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Oh, Mr Porter!
''Oh, Mr Porter!'' is a 1937 British comedy film starring Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. While not Hay's commercially most successful (although it grossed £500,000 at the box office – equal to about £34,000,000 at 2020 value), it is his best-known film to modern audiences. It is widely acclaimed as the best of Hay's work, and a classic of its genre. The film had its first public showing in November 1937 and went on general release on 3 January 1938. The plot of ''Oh, Mr Porter'' was loosely based on the Arnold Ridley play '' The Ghost Train''. The title was taken from '' Oh! Mr Porter'', a music hall song. Plot Inept railway worker William Porter is, through family connections, given the job of station master at a remote and ramshackle Northern Irish railway station on the border with the then Irish Free State. Porter's co-workers are the elderly deputy station master, Harbottle, and the insolent young porter, Albert, who mak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marcel Varnel
Marcel Varnel (16 October 1892 – 13 July 1947) was a French film director, notable for his career in the United States and England as a director of plays and films. Biography He was born Marcel Hyacinthe le Bozec in Paris, France. Varnel started his working life on the Paris stage, soon becoming a director of musical comedies. In 1925, he moved to New York City, working as director in several Broadway theatre, Broadway operettas, musicals and dramas for the Shubert family. This was followed by a move to Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, where he directed three low budget thrillers. In 1934, he moved to England and it was as a director of British comedies – initially working at Associated British Picture Corporation, British International Pictures, Elstree, then moving in 1936 to Gainsborough Pictures – where he produced his best films. Among the performers he worked with were Will Hay, Crazy Gang (comedy group), The Crazy Gang, Arthur Askey and George Formby. He died o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Music Hall
Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Variety show, variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Britain between bold and scandalous music hall entertainment and subsequent, more respectable variety entertainment differ. Music hall involved a mixture of popular songs, comedy, speciality acts, and variety entertainment. The term is derived from a type of theatre or venue in which such entertainment took place. In North America vaudeville was in some ways analogous to British music hall, featuring rousing songs and comic acts. Originating in saloon bars within pubs during the 1830s, music hall entertainment became increasingly popular with audiences. So much so, that during the 1850s some public houses were demolished, and specialised music hall theatres developed in their place. These t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frederick Lloyd (actor)
Frederick Lloyd (15 January 1880 – 24 November 1949) was a British film and stage actor. His most notable appearances include Doctor Watson in the 1932 film ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' and Mr. Grimwig in David Lean's 1948 literature adaption ''Oliver Twist'' . Biography He was born Frederick William Lloyd in London on 15 January 1880. His parents were the Reverend Frederick Charles Lloyd and his wife Mary Florence, née Cox. Lloyd was married to theatre actress Auriol Lee from 1911 to 1922. He was later married to actress Yvette Plancon from 1925 to 1929. He died on 24 November 1949 at Hove, Sussex, England. In an obituary in ''The Times'' John Gielgud wrote that 'the theatre has suffered a real loss in the death of Frederick Lloyd', adding 'his enthusiasm and charming joviality and his generous attitude toward the young actor-director — for I was a young man when I met him first — is something I shall remember with great affection and gratitude'.''The Times'', 28 Nov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frederick Piper
Frederick Piper (23 September 1902 – 22 September 1979) was an English actor of stage and screen who appeared in over 80 films and many television productions in a career spanning over 40 years. Piper studied drama under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Never a leading player, Piper was usually cast in minor, sometimes uncredited, parts although he also appeared in some more substantial supporting roles. Piper never aspired to star-status, but became a recognisable face on the British screen through the sheer volume of films in which he appeared. His credits include a number of films which are considered classics of British cinema, among them five 1930s Alfred Hitchcock films; he also appeared in many Ealing Studios productions, including some of the celebrated Ealing comedies. Stage career Born in London, England in September 1902, Piper worked as a tea merchant before starting his acting career on the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Wyndham
Dennis Wyndham (15 January 1887 – 19 August 1973) was a South African born stage and film actor. Long based in Britain, he appeared in more than 40 films between 1920 and 1956. He was born in Natal, South Africa. On 23 May 1917, he married Elsie Mackay otherwise known as silent film actress Poppy Wyndham. Her elopement caused her father James Mackay, 1st Earl of Inchcape to disinherit her. The marriage was annulled in 1922. Partial filmography * ''Lorna Doone'' (1920) * '' The Eleventh Hour'' (1922) * '' The Informer'' (1929) * '' Lily of Killarney'' (1929) * '' Juno and the Paycock'' (1930) * ''Let's Love and Laugh'' (1931) * '' Who Killed Doc Robin?'' (1931) * '' The Man They Couldn't Arrest'' (1931) * ''Carmen'' (1931) * '' The Face at the Window'' (1932) * '' Anne One Hundred'' (1933) * '' The Stolen Necklace'' (1933) * '' Money Mad'' (1934) * '' Immortal Gentleman'' (1935) * ''Midshipman Easy'' (1935) * '' Lonely Road'' (1936) * ''Sensation'' (1936) * ''You Must Get Mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agnes Lauchlan
Agnes Lauchlan (10 February 1905 – 28 August 1993) was a British stage, film and television actress. Agnes Mary Lauchlan, was born on 10 February 1905 in Putney, London, to Henry D. Lauchlan, a surgeon, and his Scottish-born wife Minnie. She trained at RADA, and made her stage debut in 1924. Lauchlan married William Connelly in Surrey in 1948. She died in Surrey on 28 August 1993. Selected filmography * '' The Compulsory Wife'' (1937) * ''Oh, Mr Porter!'' (1937) * ''Alf's Button Afloat'' (1938) * ''The Spy in Black'' (1939) * '' Me and My Pal'' (1939) * '' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) * '' This Man Is Mine'' (1946) * '' Once Upon a Dream'' (1949) * ''Time Is My Enemy ''Time Is My Enemy'' is a 1954 British crime film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Dennis Price, Renée Asherson and Patrick Barr. Plot Small-time crook Radley returns after a long absence to discover his wife Barbara has remarried, believi ...'' (1954) References * Death GRO Index: CONNELY, Agnes Mary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sebastian Smith
''Sebastian Smith'' (3 October 1869 – 15 January 1948) was a British stage and film actor. He was born in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Filmography * ''Rescued by Rover'' (1905) * '' Prehistoric Peeps'' (1905) * ''The Tramp's Dream'' (1906) * ''The Blue Carbuncle'' (1923) * ''White Cargo'' (1929) * ''A Man of Mayfair'' (1931) * '' Tilly of Bloomsbury'' (1931) * '' Love Lies'' (1931) * '' The Double Event'' (1934) * '' Virginia's Husband'' (1934) * '' Badger's Green'' (1934) * ''Public Nuisance No. 1'' (1936) * ''Oh, Mr Porter!'' (1937) * ''London Melody ''London Melody'' is a 1937 British musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Tullio Carminati and Robert Douglas. It was made at British and Dominions Imperial Studios, Elstree and Pinewood Studios by Wilcox's inde ...'' (1937) * '' Farewell to Cinderella'' (1937) * '' Beauty and the Barge'' (1937) * '' Museum Mystery'' (1937) * '' Where's That Fire?'' (1940) References External links ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave O'Toole
Dave O'Toole (1871–1951) was a British male actor who appeared in seven films from 1924 to 1942. He is best known for his appearance as The Postman in the 1937 Will Hay comedy film ''Oh, Mr Porter!'' He also made an uncredited appearance in the 1939 film ''Ask a Policeman ''Ask a Policeman'' is a 1939 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Will Hay, Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt. The plot sees Will Hay playing a policeman at the Turnbotham Round police force. The force hasn't arrested any ...'' as well as '' Where's That Fire?'', both starring Hay. Selected filmography *'' The Gold Cure'' (1925) References British male film actors 1871 births 1951 deaths {{UK-film-actor-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Percy Walsh
Percy Walsh (24 April 1888 in Luton, Bedfordshire – 19 January 1952 in London) was a British stage and film actor. His stage work included appearing in the London premieres of R.C.Sherriff's '' Journey's End'' (1928) and Agatha Christie's ''And Then There Were None'' (1943) and '' Appointment with Death'' (1945). Selected filmography * '' How's Chances?'' (1934) - Castellano * '' The Office Wife'' (1934, Short) - Simms * '' Jew Süss'' (1934) - (uncredited) * '' The Green Pack'' (1934) - Monty Carr * '' Dirty Work'' (1934) - Customer With Umbrella (uncredited) * '' The Man Who Knew Too Much'' (1934) - Detective Inspector (uncredited) * ''Open All Night'' (1934) * '' Death Drives Through'' (1935) - Mr. Lord * '' The Case of Gabriel Perry'' (1935) - William Read * '' Me and Marlborough'' (1935) - Naylor * '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935) - Prison Governor * ''Checkmate'' (1935) - Mr Curtail * '' Brown on Resolution'' (1935) - Kapitan von Lutz * '' The River House Mystery'' (1935) - ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liquor
Liquor ( , sometimes hard liquor), spirits, distilled spirits, or spiritous liquor are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through ethanol fermentation, alcoholic fermentation. While the word ''liquor'' ordinarily refers to distilled alcoholic spirits rather than drinks produced by fermentation alone, it can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any alcoholic beverage (or even non-alcoholic ones produced by distillation or some other practices, such as the brewed liquor of a tea). The distillation process concentrates the alcohol, the resulting condensate has an increased alcohol by volume. As liquors contain significantly more alcohol (drug), alcohol (ethanol) than other alcoholic drinks, they are considered "harder". In North America, the term ''hard liquor'' is sometimes used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term ''spirits'' is more commonly used in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Branch Line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line. Branch lines may serve one or more industries, or a city or town not located on a main line. Branch lines may also connect two or more main lines. Industrial spur An industrial spur is a type of secondary track used by railroads to allow customers at a location to load and unload railcars without interfering with other railroad operations. Industrial spurs can vary greatly in length and railcar capacity depending on the requirements of the customer the spur is serving. In heavily industrialized areas, it is not uncommon for one industrial spur to have multiple sidings to several different customers. Typically, spurs are serviced by local trains responsible for collecting small numbers of railcars and delivering them to a larger yard, where these railcars are sorted and dispatched in larger trains with other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arms Trafficking
Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms, explosives, and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal trade of small arms, unlike other organized crime commodities, is more closely associated with exercising power in communities instead of achieving economic gain. Scholars estimate illegal arms transactions amount to over US$1 billion annually. To keep track of imports and exports of several of the most dangerous armament categories, the United Nations, in 1991, created a Register for Conventional Arms. Participation, however, is not compulsory, and lacks comprehensive data in regions outside of Europe. Africa, due to a prevalence of corrupt officials and loosely enforced trade regulations, is a region with extensive illicit arms activity. In a resolution to complement the Register with legally binding obligations, a Firearms Protocol was in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
