Deddie Davies

Deddie Davies:

† Mar 2 1938 – Dec 21 2016

Veteran Welsh character actress, of the type to be cast in the role of the tearful spinster, timid housekeeper, prim postmistress or faithful nurse. She was pretty ubiquitous during the '70s and '80s, but still pops up occasionally, for example in the Ruth Jones comedy, 'Stella'.

Her best known roles were in that perennial family favourite 'The Railway Children' (1970) and the rather less well loved 'The Amazing Mr Blunden' (1972), and since then films have been few and far between. You probably missed the Richard E Grant luvvie-com 'Food Of Love' (1997) - and Martin Freeman in 'Swinging With The Finkels' (2008) - and the star-studded, Michael Palin-scripted misfire 'Consuming Passions' (1988). 

As Mrs Perks in 'The Railway Children' (1970)

In 'The Hosptial', an episode of  'Some Mothers do 'Ave 'Em' 

On television, she was picked up for some prestigious and popular drama series, such as 'Clochemerle', 'The Forsyte Saga', 'The Pickwick Papers', 'Vanity Fair' and 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' - and TV movies like 'The Canterville Ghost'. At the same time, her nervy and birdlike characters were much in demand for prosaic comedies like 'The Rag Trade', 'My Husband and I', 'My Old Man', 'Some Mothers...' etc. Better things were in store with a post-'80s spurt that included 'Jeeves & Wooster', 'Waiting For God' and a sprinkling of cosy crime favourites via Agatha Christie to Midsomer. Not forgetting some bravura sniffling as Brenda Blethyn's mother in 'Chance In A Million'.  

Following on from the good vibes of 'The Railway Children', she has been a stalwart of kids' TV for many years. Keep an eye out for her among the eye-ache inducing video effects of 'The Phoenix and the Carpet', plus 'Just William', 'Grange Hill' and more recently 'Woof!' and 'Bernard's Watch'. 

Edit, Jan 2017: Sorry to report that Deddie Davies passed away on Dec 21 last year. 

Deddie Davies-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

James Warrior

James Warrior: 

The perennial worried Welshman in a brown suit, his first roles included harrassed coppers in 'Budgie' and 'The Sweeney', but he has played town councillors, reporters, landlords, con-men, miners and cab drivers with some of the quirky elan of Gorden Kaye, if not quite Roy Kinnear. 

In the BBC play 'The Comedians'

As Mr Babbacombe in 'The Fall And
Rise Of Reginald Perrin'

I liked him as Mr Meredith ("it's Me-RED-ith") in the unlamented comedy 'Glamour Girls'. After a few years brewing real ale in Cornwall, he's more recently been focusing on voiceover acting work.

The slightly uncouth DC Jellyneck in 'The Sweeney' 

As James Berry the hangman in 'Cribb'

James Warrior - imdb profile