Bill Fraser

Infobox Person
name = Bill Fraser


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caption = in "Doctor Who" in 1980
birth_name = William Simpson Fraser
birth_date = birth date|1908|06|05
birth_place = Perth, Scotland, Scotland
death_date = death date and age|1987|09|09|1908|06|05
death_place = Hertfordshire, England
death_cause = Emphysema
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occupation = Comic actor, actor
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spouse = Pamela Cundell
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William Simpson "Bill" Fraser (5 June 1908, Perth, Scotland – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor on the British screen for many years.

Educated at Strathallan School, Fraser began his career in a bank before moving on to acting. Before World War II he ran the Connaught Theatre in Worthing; when called up he served in a Royal Air Force Special Liaison Unit, reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He served in the RAF SLU with Eric Sykes.

His first television appearance was on "The Tony Hancock Show" in 1956, after which he became a regular actor on "Hancock's Half Hour". He then joined "The Army Game" as Sgt Claude Snudge, which led to a TV spin-off called "Bootsie and Snudge". Later comedic roles included parts in the TV dramatisation of "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾" and well as "Ripping Yarns", "Foreign Affairs", "The Corn is Green" and "Father, Dear Father".

He also appeared in the comedy films "The Amorous Milkman" and "Doctor At Large"; the big-screen version of "Love Thy Neighbour"; and the Frankie Howerd trilogy "Up Pompeii!", "Up the Front" and "Up the Chastity Belt".

He had a recurring role on "Rumpole of the Bailey" as Judge Roger Bullingham, an unsympathetic judge privately known to defence barrister Horace Rumpole as "the Mad Bull".

Fraser's straight parts included appearances on "The Professionals" and "The Avengers". He also starred in the "Doctor Who" story "Meglos" in 1980, and appeared in the spin-off show "K-9 and Company" the following year. In the early 80s he was in two series of a straight drama on BBC1, Flesh and Blood; his performance in its first episode of a industrialist sitting at the bedside of his dying wife was regarded by many as a tour de force.

He appeared as Mr Micawber in the TV dramatisation of "David Copperfield" in 1966; and his last role was as Mr Casby in the 1988 screened production of "Little Dorrit".

During those periods when Bill was not acting, he ran a small sweetshop and tobacconists at Ilford Lane in Ilford, Essex.

He died from emphysema in Hertfordshire, aged 79, leaving a widow, the actress Pamela Cundell, whom he had married in 1981.

External links

* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/bill_fraser/biography.php Rotten Tomatoes] profile using language almost identitical to this Wikipedia article.
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* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/talent/f/fraser_bill.shtml BBC Entry] (not working at 23/04/2008)

Persondata
NAME = Fraser, Bill
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Fraser, William Simpson
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Comic actor, actor
DATE OF BIRTH = 1908-06-05
PLACE OF BIRTH = Perth, Scotland
DATE OF DEATH = 1987-09-09
PLACE OF DEATH = Hertfordshire, England