- William Mervyn
Infobox actor
name = William Mervyn
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = birth date|1912|1|3|df=y
location =Nairobi ,Kenya
deathdate = death date and age|1976|8|6|1912|1|3|df=y
deathplace =
occupation =actor
website =
spouse =William Mervyn (
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 ".Mervyn was born in Kenya, but educated in Britain before embarking on a stage career, spending five years in provincial theatre. He made his debut in "The Guinea Pig" at The Criterion Theatre in 1946, before parts in plays such as the comedy "
Ring Round the Moon ", "The Mortimer Touch ", "A Woman of No Importance " byOscar Wilde at theSavoy Theatre in 1953 and "Charley's Aunt ".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 Cold Outside" and "Mr Rose".He appeared in 1960 "
Dixon of Dock Green " episode The Hot Seat, the 1966 "Doctor Who " story "The War Machines " and several "Carry On films " in the late 1960s and also appeared as a gentleman in the "Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) " episode "A Disturbing Case " in 1969.Usually cast as a wealthy upper class gentleman, he also appeared in "The Railway Children" in 1970 and "
The Ruling Class " in 1972.He also did voice-overs for Mr Kiplings Cakes, as well as other products.
He was married to Anne Margaret Payne Cooke and they had two sons.
References
*imdb name|id=0581674|name=William Mervyn
*TV Unforgettables - Over 250 Legends of the Small Screen
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
