Ronald Baddiley (31 August 1922 – 29 November 1986) was an English actor. He was best known for his roles in the early days of the long-running British radio drama ''

The Archers ''The Archers'' is a BBC radio drama on BBC Radio 4, the corporation's main spoken-word channel. Broadcast since 1951, it was famously billed as "an everyday story of country folk" and is now promoted as "a contemporary drama in a rural settin ...

'', and as Under-Secretary, Sir Gregory Pitkin, CBE in the BBC comedy ''

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 ...

''. Baddiley was born on 31 August 1922, in Doncaster in Yorkshire, England, UK. In December 1950 he married Noreen Richards – she later performed alongside him in several episodes of radio serial ''The Archers''.

Career

Baddiley voiced the character of Percy Hood in BBC radio drama ''The Archers'' and first appeared on television in April 1956 playing the orchestra conductor in the TV short ''The Cobbler's Belle''. In the same year he played Mr. Hepton in dramatist David Turner's ''Fresh as Paint'' and the policeman in ''One Fight More'' by David Campton and Stephen Joseph. The following year he played PC Sanders in 4 episodes of ''The Other Man'', and in 1958 Baddiley appeared in two BBC radio productions of Shakespeare, playing the parts of an outlaw and Panthino in the comedy ''

The Two Gentlemen of Verona ''The Two Gentlemen of Verona'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1589 and 1593. It is considered by some to be Shakespeare's first play, and is often seen as showing his first tentative steps in laying ...

'', and Abram in the tragedy ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

''. Baddiley performed alongside

Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe (22 September 1915 – 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 36 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played Captain Mainwaring in the British sitcom ''Dad' ...

in the BBC Radio

Third Programme The BBC Third Programme was a national radio station produced and broadcast from 1946 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 3, Radio 3. It first went on the air on 29 September 1946 and quickly became one of the leading cultural and in ...

production of ''Billy's Last Stand'', the first play written by English author

Barry Hines Melvin Barry Hines, FRSL (30 June 1939 – 18 March 2016) was an English author, playwright and screenwriter. His novels and screenplays explore the political and economic struggles of working-class Northern England, particularly in his native W ...

. He featured in two

BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...

programmes on the same day in March 1968, appearing first in ''The Men from the Ministry'' and later alongside

Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn (9 January 19206 November 2012) was an English actor. Although he was only 48 and one of the youngest cast members, he was cast in a role many years his senior, as the elderly Lance Corporal Jones in the BBC sitcom ' ...

Deryck Guyler Deryck Bower Guyler (29 April 1914 – 7 October 1999) was an English actor, best remembered for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as ''Please Sir!'' and ''Sykes''. Early life Guyler was born in Wallas ...

Joan Sanderson Joan Sanderson (24 November 1912 – 24 May 1992) was a British television and stage actress born in Bristol. During a long career, her tall and commanding disposition led to her playing mostly dowagers, spinsters and matrons, as well as intens ...

, and

Patricia Hayes Patricia Lawlor Hayes (22 December 1909 – 19 September 1998) was an English character actress. Early life Patricia Hayes OBE was born in Streatham,Dennis Barker, "Hayes, Patricia Lawlor (1909–1998)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biogra ...

in the

Esmonde and Larbey Esmonde may refer to: People ;Given name * Esmonde Higgins (1897-1960), Australian communist ;Surname * A. M. Esmonde (b. 1977), a British movie writer and producer * Sir Anthony Esmonde, 15th Baronet (1899-1981), an Irish politician and farmer ...

comedy ''You're Only Old Once''. In 1970, Baddiley appeared as Freddie Daring in the satirical film ''

The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer ''The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer'' is a 1970 British satirical film starring Peter Cook, and co-written by Cook, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Kevin Billington, who directed the film. The film was devised and produced by David Frost und ...

'', and as himself in ''A Career in Shipbuilding'' (1975), directed by John Reeve and written by Ronald Dunkley. Baddiley was railway inspector Mr Bun in the early 1970s series ''

Parsley Sidings ''Parsley Sidings'' is a BBC Radio sitcom of the early 1970s created by Jim Eldridge. It stars Arthur Lowe and Ian Lavender (who were starring in the sitcom ''Dad's Army'' at the time) and Kenneth Connor from the ''Carry On'' films. The show is ...

'', which reunited him with Arthur Lowe, who played the stationmaster Horace Hepplewhite. In January 1980, Baddiley was Bird One in Fit the Tenth of the second series of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy''. Later that year he played Cervantes in a two-part BBC radio adaptation of ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...

''. In 1981, Baddiley voiced the (uncredited) role of the British news reel commentator in five episodes of the TV series '' Private Schulz'' and the following year appeared as Lt Col Walter Anderson in the

ITV Granada ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

series ''

Crown Court The Crown Court is the court of first instance of England and Wales responsible for hearing all Indictable offence, indictable offences, some Hybrid offence, either way offences and appeals lied to it by the Magistrates' court, magistrates' court ...

''. In 1983, Baddiley played Montague in the

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

production of Romeo and Juliet.

''The Archers''

Baddiley first appeared in ''The Archers'' on 12 December 1953 playing the part of the Squire; his final appearance on the programme was on 4 April 1966 in the role of Harvey Grenville. In between, he played other parts in the series, including that of Percy Hood in 1956.

Death

Baddiley died suddenly on 29 November 1986; his funeral service and cremation were held five days later at Breakspear Crematorium,

Ruislip Ruislip ( ) is an area in the London Borough of Hillingdon in West London, and in the historic county of Middlesex. Ruislip lies west-north-west of Charing Cross, London. The manor of Ruislip appears in the Domesday Book, and some of the ear ...

, west London on Thursday 4 December.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Baddiley, Ronald 1922 births 1986 deaths 20th-century English male actors Actors from Doncaster English male radio actors Male actors from Yorkshire