George Cole: the thread

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http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/colegeorge/colegeorgeIMAGE/colegeorge.jpg

George Cole (born April 22, 1925 in Tooting, London, England) is a British actor.

He began appearing in films in the early 1940s, and his career was only briefly interrupted by service in the Royal Air Force from 1944 to 1947. He became familiar to audiences in British comedy films in the 1950s, but later became a respected character actor on television.

George Cole is best known for his roles as "Flash Harry" in the St Trinian's films and as Arthur Daley in the TV series Minder.

He also starred as Brian Hook in the BBC Comedy "Dad" in the late 1990s alongside Kevin McNally, who played his son, Alan Hook. There were 13 episodes of the show, spanning two series and a Christmas special. Each episode title punned on the word 'Dad' (eg: Dadmestic; Dadcipline; Habadadery; Dadaholic; Transcendadtal; Dadmocracy; Reprodadtion), although the Christmas special broke with this tradition, taking the title 'Nemesis'.

He is able to hide his London accent when playing upper-class characters, such as Sir Giles Lynchwood in the TV adaptation of Tom Sharpe's novel Blott on the Landscape.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently this guy is also called George Cole, but I don't think they're related:

http://www.123webpages.co.uk/user/images/jazzview.1120301.george_cole.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

He was the ward of Alistair Sim

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Is this thread so that Mark G can tell us his story about why he was banned from a pub in Henley for fear of upsetting the great man, because I want to hear it.

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

One of our party started nicking the peanuts into his tobacco pouch, and his g/f told him to pack it in. so he shouted "OK FINE!" and emptied his pouch back into the peanut tray. That's when we all got banned.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

and where does GC come into it?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

The bar staff said "We're expecting George Cole any minute" as we made to leave of our own volition, actually!

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

They don't take no nonsense in Henley...

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Was seen wielding some sort of bazooka on the lunar surface in an episode of UFO. Also in initially-promising, ultimately-dismal sitcom Comrade Dad, set in a Soviet-occupied UK.

The man's a menace.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

I think I remember him in a late night series called "Don't Forget to Write" in the early 80s, in which he played an author living in the country. Can't remember who else was in it though.

― andyjack (andyjack), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

One Hit Single that I know of - "What Are We Gonna Get For 'Er Indoors". #21 at Christmas 1983. I seem to recall a wooden performance on Top of the Pops.

Also notable is The Firm's "Arthur Daley, 'E's Alright" which was on Top of the Pops once too.

― everything (everything), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

oh god, i remember that song. "arfur daley/a little dodgy maybe/but underneaf/E'S AALRIIGHT". christ.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

i've always liked george cole, anyway.

my dad and my next-door neighbour once got in a minor fight in a pub with roy "catchphrase" walker. no punches were thrown, but there was a lot of "nyer" and "nyaar" and stuff, and pissed posturing.

the barman didn't seem to notice, and nobody got thrown out. we left shortly after.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

(my dad is even shorter than me, and is NOT the kind of person to get in pub fights. especially not with light-entertainment legends.)

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

I thought he was dead for a minute, you thoughtless gits.

― Half loaf, half pompadour (noodle vague), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 23:58 (nineteen years ago)

in that case, it would say "george cole: the dead".

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 06:44 (nineteen years ago)

Flash Harry is classic. Any character with their own signature music that's still stuck in my head after 30 years rools.

― Half loaf, half pompadour (noodle vague), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 07:13 (nineteen years ago)

Like Bod?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

I can't listen to Pentangle without thinking of Bod.

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 08:01 (nineteen years ago)

> He was the ward of Alistair Sim

he was in a film (his first actually) called Cottage To Let when he was about 10, with Alistair Sim. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033491/
(worked together in 11 things in total according to imdb)

(um, turns out he was 16, just playing younger. boy detective, saves the day, that kind of thing.)

Morning Departure http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042810/ with John Mills is also great. grounded submarine etc.

saw the UFO episode recently. was trying to make ammends for an earlier mistake. suit got punctured in ensuing fight. fade to black, creepy music.

― koogy wonderland (koogs), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 08:10 (nineteen years ago)

One Hit Single that I know of - "What Are We Gonna Get For 'Er Indoors". #21 at Christmas 1983. I seem to recall a wooden performance on Top of the Pops.

Also notable is The Firm's "Arthur Daley, 'E's Alright" which was on Top of the Pops once too.

Both songs available here: http://www.minder.org/mindsong.htm

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 09:47 (nineteen years ago)

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