Strangest bit part by a UK comedian

[Brundle-Fly]

Not a bit part, although the character was a bit too close for comfort to Psychoville's 'Mr.Jelly', but that aside, I actually rather enjoyed Ross Noble's convincing turn as a killer undead clown in Stitches (2012). I was surprised he never followed it up with any other acting endeavours.

[Glebe]

Noble played Igor in the UK production of the Young Frankenstein musical.

John Challis also played a commando in a New Avengers episode, Dirtier by the Dozen.  It's actually a really good episode with a few comic actors in it.

John Cleese appears in the episode 'Look — (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) — But There Were These Two Fellers...' the plot of which revolves around murderous clowns. And checking it out on Wiki, Bernard Cribbins, Jimmy Jewel and Talfryn Thomas also feature. I've not watched the full episode but I think I recall Jimmy Jewel in it now.

Not a comedy actor but I remember seeing John Sharp as a barman in the episode 'Murderville' and going 'It's the waiter guy from Top Secret!' - he plays the Maitre D' at the posh do where Val Kilmer jumps on stage.

But referring back to John 'Boycie' Challis, I watched all (I think) of '70s series Thriller on YT a few years ago, Sue 'Marlene' Holderness appears in the episode 'If It's a Man, Hang Up' (also see on Wiki that she appeared in The New Avengers). Another episode, 'File It Under Fear', features John Le Mesurier, Maureen Lipman and Jan Francis.

Not strange really but it's nice to see Tim Brooke-Taylor pop up in the original Wonka movie:

[Des Wigwam]

Filmed in the UK they clearly sent out a call for actors who could do a reasonable Yank accent.

Yea - see what I got - I got a schmeezer ... a schmaizer ...

[cheesebot]

Benny Hill in The Italian Job.

Although on doing my due diligence, I see I was beaten to it by nearly nine years...

Benny Hill in The Italian Job

YES, IGNATIUS_S, I REALISE THE FILM IS A BIT TONGUE-IN-CHEEK AND BENNY PLAYS IT FOR LAUGHS BUT IT'S STILL A SURPRISE TO SEE HIM IN A PROPER MOVIE.

[Glebe]

Benny Hill in The Italian Job.

And less-strangely Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Oliver! was on the other day, with Harry Secombe as Mr. Bumble among others. Not strange really mind. WHY MENTION IT THEN GLEBE?!?

[McChesney Duntz]

Not a bit part - it actually is quite a substantial role - but I'm sure more than a few viewers gazing impassively at a network TV-movie based on a mid-level police procedural series were probably surprised at the actor who makes his first appearance at around 7:10 here...

[McChesney Duntz]

[Ignatius_S]

Benny Hill in The Italian Job.

Although on doing my due diligence, I see I was beaten to it by nearly nine years...

The professor role was rewritten and IIRC, Hill had a hand in that. Originally, the character was elderly, very innocent and obsessed by toy trains - the crooks get him involved in their plans by promising valuable old toys - and I think Ralph Richardson was in line for the character.

[Ignatius_S]

And less-strangely Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Oliver! was on the other day, with Harry Secombe as Mr. Bumble among others. Not strange really mind. WHY MENTION IT THEN GLEBE?!?

I have a feeling that Hill rewrote his character's lines for that film (in a more wholesome way).

Secombe had form for musicals before Oliver - he stared in the hugely successful Pickwick, both here and in America. Fun fact, a pre-Monkees Davy Jones went to the States when Oliver transferred there (he was playing The Artful Dodger) and would subsequently take over the role of Sam Welles in Pickwick.

Secombe had also starred in a musical version of The Four Musketeers, which also had Kenneth Connor, Jeremy Lloyd and John Junkin in the cast. 

[Alternative Carpark]

Although James was a tremendously in-demand film actor, due to his professionalism and ability to nail scenes quickly. A little while ago, I posted this in another thread when someone commented on James:

Oh sure, I know he did lots of films, it was more just the slight incongruity of him and Chaplin being together in something.

Not strange really but it's nice to see Tim Brooke-Taylor pop up in the original Wonka movie:

Last scene recorded for the whole film apparently, several weeks after the rest of it. Tim Brooke-Taylor reportedly told that to Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt from the same film) when they met by chance years later. He flew out to Bavaria as requested, where it was being made, and the only other actors on the film he met at the time were the extras in his scene, all the others had already finished work on it and gone home.

[Underturd]

I like it when actors known for non-comedy roles turn up in comedy films, like Leslie Nielsen in Airplane. It's harder for someone who isn't a comedian to he funny, than it is for a comedian to be serious.

[letsgobrian]

Is there a timestamp I need to go to? Or is it full to the brim with UK comedians? Either way, thanks as I enjoy Crazy Like a Fox and never saw the TV movie.

Oh wait I saw the timestamp was in a separate post

[Brundle-Fly]

Stephen ('Blakey' from On The Buses) Lewis as an officious 1940s policeman in The Krays (1990).

[TheAssassin]

It's a bit like when Omid Djalili kept popping up in Hollywood films between the late 90s and early 2000s.

Something he brought up himself when he first appeared on Have I got News For You.  A Bond film was shown on ITV a few nights earlier, which he appeared in, and he told the audience that's where you might know him from.

[EggsLikeABird]

The cast of Hi-De-Hi turning up front row in full costume at a WWF show in 1989

[magister]

I've never seen it but Tony Robinson in Brannigan with John Wayne hasn't been mentioned yet:

As well throwing Tony Robinson into the Thames, Wayne also beats up Brian Glover, while, according to IMDB, Nigel Planer is an extra in a pub scene.

[Underturd]

Wasn't Tony Robinson in Quatermass?

Actually I just looked it up, and I think I must have dreamt it.

[magister]

Wasn't Tony Robinson in Quatermass?

Actually I just looked it up, and I think I must have dreamt it.

Sid James was in the film of Quatermass 2, playing the role Roger Delgado took on TV.

[George White]

The thing is, I can definitely imagine Robinson in Quatermass as one of the Badders.

[Underturd]

In my memory he's a young soldier, who gets possessed maybe, and ends up dead. It would be the 1967 version, for the times and story to fit, but there's no mention of him. Bloody Mandela effect.

[Alberon]

Sid James was in the film of Quatermass 2, playing the role Roger Delgado took on TV.

Now you've got me imagining Sid James as the Master.

[George White]

In my memory he's a young soldier, who gets possessed maybe, and ends up dead. It would be the 1967 version, for the times and story to fit, but there's no mention of him. Bloody Mandela effect.

In Quatermass '79, there is a similar bit but that's Chris 'Brian Tilsley' Quinten.

[Angst in my Pants]

Three of the cast of 'Allo 'Allo sneaked onto the set of EastEnders.
Richard Gibson (Herr Flick), Kim Hartman (Helga) and John D Collins (Fairfax) were seen in the Queen Vic in a 1988 episode.
I think it was mentioned in a recent documentary on GOLD, I believe the bosses at EastEnders were not pleased when they learned what had happened.

Video in tweet: Link

[BeardFaceMan]

Anyone mentioned Rik Mayall on Cannon & Ball yet? At the height of his fame too of being an alternative comic so it was very odd to see him pop up on this. Enjoyable though, cos it's Rik -

Spoiler alert

It's a good job you stopped me, I could have killed your wife then!

[close]

[beanheadmcginty]

Joanna Lumley suddenly turning up in The Wolf of Wall Street proper surprised me more than it probably should.

[magister]

Now you've got me imagining Sid James as the Master.

Me too. Sid James as the Master, Charles Hawtrey as the 3rd Dr, Kenneth Williams as the Brigadier.

[Underturd]

Sid James and Charles Hawtrey are the other way round, for me.

[Glebe]

I have a feeling that Hill rewrote his character's lines for that film (in a more wholesome way).

Interesting, Hill rewriting his role to be more 'wholesome'! It is a family film, mind.

Last scene recorded for the whole film apparently, several weeks after the rest of it. Tim Brooke-Taylor reportedly told that to Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt from the same film) when they met by chance years later. He flew out to Bavaria as requested, where it was being made, and the only other actors on the film he met at the time were the extras in his scene, all the others had already finished work on it and gone home.

Thanks for the info AC... among other things Julie Dawn Cole later appeared in the Terry and June episode 'Unfaithfully Yours'.

The cast of Hi-De-Hi turning up front row in full costume at a WWF show in 1989

What's the background to this? Need to know!

As well throwing Tony Robinson into the Thames, Wayne also beats up Brian Glover, while, according to IMDB, Nigel Planer is an extra in a pub scene.

Interesting!

Sid James was in the film of Quatermass 2, playing the role Roger Delgado took on TV.

Oh yeah, James was of course very much a 'straight' actor (and a pretty good one too, from what I've seen) before Carry On and all that.

I thought somebody had suggested before that Martin Clunes appears as one of the Planet People in the '79 Quatermass series but no mention on Wiki so maybe not. Not comedy folks but that has an interesting supporting cast including the likes of Brenda Fricker, Toyah  and - I can't remember him in it, but according to Wiki - Brian Croucher (the second Blake's 7 Travis).

Three of the cast of 'Allo 'Allo sneaked onto the set of EastEnders.
Richard Gibson (Herr Flick), Kim Hartman (Helga) and John D Collins (Fairfax) were seen in the Queen Vic in a 1988 episode.
I think it was mentioned in a recent documentary on GOLD, I believe the bosses at EastEnders were not pleased when they learned what had happened.

Video in tweet: Link

Haha! German spies in The Queen Vic!

[George White]

I thought somebody had suggested before that Martin Clunes appears as one of the Planet People in the '79 Quatermass series but no mention on Wiki so maybe not. Not comedy folks but that has an interesting supporting cast including the likes of Brenda Fricker, Toyah  and (according to Wiki, I can't remember him in it) Brian Croucher (the second Blake's 7 Travis).

Toyah is one of the planet People, the one with a  baby. She gets murdered by Kickalong.

Croucher is one of the South African mercenary pay-cops.

[Glebe]

Toyah is one of the planet People, the one with a  baby. She gets murdered by Kickalong.

Croucher is one of the South African mercenary pay-cops.

I knew Toyah was one of the PP, as I say I couldn't remember Croucher being in it, ta.