Felix Bowness: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|English actor}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| image                  = Felix Bowness.jpg
| name                    = Felix Bowness
| name                    = Felix Bowness
| birthname              = Felix Hervè Talbot Bowness
| birthname              = Felix Hervè Talbot Bowness
| birth_date              = {{birth date|1922|3|30|df=y}}
| birth_date              = {{birth date|1922|03|30|df=y}}
| birth_place            = [[Harwell, Oxfordshire|Harwell]], [[Berkshire]], England
| birth_place            = [[Harwell, Oxfordshire|Harwell]], [[Berkshire]], England
| death_date              = {{death date and age|2009|9|13|1922|3|30|df=y}}
| death_date              = {{death date and age|2009|09|13|1922|03|30|df=y}}
| death_place            = [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]], Berkshire, England
| death_place            = [[Woodley, Berkshire|Woodley]], Berkshire, England
| occupation              = Boxer, soldier, comedian, actor
| occupation              = Boxer, soldier, comedian, actor
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==Biography==
==Biography==
Born in the village of [[Harwell, Oxfordshire|Harwell]], [[Berkshire]], to [[French Canadian]] parents, he became a [[bantamweight]] [[boxing]] champion.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
Born in the village of [[Harwell, Oxfordshire|Harwell]], [[Berkshire]], to [[French Canadian]] parents, he became a [[bantamweight]] [[boxing]] champion.
 
===Second World War===
===Second World War===
At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], he joined the [[Royal Berkshire Regiment]] as a [[Signalman (rank)|signalman]]. At the [[D-Day]] landings in [[Normandy]], after his [[landing craft]] was hit and sunk, he only remembered waking in a French [[convent]]. During recovery he attended a [[Vera Lynn]] concert, after which she gave him a singing lesson.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], he joined the [[Royal Berkshire Regiment]] as a [[Signalman (rank)|signalman]]. At the [[D-Day]] landings in [[Normandy]], after his [[landing craft]] was hit and sunk, he only remembered waking in a French [[convent]]. During recovery he attended a [[Vera Lynn]] concert, after which she gave him a singing lesson.


===Performing career===
===Performing career===
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Bowness did not come to mainstream public attention until he was picked up by the writing partnership of [[Jimmy Perry]] and [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]. He was cast as former jockey Fred Quilley in the sitcom ''Hi-de-Hi!'' and appeared in all 58 episodes. He subsequently appeared with the same ensemble cast in ''[[You Rang, M'Lord?]]'' and ''[[Oh, Doctor Beeching!]]''. During his career he also had credits in such comedy series as ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]'', ''[[The Liver Birds]]'', ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]'', ''[[Dad's Army]]'', ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'' Till Death Us Do Part  and ''[[Are You Being Served?]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0101437/ | title=Felix Bowness| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>
Bowness did not come to mainstream public attention until he was picked up by the writing partnership of [[Jimmy Perry]] and [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]. He was cast as former jockey Fred Quilley in the sitcom ''Hi-de-Hi!'' and appeared in all 58 episodes. He subsequently appeared with the same ensemble cast in ''[[You Rang, M'Lord?]]'' and ''[[Oh, Doctor Beeching!]]''. During his career he also had credits in such comedy series as ''[[The Benny Hill Show]]'', ''[[The Liver Birds]]'', ''[[The Goodies (TV series)|The Goodies]]'', ''[[Dad's Army]]'', ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'' Till Death Us Do Part  and ''[[Are You Being Served?]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0101437/ | title=Felix Bowness| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>


Bowness was not known for cinematic roles, but in 1979 he appeared in the soft-porn film ''[[Queen of the Blues]]'' starring [[Mary Millington]] and [[Milton Reid]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079768/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 | title=Queen of the Blues| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4c25353 | title=Felix Bowness}}</ref>
Bowness was not known for cinematic roles, but in 1979 he appeared in the soft-porn film ''Queen of the Blues'' starring [[Mary Millington]] and [[Milton Reid]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079768/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 | title=Queen of the Blues| website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba4c25353 | title=Felix Bowness}}</ref>


===Personal life and death===
===Personal life and death===
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0101437|name=Felix Bowness}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0101437|name=Felix Bowness}}
==Obituaries==
*[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2009/oct/04/felix-bowness-obituary Obituary in ''The Guardian'']
*[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2009/oct/04/felix-bowness-obituary Obituary in ''The Guardian'']
*[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/felix-bowness-the-jockey-fred-quilly-in-hidehi-1808438.html Obituary in ''The Independent'']
*[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/felix-bowness-the-jockey-fred-quilly-in-hidehi-1808438.html Obituary in ''The Independent'']
{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowness, Felix}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowness, Felix}}
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[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:Actors from Reading, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Actors from Reading, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]

Latest revision as of 14:21, 24 February 2023

Felix Bowness
Felix Bowness.jpg
Born
Felix Hervè Talbot Bowness

(1922-03-30)30 March 1922
Harwell, Berkshire, England
Died13 September 2009(2009-09-13) (aged 87)
Woodley, Berkshire, England
Occupation(s)Boxer, soldier, comedian, actor
Spouse
Mavis Dungey
(m. 1950)
[1]
Children1

Felix Hervè Talbot Bowness (30 March 1922 – 13 September 2009)[2] was a British comedy actor who was best remembered for his portrayal of the jockey Fred Quilley in the BBC sitcom Hi-de-Hi!.

Biography

Born in the village of Harwell, Berkshire, to French Canadian parents, he became a bantamweight boxing champion.

Second World War

At the outbreak of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment as a signalman. At the D-Day landings in Normandy, after his landing craft was hit and sunk, he only remembered waking in a French convent. During recovery he attended a Vera Lynn concert, after which she gave him a singing lesson.

Performing career

Bowness returned to Britain and started performing on the comedy circuit, undertaking two summer seasons at Clacton-on-Sea Pier in 1948 and 1949.[3]

He eventually broke into films and television in the early 1960s, and supplemented his income by becoming a well used warm-up act for television shows including Morecambe and Wise, Home To Roost, The Two Ronnies and, later. Sir Terry Wogan's chat show Wogan and Noel's House Party. He was also the warm-up act for This Is Your Life and became the subject of it in 1985.[2]

Bowness did not come to mainstream public attention until he was picked up by the writing partnership of Jimmy Perry and David Croft. He was cast as former jockey Fred Quilley in the sitcom Hi-de-Hi! and appeared in all 58 episodes. He subsequently appeared with the same ensemble cast in You Rang, M'Lord? and Oh, Doctor Beeching!. During his career he also had credits in such comedy series as The Benny Hill Show, The Liver Birds, The Goodies, Dad's Army, Porridge, Sykes Till Death Us Do Part and Are You Being Served?.[4]

Bowness was not known for cinematic roles, but in 1979 he appeared in the soft-porn film Queen of the Blues starring Mary Millington and Milton Reid.[5][6]

Personal life and death

Bowness and Mavis, his wife of 59 years, lived in Woodley, Reading. They had a son, Robert, three grandchildren, Jonathan, David and Christopher, and two great-granddaughters, Faith and Evie. He retired from acting in 2003 after being diagnosed with dementia. He died of cancer in 2009, at the age of 87.[7]

Television roles

Year Title Role
1980 to 1988 Hi-de-Hi! Fred Quilley
1990 to 1993 You Rang, M'Lord? Mr Pearson
1996 to 1997 Oh, Doctor Beeching! Bernie Bleasdale
1991 to ???? Noel's House Party Himself. Warm Up Act.

References

  1. ^ https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=BMD%2FM%2F1950%2F4%2FAZ%2F000119%2F056
  2. ^ a b "Hi-de-Hi actor Bowness dies at 87". BBC. 15 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  3. ^ "Xanga 2.0 is Here!".
  4. ^ "Felix Bowness". IMDb.
  5. ^ "Queen of the Blues". IMDb.
  6. ^ "Felix Bowness".
  7. ^ "Felix Bowness: The jockey Fred Quilly in 'Hi-de-Hi!'". Independent.co.uk. 2009-10-23.

External links

Obituaries