Actors who played multiple characters over the years

[Sarkus]

We discussed this at least once in the past but I keep finding new, unexpected examples. Some of the better known examples are:

- Maggie Ollrenshaw. Played the Commodore's girlfriend in "The Flag and Further Snags," and then played Ethel in both "The Love Mobile" and "All that Glitters is not Elvis."
- Francis Cox: "Flower Power Cut," "Happy Anniversary Gough and Jesse," and "The Suit that Turned Left."

There are many, as it turns out. One that I recently discovered was Jacqueline Clarke. She played Sal in "An Apple a Day" but had previously appeared as the Citizens Advice Bureau lady in "Destiny and Six Bananas." An interesting side note to "An Apple a Day" is that she was once married to Barrie Gosney, who played The Lad in that episode.

It's interesting to look up the guest stars in each episode, especially since as an American I'm not generally familiar with most of the actors who appeared in guest roles over the years.

 

[Electrical Entwistle]

I remember Tom Owen making an appearance long before he became a regular on the show. He was a man in the street near a bank machine as I recall.

 

[Andrew D]

Barbara Young appeared as two different sisters of Nora Batty. Once in 2008 as Nora's sister Florrie (not to be confused with the Florrie chasing Truly), then joined as a regular as Nora's other sister Stella, for what little time remained of the series.

 

[captain clutterbuck]

A few contentious ones Keith Clifford played Billy Hardcastle and a descendant of Robin Hood , Robert Fyffe played Howard Sibshaw and El Lobo and finally the rather scruffy dare I say it tatty canine hand puppet played Waldo ,Tom's dog, and also the Cat Creature . Well you can't blame a guy for trying !!

 

[wstol]

June Whitfield played a different character before playing Nelly.

 

[wstol]

Barbara Young appeared as two different sisters of Nora Batty. Once in 2008 as Nora's sister Florrie (not to be confused with the Florrie chasing Truly), then joined as a regular as Nora's other sister Stella, for what little time remained of the series.

Are you sure? I thought Barbara Young originally played Bobby Ball's wife, but I could be very wrong.

 

[dick]

Barbara Young played Bobby Balls wife in "GET OUT OF THAT THEN" in 2008

And then played Stella in 2008 to 2010 approx. 17 episodes !

 

[captain clutterbuck]

June Whitfield played a different character before playing Nelly.

She played Potts [ Warren Mitchell] wife in Potts in Pole Position.

 

[PSi]

Tom Owen was at the cash dispenser on Series 13, episode 109 "Situations Vacant" (22.12.1991)

 

[PSi]

David Williams:
Series 7 episode 54 "Getting Sam Home", Tailor
Series 30 episode 285: "Will Stella Find True Love with Norris Fairburn?", Norris Fairbourn

Tony Melody:
Series 7 epiosde 54: "Getting Sam Home", Sid's (John Comer) dubbed voice
Series 24 episode 223: "The Second Husband and the Showgirls", (Pub Landlord)

Trevor Bannister:
Series 14 episode 116: "Who's Got Rhythm?", Tailor
Series 22 episode: 195 "The Missing Bus of Mrs. Avery" until end, The Golf Captain / Toby Mulbery-Smith

Johnny Leeze:
Series 7 epiosde 54: "Getting Sam Home", Our kid' Colin (?)
Series 9 episode 64 "Why Does Norman Clegg Buy Ladies' Elastic Stockings?", Meter reader at Seymour's
Series 13 episode 105 "Was That Nora Batty Singing?", Library Security guard
Series 23 epiosde 208 "Beware of the Hot Dog", Fifi's Boyfriend

 

[PSi]

...and a lot more at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069602/fullcredits
(if the parts list has a slash and dots, it means that actor has been credited acting as more than one person)

 

[me2]

...and a lot more at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069602/fullcredits
(if the parts list has a slash and dots, it means that actor has been credited acting as more than one person)

Your link got me curious, so I checked it out. Some of them are a little misleading and just show the different ways they are credited for the same part - such as Kathy Staff as Mrs. Batty, Nora, and Nora Batty. Or Jean Alexander as Auntie, Auntie Wainwright, and Aunty Wainwright.
But it also reminded me of the 3 men who frequently served as doubles for Clegg, Foggy and Compo - Dennis Mawn, Tony Simon and Robin Banks - they are credited with 14, 8, and 6 parts respectively but there were many more non-credited parts.

 

[Sarkus]

...and a lot more at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069602/fullcredits
(if the parts list has a slash and dots, it means that actor has been credited acting as more than one person)

Thanks! That's a useful link. I noticed a few more I hadn't realized. For example, Bree Martin. She was Trudy in "Tarzan of the Towpath, Marina's co-worker who gets Howard's note by accident. She then appeared as Astrid in "The Mystical Squeak of Howard's Bicycle" as Glenda's friend who gets drunk when they visit the stately home. And finally, she was the bride in "Goodnight Sweet Ferret" who gets a surprise in a chocolate box.

I find this topic of actors in multiple roles amusing because of Alan Bell's claim in his book that he didn't like casting actors in different roles when talking about the decision to use June Whitfield as Nelly after she had previously appeared as another character. The list of examples where the show broke this "rule" is obviously nearly endless!

 

[wstol]

David Williams:
Series 7 episode 54 "Getting Sam Home", Tailor
Series 30 episode 285: "Will Stella Find True Love with Norris Fairburn?", Norris Fairbourn

Tony Melody:
Series 7 epiosde 54: "Getting Sam Home", Sid's (John Comer) dubbed voice
Series 24 episode 223: "The Second Husband and the Showgirls", (Pub Landlord)

Trevor Bannister:
Series 14 episode 116: "Who's Got Rhythm?", Tailor
Series 22 episode: 195 "The Missing Bus of Mrs. Avery" until end, The Golf Captain / Toby Mulbery-Smith

Johnny Leeze:
Series 7 epiosde 54: "Getting Sam Home", Our kid' Colin (?)
Series 9 episode 64 "Why Does Norman Clegg Buy Ladies' Elastic Stockings?", Meter reader at Seymour's
Series 13 episode 105 "Was That Nora Batty Singing?", Library Security guard
Series 23 epiosde 208 "Beware of the Hot Dog", Fifi's Boyfriend

David Williams actually appeared in five episodes. In Getting Sam Home he was Fairburn, as well as being Fairburn in Will Stella...

In his other appearances he played tailors/haberdashers/shopkeepers, and I think it could be seriously considered that in all five shows he was the same character - Norris Fairburn the tailor (from the Co-op).

This makes David Williams as Fairburn a bit of a semi-regular to the show, playing a character off and on for 25 years.

 

[Emma]

Thanks! That's a useful link. I noticed a few more I hadn't realized. For example, Bree Martin. She was Trudy in "Tarzan of the Towpath, Marina's co-worker who gets Howard's note by accident. She then appeared as Astrid in "The Mystical Squeak of Howard's Bicycle" as Glenda's friend who gets drunk when they visit the stately home. And finally, she was the bride in "Goodnight Sweet Ferret" who gets a surprise in a chocolate box.

I find this topic of actors in multiple roles amusing because of Alan Bell's claim in his book that he didn't like casting actors in different roles when talking about the decision to use June Whitfield as Nelly after she had previously appeared as another character. The list of examples where the show broke this "rule" is obviously nearly endless!

Thanks for this mention. I have watched each of these episodes multiple times, and it never dawned on me that this was the same actress!

 

[barmpot]

David Williams actually appeared in five episodes. In Getting Sam Home he was Fairburn, as well as being Fairburn in Will Stella...

In his other appearances he played tailors/haberdashers/shopkeepers, and I think it could be seriously considered that in all five shows he was the same character - Norris Fairburn the tailor (from the Co-op).

This makes David Williams as Fairburn a bit of a semi-regular to the show, playing a character off and on for 25 years.

Wonder if he was a former colleague of Cleggs? Cleggy worked for the Co-op selling linoleum from leaving school until redundancy!