Bernard Bresslaw

Infobox actor
name = Bernard Bresslaw
bgcolour = silver


imagesize = 150px
caption =
birthname = Bernard Bresslaw
birthdate = birth date|1934|02|25
birthplace = Stepney, London
deathdate = death date and age|1993|6|11|1934|2|25|df=y
deathplace = Enfield, London
occupation = Actor
yearsactive =
spouse =
awards = Most Promising Newcomer
Variety Club of Great Britain

Bernard Bresslaw (February 25 1934 – June 11 1993) was an English actor. He is best known for his comedy work, especially as a member of the Carry On team.

Biography

Bernard Bresslaw was in born Stepney, London, on February 25, 1934.cite book|last=Donnelley|first=Paul|title=Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries|publisher=Omnibus Press|date=2003|pages=p. 118] His father was a tailor's cutter and he became interested in acting after visits to the Hackney Empire. London County Council awarded him a scholarship to train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he won the Emile Littler Award as the most promising actor.cite web|url=http://www.teletronic.co.uk/bresslaw.htm|title=I Only Arsked: The Life and Work of Bernard Bresslaw|last=Marcus|first=Laurence|date=2006-08-28|work=Teletronic|accessdate=2008-08-08] After "Educating Archie" on radio and "The Army Game" on television, more television, film and Shakespearean theatre roles followed, until his big break when he was cast in "Carry on Cowboy" in 1965.

Bresslaw's catchphrase, in his strong Cockney accent, was "I only arsked" (sic), first used in "The Army Game",cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-15430448_ITM|title=National service with a smile|date=2006-05-30|work=Bristol Evening Post|publisher=Northcliffe Newspapers Group|accessdate=2008-08-08] and later revived in "Carry On Camping" (1969). He was a very tall man, exactly 6' 7.5" (2.01 m), the biggest of the "Carry On" team, head and shoulders over fellow "Carry On" regular, Barbara Windsor, who is 4'10" (1.47 m). Because of his height he was briefly considered for the part of the Creature in Hammer's "Curse of Frankenstein", which ultimately (and famously) went instead to 6'4" Christopher Lee. Bresslaw later made a comedy version of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" for Hammer titled "The Ugly Duckling". He made great efforts to follow up any role, learning a genuine African language for "Carry on Up the Jungle". He died on June 11, 1993 after collapsing in his dressing room at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, London, where he was to play Grumio in the New Shakespeare Company's production of "Taming of the Shrew",cite book|last=Ross|first=Robert|coauthors=Collins, Phil|title=The Carry on Companion|publisher=Batsford|date=2002|pages=p. 181|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DoidQB3FcdgC&pg=PA181&dq=%22bernard+bresslaw%22++grumio+-wikipedia&sig=ACfU3U2-u-KYJZTmrVAH7GFLdf6Xzo-riw] the day after the death of fellow comedy performer Les Dawson.cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/153021/Les-Dawson|title=Les Dawson|work=Britannica Online Encyclopedia|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|accessdate=2008-08-08] He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium, where his ashes are buried.cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/mar/09/popandrock1|title=Whole lotta love|last=Harris|first=John|date=2007-03-09|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian News and Media|accessdate=2008-08-08]

Television series

* "The Army Game"
* Three "Carry On Christmas Specials" and "Carry On Laughing"
* "Doctor Who" serial "The Ice Warriors" (1967) as Varga, an Ice Warrior
* "The Goodies"
* "The Book Tower"

Films

* "I Only Arsked!" (1958)
* "The Ugly Duckling" (1959)
* "Too Many Crooks" (1959)
* Fourteen "Carry On" films, from "Carry On Cowboy" (1965) to "Carry On Behind" (1975)
* "Up Pompeii! (1971)
* "The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins" (Avarice segment) (1971)
* "One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing" (1975)
* "Hawk the Slayer" as "Gort" (1980)
* "Krull" (1983)
* "Asterix and the Big Fight" (1989) (animation, voice of Obelix)
* "Leon the Pig Farmer" (1993)

UK chart singles

* "Mad Passionate Love/You need Feet" (1958)
* "The Army Game/What do we do in the Army?" (1958) Michael Medwin. Bernard Bresslaw, Alfie Bass & Leslie Fyson
* "Charlie Brown/The Teenager's Lament" (1959)
* "Ivy Will Cling/I Found a Hole" (1959)

Stage actor

Bresslaw performed with the Young Vic Theatre Company, the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre.One of his last stage performances was as Malvolio in "Twelfth Night" at the Regent's Park open air Theatre, (1990) where he demonstrated the fine line between pathos and comedy to perfection

Song

His song "You Need Feet" (a parody of "You Need Hands" by Max Bygraves) was used in The Rutles' TV special, accompanying the Yoko Ono film parody "A Thousand Feet of Film", but was cut from the syndicated version and the original DVD release, but was restored for subsequent versions.

BT commercials

Bernard, together with Miriam Margolyes, appeared with English comedienne Maureen Lipman in a series of BT (British Telecom) adverts in the late 1980s. Bresslaw and Margoyles played Gerald and Dolly, a nervous couple who drop in on Lipman's character Beattie and her husband Harry unannounced.

Personal life

He was married to dancer Betty Wright from 1959 until his death.cite book|last=Rennie|first=John|title=London History: 100 Faces of the East End|publisher=Lulu.com|date=2006|pages=p. 69|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pNuBBoJFlRAC&pg=PA69&dq=%22betty+wright%22+bresslaw++-wikipedia&sig=ACfU3U1VEMsEevCmWlEQyMp0BquBGbuBaw] They had three sons (James, Mark and Jonathon).

Poetry

Bernard was the author of a privately published volume of poetry, "Ode to the Dead Sea Scrolls".cite book|last=Bresslaw|first=Bernard|title=Ode to the Dead Sea Scrolls|publisher=New Broom Private Press|date=1977|isbn=0901870285]

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0107805|name=Bernard Bresslaw
*Find A Grave|id=5747280