Ellis Jones

Ellis Jones:

Here's a slightly elusive one. As an energetic and distinctively beaky young actor, Ellis pops up in a swathe of TV in the early '70s. These days he's a respected senior drama coach and creative bigwig at RADA, although he has continued to make sporadic appearances on our screens over the years.



In an episode of the BBC naval drama 'Warship'

With the late Ken Jones in an episode of Eric Chappell's
office sitcom, 'The Squirrels', from 1975

I particularly enjoyed his turn as the office ingénue in 'The Squirrels', an unfairly overlooked minor classic from the pen of 'Rising Damp' creator Eric Chappell. He also shows up in 'Warship', 'Z-Cars' and 'Doctor Who' (he is, in fact, the first person to appear in 'Doctor Who' in colour, in the opening Pertwee-era story, 'Spearhead from Space' in 1969) and a number of Shakespearean roles including the Fool in the Thames TV production of 'King Lear' with Patrick Magee, much shown in school English classes. 

In 'Spearhead from Space', the first Jon Pertwee story of 'Doctor Who'

In the 'Cadfael' mystery, 'A Morbid Taste For Bones'

So perhaps it's ironic that he's probably best remembered by many for playing the hapless Hal Adden (geddit) in 'Pardon My Genie' with Hugh Paddick as the crabby and obtuse spirit of the lamp, rather than for helping the acting careers of Tom Hiddleston, Ben Whishaw, Eve Best, Sally Hawkins, Gemma Arterton and Matthew Macfadyen, to name but a few.     

Ellis Jones-imdb

Alan David

Alan David:

A dour bollard of an actor with hidden depths. This trim, ascetic-looking Welshman has had a long career in television, but I first remember him in 'The Squirrels', an office sitcom created by 'Rising Damp' writer Eric Chappell (although some episodes were written by Phil Redmond and others by Kenneth Cope). He played the unlikeable Harry, a snarky expert at office politics, forever putting one over on his fellow workers, Ken Jones, Bernard Hepton and Patsy Rowlands among them.    

'The Squirrels'

Giving a medical opinion to Trevor Eve in 'Shoestring'

Other TV work includes a full house of  'Coronation Street', 'EastEnders' and 'Emmerdale', 'A Perfect State', the Boycie and Marlene spin-off 'The Green Green Grass', and the '60s-set 'Foxy Lady' as a chauvinist foil to Diane Keen's lady reporter. To that you can add 'Bulman', 'Inspector Morse' and 'Cracker' as well as the Eccleston-era 'Doctor Who' story 'The Unquiet Dead', a Dickensian spooker written by Mark Gatiss. 
 
Did I mention 'The Sweeney' and 'Minder'? No need really, but of course he was in both.

In 'The Painted Veil (2006)

As Clement Atlee in the time-travel
dram-com 'Goodnight Sweetheart'

He's been in a few films (see imdb link below), but perhaps has a stronger liking for the stage. He was in the 2009 West End hit 'Jerusalem' with Mark Rylance, and has previously appeared in RSC productions of 'Coriolanus' and 'Richard II'. He also took part in the legendary 1970 art/theatre happening 'Come Together' at the Royal Court Theatre with the Alberts and performed with the Ken Campbell Roadshow.

 

In 'Inspector Morse'

   
Alan David-imdb

Ken Jones

Ken Jones:

† Feb 20 1930– Feb 13 2014

A very familiar face from 'Porridge' where he played the sneaky but dim Scouser, Ives, and from the low-budget but well-written office sitcom 'Squirrels'. He's been in everything from 'Gumshoe' to 'Germinal', 'Serpico' to 'Jesus of Nazareth', specialising in nervy and downtrodden characters, for which he has a unique genius.

Ken Jones - imdb profile