Only'' (1969) – Sydney Jelliot * '' Here Come the Double Deckers'' episode: ''Summer Camp'' (1970) – Gerald * '' Father, Dear Father'' episode: ''Housie – Housie'' (1971), episode: ''Flat Spin'' (1973) – Mr. Nash / Fanshawe * '' The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine'' (1971) – Various Characters * ''

The Benny Hill Show ''The Benny Hill Show'' is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketch comedy, sketches typified by slapstick, mime, parody, and ...

'' series 4, episode 1 (1972) * '' Pardon My Genie'' (1972, children's comedy series) – The Genie * '' Tell Tarby'' (1973) * ''

PG Tips PG Tips is a brand of tea in the United Kingdom manufactured by Lipton Teas and Infusions. Brand name In the 1930s, Brooke Bond launched PG Tips in the tea market in the United Kingdom under the name Pre-Gestee, a variant of the original name "D ...

'' advertisement (1976) (provided the voice of a chimpanzee) * ''

Sykes "Sykes" is a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origins, which generally has topographical roots as it original linguistic origin. The name derives from the Old Norse word "sík" or "síkja", meaning a small stream, marshy hollow, or gully. It eventua ...

'' episode: ''Television Film'' (1978) – Nigel Lambshank * '' The Basil Brush Show'' (1979) * ''Can We Get On Now, Please?'' (1980) – Charles Pettigrew * '' The Morecambe and Wise Show'' (1980) – Adrian Fondle / Robin Caress * '' Rushton's Illustrated'' (1980) * '' The Jim Davidson Show'' (1980–1981) * ''

Babble Babble may refer to: * ''Babble'' (That Petrol Emotion album), 1987 album by That Petrol Emotion * ''Babble'', 1979 album by Kevin Coyne and Dagmar Krause * Babble (band), a later incarnation of the Thompson Twins * Babble (company), a British ...

'' (1983) * '' Jemima Shore Investigates'' episode: ''The Crime of the Dancing Duchess'' (1983) – Tony Jerrold * ''

Blackadder ''Blackadder'' is a series of four Period piece, period British sitcoms - ''The Black Adder'', ''Blackadder II'', ''Blackadder the Third'' and ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' - plus several one-off instalments, which originally aired on BBC1 from 19 ...

'' series 3 episode 4: '' Sense and Senility'' (1987) – David Keanrick, thespian * ''

Alas Smith and Jones ''Alas Smith and Jones'' is a British comedy sketch television series starring Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones that originally ran for four series and two Christmas specials on BBC2 from 1984 to 1988, and later as ''Smith and Jones'' for six ...

'' episode 4.5 (1987) * '' And There's More'' episode 4.1 (1988) – Various Characters * '' Boon'' episode: ''Never Say Trevor Again'' (1988) – Don Pettifer * '' Campion'' (1990) – 'Beaut' Siegfried * '' Jackson Pace: The Great Years'' (1990) – Lord Taggon (Last appearance)

Theatre

* ''

Noah Noah (; , also Noach) appears as the last of the Antediluvian Patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs in the traditions of Abrahamic religions. His story appears in the Hebrew Bible (Book of Genesis, chapters 5–9), the Quran and Baháʼí literature, ...

'' (1937) Embassy School of Acting * '' There's Always Tomorrow'' (1949)

New Wimbledon Theatre The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on the Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Listed building, Grade II listed Edwardian era, Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J. B. Mulholland, w ...

* '' The Thunderbolt'' (1952)

Liverpool Playhouse The Liverpool Playhouse is a theatre in Williamson Square in the city of Liverpool, England. It originated in 1866 as a music hall, and in 1911 developed into a repertory theatre. As such it nurtured the early careers of many actors and actre ...

* '' The Two Bouquets'' (1953) St Martin's Theatre * '' The Boy Friend'' (1953) Embassy Theatre, (1954)

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c. 1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the arch ...

* '' The Impresario From Smyrna'' (1954)

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. It opened on April 20, 1927. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre cen ...

* '' For Amusement Only'' (1956)

Apollo Theatre The Apollo Theatre is a listed building, Grade II listed West End theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.

* '' She Smiled at Me'' (1956)

Connaught Theatre The Connaught Theatre is a Streamline Moderne-style theatre and cinema in the centre of Worthing, in West Sussex, England. Built as the Picturedrome cinema in 1914, the venue was extended in 1935 and became the new home of the Connaught Theatre ...

* '' For Adults Only'' (1958) various theatres * ''

'' (1959–1961) Theatre Royal, Drury Lane * '' See You Inside'' (1963) Duchess Theatre * '' Let's Get A Divorce!'' (1966–1967)

Mermaid Theatre The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre encompassing the site of Puddle Dock and Curriers' Alley at Blackfriars in the City of London, and the first built in the City since the time of Shakespeare. It was, importantly, also one of the first new th ...

* ''

The Madwoman of Chaillot ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'' (, ) is a play, a poetic satire, by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux, written in 1943 and first performed in 1945, after his death. The play is in two acts. The story concerns an eccentric woman who lives in Paris and ...

'' (1967)

Oxford Playhouse The Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by Edward Maufe and F. G. M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum. History The Playhouse was founded as ''The Red Barn'' at 12 Woodstock Road (Oxford), W ...

* '' They Don't Grow on Trees'' (1968)

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

* ''

Antony and Cleopatra ''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed around 1607, by the King's Men at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre. Its first appearance in print was in the First Folio published ...

'' (1969)

Chichester Festival Theatre Chichester Festival Theatre is a theatre and Grade II* listed building situated in Oaklands Park in the city of Chichester, West Sussex, England. Designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, it was opened by its founder Leslie Evershed-Mart ...

* '' When We Are Married'' (1971) Strand Theatre * ''

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

'' (1974) Casino Theatre * '' Play by Play'' (1975)

The King's Head Theatre The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. The original venue was the oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2024, the pub theatre, and the King's Head Theatre now operates from a purpose- ...

Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...

* ''

Beauty and the Beast "Beauty and the Beast" is a fairy tale written by the French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in (''The Young American and Marine Tales''). Villeneuve's lengthy version was abridged, rewritten, and publish ...

'' (1975)

* '' Some of My Best Friends are Husbands'' (1976)

, (1983) Watford Palace * '' Out on a Limb'' (1976) Vaudeville Theatre * ''

Volpone ''Volpone'' (, Italian for "sly fox") is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605–1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-perfo ...

'' (1977)

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

* ''

Half Life Half-life is a mathematical and scientific description of exponential or gradual decay. Half-life, half life or halflife may also refer to: Film * ''Half-Life'' (film), a 2008 independent film by Jennifer Phang * '' Half Life: A Parable for t ...

'' (1977–1978)

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...

* '' Gigi'' (1980)

Haymarket Theatre (Leicester) The Leicester Haymarket Theatre is a theatre in Leicester, England, next to the Haymarket Shopping Centre on Belgrave Gate in Leicester City Centre, Leicester City centre. History The Haymarket Theatre was opened by Ralph Richardson, Sir Ralph R ...

* '' Soldier's Fortune'' (1981)

Lyric Hammersmith The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a nonprofit theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London."About the Lyric" > "History" ''Lyric'' official website. Retrieved January 2024. Background The Lyric Theatre ...

* ''

Venice Preserv'd ''Venice Preserv'd'' is an English Restoration play written by Thomas Otway, and the most significant tragedy of the English stage in the 1680s. It was first staged in 1682, with Thomas Betterton as Jaffeir and Elizabeth Barry as Belvidera. ...

'' (1984)

Lyttelton Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

* '' Wild Honey'' (1984)

* ''

Noises Off ''Noises Off'' is a 1982 farce by the English playwright Michael Frayn. Frayn conceived the idea in 1970 while watching from the wings a performance of '' The Two of Us'', a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, "It was funni ...

'' (1985)

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy ...

Radio

* ''

Beyond Our Ken ''Beyond Our Ken'' is a BBC radio comedy programme first broadcast between 1958 and 1964. It starred Kenneth Horne, with Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden, Bill Pertwee, and, as announcer, Douglas Smith. The title is a play on the ...

'' (1958–1964) * ''

Gert and Daisy Florence Elsie Waters (19 August 1893–14 June 1990) and her sister Doris Ethel Waters (20 December 1899–18 August 1978) were English comic actresses and singers who performed as a double act. They are remembered for creating the co ...

'' (1959) * ''

The Men from the Ministry ''The Men from the Ministry'' is a British radio comedy series broadcast by the BBC between 1962 and 1977, starring Wilfrid Hyde-White, Richard Murdoch and, from 1966, when he replaced Hyde-White, Deryck Guyler. Written and produced by Edward ...

'' (1965) * ''

'' (1965–1968) * '' Stop Messing About'' (1969) * '' Share and Share Alike'' (1978) * ''

A Chaste Maid in Cheapside ''A Chaste Maid in Cheapside'' is a city comedy written c. 1613 by the English Jacobean playwright Thomas Middleton. Unpublished until 1630, and long-neglected afterwards, it is now considered among the best and most characteristic Jacobean c ...

'' (play) (1979) * '' Just Before Midnight'' (1979) * '' The 27-Year Itch'' (1979) * '' I Love The 27-Year Itch'' (play) (1980)

References

External links

Hugh Paddick
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Paddick, Hugh 1915 births 2000 deaths 20th-century English comedians 20th-century English LGBTQ people 20th-century English male actors Actors from Milton Keynes Actors from the Borough of Broxbourne Comedians from Buckinghamshire Comedians from Hertfordshire English gay actors English LGBTQ comedians English male comedians English male film actors English male radio actors English male stage actors English male television actors Gay comedians Male actors from Buckinghamshire Male actors from Hertfordshire People from Hoddesdon