Michael Sharvell-Martin (2 February 1944 – 28 October 2010) was a popular British television and stage actor whose career spanned more than three decades. He was a familiar character actor on British television screens, guest-starring in several prime time dramas and comedies during the 1970s and 1980s.

Early life

Sharvell-Martin was born Michael Ernest Martin in

Herne Bay Herne Bay is a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England. It is north of Canterbury and east of Whitstable. It neighbours the ancient villages of Herne and Reculver and is part of the City of Canterbury local governmen ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, and trained in stage management at the

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School is a drama school in Bristol, England. The institution provides training in acting and production for careers in film, television and theatre. BOVTS is an affiliate of the Conservatoire for Dance and Drama. ...

. His acting debut was in 1965 at the

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham Everyman Theatre is a theatre based in Regent Street, Cheltenham. There are two auditoria in the building - the 675 seat main auditorium and the 60 seat Studio Theatre, originally named The Ralph Richardson Studio after Ralph Richardson. History ...

. He adopted the stage name Michael Sharvell-Martin because there was already an actor called Michael Martin.

Career

Sharvell-Martin was mainly a supporting cast actor and is best remembered for his many appearances in the long-running television series ''

Dave Allen at Large David Tynan O'Mahony (6 July 193610 March 2005), known professionally as Dave Allen, was an Irish comedian, satirist, and actor. He was best known for his observational comedy. Allen regularly provoked indignation by highlighting political hypo ...

''. He also had a recurring role as Trevor Botting in the television situation comedy '' No Place Like Home''. During his career he made numerous guest appearances in television programmes such as ''

The Benny Hill Show ''The Benny Hill Show'' is a British comedy television show starring Benny Hill that aired on the BBC and ITV (from 1969) between 15 January 1955 and 1 May 1989. The show consisted mainly of sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody ...

'', ''

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran fo ...

'', ''

Terry and June ''Terry and June'' is a BBC television sitcom, which was broadcast on BBC1 from 1979 to 1987. The show was largely a reworking of '' Happy Ever After'', and starred Terry Scott and June Whitfield as a middle-aged, middle-class suburban couple, T ...

'', ''

Yes Minister ''Yes Minister'' is a British political satire sitcom written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Comprising three seven-episode series, it was first transmitted on BBC2 from 1980 to 1984. A sequel, ''Yes, Prime Minister'', ran for 16 episodes fr ...

'' and ''

Murder Most Horrid ''Murder Most Horrid'' is a British black comedy anthology series starring Dawn French. It was broadcast on BBC Two for four series runs, in 1991, 1994, 1996 and 1999. Created by Paul Smith, who also co-created ''Colin's Sandwich'' (with Terry ...

''. He also appeared in two episodes of the BBC's department store sitcom ''

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London ...

'' in the 1980s. His stage appearances included several West End comedy farces and numerous pantomime roles regularly as the dame at the Theatre Royal Windsor .

Selected filmography

* '' Quest for Love'' (1971) - Says "Hello Trafford" (uncredited) * ''

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) - 1st Policeman (Motorway) * '' Ooh... You Are Awful'' (1972) - Jackson (uncredited) * ''

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 televi ...

'' (1972) - Leopard Man' Director * ''

Rentadick ''Rentadick'' is a 1972 British comedy film, directed by Jim Clark (film editor), Jim Clark and starring James Booth, Richard Briers, Julie Ege, Ronald Fraser (actor), Ronald Fraser and Donald Sinden. It is a spoof spy/detective picture, the pl ...

'' (1972) - Removal Man * '' Kadoyng'' (1972) - Pander - Willoughby * '' The Love Ban'' (1973) - Bra Factory Designer * ''

Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor or Love Thy Neighbour refers to the Biblical phrase "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" from the Book of Leviticus 19:18 in the Old Testament about the ethic of reciprocity known as the Golden Rule or the Great Commandment. ...

'' (1973) - Police Constable * ''The Best of Benny Hill'' (1974) - Lower Tidmarsh Hospital Doctor / Rev. Peter Wilby / Various * '' Frightmare'' (1974) - Barman * ''

Not Now, Comrade ''Not Now, Comrade'' is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Ray Cooney. It was a follow-up to the similarly named 1973 farce ''Not Now, Darling''. It featured a number of British comedy actors including Leslie Phillips, Windsor Davies, Don Es ...

'' (1976) - 2nd Russian Official * '' No Place Like Home'' (1983-1988) - Trevor Botting

Personal life

Sharvell-Martin married Linda Hind in 1967 and the couple had two daughters. In the early part of 2010 he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus and died on 28 October 2010 at

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a small town and electoral ward in South Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. The town and electoral ward has a populati ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

References

External links

* 1944 births 2010 deaths English male television actors English male stage actors People from Herne Bay, Kent Deaths from cancer in England Deaths from esophageal cancer Male actors from Kent {{England-actor-stub