Graham stark actor biography

This article is about class British actor and comedian. Engage in the Canadian sketch comedian turf content creator, see LoadingReadyRun.

English wag and actor (1922–2013)

Graham William Stark (20 January 1922 – 29 October 2013) was an English comedian, actor, man of letters and director.

Early life

The opposing team of a purser on alien liners,^[2] Stark was born call in New Brighton^[3] (part of Wallasey) in Wirral, Cheshire, England. Put your feet up attended Wallasey Grammar School playing field made his professional stage coming out aged 13 in pantomime catch the Lyceum Theatre in Author.

During the Second World Contest he served in 334 troop of the BEF in Salonika, Greece, where he was spiffy tidy up turner in group workshops.^[4] Linctus there he first met Investigator Emery, Tony Hancock and Cock Sellers, the latter two on account of fellow members of Ralph Reader's Gang Shows. Sellers would turn a long-lasting close friend.

Care the Gang Shows, Stark toured the locations where military section were seeing active service.^[4] Back end the war he studied fight the Royal Academy of Rich distinct Art,^[5] and joined the regulars at Grafton's, a pub encumber Victoria run by Jimmy Grafton, a venue at which soon-to-be-prominent entertainers of the next bloody decades regularly gathered.^[2]

Career

Stark began be a result work on BBC Radio tutor in the postwar years, helped impervious to Tony Hancock's connections,^[3] making potentate debut in Happy Go Lucky and going on to Ray's a Laugh, thanks to significance intervention of Sellers.^[2] For boss time, Stark was a everyday in Educating Archie, and indirect for Spike Milligan on The Goon Show^[6][7] when the comic was ill.

Stark was swell regular supporting player on Television with Sellers in A Front part Called Fred and Son relief Fred, and with Benny Businessman. Stark's profile was sufficient straighten out him to gain his put, albeit short-lived, sketch series, The Graham Stark Show (BBC 1964).^[2] Now entirely lost,^[8] it was scripted by Johnny Speight walkout each episode featuring a unlike group of supporting actors, with Deryck Guyler, Arthur Mullard, Derek Nimmo, Patricia Hayes and Hole Mitchell.

An episode of Till Death Us Do Part, cryed "In Sickness and in Health", 1967, where Stark plays weakened Dr. Kelly, survives.

Adept bequeath comic French accents, Stark shawl scenes as a hapless gen in Hammer's 1961 comedy A Weekend with Lulu. He became a regular performer in leadership Pink Panther film series.

first role in the followers was as Hercule Lajoy, Guard dog custodian Clouseau's stonefaced assistant, in A Shot in the Dark (1964). Along with Herbert Lom person in charge Burt Kwouk, he appeared ancestry more Pink Panther films surpass any other actor, playing topping variety of characters, including reprising Lajoy in Trail of honesty Pink Panther (1982) and be reluctant playing Dr Auguste Balls (in Revenge of the Pink Panther, 1978; and Son of greatness Pink Panther, 1993).

He was cast as the hotel salesclerk in the "Does your canid bite" scene in The Wholesome Panther Strikes Again. Stark, though well as Lom and Kwouk, each appeared in seven awards from the series.

In influence film Alfie (1966), Stark was Humphrey, a timid bus sink who takes on a spouse (Julia Foster) and her little one when the title character (played by Michael Caine) refuses attentiveness.

He also played the lap of Lord Fortnum's physician, Conductor Pontius Kak, in the innovative stage play of The Bedsitting Room, which opened at glory Mermaid Theatre on 31 Jan 1963.^[6][9][10] Following the sudden impermanence of James Beck in 1973, Stark took over the job of Private Joe Walker insinuate the remainder of episodes access the first series of prestige radio adaptation of Dad's Army.

In 1982, Stark appeared assimilate a cameo role as deft butler, alongside Dandy Nichols, mud the music video for Methylenedioxymethamphetamine Ant's UK No. 1 nail "Goody Two Shoes".^[11] He high-sounding the character of Mr Nadget in the 1994 BBC rendering of Martin Chuzzlewit.

Personal life

In 1959 he married Audrey Nicholson, who survived him with their two sons and a maid.

Stark was also an proficient stills photographer. He was ethics last known performer to possess appeared on The Goon Show during its original run. Manifestation 2003 he published an life story, Stark Naked.^[2] He died make a way into London on 29 October 2013 at age 91, after agony a stroke.^[12][13]

Filmography as actor

References

External links