Arthur English 1375367 220795384 2008-06-21T16:46:54Z Les woodland 5442867 {{Infobox actor | name = Arthur English | bgcolour = silver | image = ArthurEnglish.jpg | imagesize = 170px | caption = as Mr Harman in<br>''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' | birthname = | birthdate = [[May 9]] [[1919]] | location = [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]], [[England]] | deathdate = [[April 16]] [[1995]] (aged 75) | deathplace = [[St Mary's Hospital, London|St. Mary's Hospital]], [[Paddington]], [[London]], [[England]] | height = | othername = | notable role = [[List of Are You Being Served? characters#Mr. Mash & Mr. Harry (or Beverley) Harman|Mr. Harman]]<br> in '''''[[Are You Being Served?]]''''' | homepage = }} '''Arthur English''' ([[May 9]] [[1919]] &ndash; [[April 16]] [[1995]]) was an [[England|English]] [[comedian]] from the [[music hall]] tradition. [[Image:arthur-english.jpg|<center>'''Arthur English as his 'Spiv' character'''</center>|thumb|left]] English was born in [[Aldershot]], [[Hampshire]]. After serving in the army in [[World War II]], reaching the rank of [[sergeant]], English worked as a painter and decorator in his native town. He polished up his comedy routines at this time and eventually appeared at the [[Windmill Theatre]] in London and did much other stage work. His radio work began with the [[BBC]] series ''Variety Bandbox'', using as always his own Aldershot accent. His usual persona was a stereotypical wartime "[[spiv]]", and he became known as "The Prince of the Wide Boys". His usual delivery was to tell a long rambling [[shaggy dog story]] at ever-increasing rapidity without losing clarity until, at top speed, he would end with the catch-phrase: "Play the music! Open the cage!" For a time he was resident comedian at the [[Windmill Theatre]]. He also appeared in ''[[The Sweeney]]''. He began to appear on British television in mainly comedy roles in the 1970s, and was noticeable because of his manner and appearance. He is remembered for his character of the truculent and bolshy maintenance man, Mr Harman, in ''[[Are You Being Served?]]'' which he played from 1976 to 1985, including the film version. He played an even more unsympathetic character in ''[[In Sickness and in Health]]'', a follow-up series to ''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]'' from 1985 to 1990. He had more likeable roles in two British children's TV series: ''[[The Ghosts of Motley Hall]]'', which ran from 1976-1978 on [[ITV]] (produced by [[Granada Television]]), and ''[[Follyfoot]]'', which ran from 1971-1973, also on ITV (produced by [[Yorkshire Television]]). He was in several other films and ''Maths Counts'' (1982), a British TV schools programme starring [[Jack Wild]] as English's grandson. In 1985, he appeared in an episode of the American TV series ''[[Magnum, P.I.]]'' Following the death of his wife Ivy (who made his enormous kipper tie at the beginning of his career), late in life English married a young dancer, Teresa, that he met during one of his stage shows, and had a child with her - Clare Louise English. The late [[John Inman]] and [[Jack Douglas (actor)|Jack Douglas]] were the child's godparents. The marriage was later dissolved. Arthur English died in 1995 due to complications from [[emphysema]]. He had been president of [[Aldershot Town F.C.]] which had been formed out of the ashes of [[Aldershot F.C.]] The new club badge depicted a rising phoenix and was designed by English. ==External links== *{{imdb name|id=0257583|name=Arthur English}} * {{Find A Grave|id=13029535}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:English, Arthur}} [[Category:1919 births]] [[Category:1995 deaths]] [[Category:People from Aldershot]] [[Category:English comedians]] [[Category:English radio actors]] [[Category:English television actors]] [[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]] [[Category:Deaths from emphysema]] [[nl:Arthur English]]