George Cole RIP

eorge Edward Cole, OBE (22 April 1925- 05 August 2015) was an English film and television actor whose career spanned more than 70 years in show business. He played Arthur Daley in the long-running ITV drama show Minder, and Flash Harry in the early St Trinian's films.

Contents

    1 Biography
    2 Autobiography
    3 Television roles
    4 Partial filmography
    5 References
    6 External links

Biography

Cole was given up for adoption at the age of ten days and adopted by the Cole family. He left school to be a butcher's boy but landed a part in a touring musical, and chose acting as a career. He appeared in a film with British stage and film actor Alastair Sim, and Sim and his family took in Cole and his adoptive mother when he was 15. They helped him lose his Cockney accent and he stayed with the Sim family until he was 27.[2]

Cole began appearing in films in the early 1940s, debuting in the 1941 film Cottage to Let. He attributes the success of his career to Alastair Sim, who became his mentor. Cole appeared in a total of 11 films with Sim, starting with Cottage to Let, and ending with the somewhat obscure 1961 independent film The Anatomist.

He also acted opposite Laurence Olivier in The Demi-Paradise (1943) and Olivier's film version of Henry V (1944). He is the last surviving member of the large cast of Henry V. His career was interrupted by his service in the Royal Air Force from 1944 to 1947.

He was well known for his lead role in the 1953-1969 radio comedy A Life of Bliss where from the eighth episode (David Tomlinson played Bliss in the first seven episodes), he played an amiable but bumbling bachelor, David Alexander Bliss, with his dog Psyche, voiced by Percy Edwards.[3] It lasted for six series and just 34 of the 118 episodes made of the radio series now survive. This became a TV series in 1960.

He became familiar to audiences in British comedy films in the 1950s. Cole appeared with Sim in Scrooge (as the young Scrooge) in 1951, but his best known film role was as "Flash Harry" in the St Trinian's films (two of which also star Sim), and in the comedy Too Many Crooks (1959). He also starred in the 1973 film Take Me High alongside Cliff Richard and Deborah Watling.

His most memorable television role was as crooked used-car dealer Arthur Daley in the Thames Television series Minder which he played from 1979 to the show's conclusion in 1994. Prior to this, he had played a struggling writer in the BBC sitcom 'Don't Forget To Write!' (1977-79). Another memorable role was that of Sir Giles Lynchwood in the BBC's 1985 adaptation of the Tom Sharpe novel Blott on the Landscape, which also starred Geraldine James. David Suchet, Julia McKenzie and Simon Cadell.

George has recently been cast in a new crime-horror film called Road Rage, in the role of Cyril, which will be released in cinemas in 2015.

George passed away on the 5th August 2015 in hospital, with his family by his side.
Autobiography

Cole released his autobiography, The World Was My Lobster, in 2013.
Television roles

Doctor Syn, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, was produced as a three-part television film in colour by Walt Disney in 1963, a miniseries before the term was ever coined. It was shot on location in England and was directed by James Neilson. It starred Patrick McGoohan of Danger Man/Secret Agent and The Prisoner fame in the title role, with George Cole as Mipps. A Man Of Our Time (1968) (TV series - Rediffusion London) Minder (1979 on) (TV series - Thames/Euston Films).

Cole appeared as a guest star in the Gerry Anderson produced UFO series. In the episode Flightpath, Cole plays Paul Roper, a blackmailed SHADO operative, who opens the door for a possible alien attack on Moonbase. Roper redeems himself by destroying the aliens but ultimately sacrifices himself in the process. He also made a guest appearance as Mr Downs, Tom Good's bank manager, in a special edition of the BBC sitcom The Good Life in 1978, filmed in front of Her Majesty The Queen.



Quite a career

RIP

George Cole totally upstaged Dennis Waterman and made the show his own.

The show was titled "Minder", DW was billed first and was just out of "The Sweeney" and he sang the theme tune but it wasn't long before it was clear who the star was.

This thread !

yep minder was meant to be a vehicle for waterman post sweeney but no doubt whose show it was

Watched him in so many things over the years. A great actor. One of the best.

i_agree_with_nick 06 Aug 15 13:04 Joined: 21 May 10 | Topic/replies: 7,264 | Blogger: i_agree_with_nick's blog
The episode where Arthur is called for jury service is starting on ITV4 now.



That episode is my all time favourite. The scene where the jury are sitting around the table trying to come to a decision is hilarious

When I think of it I always think of Minder as my fav all time show but its probably more of a case of a very good actor making a really good programme great.

Rest in peace, dear Arfur

I've been watching Don't Forget to Write starring George Cole.

George Cole played a very good 'straight' role in The Sweeney episode called 'Tomorrow Man' (alongside the young John Hurt). A very good watch.

.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iLeA9pB_Jc

george cole nailed it ! played the part to a t ,the shifty mannerisms ...........just looked the part the trilby the camel hair coat the car lot  the term would you buy a used car from this man..............made for Arthur !rip legend !

The brilliance of Minder was down to the quality of actors used. George Cole was already a household name, Patrick Malahide ...Charlie Chisholm was classically trained whilst a few of the guest stars already were known,Beryl Reid for example, or up and coming like Pete Postlethwaite.

Credit also goes to the writers, ims it was Des the mechanic who did the majority, but it was Cole who upstaged everyone, though at times being second best to notable characters like Nigel his NF supporting nephew, Self Inflicted and the simply brilliant..The Syrup.

Not only does his death remind us of his qualities, but also of the quality of the programmes from that era and before. Unlike nowadays, where no talent whatsoever is of upmost importance....RIP.

Minder is almost up there with Only fools n horses.


rip

Alright my son, Leave it out
As it 'appens its your shout
Straight up, Pull the other
In a right 2 and 8
What's the damage Chief?
Who's your mate?
The geezer with the bunny in the trilby 'at
Reckons he's legit but he ain't all that
Arthur Daley, little dodgy maybe, but underneath,
'E's alright.

flash harry brings back great memories

on itv4 in the mornings and repeated in the afternoons ! seen em all many times over but still watch em now timeless !

I think that episode is on tomorrow (ITV 4)

show how the mighty chit chat has fallen

minder on now itv4 pete postlewaite guest stars !