Advanced search

With his bald head, firm jawline and bristling moustache, Lionel Jeffries played a nice line of English eccentrics. This belied his RADA training. Following military service in WWII, he played his major roles - everything from Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) to the Marquis of Queensberry in The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960) - in the 1960s.

His surprisingly brief career as a director included the highly popular family films The Railway Children (1970) and The Amazing Mr. Blunden (1972).

Buster Merryfield used to be a bank manager with the Nat West until he retired in 1978 at the age of 65 and decided to do what he'd always wanted to do and that was to be an actor. Luck was obviously with him for he ended up in the part of Uncle Albert in the long running television series in Only Fools and Horses resulting in him never being out of work since leaving the bank. In his spare time he paints copies of Renoir and tends the garden which he designed. He was married to Iris and had a daughter, Karen.

Frank Forsyth was born on 19 December 1905 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Department S (1969), Stock Car (1955) and The Adventures of Black Beauty (1972). He died on 2 May 1984 in Poole, England, UK.

Barry Howard was born on 9 July 1937 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Hi-de-Hi! (1980), Doctor Who (2005) and The ITV Play (1968). He died on 28 April 2016 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Arwen Holm was born on 30 October 1947 in Purley, Surrey, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Final Conflict (1981), Heartland (1979) and Flickers (1980). She died on 9 August 2003 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Geoffrey Francis Murray Wilkinson 1889-1955 was born in Staines, Surrey to Henry and Amy Wilkinson. His father was a stockbroker. The 1891 census shows them living in Weir House at Cookham, Berkshire. The 1901 census shows the family living at 17 Durham Villas, Kensington, London.

As early as 1915 he lists his occupation as an actor, apparently traveling with a troupe. One travel record shows him arriving back in England with other actors from a trip to the West Indies in 1915. His address at this time was Marlow Church Walk, Thames Ditton.

In 1916 he enlisted in the British Army, serving as a Private in the Army Service Corps, primarily as a packer and loader of artillery shells being sent to the front. He served behind the lines as he was not in good physical shape, having a slightly deformed back and being blind in his left eye due to cataracts. He was demobilized in 1919 and resumed acting.

Several times from at least 1928 to 1947 he traveled to the US and Canada as an actor. Apparently most of this was in Shakespearean troupes; indeed, he gives his address in 1928 as Stratford-upon-Avon. Later dates he had various addresses in SW London. In 1947 he is listed as performing on Broadway in various Shakespeare plays staged by Donald Wolfit. He died at Poole, Dorset in late 1955. Apparently he never married.

It is thought he was just found during a casting call or search of stage actors, and because of his old age and bad eye, he was seen as perfect for Old Ben Gunn.

Christopher Mellows was born on 13 November 1947 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Midsomer Murders (1997), Foyle's War (2002) and Silent Witness (1996). He died on 17 November 2013 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Reg Pritchard was born in 1925 in Wrexham, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Doctor Who (1963), Mr. John Jorrocks (1966) and The Avengers (1961). He died on 18 January 2013 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Jack Melford was born on 5 September 1899 in London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Shot in the Dark (1964), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955) and Doctor Who (1963). He was married to Roberta Huby. He died on 22 October 1972 in Poole, England, UK.

Desmond Cullum-Jones was born on 1 December 1924 in Seattle, Washington, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Dempsey and Makepeace (1985), Dad's Army (1971) and Potter (1979). He was married to Elizabeth. He died on 6 June 2002 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Mary Elizabeth "Mimi" Smith (née Stanley; 24 April 1906 - 6 December 1991) was the maternal aunt and parental guardian of the English musician, John Lennon. Mimi Stanley was born in Toxteth, Liverpool, England the oldest of five daughters. She became a resident trainee nurse at the Woolton Convalescent Hospital, and later worked as a private secretary. On 15 September 1939, she married George Smith, who ran his family's dairy farm and a shop in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool.

After her younger sister, Julia Lennon, separated from her husband, Julia and her son, young John Lennon, moved in with a new partner, but Mimi contacted Liverpool's Social Services and complained about him sleeping in the same bed as the two adults. Julia was eventually persuaded to hand the care of Lennon over to the Smiths. Lennon lived with the Smiths for most of his childhood, and remained close to his aunt, even though she was highly dismissive of his musical ambitions, his girlfriends, and wives. She often told the teenage Lennon: "The guitar's all right John, but you'll never make a living out of it".

In 1965, Lennon bought her a bungalow in Poole, Dorset, where she lived until her death in 1991. Despite later losing touch with other family members, Lennon kept in close contact and telephoned her every week, until his death in 1980. The Smiths' house in Liverpool was later donated to The National Trust.

Didier Pironi was born on 26 March 1952 in Villecresnes, Val-de-Marne, France. He is known for Formula 1 (1950), Gasoline (1984) and Stars (1980). He was married to Catherine Bleynie. He died on 23 August 1987 in Poole, England, UK.

Dino Di Campo was born on 5 May 1920. He is known for Moonraker (1979), Krull (1983) and Time Bandits (1981). He was married to Dorothy Vernon. He died in 2005 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Jenny Wren was born on 7 June 1941 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Pirates of Penzance (1982), ITV Television Playhouse (1955) and Princess Ida (1982). She was married to Michael Linnit. She died on 15 April 2020 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Derek Hockridge was born in 1934 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Crown Court (1972), The One Game (1988) and Brideshead Revisited (1981). He died on 8 August 2013 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Derek Bourgeois has been highly active in his native England as both a composer and leader in the field of music education. He studied at Cambridge University and the Royal College of Music, working with Herbert Howells (composition) and Adrian Boult (conducting). He has held numerous academic and musical positions including music director of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (1984-1993). He has since 1993 been music director at the prestigious St. Paul's Girls School in London -- a position previously held by many noted composers, including Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Gwen Bacon was born on 24 February 1901 in Rock Ferry, Cheshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Brain Machine (1955), Burnt Evidence (1954) and Crash of Silence (1952). She died on 6 December 1987 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Myra Benson was born on 26 September 1915 in Putney, Wandsworth, London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Running Time (1974), Up the Academy (1980) and Pacific 13 (1956). She died on 26 August 2007 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Royal Gornold was born on 10 October 1905 in Wandsworth, Surrey, England, UK. Royal was a director and producer, known for It Came to Pass (1953), A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (1958) and Messiah (1960). Royal died on 15 January 1972 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Claudine Mawby was born on 10 August 1922 in Yorkshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Baby Cyclone (1928) and Dance of the Paper Dolls (1929). She was married to William Walker. She died on 13 September 2012 in Poole, England, UK.

Faith Lees was born on 8 May 1928 in Kensington, London, England, UK. She was an actress and assistant director, known for Messiah (1960), A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (1958) and For Our Life Together (1976). She died on 4 September 1996 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

John Lawrenson was born on 5 March 1932 in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Music on 2 (1965), Hansel and Gretel (1961) and Comedy on a Bridge (1958). He died on 5 July 1993 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Peggy Bayfield was born on 9 February 1902 in Camberwell, Surrey, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Sherlock Holmes (1922), Cherry Ripe (1921) and No. 5 John Street (1921). She was married to Leon Pollock. She died in 1997 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Leonard Morris was born on 26 December 1891 in St Pancras, London, England, UK. Leonard died on 24 May 1976 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.

Edna Hazell was born on 13 September 1902 in Newport, Gwent, Wales, UK. She was an actress, known for Saint Joan (1946) and The Fish and the Angel (1953). She died in 1993 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.