Mel Smith's non-comedy roles

[Mark Steels Stockbroker]

I recently watched Muck And Brass (1982) and that got me on to wikipedia where I was surprised to learn that he was still doing theatre well in to this century. I know he started out as a director as he mentioned it in an interview once - apparently it went sour and he was ready to go back to working in his dad's betting shop, before he got the break to do NTNOCN. I usually go to see new play at the Bush Theatre in Shepherds Bush and his name is on some of old posters from the 70s they have on display.

Was Milner any good? I just remember a really tepid review in Private Eye, and the general sense they were giving him his own series as a thankyou for another batch of Smith & Jones.

It's just struck me that Mel Smith was actually the person that Ricky Gervais sees himself as. You know what I mean.

(Spam removed)

[Fonz]

I remember seeing him in a relatively straight role in 'Minder'.

Brilliant

[Rizla]

He was quite good as the garage boss in Babylon doing a racisms at Brinsley Forde. https://youtu.be/dIw12GCEkhA?t=470

[timebug]

He played a very convincing menacing thug in an episode of the lightweight 'Hustle' too. The gang of con artists were screwing him for a bundle,by making his talentless son a 'rap recording star'.  When he went apeshit towards the end and thumped a few of the con artists, it was genuinely scary. Unlike the laughably 'hard' Danny Dyer. You knew you were watching a fictional telly show, but Mel was incredible to watch in it!

[dissolute ocelot]

He played Winston Churchill? I mean, I can sort of see it, but it wasn't one of those comedy films about Irish nationalism was it?

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Cameo in The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was decent. Faffing around with a banana as I recall.

[Jake Thingray]

He played Winston Churchill? I mean, I can sort of see it, but it wasn't one of those comedy films about Irish nationalism was it?

I thought that was a stage play, not a film.

[Ignatius_S]

....Was Milner any good? I just remember a really tepid review in Private Eye, and the general sense they were giving him his own series as a thankyou for another batch of Smith & Jones....

Funnily enough, I was looking at Smith's credits a while ago. The main reason was re-watching the mentioned Minder episode and thinking how outstanding Smith was as the villain.

From what I remember of Milner, Smith was very good and was disappointed not to see more come out of it. I only remember it as an one-off and from what I can find online, that was the case.

I need to re-watch Small Doses that he did with Jones. Always liked it, but feel that Smith's acting chops shone through more consistently. Also, in the sitcom pilot that they co-starred in, the format suited Smith more, I feel (that said, I found Jones very funny).

I thought that was a stage play, not a film.

It was – from what I've read previously, the film is actually a reading of the play and features the original actor who played Michael Collins.

I suspect that a fair few might remember that when the play was at the Edinburgh Festival, there was a lot of press coverage over Smith being banned from smoking cigars during performances. IIRC, Smith did suggest that he might pull out of the show, unless he was allowed to – that might have be designed to have drummed up more publicity, but in any case, the statement from the official concerned didn't reflect too well on them

Going back to Smith as an actor, at the time, I remember he got excellent reviews; when I was looking into his straight acting recently, I read a few online and he was consistently praised. The actor taking over as Collins, some guy called Michael Fassbender had a little more mixed notices.