Alfred Marks

Alfred Marks

Born: January 28, 1921
Died: July 1, 1996
in Holborn, London, England, UK
Alfred Edward Marks OBE (28 January 1921 - 1 July 1996) was a comic actor and comedian.

Marks was born as Ruchel Kutchinsky in Holborn, London. He left Bell Lane School at 14 and started in entertainment at the Windmill Theatre. He then served in the RAF as a Flight Sergeant in the Middle East where he arranged concerts for servicemen. He also worked as an auctioneer and engineer.

He started in variety at the Kilburn Empire in 1946, and his stage appearances included The Sunshine Boys and Fiddler On The Roof. He was also involved in comedy work with Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe which later led to the formation (along with writer Spike Milligan) of The Goon Show, though Marks himself was not to become a member of that comedy group.

His films included The Frightened City and Scream and Scream Again. His television show, Alfred Marks Time, ran for 6 years on ITV. He compered Sunday Night at the London Palladium and appeared in numerous other television programmes including Albert and Victoria, The Good Old Days, Blankety Blank, The Marti Caine Show, The Two Ronnies, The Generation Game, Lovejoy, Minder (TV series), Parkinson, The All New Alexei Sayle Show and the Dramarama play The Comeuppance of Captain Katt (a satire on the current state of Doctor Who).

In 1967 Marks toured Australia for JC Williamson Theatres in Bill Naughton's Spring & Port Wine. In 1968 he played the lead in The Young Visiters a musical version of the turn of the 20th century Daisy Ashford novel, written when she was six and published as submitted by her with the spelling error, at the Vaudeville Theatre in London.

Marks also appeared in the role of Wilfred Shadbolt in the Gilbert and Sullivan opera The Yeomen of the Guard in 1982.

While on tour in Australia, Marks was appointed the second King of Moomba (1968) by the Melbourne Moomba festival committee; when asked what his qualifications were, he quipped (in full Cockney):

    "When I was eleven there were rival gangs around a fruit market in the East End. And desperately, I always wanted to be a member of the bigger rival gang. One day when I was in my best Easter suit, someone from one of the other gangs said to me 'would you like to be King of the Golden Apples?' 'All right, just sit there on this box and call out Apples, Apples, give me the Golden Apples.' Which innocently I did and they cobbled me with every rotten apple in the market."

Description above from the Wikipedia article Alfred Marks, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies for Alfred Marks...

Title: Virtual Murder
Released: July 24, 1992
Type: TV
John Cornelius (called JC) is a university don who also works for his city police force as a consultant psychologist. Samantha Valentine is his offbeat personal assistant and lover, while Inspector Cadogan is their police contact and Professor Owen Griffiths is Cornelius's head of department.
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Antonia and Jane
Title: Antonia and Jane
Character: Uncle Vladimir Hartman
Released: January 1, 1990
Type: Movie
Plain Jane Hartman hates her life. She's goofy, boring and only has sex if she reads Iris Murdoch novels out loud to her loopy boyfriend. Her oldest friend Antonia McGill knows about everything. She orders the right food; she can complain and get results. She's beautiful and has a brilliant career. Is it any wonder that they hate each other's guts?
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Title: A Question Of Entertainment
Released: April 24, 1988
Type: TV
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Title: Lost Empires
Character: Otto Mergen
Released: October 24, 1986
Type: TV
Lost Empires is a 1986 television adaptation of J. B. Priestley's novel of the same name, and starred Colin Firth, John Castle and Laurence Olivier. Produced by Granada Television, it was shown as a serial, and premiered on the UK's ITV network in October and November 1986.
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Title: Lovejoy
Character: Solomon Senior
Released: January 10, 1986
Type: TV
The adventures of the eponymous Lovejoy, a likeable but roguish antiques dealer based in East Anglia. Within the trade, he has a reputation as a “divvie”, a person with an almost supernatural powers for recognising exceptional items as well as distinguishing genuine antique from clever fakes or forgeries.
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Title: Oxbridge Blues
Character: Bernie Pinto
Released: November 14, 1984
Type: TV
An anthology series of seven linked plays about the lives of people connected with the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
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Poppy
Title: Poppy
Character: Obadiah Upward
Released: January 1, 1984
Type: Movie
Poppy is a celebration of Victorian values and exposes the hypocrisy, racism, drug dealing, money worship and sexual repression of the time through its favourite entertainment form, pantomime. Dick Whittington, his man Jack, Sally the Principal Girl, the Dame, two pantomime horses, a flying ballet, a transformation scene and even the traditional song-sheet are all brought on to tell the serious and finally devasting story of the single most profitable crop of the British East India Company.
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Title: Dramarama
Released: September 12, 1983
Type: TV
Dramarama is the name of a British children's anthology series broadcast on ITV between 1983 and 1989. It tended to feature drama of a science fiction or supernatural bent. The series was created by Anna Home, then head of children's and youth programming at TVS, however production responsibilities were divided amongst most of the regional ITV franchise holders. Thus, each episode was in practice a one-off production with its own cast and crew, up to and including the executive producer. Dramarama was largely a place for new talent to prove themselves and was a launching pad for the likes of Anthony Horowitz, Paul Abbott, Kay Mellor, Janice Hally, Tony Kearney, David Tennant and Ann Marie Di Mambro. It was one of Dennis Spooner's last credits. One of Dramarama's episodes, "Dodger, Bonzo And The Rest", gained so much popularity that it was turned in to its own series the following year. It starred Lee Ross and was based around a large foster home. The episode "Blackbird Singing In The Dead of Night" was developed by Granada into the TV series Children's Ward. It was also repeated for the first time since its original broadcast on 5 January 2013, during CITV's 30th anniversary Old Skool Weekend. The Series 7 episode "Back To Front" – notable for featuring a mirror image of the Yorkshire Television logo card at the end – was repeated on 6 January 2013, again as part of CITV's 30th anniversary Old Skool Weekend.
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Fanny Hill
Title: Fanny Hill
Character: Lecher
Released: January 1, 1983
Type: Movie
Happily engaged to her handsome fiance, Charles, Fanny is soon hit with one misfortune after another until she is forced to become a prostitute to survive. This is the story, with many erotic asides, of her struggle to regain her pride in herself and find happiness in life once again.
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The Yeomen of the Guard
Title: The Yeomen of the Guard
Character: Wilfred Shadbolt
Released: June 1, 1982
Type: Movie
Colonel Fairfax has been falsely accused of sorcery by a jealous relative who covets his estates and money. The Colonel is condemned to death for his 'crime' and waits in the Tower of London for his execution. Fate, however, steps in - in the form of Sergeant Meryll (who owes his life to Colonel Fairfax) and Elsie Maynard, a beautiful strolling singer who has just arrived at the Tower to entertain the people in the company of a strolling jester, Jack Point.
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Title: Minder
Character: Barney Mather
Released: October 29, 1979
Type: TV
This comedy drama series featured Terry McCann, a former boxer with a conviction for G.B.H., and Arthur Daley, a second-hand car dealer with an eye for a nice little earner. Alongside his many business ventures, Arthur would regularly hire Terry out as a minder or bodyguard, later replaced by nephew, Ray Daley.
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Title: Blankety Blank
Released: January 18, 1979
Type: TV
Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show based on the 1977–1979 Australian game show Blankety Blanks. The British version ran from 18 January 1979 to 12 March 1990 on BBC One, hosted first by Terry Wogan and later by Les Dawson. Regular members of the celebrity panel on this version included Kenny Everett, Lorraine Chase, Gareth Hunt, Gary Davies, and Cheryl Baker. A revival fronted by Lily Savage was produced by the BBC from 26 December 1997 to 28 December 1999, followed by ITV from 7 January 2001 to 10 August 2002. This version was produced by Grundy, then Thames.
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Valentino
Title: Valentino
Character: Richard Rowland
Released: September 7, 1977
Type: Movie
In 1926 the tragic and untimely death of a silent screen actor caused female moviegoers to riot in the streets and in some cases to commit suicide...
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Title: Raffles
Released: February 25, 1977
Type: TV
Raffles was a 1977 television adaptation of the A. J. Raffles stories by Ernest William Hornung. The series was produced by Yorkshire Television and written by Philip Mackie. The episodes were largely faithful adaptations of the stories in the books, though occasionally two stories would be merged to create one episode such as "The Gold Cup" which featured elements from both "A Jubilee Present" and "The Criminologist's Club".
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Title: The Ghosts of Motley Hall
Released: April 28, 1976
Type: TV
The Ghosts of Motley Hall is a British children's television series written by Richard Carpenter which was produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for Granada Television, and broadcast between 1976 and 1978 on the ITV network. The series relates the adventures of 5 ghosts who haunt Motley Hall. Each ghost is from a different era and all with the exception of Matt are unable to leave the confines of the building and Matt himself is unable to travel outside the grounds of the Hall. The only regular character who is not a ghost is Mr Gudgin the caretaker of Motley Hall. Carpenter wrote a companion novel for the series for Puffin Books in 1977. A 3 DVD set containing the complete series was released by Network in 2005.
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Title: The Sweeney
Character: Gerald Bishop
Released: January 2, 1975
Type: TV
Jack Regan, an unethical officer of the Flying Squad, uses unorthodox methods to pursue criminals with the help of his partner, George Carter.
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Weekend Guest
Title: Weekend Guest
Character: Arthur Steele
Released: February 26, 1974
Type: Movie
Sir Lionel Hibury is visiting an old friend in Rome, accompanied by his wife and daughter. Sir Lionel is not pleased when daughter, Sheila, become romantically involved with a wealthy young man staying in the flat above them.
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Mission: Monte Carlo
Title: Mission: Monte Carlo
Character: Pullicino
Released: January 1, 1974
Type: Movie
Two episodes of the TV series "The Persuaders" joined into a movie. Two playboys investigate crimes along the French Riviera.
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Our Miss Fred
Title: Our Miss Fred
Character: General Brincker
Released: December 14, 1972
Type: Movie
Danny La Rue stars in this 1970s drag comedy as Fred Wimbush, a Shakespearean actor who is drafted into WWII and is appearing in a camp show in France when the Nazis advance. Unless he continues in his female costume, Fred is certain to be shot as a spy. The risque gags and double entendres fly as he attempts to make his escape in the company of a troupe of Girl Guides.
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Title: Rainbow
Character: Himself
Released: October 16, 1972
Type: TV
Children's puppet programme featuring music and stories. Join George, Bungle, Zippy, and all their friends at the Rainbow House, always an exciting place to be.
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Hide and Seek
Title: Hide and Seek
Character: Butcher
Released: October 7, 1972
Type: Movie
A young boy runs away from an approved school to meet up with his father in the hope that he can persuade his dad to allow him to travel to Canada with him. He also meets up with two local children and discovers that his father is instead planning a bank heist.
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Title: The Adventurer
Character: Daffon
Released: September 29, 1972
Type: TV
The Adventurer is an ITC Entertainment TV adventure series created by Dennis Spooner that ran for one season from 1972 to 1973. It premiered in the UK on 29 September 1972. The show starred Gene Barry as Gene Bradley, a government agent of independent means who poses as a glamorous American movie star.
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Title: The Persuaders!
Character: Pullicino
Released: September 17, 1971
Type: TV
An English aristocrat and an American millionaire come together to tackle crime.
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Title: Jason King
Released: September 15, 1971
Type: TV
Jason King - a suavely sophisticated former secret agent turned novelist - travels the world searching for material to fill his books, encountering an endless parade of glamorous women, exotic locales, menacing villains and daring intrigue! Before Austin Powers swung into action, Jason King set the standard for the hip crime-fighting international playboy!
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Scramble
Title: Scramble
Released: December 1, 1970
Type: Movie
Jimmy Riley makes friends with Colin and Brian Buxton, both keen members of a schoolboys' scramble club. Lennie and Cliff, old friends of Jimmy's, steal wealthy Mr Hepplewhite's car. Jimmy finds the crooks with the car but will not join in with them.
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Title: Albert and Victoria
Released: June 13, 1970
Type: TV
Albert and Victoria is a British sitcom that aired on ITV from 1970 to 1971. Starring Alfred Marks, it was written by Reuben Ship. It was made for the ITV network by Yorkshire Television. In Albert and Victoria, Marks plays Albert Hackett, a middle-class man in late 19th century England. He and his wife, Victoria, have nine children, and he is used to getting his own way.
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Scream and Scream Again
Title: Scream and Scream Again
Character: Detective Supt. Bellaver
Released: February 2, 1970
Type: Movie
A serial killer, who drains his victims for blood is on the loose in London, the Police follow him to a house owned by an eccentric scientist.
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Title: Cilla
Character: Self
Released: January 30, 1968
Type: TV
A mostly live weekly entertainment show starring Cilla Black and her special guests.
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Title: Blandings Castle
Released: February 24, 1967
Type: TV
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Title: Fire Crackers
Released: August 29, 1964
Type: TV
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She'll Have to Go
Title: She'll Have to Go
Character: Douglas Oberon
Released: March 31, 1962
Type: Movie
When Francis and Douglas Oberon learn that their late grandmother has bequeathed the family fortune to distant cousin Toni, they immediately start plotting to get their hands on the money. They dream up a plot whereby they cannot fail to acquire a comfortable future; the lovely Toni must either be murdered, or married...
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The Frightened City
Title: The Frightened City
Character: Harry Foulcher
Released: September 1, 1961
Type: Movie
A small time thief is recruited by a mobster to help with the racketeering. He doesn't like the job, but with the mob on his back, a femme fatale in his bed and a sick friend to care for, he will have to keep all his wits about him.
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A Weekend with Lulu
Title: A Weekend with Lulu
Character: Comte de Grenoble
Released: April 10, 1961
Type: Movie
Fred, Tim and Deirdre plan a fun weekend break on the coast. What they didn't make allowances for was the company of Deirdre's mother who insists on coming along as her daughter's chaperone.
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There Was a Crooked Man
Title: There Was a Crooked Man
Character: Adolf Carter
Released: August 31, 1960
Type: Movie
When a law-abiding demolition expert is duped by a gang of criminals into helping them he is caught and jailed. When he is released he goes straight and then notices a leading citizen in his town is cheating his neighbours.
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Desert Mice
Title: Desert Mice
Character: Major Poskett
Released: January 5, 1959
Type: Movie
A World War II farce that follows the antics of an ENSA (Entertainment National Service Association) group. Fresh from the music halls, they bumble their way from army camp to camp.
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Johnny, You're Wanted
Title: Johnny, You're Wanted
Character: Marks
Released: January 20, 1956
Type: Movie
Returning late to London, Johnny gives a lift to an attractive female hitch-hiker. Some distance on, he stops to make a phone call and buy a coffee, but on returning to his cab finds the woman gone. Assuming she has hitched another ride, he continues on his way. A short time later he is flagged down by another driver, who has come across a woman lying by the roadside. The woman is Johnny's hitchhiker and she's dead.
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Penny Points to Paradise
Title: Penny Points to Paradise
Character: Edward Haynes
Released: April 25, 1951
Type: Movie
When Harry and Spike visit Bristol to spend the winnings from Harry's latest Pools win, the boys are soon targeted by a gang of local counterfeiters.