British actors – Page 5 – Cottage Capers

On this day in history….26th April 1880

On this day in history : 26th April 1880 – The birth of Eric Campbell – the actor who invariably played the part of the bully in Charlie Chaplin’s films – and who’s life came to a tragic end….

Campbell was born in Sale, Cheshire – although it had previously been thought that he was born in Dunoon, Scotland…. His parents were William, a cotton dealer and Jane Campbell – and he was one of four sons…. He began acting as a boy and was later discovered by theatre impresario of the music hall Fred Karno…. Campbell was a gentle giant; at 6ft 5in tall and weighing nearly 20 stone it was his sheer size and baritone voice that impressed Karno….

He married Fanny Gertrude Robotham, a fellow music hall performer, on the 30th of March 1901…. They travelled to New York in 1914 and Campbell was hired by Broadway producer Charles Frohman…. In March 1916 he was acting in George M. Cohen’s play ‘Pom Pom’ when brothers Charlie and Syd Chaplin came across him…. They took him back to Hollywood with them….

Campbell may have been built like a wrestler but he had a comparatively small head – which he kept shaven…. Charlie, by darkening his eyes, exaggerating his eyebrows and getting him to grow a scraggy beard, created Campbell into the prefect villain to play opposite his own ‘Little Tramp’ character…. Campbell’s first film with Chaplin was ‘The Floor Walker’ in 1916 and was followed by a quick succession of other films…. By the summer of 1917 Campbell had become Chaplin’s favourite co-star – he appeared in a total of 11 of his films…. Possibly his best role was in ‘Easy Street’ in 1917….

Chaplin was, at the time, the most famous movie star in the world….and he had many imitators…. However, Campbell also had his fair share, including Oliver Hardy, of Laurel and Hardy fame….

Campbell’s career had really taken off – it looked as if his future was rosy…. Chaplin’s contract with Mutual had ended and he was signed with First National Pictures – a real scoop for him – and he intended on taking Campbell with him…. In the meantime Campbell was working with Mary Pickford, co-founder of Pickford-Fairbanks Studios, with Douglas Fairbanks, on the 1918 film ‘Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley’…. But tragedy was about to strike Campbell’s life….

On the 9th of July 1917 his wife, Fanny, died suddenly of a heart attack, after they had been out for dinner at a restaurant near to their Santa Monica home…. Then as his 16-year-old daughter, Una, walked to a nearby shop to buy an outfit in which to mourn her mother, she was struck by a car, leaving her with serious injuries….

In September 1917, still grieving, Campbell met comedienne Pearl Gilman at a publicity gathering…. Twice divorced, each time from an extremely wealthy man, Gilman was nothing short of a gold-digger….and she set out to take full advantage of Campbell’s situation…. Five days after they had met the pair were married….two months later Gilman sued for divorce, claiming he was a heavy drinker and had abused her…. Campbell moved out of their home and took a room at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, next door to his best buddy, Charlie Chaplin….

With Charlie Chaplin in ‘The Immigrant’ 1917 – Public domain

On the 20th of December 1917 Campbell attended a Christmas party – and drowned his sorrows…. At 4am he drunkenly drove towards home – but was involved in a head-on collision – he was killed instantly….

After his cremation his ashes were to remain unclaimed…. His daughter had returned to the UK by now, to live with relatives in Nottingham…. It was to be 30 years before Campbell’s ashes were eventually laid to rest in an unknown site within the Rosedale Cemetery, Los Angeles….

On this day in history….16th April 1965

On this day in history : 16th April 1965 – The death of actor and comedian Sydney Chaplin – who died on the birthday of his younger half-brother, Charlie Chaplin….

Promotional picture of Sydney Chaplin – Public domain

Sydney was born on the 16th of March 1885 in London…. His mother was 19-year-old Hannah Hill, a music hall entertainer…. She claimed his father to be Sydney Hawkes – but this was never to be confirmed…. A year later Hannah married Charles Chaplin Sr – and he became Sydney’s legal guardian and his name was changed to Chaplin…. When Sydney was 4-years-old a little brother arrived, Charlie…. The pair were always to be close as brothers….

Syd and Charlie were taken into care following their mother’s mental breakdown…. At the age of 12 Syd was trained for a life at sea, serving on the ‘Exmouth’, a training ship based at Grays, Middlesex…. He spent the next few years at sea as a steward….

However, entertainment was in Syd’s blood…. In 1905 he and Charlie appeared on stage together for the first time, in a production of ‘Sherlock Holmes’…. Then in 1906 Syd managed to get a contract with Fred Karno as a music hall comedian – performing with ‘The Speechless Comedians’, one of the most successful entertainment troupes of the time…. Syd enjoyed relative fame and secured his brother a place within the company – but Charlie’s time of fame was to come later….

Syd married his first wife, Minnie, at some time around 1914…. They had no children – and she was to die in the September of 1936, in France, following surgery for breast cancer….

By 1915 Charlie had become famous worldwide…. It was around this time that Syd and Charlie were contacted by their younger half-brother Wheeler Dryden, who was living in America…. Born to Hannah, in 1892, Wheeler had been brought up by his father, music hall entertainer Leo Dryden, as she was continuing to have mental health issues…. Syd and Charlie, along with their mother, emigrated to the US and the family was reunited….

Syd and Minnie settle in California…. He was to make a dozen or so films, including ‘A Submarine Pirate’ for Keystone in 1915 – one of the most successful Keystone comedies ever made….

Syd Chaplin at the periscope in a scene from ‘A Submarine Pirate’ – Public domain

Charlie’s fame continued to grow and soon Syd began to handle the majority of his business affairs and negotiate his contracts for him…. At the same time he was still making a few films himself, amongst them the highly successful ‘Shoulder Arms’ in 1918….

His later work included ‘Charley’s Aunt’ in 1925 and ‘The Better ‘Ole’ in 1927…. His last film ‘A Little Bit Of Fluff’ was made in England in 1928…. He was due to make a further film in 1929 but was accused of sexual assault by actress Molly Wright…. After settling out of court, seen as an admission of guilt by many, Syd retired from the screen and moved to the South of France, to escape the scandal…. He left behind a catalogue of unpaid debts and tax demands….and in 1930 he was declared bankrupt….

After Minnie’s death Syd married Henriette, know as ‘Gypsy’…. He died after a long illness and was buried in the Clarens-Montreux Cemetery, close to Vevey…. Gypsy was later buried next to him….

Image credit : Gerbil – own work – CC BY-SA 3.0

British History

On this day in history….14th April 1999

On this day in history : 14th April 1999 – The death of English singer, songwriter, actor and icon of the 1960s, Anthony Newley….

Newley was born Anthony George Newley in Hackney, London on the 24th of September 1931, to parents Frances Grace Newley and George Kirby…. His parents never married and went their separate ways when Newley was still very young – he was to be brought up by his aunt and uncle….

He left school at the age of 14 and started working for an advertising agency in Fleet Street…. However, he had always been tempted by an career in acting – and when he saw an advertisement for ‘boy actors’ in the Daily Telegraph he decided to apply…. Only things weren’t quite so straight forward….. The ad was for available places at the Italia Conti Stage School – and it was obvious that Newley could not afford the high fees the school demanded…. But it must have been his lucky day! He was allowed to audition anyway – and was offered a job as an office boy, his wage being 30 shillings a week and lessons at the school….

Newley came to the attention of producer Geoffrey de Barkus, which landed him the role of ‘Dusty’ in the children’s film series ‘The Adventures of Dusty Bates’ in 1947…. The following year he was cast as ‘Dick Bultitude’ in Peter Ustinov’s ‘Vice Versa’ and then in 1948 as the ‘Artful Dodger’ in ‘Oliver Twist’….

Anthony Newley and Petula Clark in ‘Vice Versa’ – Fair use

After completing his National Service Newley resumed his acting career…. He married his first wife, Ann Lynn, in 1956 and they had one son, Simon – who sadly died in infancy…. It was always a turbulent marriage and ended in divorce in 1963….

Newley’s singing career was launched with his appearance in the 1959 film ‘Idol on Parade’ – about a rock singer called up for National Service (and inspired by the true story of Elvis Presley)…. From the film came Newley’s hit song ‘I’ve Waited So Long’ – which reached No.3 in the charts…. A string of a dozen or so top 40 hits were to follow between 1959 and 1962, including two No.1s – ‘Why?’ And ‘Do You Mind?’ – both written by Lionel Bart….

Poster of film ‘Idol on Parade’, 1959 – Fair use

1961 saw the beginning of Newley’s collaboration with Leslie Bricusse – when they started work on the hit stage show ‘Stop the World: I Want to Get Off’… After a successful run in London and on Broadway it was later made into a film….and included the song ‘What Kind Of Fool Am I?’ – for which Newley won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year….

Newley married Joan Collins in 1963 and the couple had two children, a daughter, Tara and a son, Sacha…. The marriage ended in 1970….

Newley was to become a prolific songwriter, showing great versatility…. From comical songs, such as ‘The Oompa Loompa Song’ to hard hitting ballads…. He was a great influence to many – including a young David Bowie, who was a big fan….

He wrote the theme song for the James Bond film ‘Goldfinger’, – which was performed by Shirley Bassey…. He also wrote the hit song for Nina Simone ‘Feeling Good’…. He continued to collaborate with Bricusse on song writing projects and on the productions ‘The Roar of the Greasepaint – the Smell of the Crowd’ in 1965 and ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ in 1971….

Poster for ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’ – Fair use

He was to marry his third wife, Dareth Rich, in 1971 and became father to another daughter, Shelby and a son, Christopher…. Only this marriage was once more to end in divorce in 1989….

Newley’s last main acting role was in 1998, as Vince Watson in the soap ‘Eastenders’…. It had meant to be a main, long lasting character role in the series but by now Newley’s health was failing and he had to pull out…. He had first been diagnosed with cancer in 1985 and in 1997 it returned, spreading to his liver and lungs…. He died of renal cancer at the age of 67 in Florida, on the 14th of April 1999…. At the time of his death he had been working on a musical production of Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III’…

Anthony Newley and Tom Jones, 1969 – Public domain

British History

On this day in history….5th April 1912

On this day in history : 5th April 1912 – The birth of English character actor John Le Mesurier – perhaps best known to us for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in ‘Dad’s Army’….

John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson – Fair use

Born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley in Bedford, Le Mesurier was the son of a solicitor and spent his early childhood in Bury St. Edmunds, West Suffolk – before attending boarding school in Kent and then later Dorset…. After leaving school he was encouraged to follow in his father’s footsteps….but he had hankered after a career on the stage since an early age…. So he joined an amateur dramatic group – and then in September 1933 he left the legal profession and enrolled in the Fay Compton Studio of Dramatic Art…. A fellow student was Alec Guinness – who became a lifelong friend….

Le Mesurier made his stage debut at Edinburgh’s Palladium Theatre in 1934, with a part in the J.B.Priestley play ‘Dangerous Corner’…. During the War years he was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment and in 1943 was posted to British India where he spent the remainder of the War…. After being demobbed in 1946 Le Mesurier returned to Britain to resume his acting career, making his film debut in 1948 in the short mystery film ‘Death in the Hand’….

Although Le Mesurier preferred comedy his versatility saw him in a variety of roles, from ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’ to ‘The Italian Job’…. The role of Sergeant Arthur Wilson in ‘Dad’s Army’ came about in 1968…. He based the character on himself – upper-middle class, softly spoken, polite and forgiving in nature…. He was an unassuming man – playing down the BAFTA he received in 1971 for Best Actor of the Year for his role as Adrian Harris in Dennis Potter’s Play For Today ‘Traitor’….

Le Mesurier (second from left) with the cast of Dad’s Army – 1971 Christmas Special ‘Battle of the Giants!’ – Fair use

Behind the scenes Le Mesurier had a turbulent and perhaps tragic personal life…. He had married his first wife, June Melville, in April 1940….However, on returning home from India, after being demobbed, he discovered she had become an alcoholic…. They divorced in 1949…. In the November of 1949 he married Carry-On star Hattie Jacques and they had two sons, Robin and Kim…. But in 1962 she began an affair with her driver, John Schofield – even going as far as moving him into the family home, whilst Le Mesurier was still there…. Le Mesurier desperately tried to repair the marriage – but became quite unwell, collapsing whilst on holiday in Tangier in 1963 and needing hospitalisation…. When he returned home to find his wife and her lover still together he suffered a relapse….

Eventually Le Mesurier and Jacques divorced…. He even took the blame for the breakup of the marriage to save her reputation…. He had met Jean Malin by this time and in March 1966 she became his third wife…. Only a few months later she was to begin a relationship and move in with his friend, comedian Tony Hancock…. But being an alcoholic Hancock was to behave in an abusive manner towards her…. A year or so later she attempted suicide; she left Hancock and returned to her husband….

From July 1983 Le Mesurier’s health noticeably deteriorated, he was hospitalised after suffering a haemorrhage…. Six years before he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver on account of his prolonged heavy drinking…. Later in 1983 he was to have a recurrence of his condition, he was admitted to Ramsgate Hospital…. Before slipping into a final coma he reportedly said to his wife “It’s all been rather lovely”…. Le Mesurier died on the 15th of November 1983…. He left behind his own death notice to be printed in The Times the following day – saying that he had “Conked out” and he ‘Sadly misses family and friends”…. His ashes were later buried at the Church of St. George the Martyr, Ramsgate…. The following year his autobiography ’A Jobbing Actor’ was published posthumously….

British History

On this day in history….2nd April 1934

On this day in history : 2nd April 1934 – The birth of actor, teacher and writer Brian Glover, who made his acting debut in the film ‘Kes’ – but started out as an all-in-wrestler….

Wrestling was in his blood…. His father, Charles, was an all-in-wrestler going by the name of ‘The Red Devil’…. By day Brian’s parents ran a grocer’s shop – they didn’t actually get around to marrying until Brian was 20-years-old….

Brian was born in Sheffield but raised in Barnsley…. He won a scholarship for the Barnsley Grammar School and then went on to study English and French at the University of Sheffield…. To top up his student grant he started professional all-in-wrestling, with the name ‘Leon Arras the man from Paris’…. He took his name from a real life Frenchman who failed to show up at a wrestling competition – and Brian stepped in, it was his first public match…. He developed a style of his own, incorporating comic antics with catchphrases such as “ows about that then?” and “ask ‘im ref”….

In 1954 he began to teach at his old grammar school in Barnsley, drumming the delights of English and French into his students…. Also in 1954 he married his first wife, Elaine, with whom he had a daughter – they were later to divorce…. Brian continued to wrestle in matches across Europe…. He remarried in 1976, to Tara Prem, a TV producer and they had a son….

It was whilst working at Longcar Central School in Barnsley that Brian was to meet PE teacher Barry Hines, author of ‘A Kestrel for a Knave’ – which was published in 1968…. The story of Billy Cooper, a troubled young boy from a mining village, who cares for a kestrel he names ‘Kes’…. It is a book many of us will have read during our school years…. Barry went on to help adapt his book and co-write with Ken Loach for the 1969 film ‘Kes’…. He recommended Brian Glover for the part of the comical but domineering sports master, Mr Sugden….

Brian had no acting experience but was a natural as a character actor…. In 1970 he gave up teaching and his wrestling career soon after to become a full time actor…. With his broad Yorkshire accent, bald head and stocky frame he found himself cast many a time as a criminal or tough guy…. His TV work included parts in favourites such as ‘The Sweeney’, ‘Minder’, ‘The Bill’, ‘Coronation Street’, ‘Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads’, ‘Dixon of Dock Green’, ‘Dr. Who’, ‘Bottom’ and as prisoner Cyril Heslop in the sitcom ‘Porridge’…. He also appeared several times in the BBC’s ‘Play For Today’ series…. His dulcet tones could be heard in TV ad breaks for adverts such as Tetley’s “Tetley make teabags make tea” and Allison’s bread – “nowt taken out”…. He was even a narrator for the children’s series ‘Little Red Tractor’….

His theatre work was to include ‘The Changing Room’ at the Royal Court Theatre, London, a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company and performances of ‘The Mysteries’, ‘Saint Joan’ and ‘Don Quixote’ at the Royal National Theatre…. His film work was also extensive, with parts in ‘Alien 3’, ‘Jabberwocky’, ‘The First Great Train Robbery’, ‘An American Werewolf in London’, ‘Leon the Pig Farmer’ ‘Company of Wolves’ and the Bollywood movie ‘1942; A Love Story’….amongst others…. He also wrote over 20 plays and short films – as well as writing a regular column for a Yorkshire newspaper….

Brian died of a brain tumour in a London hospital on the 24th of July 1997…. He is buried in the Brompton Cemetery….