William Mervyn: Difference between revisions
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==Life and career== | ==Life and career== | ||
Mervyn was born in [[w:Nairobi|Nairobi]], [w: | Mervyn was born in [[w:Nairobi|Nairobi]], [[w:East Africa Protectorate|British East Africa]], but educated in Britain at Forest School, [[w:Snaresbrook|Snaresbrook]], before embarking on a stage career, spending five years in provincial theatre. He made his [[w:West End (theatre)|West End]] debut in ''[[w:The Guinea Pig (Chetham-Strode)|The Guinea Pig]]'' at the [[w:Criterion Theatre|Criterion Theatre]] in 1946,<ref>Wearing, 2014, ''The London Stage 1940-1949'', p. 222</ref> before parts in plays such as ''Lend Me Robin'' at the [[w:Embassy Theatre (London)|Embassy Theatre]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Lend Me Robin|url=http://calmview.bham.ac.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=XMS38%2F1854|website=Cadbury Research Library Special Collections|publisher=[[University of Birmingham]]|access-date=15 April 2015}}</ref> the comedy ''[[Ring Round the Moon]]'', ''[[The Mortimer Touch]]'', ''[[A Woman of No Importance]]'' by [[Oscar Wilde]] at the [[Savoy Theatre]] in 1953<ref>Wearing, 2014, ''The London Stage 1950-1959'', p.214</ref> and ''[[Charley's Aunt]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=THEATRE 19 Feb 1954|url=http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/19th-february-1954/11/theatre|website=archive.spectator.co.uk|publisher=The Spectator Archive|access-date=4 September 2015|archive-date=19 February 1954}}</ref> | ||
Mervyn's later stage roles included those of O'Trigger in ''[[w:The Rivals|The Rivals]]'', Lord Greenham in the comedy ''[[w:Aren't We All?|Aren't We All?]]'' and Sir Patrick Cullen in ''[[w:The Doctor's Dilemma (play)|The Doctor's Dilemma]]''. Although he was admired in the theatre, it was with television that he became really well known. One of his first major small screen roles was Sir Hector in the 1962 series ''[[w:Saki|Saki]]''. Four years later, he played the Bishop of St. Ogg's in the comedy series ''[[All Gas and Gaiters]]''. It was, at that time, breaking with tradition, allowing a laugh at the expense of the established church. | Mervyn's later stage roles included those of O'Trigger in ''[[w:The Rivals|The Rivals]]'', Lord Greenham in the comedy ''[[w:Aren't We All?|Aren't We All?]]'' and Sir Patrick Cullen in ''[[w:The Doctor's Dilemma (play)|The Doctor's Dilemma]]''. Although he was admired in the theatre, it was with television that he became really well known. One of his first major small screen roles was Sir Hector in the 1962 series ''[[w:Saki|Saki]]''. Four years later, he played the Bishop of St. Ogg's in the comedy series ''[[All Gas and Gaiters]]''. It was, at that time, breaking with tradition, allowing a laugh at the expense of the established church. | ||
He also played the police chief inspector Charles Rose in the [[Granada TV]] series ''[[The Odd Man]]'' and its spin-offs ''[[The Odd Man|It's Dark Outside]]'' and ''[[The Odd Man|Mr Rose]]''. He played the Hon. Mr. Justice Campbell in the | He also played the police chief inspector Charles Rose in the [[w:Granada TV|Granada TV]] series ''[[w:The Odd Man|The Odd Man]]'' and its spin-offs ''[[w:The Odd Man|It's Dark Outside]]'' and ''[[w:The Odd Man|Mr Rose]]''. He played the Hon. Mr. Justice Campbell in the Granada TV series ''[[w:Crown Court (TV series)|Crown Court]]''. | ||
Having taken the part of a Chief Inspector in the 1949 [[Ealing Studios]] film ''[[The Blue Lamp]]'', in which PC George Dixon first appears (only to be shot dead by a young [[Dirk Bogarde]]), he then reappeared in a 1960 ''[[Dixon of Dock Green]]'' episode "The Hot Seat". He was in the 1966 ''[[Doctor Who]]'' story ''[[The War Machines]]'' and several ''[[Carry On (film series)|Carry On]]'' films in the late 1960s, and also appeared as Mr. Whitty in the ''[[Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)]]'' episode "[[A Disturbing Case]]" in 1969. | Having taken the part of a Chief Inspector in the 1949 [[w:Ealing Studios|Ealing Studios]] film ''[[w:The Blue Lamp|The Blue Lamp]]'', in which PC George Dixon first appears (only to be shot dead by a young [[w:Dirk Bogarde|Dirk Bogarde]]), he then reappeared in a 1960 ''[[w:Dixon of Dock Green|Dixon of Dock Green]]'' episode "The Hot Seat". He was in the 1966 ''[[w:Doctor Who|Doctor Who]]'' story ''[[w:The War Machines|The War Machines]]'' and several ''[[Carry On (film series)|Carry On]]'' films in the late 1960s, and also appeared as Mr. Whitty in the ''[[w:Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)|Randall and Hopkirk]]'' episode "[[w:A Disturbing Case|A Disturbing Case]]" in 1969. | ||
Usually cast as a wealthy upper class gentleman, he also appeared in ''[[The Railway Children (1970 film)|The Railway Children]]'' (1970), as the children's train passenger friend, and ''[[The Ruling Class (film)|The Ruling Class]]'' (1972). Around the same time, he appeared as Sir Hector Drummond, Bt., in the British TV series ''[[ | Usually cast as a wealthy upper class gentleman, he also appeared in ''[[w:The Railway Children (1970 film)|The Railway Children]]'' (1970), as the children's train passenger friend, and ''[[w:The Ruling Class (film)|The Ruling Class]]'' (1972). Around the same time, he appeared as Sir Hector Drummond, Bt., in the British TV series ''[[Tw:he Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (TV series)|The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes]]'', in an episode entitled "The Superfluous Finger" (1973). | ||
==Personal life== | ==Personal life== | ||
Revision as of 21:44, 13 August 2022
William Mervyn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | William Mervyn Pickwoad 3 January 1912 |
| Died | 6 August 1976 (aged 64) London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Spouse | Anne Margaret Payne-Cook |
| Children | 3 |
William Mervyn Pickwoad (3 January 1912 – 6 August 1976) was an English actor best known for his portrayal of the bishop in the clerical comedy All Gas and Gaiters, the old gentleman in The Railway Children[1] and Inspector Charles Rose in The Odd Man and its sequels.
Life and career
Mervyn was born in Nairobi, British East Africa, but educated in Britain at Forest School, Snaresbrook, before embarking on a stage career, spending five years in provincial theatre. He made his West End debut in The Guinea Pig at the Criterion Theatre in 1946,[2] before parts in plays such as Lend Me Robin at the Embassy Theatre,[3] the comedy Ring Round the Moon, The Mortimer Touch, A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde at the Savoy Theatre in 1953[4] and Charley's Aunt.[5]
Mervyn's later stage roles included those of O'Trigger in The Rivals, Lord Greenham in the comedy Aren't We All? and Sir Patrick Cullen in The Doctor's Dilemma. Although he was admired in the theatre, it was with television that he became really well known. One of his first major small screen roles was Sir Hector in the 1962 series Saki. Four years later, he played the Bishop of St. Ogg's in the comedy series All Gas and Gaiters. It was, at that time, breaking with tradition, allowing a laugh at the expense of the established church.
He also played the police chief inspector Charles Rose in the Granada TV series The Odd Man and its spin-offs It's Dark Outside and Mr Rose. He played the Hon. Mr. Justice Campbell in the Granada TV series Crown Court.
Having taken the part of a Chief Inspector in the 1949 Ealing Studios film The Blue Lamp, in which PC George Dixon first appears (only to be shot dead by a young Dirk Bogarde), he then reappeared in a 1960 Dixon of Dock Green episode "The Hot Seat". He was in the 1966 Doctor Who story The War Machines and several Carry On films in the late 1960s, and also appeared as Mr. Whitty in the Randall and Hopkirk episode "A Disturbing Case" in 1969.
Usually cast as a wealthy upper class gentleman, he also appeared in The Railway Children (1970), as the children's train passenger friend, and The Ruling Class (1972). Around the same time, he appeared as Sir Hector Drummond, Bt., in the British TV series The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, in an episode entitled "The Superfluous Finger" (1973).
Personal life
Mervyn was married to Anne Margaret Payne-Cook, a theatre designer and architect who survived him with their three sons - Michael Pickwoad, who in 2010 became the production designer on Doctor Who, Richard, television director and aerial cameraman and Nicholas (Pickwoad), expert on bookbinding.[6] Mervyn's granddaughter Amy Pickwoad became an art director and standby art director for Doctor Who.[7]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | The Loves of Joanna Godden | Huxtable | |
| The Mark of Cain | Mr Bonnington | Uncredited | |
| 1949 | That Dangerous Age | Nicky | |
| Stop Press Girl | Cinema Manager | Uncredited | |
| 1950 | The Blue Lamp | Chief Inspector Hammond | Uncredited |
| Four Men in Prison | Unknown | short | |
| 1954 | Conflict of Wings | Mr Wentworth | |
| 1956 | Tons of Trouble | Roberts (M15) | |
| The Long Arm | Manager of Festival Hall | ||
| 1957 | The Admirable Crichton | Guest at Ball | Uncredited |
| Barnacle Bill | Captain | ||
| The Long Arm | Manager of Festival Hall | Released as The Third Key in the USA | |
| 1958 | Carve Her Name with Pride | Colonel Buckmaster | |
| 1959 | The 39 Steps | Angry Train Passenger | Uncredited |
| Upstairs and Downstairs | Kingsley | ||
| 1960 | A Touch of Larceny | Capt. Balfour | Uncredited |
| The Battle of the Sexes | Detective's friend | ||
| Circus of Horrors | Doctor Morley | ||
| 1961 | No Love for Johnnie | Postmaster-General | Uncredited |
| Watch it, Sailor! | Ship's Captain | Uncredited | |
| Invasion Quartet | Naval Officer | ||
| 1963 | Tamahine | Lord Birchester | |
| 1964 | Hot Enough for June | Passenger on plane | Uncredited and released as Agent 8¾ in the USA |
| Murder Ahoy! | Commander Breeze-Connington | ||
| 1965 | Operation Crossbow | Dutch Technical Examiner | |
| Up Jumped a Swagman | Mr Hawkes Fenhoulet | ||
| 1967 | Deadlier Than the Male | Chairman of the Phoenician Board | |
| The Jokers | Uncle Edwards | ||
| Follow That Camel | Sir Cyril Ponsonby | ||
| 1968 | Hammerhead | Walter Perrin | |
| Salt and Pepper | Prime Minister | ||
| Star! | General | Uncredited | |
| Hot Millions | Sir Charles Wilson | Uncredited | |
| 1969 | The Best House in London | Uncredited | |
| Carry On Again Doctor | Lord Paragon | ||
| 1970 | Incense for the Damned | Marc Honeydew | |
| Atlantic Wall | L'évêque Anglais | ||
| The Railway Children | Old Gentleman | credited as Mr William Mervyn | |
| 1971 | Carry On Henry | Physician | |
| 1972 | The Ruling Class | Sir Charles Gurney | |
| Up the Front | Lord Twithampton | ||
| 1973 | Charley One-Eye | Honeydew | Uncredited |
| 1976 | The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones | Squire Alworthy |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Charlesworth | Charles Begbie | |
| 1960 | ITV Television Playhouse | Mr Challen | |
| The Long Way Home | French police sergeant | ||
| The Four Just Men | Under Secretary | ||
| Yorky | Mr Playford | ||
| On Trial | Sergeant Ballatine/President of the Court | ||
| Dixon of Dock Green | Bruce Treadgold | ||
| Persuasion | Admiral Croft | ||
| 1961 | No Hiding Place | Ivor Naunton/Colonel Frew | |
| 1962 | Oliver Twist | Mr Grimwig | |
| Bulldog Breed | Company director | ||
| Maigret | Doctor | ||
| It Happened Like This | Sir George Wilby | ||
| 1963 | The Odd Man | Chief Inspector Rose | |
| The Sentimental Agent | Colonel Wilde | ||
| 1964 | Silas Marner | Squire Cass | |
| Diary of a Young Man | Bott | ||
| The Massingham Affair | Mr Jessopp | ||
| 1965 | The Flying Swan | Alexander Curtis | |
| Heiress of Garth | Squire Griffin | TV mini-series | |
| Court Martial | Chief Inspector Haigh | ||
| 1966 | The Liars | Sir Gerald | |
| Doctor Who: The War Machines | Sir Charles Summer | ||
| BBC Play of the Month | Sir Hector Rose | ||
| 1966-1971 | All Gas and Gaiters | Bishop Cuthbert Hever | |
| 1967 | Gideon's Way | Mr Pater | |
| 1968-1970 | Thirty-Minute Theatre | Sir Eric Brown/Father | |
| 1969 | My Partner the Ghost (Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)) | Whitty | |
| 1970 | The Mating Machine | Major Whitestone | |
| 1971-1972 | Tottering Towers | Duke of Tottering | |
| 1972-1984 | Crown Court | The Hon. Mr Justice Campbell | |
| 1973 | The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes | Sir Hector Drummond | |
| 1976 | The Ghosts of Motley Hall | Mr Bayling | |
| 1977 | Raffles | Osborne |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | The Guinea Pig | Criterion Theatre | |
| 1947-1948 | The Blind Goddess | Apollo Theatre, London | |
| 1948 | Lend Me Robin | Embassy Theatre | |
| 1952 | The Mortimer Touch | Duke of York's Theatre | |
| 1952-1953 | Pagan in the Parlour | Theatre Royal, Bath | |
| 1953 | A Woman of No Importance | Savoy Theatre | |
| 1954 | Charley's Aunt | New Theatre and Strand Theatre | |
| 1954-1955 | Witness for the Prosecution | Bristol Hippodrome | |
| 1955 | Mrs Willie | Globe Theatre, London | |
| 1956 | The Rivals | Saville Theatre | |
| 1957 | The Iron Duchess | Fortune Theatre | |
| 1972 | The Doctor's Dilemma |
References
- ^ Tim Hughes (20 December 2012). "Michael Pickwoad: from Withal to the Doctor (From Herald Series)". heraldseries.co.uk. Herald Series. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
best remembered for his roles...in The Railway Children
- ^ Wearing, 2014, The London Stage 1940-1949, p. 222
- ^ "Lend Me Robin". Cadbury Research Library Special Collections. University of Birmingham. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Wearing, 2014, The London Stage 1950-1959, p.214
- ^ "THEATRE 19 Feb 1954". archive.spectator.co.uk. The Spectator Archive. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ Tim Hughes. "Michael Pickwoad: from Withal to the Doctor". heraldseries.co.uk. Herald Series. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
{{cite web}}:|archive-date=requires|archive-url=(help) - ^ Tim Hughes (20 December 2012). "Michael Pickwoad: from Withal to the Doctor". heraldseries.co.uk. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
Amy...who has worked with him on Doctor Who, a show which is becoming a family trade
Bibliography
- TV Unforgettables – Over 250 Legends of the Small Screen
- Wearing, J.P. (2014). The London Stage 1940 - 1949: A Calendar of Productions, Performers and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield
- Wearing, J.P. (2014). The London Stage 1950 - 1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield
External links
Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 182: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Categories:
- Pages with script errors
- CS1 errors: archive-url
- Articles with short description
- Use dmy dates from August 2016
- Articles with invalid date parameter in template
- Use British English from August 2016
- 1912 births
- 1976 deaths
- English male film actors
- English male television actors
- Kenyan emigrants to the United Kingdom
- People from Nairobi
- 20th-century English male actors
- English male stage actors
