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Some Will, Some Won't
''Some Will, Some Won't'' is a 1970 British comedy film directed by Duncan Wood, a remake of ''Laughter in Paradise'' (1951). It starred an ensemble British cast which included Michael Hordern, Ronnie Corbett, Dennis Price, Leslie Phillips and Arthur Lowe. In Henry Russell's will, four family members are left £150,000 on condition they do the bizarre tasks Russell has set out for them. Plot In his will, eccentric practical joker Henry Russell leaves his four relatives £150,000 each, but with stipulations designed to make each of them step completely out of character, and prove themselves as human beings. Bossy Agnes Russell must work as a maid for a month, Herbert must overcome his natural shyness and rob a bank, woman chasing bachelor Simon has to marry the first single woman he speaks to, and crime writer Denniston is asked to commit a crime and be sent to jail for a month. When the four individuals report back to the executor, their lives are transformed for the better. But H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duncan Wood
Wilfred Duncan Wood (24 March 1925 – 11 January 1997) was a British comedy producer, director and writer, who has been described as "the founding father of the British TV sitcom". His best-known achievements were to produce all of Tony Hancock's Hancock's Half Hour, ''Half Hours'' for BBC TV during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and later, also with Hancock's former writers Galton and Simpson, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, the sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'' for most of its run. From 1970 to 1973, he was the BBC's Head of Comedy. He left in 1973 to become Head of Light Entertainment at ITV Yorkshire, Yorkshire Television and was responsible for commissioning ''Rising Damp''. Life and career Born in Bristol, he trained with the BBC as an outside broadcast engineer, before serving in south east Asia with the Royal Signals during the Second World War. He returned to the BBC in 1948, working on the 1948 Olympics, Olympic Games, and in the early 1950s started working as a producer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Robertson Justice
James Robertson Justice (15 June 1907 – 2 July 1975) was a British actor. He is best remembered for portraying pompous authority figures in comedies including each of the seven films in the ''Doctor'' series. He also co-starred with Gregory Peck in several adventure movies, notably '' The Guns of Navarone''. Born in south-east London, he exaggerated his Scottish roots but was prominent in Scottish public life, helping to launch Scottish Television (STV) and serving as Rector of the University of Edinburgh. Biography The son of Aberdeen-born mining engineer James Norval Justice and Edith (née Burgess), James Robertson Justice was born James Norval Harald Justice in Lee, a suburb of Lewisham in South East London, in 1907. Educated at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, Justice studied science at University College London, but left after a year and became a geology student at the University of Bonn, where he again left after just a year. He spoke many languages (possibly up ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mario Zampi
Mario Zampi (1 November 19032 December 1963) was an Italian film producer and director. A co-founder of Two Cities Films, a British production company, he is most closely associated with British comedies of the 1950s. Biography Zampi began his career as an actor in Italy at the age of 17. By 1930, he was working for Warner Bros. as a film editor in London. In 1937, he and compatriot Filippo Del Giudice founded Two Cities Films. While the company was noted for such serious films as ''In Which We Serve'', ''Henry V'', and ''Hamlet'', Zampi is most remembered for comedies. He made his mark with such films as ''Laughter in Paradise'' (1951), ''The Naked Truth'' (1957), and ''Too Many Crooks'' (1959), often in the dual role of director and producer. Filmography Director and producer unless otherwise indicated. *'' Tredici uomini e un cannone'' (1936) producer *'' 13 Men and a Gun'' (1938) *''French Without Tears'' (1940) producer *'' Spy for a Day'' (1940) *''Freedom Radio'' aka ''A V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vicki Woolf
Vicki Woolf (born 1942) is a British actress known mostly for her roles in television. She appeared in fourteen episodes of '' Honey Lane'' during the 1960s. In the 1980s she featured in the sitcom ''Three Up, Two Down''. She guest starred on various other shows such as ''The Saint'', ''The Persuaders!'', ''Man in a Suitcase'', ''Paul Temple'' and ''Minder''. She made appearances in several films including two Hammer Horrors and ''Carry On Up the Khyber'' (1968). In 1973 she was in the film version of '' Never Mind the Quality: Feel the Width''. Woolf was often cast as exotic types, sometimes from southern Europe. Woolf married the actor Ewen Solon Peter Ewen Solon (7 September 1917 – 7 July 1985) was a New Zealand-born actor, who worked extensively in both the United Kingdom and Australia. At the outbreak of World War II, Solon became a member of the First Echelon, 2nd NZEF that sa ... in London in 1965. References Bibliography * Michael, Robert & Cotter, Bobb. '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Claire Davenport
Claire Bernice Davenport (24 April 1933 – 25 February 2002) was an English character actress well known for her large physique. Life and career Davenport was born on 24 April 1933 in Sale, Cheshire, and began acting in 1961 with a theatre role in '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' at the Playhouse in Oxford. Her film work includes roles in ''Return of the Jedi'' (as Yarna d'al' Gargan, originally billed as "Fat Dancer"), '' The Return of the Pink Panther'', ''Adventures of a Plumber's Mate'', ''Carry On Emmannuelle'', '' The Tempest'' and ''The Elephant Man''. On television, she appeared on ''Remington Steele'', ''Doctor Who'', ''Minder'', ''George and Mildred'', '' Robin's Nest'', ''Fawlty Towers'' and at least three episodes of ''On the Buses'', among others. She also made a cameo appearance in an episode of ''Mind Your Language''. Among the last of her television appearances was a 1993 episode of ''The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer''. . Death Davenport stopped working afte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Thornton
Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? Again!'') and as Herbert "Truly" Truelove in ''Last of the Summer Wine''. Early life Frank Thornton Ball was born in Dulwich, London, the son of Rosina Mary ( née Thornton) and William Ernest Ball. His father was an organist at St Stephen's Church, Sydenham Hill, where Frank learned to play the organ for a short while. Music proved too difficult for him, however, and he wanted to act from an early age. His father, who worked in a bank, wanted him to get a "proper" job, so he began working in insurance after leaving Alleyn's School. He soon enrolled at a small acting school, the London School of Dramatic Art, and took evening classes. After two years working at the insurance company, he was invited to become a day student at the acting sc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Oulton
Brian Oulton (11 February 1908 – 13 April 1992) was an English character actor. Biography Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, Oulton made his acting debut in 1939 as a lead actor. During the Second World War he served in the British Army, and returned to acting playing character roles in 1946; he made a name for himself playing the same pompous character in numerous films, ranging from '' Last Holiday'' (1950) to ''Young Sherlock Holmes'' (1985). Many of his film roles were in comedies, and he went on to appear in several ''Carry On'' films. In 1969, he appeared as an eccentric psychic medium in ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' in the episode "Never Trust a Ghost"; as a hypochondriac GP in '' Doctor at Large''; and in the 1981 hit serial ''Brideshead Revisited''. He was also a stage actor and playwright, writing and starring in productions such as ''Births, Marriages and Deaths'' (1975), and ''For Entertainment Only'' (1976). Brian Oulton's radio credits include the role of Cy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Nettleton (actor)
John Nettleton (born 5 February 1929) is an English actor best known for playing Sir Arnold Robinson, Cabinet Secretary in ''Yes Minister'' (1980–84) and President of the Campaign for Freedom of Information in the follow-up ''Yes, Prime Minister'' (1985–88). Another political role for Nettleton was a Conservative Party Member of Parliament (Sir Stephen Baxter) in the sitcom ''The New Statesman''. Other television roles included a Ministry of Defence department chief in ''The Avengers'' (episode "The See-Through Man", 1967), a police sergeant in ''Please Sir!'' (1969), Alfred Booker in ''The Champions'' (episode "Full Circle", 1969), Froggett in the office comedy series ''If It Moves File It'' (1970), Francis Bacon in ''Elizabeth R'' (1971), a Detective Superintendent in '' Doctor at Large'' in 1971, George Pattinson in a now lost episode ("The Uninvited") of ''Out of the Unknown'' (also in 1971), as Arthur Bellamy, brother to Viscount Bellamy, in '' Upstairs, Downstairs'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Mitchell
Norman Mitchell Driver (27 August 1918 – 19 March 2001), known professionally as Norman Mitchell, was an English television, stage and film actor. Born in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, his father was a mining engineer and his mother a concert singer. He attended Carterknowle Grammar School and the University of Sheffield, before appearing in repertory theatre and with the Royal Shakespeare Company. During World War II he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He then made many television appearances and appeared in over sixty films. Mitchell was married to actress Pauline Mitchell until her death in 1992. He was the father of Jacqueline Mitchell and actor Christopher Mitchell, known for his role in the BBC sitcom ''It Ain't Half Hot Mum''. His son Christopher predeceased him by a month. Selected filmography * ''The Seekers'' (1954) - Grayson * ''Up to His Neck'' (1954) - Fungus * '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1955) - Stallholder (uncredited) * '' Police Dog'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Lewis (actor)
Stephen Lewis (17 December 1926 – 12 August 2015), credited early in his career as Stephen Cato, was an English actor, comedian, director, screenwriter and playwright. He is best known for his roles as Inspector Cyril "Blakey" Blake in ''On the Buses'', Clem "Smiler" Hemmingway in ''Last of the Summer Wine'' and Harry Lambert in ''Oh, Doctor Beeching!'', although he also appeared in numerous stage and film roles. Early life Lewis was born at All Saints Maternity Hospital in Poplar, London, England. He worked as a bricklayer, electrician's mate and carpenter, and also joined the Merchant Navy, before turning to acting. He was persuaded to go to a performance by the Theatre Workshop, under its director Joan Littlewood. It was common, after these performances, to invite members of the audience to meet the cast. He was invited to an audition, landed the part, and left the sea to become a member of the company. Stage Lewis made his West End theatre debut with the transfer of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diana King (actress)
Diana most commonly refers to: * Diana (name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Diana (mythology), ancient Roman goddess of the hunt and wild animals; later associated with the Moon * Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), formerly Lady Diana Spencer, was an activist, philanthropist, and member of the British royal family Places and jurisdictions Africa * Diana (see), a town and commune in Souk Ahras Province in north-eastern Algeria * Diana's Peak, the highest point on the island of Saint Helena * Diana Region, a region in Madagascar * Diana Veteranorum, an ancient city, former bishopric and present Latin Catholic titular see in Algeria Americas * Diana, New York, a town in Lewis County, New York, United States * Diana, Saskatchewan, a ghost town in Canada Asia * Diana, Iraq, a town in Iraqi Kurdistan Europe * Diana (Rozvadov), an almost abandoned settlement in the Czech Republic * Diana, Silesian Voivodeship, a village in south Poland * Diana Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noel Howlett
Noel Howlett (22 December 1902 – 26 October 1984) was an English actor, principally remembered as the incompetent headmaster, Morris Cromwell, in the ITV 1970s cult television programme ''Please Sir!'' He was the subject of infatuation by Deputy Head Doris Ewell, played by Joan Sanderson. Howlett was born in Bexley, Kent, and began his career as Richard Greatham in Noël Coward's ''Hay Fever''. At Northampton Repertory Theatre in 1930 he played Sherlock Holmes. He also appeared as Mr Williams in the 1948 film ''The Winslow Boy'', starring Robert Donat. At Stratford-on-Avon in 1953, he played Old Gobbo (father to Donald Pleasence's Launcelot Gobbo) in ''The Merchant of Venice'', Edward IV (brother to Marius Goring's Richard III), Baptista in ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and Gloucester in ''King Lear''. An early TV role was portraying a vicar in the 1958/59 BBC series '' Quatermass and the Pit''. He appeared as Professor Rushton in a one-off 1967 edition ("Mission Highly Impro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |