Frederick Arthur Round Emney (12 February 1902 – 25 December 1980) was an English character actor and

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

. Emney was born in

Prescot Prescot is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside, England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, it lies about to the east of Liverpool city centre. At the 2001 Census, the civ ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

,GRO Register of Births Mar 1902 Frederick Arthur R Emney 8b 725 PRESCOT1901 Census: RG13/500 f.123 p.3 Fred Arthur Emney aged 1 living in Camberwell, but born Liverpool, Lancashire the son of Blanche (née Round) and

Fred Emney Frederick Arthur Round Emney (12 February 1902 – 25 December 1980) was an English character actor and comedian. Emney was born in Prescot, Lancashire,GRO Register of Births Mar 1902 Frederick Arthur R Emney 8b 725 PRESCOT1901 Census: R ...

, a music hall entertainer. His great-uncle was the actor Arthur Williams. Emney junior grew up in London and was educated at

Cranleigh School Cranleigh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. History It was opened on 29 September 1865 as a boys' school 'to provide a sound and plain education, on the principles o ...

. He made his film debut in 1935, having previously worked in music hall. He became a familiar figure to screen audiences, usually playing the "posh fat

bloke ''Bloke'' is a slang term for a common man in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The earliest known usage is from the early 19th century, when it was recorded as a London slang term. The word's origin is un ...

", usually gruff and invariably wearing a

monocle A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...

. During the 1950s, he had his own television show which featured sketches and deft piano pieces often composed by him. Some were released on record. He had a short spell as straight man to puppets

Pinky and Perky ''Pinky and Perky'' is a children's television series first broadcast by BBC TV in 1957, and revived in 2008 as a computer-animated adaptation. Original series The title characters are a pair of anthropomorphic puppet pigs, named Pinky and ...

. His sister Joan Emney was an actress who sometimes appeared with him in the same stage productions. Fred Emney died in

Bognor Regis Bognor Regis (), sometimes simply known as Bognor (), is a town and seaside resort in West Sussex on the south coast of England, south-west of London, west of Brighton, south-east of Chichester and east of Portsmouth. Other nearby towns ...

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

, on

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

1980.GRO Register of Deaths: DEC 1980 18 1714 CHICHESTER – Frederick Patrick R. Emney, DoB = 12 Feb 1900

Filmography

* ''

A Man of Mayfair ''A Man of Mayfair'' is a 1932 British musical comedy film directed by Louis Mercanton and starring Jack Buchanan, Joan Barry and Warwick Ward. Production It was made at British and Dominions Elstree Studios by the British subsidiary of Param ...

'' (1931) - (uncredited) * '' Brewster's Millions'' (1935) - Freddy * ''

Come Out of the Pantry ''Come Out of the Pantry'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Jack Buchanan, Fay Wray, James Carew and Fred Emney. It is based on a 1916 novel of the same name by Alice Duer Miller, and features musical numbers ...

'' (1935) - Lord Axminster * ''

The Lilac Domino ''Der lila Domino'' (''The Lilac Domino'') is an operetta in three acts composed by Charles Cuvillier. The original German libretto is by Emmerich von Gatti and Bela Jenbach, about a gambling count who falls in love at a masquerade ball with a n ...

'' (1937) - Baron Ladislas de Gonda * ''

Let's Make a Night of It ''Let's Make a Night of It'' is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by Graham Cutts and starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, June Clyde and Claire Luce. The screenplay concerns a husband and his wife, who acquire rival nightclubs at the sam ...

'' (1938) - Henry Boydell * '' Jane Steps Out'' (1938) - General Wilton * '' Hold My Hand'' (1938) - Lord Milchester * ''

Luck of the Navy ''Luck of the Navy'' is a 1938 British comedy thriller film directed by Norman Lee and starring Geoffrey Toone, Judy Kelly and Clifford Evans. Shot at Elstree StudiosWood p.98 it was based on the play '' The Luck of the Navy'' by Mrs Clifford ...

'' (1938) - Cook * ''

Just like a Woman "Just Like a Woman" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan first released on his seventh studio album, ''Blonde on Blonde'' on June 20, 1966. It was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. A shorter edit was released as a sin ...

'' (1939) - Sir Charles Devoir * ''

Yes, Madam? ''Yes, Madam?'' is a 1938 British musical comedy film directed by Norman Lee and starring Bobby Howes, Diana Churchill and Wylie Watson. Background The film was adapted from a play by K.R.G. Browne, itself based on a novel by the same author.E ...

'' (1939) - Sir Charles Drake-Drake * '' She Couldn't Say No'' (1940) - Herbert * '' The Middle Watch'' (1940) - Adm. Sir Reginald Hewett * ''

Just William ''Just William'' is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for ...

'' (1940) - Mr. Brown * '' Let the People Sing'' (1942) - Sir George Denberry-Baxter * ''

Fun at St. Fanny's ''Fun at St. Fanny's'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Fred Emney, Cardew Robinson and Vera Day. The film revolves around the teachers and students of St Fanny's private school, particularly the pupil Cardew t ...

'' (1955) - Dr. Jankers * ''

The Fast Lady ''The Fast Lady'' is a 1962 British comedy film, directed by Ken Annakin. The screenplay was written by Henry Blyth and Jack Davies, based on the 1925 novel of the same name by Keble Howard. Don Sharp directed second unit. "The Fast Lady" is th ...

'' (1962) - 1st Golfer * ''

A Home of Your Own ''A Home of Your Own'' is a 1964 British comedy film, which is a brick-by-brick account of the building of a young couple's dream house. From the day when the site is first selected, to the day – several years and children later – when the ...

'' (1964) - The Mayor * '' Father Came Too!'' (1964) - Sir Francis Drake * ''

I've Gotta Horse ''I've Gotta Horse'' is Billy Fury's second hit feature film, a semi-autobiographical musical comedy that also features Amanda Barrie, Michael Medwin and Jon Pertwee and pop bands The Gamblers and The Bachelors. It also features Fury's own ra ...

'' (1965) - Lord Bentley * ''

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines ''Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes'' is a 1965 British period comedy film that satirizes the early years of aviation. Directed and co-written by Ken Annakin, the film ...

'' (1965) - Colonel * ''

San Ferry Ann ''San Ferry Ann'' is a 1965 British sound effect comedy. Wordlessly, with soundtrack and sound effects, it tells the story of a holiday crossing from Dover to Calais. Synopsis A motley crew of British characters ride the San Ferry Ann to the s ...

'' (1965) - Gourmet * ''

Bunny Lake Is Missing ''Bunny Lake Is Missing'' is a 1965 British-American psychological drama film, directed and produced by Otto Preminger. Filmed in black-and-white widescreen format in London, it was based on the 1957 novel '' Bunny Lake Is Missing'' by Merriam ...

'' (1965) - Man in Soho * '' The Sandwich Man'' (1966) - Sir Mervyn Moleskin * '' Oliver!'' (1968) - Workhouse Chairman * ''

The Assassination Bureau ''The Assassination Bureau Limited'' (also known as ''The Assassination Bureau'' in the United States) is a 1969 British Technicolor black comedy adventure film, produced by Michael Relph, directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Oliver Reed, D ...

'' (1969) - Elevator Victim (uncredited) * '' Lock Up Your Daughters!'' (1969) - Earl of Ware * ''

The Italian Job ''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres around Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, r ...

'' (1969) - Birkinshaw * '' The Magic Christian'' (1969) - Fitzgibbon * ''Under the Table You Must Go'' (1969) - Himself (documentary) * ''

Doctor in Trouble ''Doctor in Trouble'' is a 1970 British comedy film, the seventh and last film in the ''Doctor'' series. It was directed by Ralph Thomas and stars Leslie Phillips as a doctor who gets accidentally trapped on an outgoing cruise ship while it begin ...

'' (1970) - Father * ''

Up the Chastity Belt ''Up the Chastity Belt'' (also released as ''Naughty Knights'' in the United States) is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd. It was a spin-off from the TV series '' Up Pompeii!'' Plot Eleanor of Aquit ...

'' (1971) - Mortimer * ''

Mistress Pamela ''Mistress Pamela'' is a 1973 British sex comedy drama film directed by Jim O'Connolly and starring Ann Michelle, Dudley Foster, Anna Quayle and Anthony Sharp. It was loosely based on the 1740 novel ''Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded'' by Samuel R ...

'' (1974) - Dr. Livesey * ''

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 ...

'' (1975) - Magistrate * ''

Adventures of a Private Eye ''Adventures of a Private Eye'' is a 1977 British sex comedy film directed by Stanley Long and starring Christopher Neil, Suzy Kendall, Harry H. Corbett and Liz Fraser. It followed the 1976 film '' Adventures of a Taxi Driver'' and was followe ...

'' (1977) - Sir Basil (final film role)

References

External links

* * 1902 births 1980 deaths People educated at Cranleigh School English male comedians English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Male actors from London Music hall performers 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English comedians People from Prescot {{England-actor-stub