Tony Britton

Tony Britton:

† June 9 1924 – December 22 2019

Tall and imposing, Tony Britton's smooth good looks could have made him a leading man, but for one reason and another we now chiefly remember him in sitcom fare like 'Robin's Nest' 'Don't Wait Up', 'And Mother Makes Five' and 'Don't Tell Father'.

Back in the '50s, he had a few starring and higher-billing supporting roles in films like 'Loser Take All' (1956), 'The Birthday Present' (1957), 'Behind the Mask' (1958), The Heart of a Man' (1959), and the Boulting Brothers spy suspenser 'Suspect' (1960). All are now largely forgotten, although 'Suspect' (aka 'The Risk') does have a cracking supporting cast with Thorley Walters, Donald Pleasence and Spike Milligan in a rare semi-straight performance.    

'Suspect' (1960)

'There's A Girl In My Soup' (1970)

He was in an episode of 'The Saint' on TV but didn't show up in the usual ITC classics, more often appearing in 'Play for Today' and the like, before landing parts in some interesting films. He was in the Peter Sellers/Goldie Hawn screwball romance 'There's A Girl In My Soup' (1970), the middle-aged permissive era misery-fest 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' (1971) and the perennial dad's favourite 'The Day of the Jackal' (1973), before the sitcom '70s finally beckoned. 

With Roger Moore in 'The Saint'

In 'Robin's Nest'

He's an accomplished stage actor and still going strong at 89. This might bring back a few memories though.

Edit 22nd Dec 2019: Sorry to hear that Tony Britton has died aged 95.

Tony Britton - imdb