Andy Bradford

 

Andy Bradford:

Although a much-lauded name in the British film and TV industry, largely through his excellent work as a stuntman and fight co-ordinator, Andy Bradford isn't all that well known as an actor, despite having appeared in a pretty interesting cross-section of productions over the years. My personal favourite being the still-chilling and odd 'Robin Redbreast'. 

In 'The Family Way' (1966)

In the folk horror Play for Today, 'Robin Redbreast' 
with the late Anna Cropper in 1970 

As agent 009 in 'Octopussy' (1983) pursued
by two deadly assassins 

Beginning with an uncredited appearance in 'Carry On Cowboy' (1965), Andy Bradford has cropped up in a surprising list of TV favourites. There's been a mix of cop shows such as 'Z-Cars', 'Special Branch', 'Dixon of Dock Green', all the way up to 'Taggart' and several episodes of 'The Bill', as well as the expected action series where his stunt skills obviously came in handy, including 'The Protectors', 'The Adventurer', 'The Professionals', 'The Sandbaggers' and er, 'Dempsey & Makepeace'.  

Bradford (far right) in 'Catweazle', as one of 
Sam's roleplaying Norman knight pals

Other, less expected, shows include 'Catweazle', 'Mr Bean', four different characters in the distinctly action-light 'Crown Court', as well as soaps such as 'Coronation Street' and"Emmerdale Farm'. All very redolent stuff for me, and perhaps some of you.

Andy Bradford-imdb

Tony Caunter

Tony Caunter:

Broad and brawny actor, now most familiar as Roy Evans in 'EastEnders' - the genial car salesman who stepped into the shoes of his rogueish counterpart Frank Butcher (Mike Reid) - in fact Tony Caunter has played his small part in some of the best of British cinema and television.

Tony Caunter in 'The Likely Lads': a classic tragicomic moment. Terry reluctantly
joins the Army to stick with his mate Bob, who is sent home because of his flat feet.    

You could, for example, have seen him in a host of cult classics, from 'The Avengers', 'The Saint' and 'The Champions' in the '60s, through to 'The Professionals', 'The Sweeney' and 'Minder', not to mention fanboy favourites like 'Catweazle', 'Blakes 7', and of course 'Doctor Who' (in three stories: 'The Crusade', 'Colony in Space' and 'Enlightenment') .

As Kenneth Cope's exasperated site manager in 'Catweazle'.
'He that moves the Wogle Stone, all alone shall moan and groan.'  

He's in some well-regarded drama, including 'Pennies From Heaven',  as well as more humdrum stuff  such as 'London's Burning', 'Home to Roost', 'Queenie's Castle', 'Howards' Way', 'Lovejoy', 'May to December', 'Boon', 'Heartbeat', 'Z-Cars',  'Juliet Bravo', 'Holby City', 'The Main Chance', and the short-lived BBC seaside family-feud 'Westbeach'.

Keeping an eye on Harry Palmer in 'The Ipcress File' (1965)

In the cinema, he crops up in the harrowing military prison drama 'The Hill' (1965) with Sean Connery and Ian Hendry, and has an appropriately blink-and-you'll-miss-it role as a surveillance man in 'The Ipcress File' (1965). All pretty cosy compared with life in Albert Square with Pat Butcher and family.

'EastEnders' with Pam St Clement.

Tony Caunter - imdb

Kenneth Cope

Kenneth Cope:

† Apr 14 1931 – Sep 11 2024

'Jeff! Wake up, Jeff!'

I'm including Kenneth Cope on here, although I'm aware that to a lot of TV viewers who are British and over 40, he's probably a bit of a star. For you youngsters and non-UK types, lovable rogues are a speciality of this popular Liverpudlian actor. His knack for combining cheeky confidence and nervous agitation has stood him in good stead in roles that have made him a UK cult favourite and a primetime perennial. Playing the ghostly Marty Hopkirk in the unique '60s detective show 'Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)' imprinted his face on the British psyche forever – an immaculate mod-suited spirit with childish emotions tempered by deadpan humour. He was the perfect foil to hard-boiled, two-fisted investigator Jeff Randall, as played by the late Mike Pratt.   

                   



As superstitious property developer Jack Victor in 'Catweazle'

Before that, he'd made a bit of a splash as the likeable petty villain Jed Stone in 'Coronation Street' in the very early days of the series, appearing first in 1961 and making comebacks in 1966 and 2008. That was followed by a period on the legendary satirical series 'That Was The Week That Was', which further ensured his '60s credentials. Other cult TV connections are 'Catweazle' ('Touch not the Wogle Stone...'), 'Doctor Who' (Tom Baker era story 'Warrior's Gate'), and two episodes of 'The Avengers' in 1967 and '68. The '80s and beyond  saw him much in demand for the likes of 'Minder', 'Bergerac', 'Lovejoy' etc, and a stint on 'Brookside'.   



In the Small Faces pop/crime caper 'Dateline Diamonds' (1965) 

 

As shop steward Vic Spanner in 'Carry On at Your Convenience' (1971)

In 'Miss Marple Investigates'

His movie roles include a bunch of late-'50s teen b-pictures and swinging '60s efforts where his Beatle-esque accent (often accompanied by a Beatle-esque wig) was a bonus. See for example: 'Naked Fury' (1959), the Tony Newley vehicle 'The Lady Is A Square' (1959), 'Jungle Street' (1960), 'The Criminal' (1960) with Stanley Baker, Joseph Losey's 'The Damned' (1963), and playing the Small Faces' manager in the pirate radio heist movie 'Dateline Diamonds' (1965). Later would come a string of 'Carry Ons' ('...Dick','... Matron' and '...At Your Convenience'), and the inevitable saucy comedies 'She'll Follow You Anywhere' (1971), 'Rentadick (1972) and the movie version of 'George and Mildred' (1975). 



Kenneth Cope-imdb

Geoffrey Bayldon

Geoffrey Bayldon: 

† Jan 7 1924 – May 10 2017

Although a superstar of children's TV in the '70s thanks to his tour de force portrayal of time-travelling wizard 'Catweazle', and later as the cosily sinister Crowman in 'Worzel Gummidge', he also performed in dozens of classic TV series and a few feature films. With his cadaverous appearance and gimlet stare, he often played officious clerks, dry churchmen and the occasional foreign criminal, in shows like 'The Saint', 'The Avengers', 'Black Beauty', and 'Van Der Valk', and was splendidly sleazy as Mr Ganglion in 'Blott On The Landscape'. 

(In the morgue with Steed and Mrs Peel in 'The Avengers'; and as the vendor of authentic vampire accoutrements in the 1972 film, 'The House That Dripped Blood') 

He's strongly associated with television, but it's a delight when he crops up in the odd feature film. See, for example: various Hammer and Amicus-type horrors like 'Dracula' (1958), 'Camp On Blood Island' (1958), 'Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed' (1969), The House That Dripped Blood' (1971) - with future Worzel Gummidge Jon Pertwee -  and 'Tales From The Crypt' (1972). Other slight surprises include 'King Rat' (1965), 'Suspect' (1960) and 'Tom & Viv' (1994). 

A legend. This is why.

Geoffrey Bayldon - imdb profile

John Tordoff

John Tordoff: 

I believe he retired from professional acting a few years ago – and now designs gardens and paints in Cambridge – but he's a welcome sight whenever he pops up in roles as put-upon coppers, harassed officials, and quizzical passers-by. He has a distinctive, slightly nasal, twang to his voice, and his downbeat, measured delivery often serves to suggest a level of intellectual depth and dignified patience, even to the most modest role. 

In a 1970s  advert for Formica worktops, dealing with
a very insistent, out of shot, Brian Murphy and Hilda Braid 

With Robin Nedwell in the LWT series 'Doctor On The Go'

Seen in TV including 'Campion', 'The Sweeney', 'The Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes', 'Citizen Smith', 'Coronation Street' (as three different characters, in '68, '78 and '99), and, more memorably for me, 'Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle' as ghoulish forensic officer Mr Warlock. 

Delivering his forensic report in 'A Flaxborough Chronicle'

Starstruck at meeting Sherlock Holmes in 'Without A Clue' (1988) 

Film parts range from a tiny role in a cafe scene in 'Billy Liar' (1963) to 'Without A Clue' (1988),  Michael Winner's 'Parting Shots' (1999) and 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves' (1991).

In an episode of 'The Sweeney'

As the Sheriff of Nottingham's scribe in
'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' (1991)

As he was born locally to me, in Rochester, Kent, an almost exact contemporary of my dad, it's a particular pleasure to salute him and his work.  

John Tordoff - imdb profile

Tony Selby

Tony Selby:

† Feb 26 1938 – Sep 5 2021

A perennial chirpy cockney tough-nut, well-suited to any kind of petty criminal and henchman, as well as bin men, hard coppers, lorry drivers and of course the sadistic Corporal Marsh in the grimly amusing National Service comedy 'Get Some In!'. Film roles include parts in classics like 'Alfie' (1966), 'Villain' (1971), and 'Witchfinder General' (1968), but he found his niche in TV. 'Catweazle', 'Callan', 'Minder', 'Doctor Who' and 'Department S' is just scratching the surface. Saw him drinking in the Dog & Duck in Soho a few times; his wheezily sarcastic voice and frizzy barnet are unmistakable.

Tony Selby - imdb profile

Moray Watson

Moray Watson: 

† Jun 25 1928 – May 2 2017

Specialising in the affable sort of toff, jolly sort of magistrate and approachable sort of army officer, this old Etonian has been popping up on TV and in films for the last 60 years. My favourites among his many roles are Lord Collingford in 'Catweazle' and Chief Constable Chubb in 'The Flaxborough Chronicles', but you may have seen him in 'The Avengers', 'The Saint', 'Quiller', or 'Rumpole of The Bailey'. Or maybe 'The Darling Buds Of May' or, quelle surprise, 'Midsomer Murders'. Seems like a gent, anyway.

With the late Elspeth Gray in 'Catweazle'

In the 1982 Dr Who story 'Black Orchid'

In 'The Darling Buds of May'

Moray Watson - imdb profile

Aubrey Morris

Aubrey Morris: 

† June 1 1926 - July 15 2015

Another really familiar face you probably couldn't put a name to. He's been in films like 'Clockwork Orange' (1971), 'Up The Junction' (1968), 'Lisztomania' (1975) and 'The Wicker Man' (1973), and an A-Z of cult TV from 'The Prisoner', 'The Avengers' and 'Catweazle', to 'Babylon 5', 'Deadwood', 'Metal Mickey' and 'Man About The House'. Well done, sir.

* Sorry to hear that Aubrey Morris has passed on. He was one of the first actors to receive a salute on this blog, back in 2012. Guardian obituary here.   

Aubrey Morris - imdb profile