Bill Fraser - Revision history

Kurt at 04:59, 13 February 2023

2023-02-13T04:59:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:59, 12 February 2023
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	~~{{Short description\|Scottish actor}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	~~\| name = Bill Fraser~~
	\| image = Bill Fraser.jpg		\| image = Bill Fraser.jpg
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_name = William Simpson Fraser		\| birth_name = William Simpson Fraser
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1908\|06\|05\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1908\|06\|05\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[w:Perth, Scotland\|Perth]]		\| birth_place = [[Perth, Scotland\|Perth]]
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1987\|09\|09\|1908\|6\|5\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1987\|09\|09\|1908\|6\|5\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[w:Bushey\|Bushey]], [[w:Hertfordshire\|Hertfordshire]], England		\| death_place = [[Bushey\|Bushey]], [[Hertfordshire\|Hertfordshire]], England
	\| occupation = Comic actor, actor		\| occupation = Comic actor, actor
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Pamela Cundell]]\|1981\|1987}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Pamela Cundell]]\|1981\|1987}}
	\| years_active = 1938–1987		\| years_active = 1938–1987
	\| resting_place = [[w:St. Paul's Churchyard\|St. Paul's Churchyard]], [[w:London\|London]], England		\| resting_place = [[St. Paul's Churchyard\|St. Paul's Churchyard]], [[London\|London]], England
	}}		}}
	'''William Simpson Fraser''' (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_81vQWGYelwC&q=the+telegraph+strathallan+school&pg=PA23 \|title=The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers \|author=Edited by Hugh M. Massingberd \|publisher=Pan Reference \|year=1998 \|pages=23–25 \|isbn=0330367757}}</ref> In 1986 he won the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance]] for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />		'''William Simpson Fraser''' (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_81vQWGYelwC&q=the+telegraph+strathallan+school&pg=PA23 \|title=The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers \|author=Edited by Hugh M. Massingberd \|publisher=Pan Reference \|year=1998 \|pages=23–25 \|isbn=0330367757}}</ref> In 1986 he won the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance]] for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />
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	He appeared as [[Wilkins Micawber\|Mr Micawber]] in the TV dramatisation of ''David Copperfield'' in 1966. He played Serjeant Buzzfuzz in the [[Musical film\|TV musical]] ''[[Pickwick (TV movie)\|Pickwick]]'' for the [[BBC]] in 1969; and his last role was as Mr Casby in the film version of ''[[Little Dorrit (1987 film)\|Little Dorrit]]'' (1988).<ref name="telegraph" />		He appeared as [[Wilkins Micawber\|Mr Micawber]] in the TV dramatisation of ''David Copperfield'' in 1966. He played Serjeant Buzzfuzz in the [[Musical film\|TV musical]] ''[[Pickwick (TV movie)\|Pickwick]]'' for the [[BBC]] in 1969; and his last role was as Mr Casby in the film version of ''[[Little Dorrit (1987 film)\|Little Dorrit]]'' (1988).<ref name="telegraph" />

	He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1981 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] at the Royalty Theatre in London.~~{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}~~		He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1981 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] at the Royalty Theatre in London.

	Fraser also appeared in an early advertisement for the [[Austin Metro]].<ref name="telegraph" /> In 1985 he was cast as Bert Baxter in ''[[The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (TV series)\|The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />		Fraser also appeared in an early advertisement for the [[Austin Metro]].<ref name="telegraph" /> In 1985 he was cast as Bert Baxter in ''[[The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (TV series)\|The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

Kurt at 21:08, 16 January 2023

2023-01-16T21:08:21Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:08, 16 January 2023
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	{{Short description\|Scottish actor}}		{{Short description\|Scottish actor}}
	~~{{other people}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2015}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=May 2015}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Bill Fraser		\| name = Bill Fraser
	\| image = Bill ~~fraser~~.jpg		\| image = Bill Fraser.jpg
	\| caption = ~~Fraser in 1966~~		\| caption =
	\| birth_name = William Simpson Fraser		\| birth_name = William Simpson Fraser
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1908\|6\|5\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1908\|06\|05\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[Perth, Scotland]]		\| birth_place = [[w:Perth, Scotland\|Perth]]
	\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1987\|9\|9\|1908\|6\|5\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{death date and age\|1987\|09\|09\|1908\|6\|5\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Bushey]], [[Hertfordshire]], England		\| death_place = [[w:Bushey\|Bushey]], [[w:Hertfordshire\|Hertfordshire]], England
	\| occupation = Comic actor, actor		\| occupation = Comic actor, actor
	\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Pamela Cundell]]\|1981\|1987~~\|end=his death~~}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|[[Pamela Cundell]]\|1981\|1987}}
	\| years_active = 1938–1987		\| years_active = 1938–1987
	\| resting_place = [[St. Paul's Churchyard]], [[London]], England		\| resting_place = [[w:St. Paul's Churchyard\|St. Paul's Churchyard]], [[w:London\|London]], England
	}}		}}
	'''William Simpson Fraser''' (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_81vQWGYelwC&q=the+telegraph+strathallan+school&pg=PA23 \|title=The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers \|author=Edited by Hugh M. Massingberd \|publisher=Pan Reference \|year=1998 \|pages=23–25 \|isbn=0330367757}}</ref> In 1986 he won the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance]] for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />		'''William Simpson Fraser''' (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite book \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_81vQWGYelwC&q=the+telegraph+strathallan+school&pg=PA23 \|title=The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers \|author=Edited by Hugh M. Massingberd \|publisher=Pan Reference \|year=1998 \|pages=23–25 \|isbn=0330367757}}</ref> In 1986 he won the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance]] for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />
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	==References==		==References==
	~~<references/>~~		{{Reflist}}

	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Portal\|Biography}}~~
	* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Bill&surname=FRASER&job=Actor&pid=6805&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17 Performances listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol]		* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Bill&surname=FRASER&job=Actor&pid=6805&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17 Performances listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol]
	* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024205913/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bill_fraser/biography.php Rotten Tomatoes]		* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024205913/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bill_fraser/biography.php Rotten Tomatoes]
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	* {{British Comedy Guide\|people\|bill_fraser}}		* {{British Comedy Guide\|people\|bill_fraser}}

	~~{{OlivierAward ComedyPerformance}}~~

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Bill}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Bill}}
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	[[Category:20th-century Scottish male actors]]		[[Category:20th-century Scottish male actors]]
	[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]]		[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]]
	~~[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]~~
	[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]		[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-07-22T20:30:50Z

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en>DuncanHill: Reverted edits by 2A02:C7D:D627:9100:5063:3E49:B9A8:4A5D (talk) to last version by JJMC89

2022-04-15T13:27:48Z

Reverted edits by 2A02:C7D:D627:9100:5063:3E49:B9A8:4A5D (talk) to last version by JJMC89

New page

{{Short description|Scottish actor}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bill Fraser
| image = Bill fraser.jpg
| caption = Fraser in 1966
| birth_name = William Simpson Fraser
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1908|6|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Perth, Scotland]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1987|9|9|1908|6|5|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Bushey]], [[Hertfordshire]], England
| occupation = Comic actor, actor
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Pamela Cundell]]|1981|1987|end=his death}}
| years_active = 1938–1987
| resting_place = [[St. Paul's Churchyard]], [[London]], England
}}
'''William Simpson Fraser''' (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_81vQWGYelwC&q=the+telegraph+strathallan+school&pg=PA23 |title=The Daily Telegraph Third Book of Obituaries: Entertainers |author=Edited by Hugh M. Massingberd |publisher=Pan Reference |year=1998 |pages=23–25 |isbn=0330367757}}</ref> In 1986 he won the [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance]] for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

==Early life==
Fraser was born in [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] and educated at [[Strathallan School]].<ref name="telegraph" /> He began his career as a clerk in a bank before beginning to act.<ref name="times">{{cite web |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!topic/alt.obituaries/Fj4LPEhrEmU |title=Bill Fraser (1908-87) |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=7 September 1987 |access-date=21 January 2013}}</ref> In the early days when acting work was scarce, Fraser was often penniless, frequently sleeping rough on the Embankment in London.<ref name="telegraph" /> Before the [[Second World War]], he ran the Connaught Theatre in [[Worthing]]; when called up he served in a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Ultra|Special Liaison Unit]], reaching the rank of [[flight lieutenant]], where he met and became friends with [[Eric Sykes]].<ref name="telegraph" /> Just after the war a chance meeting in a London street led to Fraser's giving Sykes his first work as a writer for radio comedy<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/ericsykes.htm |title=Television Heaven - TV Greats - Eric Sykes |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409151343/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/ericsykes.htm |archive-date=9 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the two friends worked together many times over the following years. Fraser is also credited with giving [[Peter Cushing]] his first acting job.

==Career==
Fraser often played irascible or belligerent characters on screen and had many roles as a policeman, soldier or judge.<ref name="telegraph" /> His first television appearance was on ''[[The Tony Hancock Show]]'' in 1956, after which he briefly became a regular actor on ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref name="telegraph" /> He then joined ''[[The Army Game]]'' as Sgt Claude Snudge, followed by a sequel called ''[[Bootsie and Snudge]]''.<ref name="telegraph" /> He also played Snudge in the 1964 series ''[[Foreign Affairs (1964 TV series)|Foreign Affairs]]''. Later comedic roles included parts in the TV dramatisation of ''[[The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾]]'' as well as ''[[Ripping Yarns]]'', ''[[The Train Now Standing]]'', ''[[The Corn is Green]]'' and ''[[Father, Dear Father]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

He also appeared in the comedy films ''[[The Amorous Milkman]]'' and ''[[Doctor at Large (film)|Doctor at Large]]''; the big-screen version of ''[[Love Thy Neighbour (1972 TV series)|Love Thy Neighbour]]''; and the [[Frankie Howerd]] trilogy ''[[Up Pompeii!]]'', ''[[Up the Front]]'' and ''[[Up the Chastity Belt]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

He had a recurring role on ''[[Rumpole of the Bailey]]'' as Judge Roger Bullingham, an unsympathetic judge privately nicknamed "the Mad Bull" by defence [[barrister]] [[Horace Rumpole]].<ref name="telegraph" />

Fraser's straight parts included Boanerges in ''[[The Apple Cart]]'' and Eddie Waters in ''[[Comedians (play)|Comedians]]'', both for the [[BBC]], and appearances on ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]'' and ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''.<ref name="telegraph" /> He also featured in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' story ''[[Meglos]]'' in 1980, and appeared in the spin-off show ''[[K-9 and Company]]'' the following year.<ref name="telegraph" /> In the early 1980s, he was in two series of a straight drama on BBC1, ''Flesh and Blood''; his performance in its first episode of an industrialist sitting at the bedside of his dying wife was regarded by many as a ''tour de force''.<ref name="telegraph" />

He appeared as [[Wilkins Micawber|Mr Micawber]] in the TV dramatisation of ''David Copperfield'' in 1966. He played Serjeant Buzzfuzz in the [[Musical film|TV musical]] ''[[Pickwick (TV movie)|Pickwick]]'' for the [[BBC]] in 1969; and his last role was as Mr Casby in the film version of ''[[Little Dorrit (1987 film)|Little Dorrit]]'' (1988).<ref name="telegraph" />

He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1981 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] at the Royalty Theatre in London.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

Fraser also appeared in an early advertisement for the [[Austin Metro]].<ref name="telegraph" /> In 1985 he was cast as Bert Baxter in ''[[The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (TV series)|The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

During those periods when Fraser was not acting, he ran a small sweetshop and tobacconists at Ilford Lane in [[Ilford]], [[Essex]].<ref name="telegraph" />

Bill Fraser played husband to [[Googie Withers]] in the Chichester Theatre production of [[W. Somerset Maugham|Maugham]]'s ''The Circle''. It transferred to the West End and played at the Haymarket, and then toured Britain. Also in the cast were [[Susan Hampshire]] and [[John McCallum (actor)|John McCallum]], who was married to Googie Withers.

==Awards==
In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play ''[[When We Are Married]]''.<ref name="telegraph" />

==Death==
He died from [[emphysema]] in [[Bushey]], [[Hertfordshire]], aged 79, leaving a widow, the actress [[Pamela Cundell]], whom he had married in 1981.<ref name="telegraph" />

==Selected filmography==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Murder in the Family]]'' (1938) - Police Sergeant Feathers (uncredited)
* ''[[East of Piccadilly]]'' (1941) - Maxie
* ''[[The Common Touch]]'' (1941) - Harris
* ''[[Forbidden (1949 film)|Forbidden]]'' (1949) - Railway Porter (uncredited)
* ''[[Helter Skelter (1949 film)|Helter Skelter]]'' (1949) - Oliver Cromwell
* ''[[Meet Me Tonight]]'' (1952) - Bert Bentley: Red Peppers
* ''[[Lady in the Fog]]'' (1952) - Sales Manager
* ''[[Time Bomb (1953 film)|Time Bomb]]'' (1953) - Constable J. Reed
* ''[[The Captain's Paradise]]'' (1953) - Absalom (taxi driver)
* ''[[Meet Mr. Lucifer]]'' (1953) - Band Leader
* ''[[Duel in the Jungle]]'' (1954) - Smith - Hotel Clerk
* ''[[The Barefoot Contessa]]'' (1954) - J. Montague Brown
* ''[[Orders Are Orders]]'' (1954) - Private Slee
* ''[[Alias John Preston]]'' (1955) - Joe Newton
* ''[[Jumping for Joy]]'' (1956) - Drunk in Pool Hall (uncredited)
* ''[[Charley Moon]]'' (1956) - Marber
* ''[[Doctor at Large (film)|Doctor at Large]]'' (1957) - Minor Role (uncredited)
* ''[[Second Fiddle (1957 film)|Second Fiddle]]'' (1957) - Nixon
* ''[[Just My Luck (1957 film)|Just My Luck]]'' (1957) - Powell (uncredited)
* ''[[Three Sundays to Live]]'' (1957) - Prison Warder (uncredited)
* ''[[Another Time, Another Place (1958 film)|Another Time, Another Place]]'' (1958) - R.E. Sergeant
* ''[[The Man Who Liked Funerals]]'' (1959) - Jeremy Bentham
* ''[[Doctor in Love]]'' (1960) - Police Sergeant (uncredited)
* ''[[The Fast Lady]]'' (1962) - 3rd Golfer (uncredited)
* ''[[What a Crazy World]]'' (1963) - Milligan
* ''[[The Americanization of Emily]]'' (1964) - Port Commander
* ''[[Joey Boy (film)|Joey Boy]]'' (1965) - Sgt. Maj. Dobbs
* ''[[A Home of Your Own]]'' (1965) - The Shop Steward
* ''[[Masquerade (1965 film)|Masquerade]]'' (1965) - Dunwoody
* ''[[Six Shades of Black|A Touch of Uplift]]'' (1965) - Charles Trotter
* ''[[I've Gotta Horse]]'' (1965) - Mr. Bartholemew
* ''[[David Copperfield (1966 TV serial)|David Copperfield]]'' (1966) - Mr. Micawber
* ''[[Diamonds for Breakfast (film)|Diamonds for Breakfast]]'' (1968) - Bookseller
* ''[[The Best House in London]]'' (1969) - Inspector MacPherson
* ''[[Captain Nemo and the Underwater City]]'' (1969) - Barnaby Bath
* ''[[All the Way Up (film)|All the Way Up]]'' (1970) - Arnold Makepiece
* ''[[Up Pompeii (film)|Up Pompeii]]'' (1971) - Prosperus Maximus
* ''[[Up the Chastity Belt]]'' (1971) - Sir Braggart
* ''[[Up the Front]]'' (1972) - Groping
* ''[[That's Your Funeral]]'' (1972) - Basil Bulstrode
* ''[[Go for a Take]]'' (1972) - TV Studio Doorman
* ''[[Not Now Darling]]'' (1973) - Commissionaire
* ''[[Love Thy Neighbour (1973 film)|Love Thy Neighbour]]'' (1973) - Mr. Granger (uncredited)
* ''[[Dead Cert (1974 film)|Dead Cert]]'' (1974) - Uncle George
* ''[[Moments (1974 film)|Moments]]'' (1974)
* ''[[The Amorous Milkman]]'' (1975) - Gerald
* ''[[Eye of the Needle (film)|Eye of the Needle]]'' (1981) - Mr. Porter
* ''[[Pirates (1986 film)|Pirates]]'' (1986) - Governor
* ''[[Little Dorrit (1987 film)|Little Dorrit]]'' (1987) - Mr. Casby (final film role)
{{div col end}}

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Bill&surname=FRASER&job=Actor&pid=6805&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17 Performances listed in the Theatre Archive, University of Bristol]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121024205913/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bill_fraser/biography.php Rotten Tomatoes]
* {{IMDb name|0292077}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|bill_fraser}}

{{OlivierAward ComedyPerformance}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fraser, Bill}}
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Perth, Scotland]]
[[Category:People from Hertfordshire]]
[[Category:People from Ilford]]
[[Category:People educated at Strathallan School]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Scottish male film actors]]
[[Category:Scottish male television actors]]
[[Category:Scottish male comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish male actors]]
[[Category:Laurence Olivier Award winners]]
[[Category:Deaths from emphysema]]
[[Category:20th-century British comedians]]