Frank Thornton

2022-04-10T11:25:12Z

2A02:C7D:D627:9100:EC3C:777E:6332:C770:

{{Short description|English actor}}
{{about|the television actor|the comic opera actor|Frank Thornton (Savoyard)|the cricketer|Frank Thornton (cricketer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Frank Thornton
| birth_name = Frank Thornton Ball
| image = Frank Thornton.jpg
| caption = Thornton as [[Captain Peacock]] in ''[[Are You Being Served?]]''
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|1|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Dulwich]], [[London]], England
| death_date = {{death date and age|2013|3|16|1921|1|15|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Barnes, London|Barnes]], London, England
| years_active = 1950–2013
| spouse = {{marriage|Beryl Evans|1945}}
| occupation = Actor
| children = 1
| module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
| allegiance = {{Flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears =
| rank = [[Flying officer]]
| battles = [[World War II|Second World War]]
| awards =
}}}}

'''Frank Thornton Ball''' (15 January 1921{{spaced ndash}}16 March 2013), professionally known as '''Frank Thornton''', was an English actor. He was known for playing [[Captain Peacock]] in ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' and its sequel ''[[Grace & Favour]]'' (''Are You Being Served? Again!'') and as [[Last of the Summer Wine#Third Man of the Trio|Herbert "Truly" Truelove]] in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]''.

==Early life==
Frank Thornton Ball was born in [[Dulwich]], [[London]], the son of Rosina Mary ([[married and maiden names|née]] Thornton) and William Ernest Ball.<ref name="filmref">{{cite web|title=Frank Thornton profile at FilmReference.com|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/41/Frank-Thornton.html|publisher=FilmReference.com|access-date=27 January 2012}}</ref> His father was an organist at St Stephen's Church, Sydenham Hill,<ref>St. Stephen Parish Magazine, Dulwich, London</ref> where Frank learned to play the organ for a short while. Music proved too difficult for him, however, and he wanted to act from an early age. His father, who worked in a bank, wanted him to get a "proper" job, so he began working in [[insurance]] after leaving [[Alleyn's School]].<ref name="I'm Free!">{{cite book|title=I'm Free! – The Complete Are You Being Served?| author=Richard Webber| publisher=Orion Books| year=1999| isbn=978-0-7528-1866-5}}</ref> He soon enrolled at a small acting school, the [[London School of Dramatic Art]], and took evening classes. After two years working at the insurance company, he was invited to become a day student at the acting school and persuaded his father to finance his studies.<ref name="I'm Free!"/>

During the [[Second World War]], Thornton was evacuated along with the drama school, and his first job was touring with four plays in [[Ireland]], beginning in [[County Tipperary]].<ref name="I'm Free!"/> After that he served as an [[airman]] in the [[Royal Air Force]] before ending the war as an officer. From the rank of [[leading aircraftman]] he was [[commissioned officer|commissioned]] as a [[pilot officer]] on probation (emergency) on 1 December 1944.<ref name="LG 16 February 1945">{{London Gazette|issue=36945|date=16 February 1945|pages=984–987 |supp=y }}</ref> On 1 June 1945 his commission was confirmed and he was promoted to [[flying officer]] ([[Military rank#Types|war substantive]]).<ref name="LG 3 July 1945">{{London Gazette|issue=37164|date=3 July 1945|pages=3506–3507 |supp=y }}</ref> He was demobilised in 1947.<ref name="I'm Free!"/>

==Marriage==
On 5 June 1945, Thornton married actress Beryl Evans in [[West Wickham]]. The couple had a daughter, Jane.

==Career==
Almost immediately after demobilisation, Thornton joined a [[Repertory|repertory company]]. He appeared in the farce ''[[The Party Spirit]]'' in the [[West End theatre|West End]] alongside [[Robertson Hare]] and [[Ralph Lynn]]. His first credited screen role was in the film ''[[Radio Cab Murder]]'' (1954). After working on stage and in a few films during the 1950s, he became a familiar face on British television, specialising in comedy but initially starred in the TV series ''[[The Adventures of William Tell|William Tell]]'' as Heinburgher in episode 23, "The Surgeon". He was a regular on ''[[It's a Square World]]'', and appeared in [[British sitcom]]s such as ''[[Hancock's Half Hour|Hancock]]'' ("[[The Blood Donor]]", 1961), ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'', ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'', ''[[The Goodies]]'' and ''[[Love Thy Neighbour (1972 TV series)|Love Thy Neighbour]]''. He appeared in the ''[[Danger Man]]'' episode "The Assassin" as Pepe in 1961, and as a tailor in ''[[The Sentimental Agent]]'' episode 'Scroll of Islam' (1963). He worked with [[Dick Emery]], [[Benny Hill]], [[Frankie Howerd]], [[Harry Worth]], [[Reg Varney]] and [[Spike Milligan]] in their comedy shows and appeared in five episodes of ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'' during its first run from 1962 to 1965, and appeared in the film ''[[Steptoe and Son Ride Again]]'' (1973) and the 1973 television Christmas special, 'The Party'.

From 1966 to 1968, he starred in the BBC radio comedy ''[[The Embassy Lark]]'', a spin-off of ''[[The Navy Lark]]''. He appeared in at least one episode of ''[[The Navy Lark]]'' as CPO Nathanial Pertwee, filling in for [[Jon Pertwee]] who was indisposed. He also appeared in at least one episode of ''[[The Navy Lark]]'' as his character from ''[[The Embassy Lark]]''. In 1969, he starred in ''[[The Big Business Lark]]'' which ran for one season of thirteen episodes. This was not strictly a spin-off from ''[[The Navy Lark]]'', other than being another "Lark" written by [[Lawrie Wyman]]. He continued to appear in films, mostly comedies, during the 1960s and 1970s, including ''[[Carry On Screaming!]]'', alongside ''Steptoe and Son'' star [[Harry H. Corbett]], ''[[The Early Bird]]'', ''[[The Big Job (film)|The Big Job]]'', ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'', ''[[Up the Chastity Belt]]'', ''[[Some Will, Some Won't]]'', ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' and ''[[No Sex Please, We're British]]'', as well as television sitcom spin-offs. He appeared in ''[[The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1970) as the one-armed doorman for the [[Diogenes Club]]. In 1974, he made a rare dramatic appearance as [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] in the second episode of ''[[Fall of Eagles]]''. {{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}

Thornton was best known for playing Captain Peacock in the long-running [[BBC]] comedy series ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' from 1972 to 1985. He reprised his role for ''[[Grace & Favour]]'' from 1992 to 1993. In 1984 he starred as Sir John Treymane in the hit [[London]] musical ''[[Me and My Girl]]'', earning rave reviews and an [[Olivier Award]] nomination. He also guest-starred in an episode of the BBC Radio series of ''[[Dad's Army]]'' entitled "Ten Seconds from Now" as the BBC producer Willoughby Maxwell-Troughton, who has to coordinate the chaotic platoon as it tries to broadcast to the nation in a morale-boosting Gang Show-style extravaganza.<ref>"The A to Z of Dad's Army" Webber,R (Ed): London, Orion, 2000 {{ISBN|0-7528-1838-4}} p174</ref> In 1980 he joined [[John Cleese]] in the [[BBC Television Shakespeare]] production of ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''.

In the 1990s, he appeared as The Major-General (Stanley) in a production of ''[[The Pirates Of Penzance]]'' at the [[London Palladium]] which starred [[Paul Nicholas]] as the Pirate King and [[Bonnie Langford]].

In 1997, he took the role of Herbert "Truly" Truelove in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', replacing [[Brian Wilde]], who had suggested him for the role. He can also be seen in the film ''[[Gosford Park]]'' (2001) as Mr Burkett. Thornton was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1998, when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] at [[Pinewood Studios]].<ref>{{Citation|title="This Is Your Life" Frank Thornton (TV Episode 1998) - IMDb|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0721628/|language=en-US|access-date=2021-11-21}}</ref>

==Death==
Thornton died from natural causes peacefully in his sleep at his home in [[Barnes, London]], on 16 March 2013, aged 92.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21828965|title=Are You Being Served? actor Frank Thornton dies aged 92|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=2013-03-18|date=2013-03-18}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Radio Cab Murder]]'' (1954) – Inspector Finch
* ''[[Stock Car (film)|Stock Car]]'' (1955) - Doctor
* ''[[Portrait of Alison]]'' (1955) – Police Photographer
* ''[[Johnny, You're Wanted]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Cloak Without Dagger]]'' (1956) – Mr. Markley
* ''[[Battle of the V-1]]'' (1958) – British Scientist (uncredited)
* ''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960) – Barman (uncredited)
* ''[[The Impersonator]]'' (1961) – Police Sergeant (uncredited)
* ''[[Victim (1961 film)|Victim]]'' (1961) – George – Henry's Assistant (uncredited)
* ''[[Tarnished Heroes]]'' (1961) – Trench Officer
* ''[[Trial and Error (1962 film)|Trial and Error]]'' (1962) – TV Director
* ''[[The Dock Brief]]'' (1962) – Photographer at Fowle Wedding
* ''[[The Wild Affair]]'' (1964) – Manager
* ''[[The Comedy Man]]'' (1964) – Producer (uncredited)
* ''[[The Tomb of Ligeia]]'' (1964) – Peperel
* ''[[The Big Job (film)|The Big Job]]'' (1965) – Bank Official
* ''[[The Early Bird]]'' (1965) – Drunken Doctor
* ''[[The Murder Game (1965 film)|The Murder Game]]'' (1965) – Radio Announcer
* ''[[Gonks Go Beat]]'' (1965) – Mr. A&R
* ''[[Carry On Screaming!]]'' (1966) – Mr. Jones
* ''[[A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (film)|A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum]]'' (1966) – Roman Sentry #1
* ''[[Lucy in London]]'' (1966)
* ''[[30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia]]'' (1968) – Registrar
* ''[[The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom]]'' (1968) – Factory manager
* ''[[A Flea in Her Ear (film)|A Flea in Her Ear]]'' (1968) – Charles the Butler
* ''[[Till Death Us Do Part (film)|Till Death Us Do Part]]'' (1969) – Valuation Officer
* ''[[The Assassination Bureau]]'' (1969) – Elevator victim Count von Kissen (uncredited)
* ''[[Crooks and Coronets]]'' (1969) – Cyril
* ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'' (1969) – The BBC
* ''[[The Magic Christian (film)|The Magic Christian]]'' (1969) – Police Inspector (uncredited)
* ''[[Some Will, Some Won't]]'' (1970) – Purvis
* ''[[The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes]]'' (1970) – Porter
* ''[[The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer]]'' (1970) – Tom Stoddart
* ''[[All the Way Up (film)|All the Way Up]]'' (1970) – Mr. Driver
* ''[[Up the Chastity Belt]]'' (1971) – Master of Ceremonies
* ''[[Bless This House (film)|Bless This House]]'' (1972) – Mr Jones
* ''[[That's Your Funeral]]'' (1972) – Town Clerk
* ''[[Our Miss Fred]]'' (1972) – British Colonel
* ''[[Steptoe and Son Ride Again]]'' (1973) – Mr. Russell
* ''[[No Sex Please, We're British (film)|No Sex Please, We're British]]'' (1973) – Glass Shop Manager
* ''[[Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World]]'' (1973) – Estate Agent
* ''[[The Three Musketeers (1973 live-action film)|The Three Musketeers]]'' (1973) – Man in Small Carriage (uncredited)
* ''[[Keep It Up, Jack]]'' (1973) – Mr. Clarke
* ''[[Vampira (1974 film)|Vampira]]'' (1974) – Mr. King
* ''[[Side by Side (1975 film)|Side by Side]]'' (1975) – Inspector Crumb
* ''[[Spanish Fly (1975 film)|Spanish Fly]]'' (1975) – Dr. Johnson
* ''[[The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones]]'' (1976) – Whitlow
* ''[[Are You Being Served? (film)|Are You Being Served?]]'' (1977) – Captain Peacock
* ''[[The BFG (1989 film)|The BFG]]'' (1989) – Mr. Tibbs (voice)
* ''[[Gosford Park]]'' (2001) – Mr. Burkett
* ''Back in Business'' (2007) – Gardener
* ''[[Run for Your Wife (2012 film)|Run for Your Wife]]'' (2013) – Man getting off bus (final film role)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|0861530}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|people|frank_thornton}}
* {{Discogs artist|Frank Thornton}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornton, Frank}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male radio actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:People educated at Alleyn's School]]
[[Category:People from Dulwich]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:Burials at St Paul's Cathedral]]

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Frank Thornton