Bill Owen

Bill Owen

Born: March 14, 1914
Died: July 12, 1999
in Acton, London, England, UK
British born actor known for playing working class characters on film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, the son of a tram driver and laundress, he started playing drums in London nightclubs and toured music halls with his own cabaret act to pay for acting classes. He entertained at Butlin's holiday camps and performed in repertory, joining the Unity Theatre where he attained respect as a stage producer.

His career was interrupted by military service with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps where he was injured in an explosion during a battle training course. Returning to acting, he started making a name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), and The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). He continued to perform in the theatre limelight and peaked in roles with Katharine Hepburn in "As You Like It" in 1950, and with "The Threepenny Opera" and "The Mikado", which made use of his musical talents. A writer at heart, he penned songs, musicals and plays over the years. Partnered with Mike Sammes, he wrote songs recorded by Pat Boone, Harry Secombe, Engelbert Humperdinck and Sir Cliff Richard, who had a hit with his 1980 song "Marianne". In the 60s he produced the stage musical, "The Matchgirl", and focused heavily on film slapstick with the 'Carry On' series.

TV stardom came late, in the role of Compo in the BBC's 1973 series "Last of the Summer Wine". When he died of pancreatic cancer in 1999, he asked to be buried in the Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, where the TV series was filmed.

Owen was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his steadfast work for the National Association of Boys Clubs and for his role as chairman of the Performing Arts Advising Panel.

Movies for Bill Owen...

Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
Title: Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
Character: Self (archive)
Released: March 5, 2022
Type: Movie
This new special reveals the secrets of the long-running sitcom's extraordinary success. Helped by former cast and crew members, families of the stars no longer with us, and celebrity fans, we learn the secrets of this comedy classic and get to see previously unseen interviews and rare behind-the-scenes archive footage.
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The Entertainer
Title: The Entertainer
Character: Billy Rice
Released: December 4, 1993
Type: Movie
Adaptation of John Osborne's play.
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Title: Performance
Character: Billy Rice
Released: February 22, 1991
Type: TV
An anthology series of various plays and dramatic performances.
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Laughterhouse
Title: Laughterhouse
Character: Amos
Released: September 1, 1984
Type: Movie
A farmer becomes an unintentional celebrity when, because of a strike, he has to walk his 5000 geese 100 miles to market.
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Getting Sam Home
Title: Getting Sam Home
Character: Compo
Released: December 27, 1983
Type: Movie
Three old chums agree to take the ailing Sam on one last trip to see his flousy girl-friend, Lily Bless Her, in the middle of the night.
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Title: Brideshead Revisited
Character: Lunt
Released: October 12, 1981
Type: TV
Charles Ryder, an agnostic man, becomes involved with members of the Flytes, a Catholic family of aristocrats, over the course of several years between the two world wars.
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Title: Tales of the Unexpected
Character: Meakins
Released: March 24, 1979
Type: TV
A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.
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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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The Comeback
Title: The Comeback
Character: Mr. B
Released: June 16, 1978
Type: Movie
A singer holes up at a sinister estate to write new songs for his act. His ex-wife is brutally murdered, and the killer may be stalking him next.
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Title: Angels
Released: September 1, 1975
Type: TV
Angels is a BBC medical soap-opera which launched on 1st September 1975 and was the blue print for such medical soaps as Casualty, Holby City, plus daytime soap, Doctors. The medical soap focuses on different departments within Heath Green Hospital and was a highly successful continuing drama.
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In Celebration
Title: In Celebration
Character: Mr. Shaw
Released: March 17, 1975
Type: Movie
In a Yorkshire mining town, three educated brothers return to their blue-collar home to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of their parents, but dark secrets come to the fore.
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O Lucky Man!
Title: O Lucky Man!
Character: Supt. Barlow / Insp. Carding
Released: March 25, 1973
Type: Movie
This sprawling, surrealist comedy serves as an allegory for the pitfalls of capitalism, as it follows the adventures of a young coffee salesman in modern Britain.
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Title: Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Character: George Chambers
Released: January 9, 1973
Type: TV
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? is a British sitcom which was broadcast between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974 on BBC1. It was the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit The Likely Lads. It was created and written, as was its predecessor, by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. There were 26 television episodes over two series; and a subsequent 45-minute Christmas special was aired on 24 December 1974. The cast were reunited in 1975 for a BBC radio adaptation of series 1, transmitted on Radio 4 from July to October that year. In 1976, a feature film spin-off was made. Around the time of its release, however, Rodney Bewes and James Bolam fell out over a misunderstanding involving the press and have not spoken since. This long-suspected situation was finally confirmed by Bewes while promoting his autobiography in 2005. Unlike Bewes, Bolam is consistently reluctant to talk about the show, and has vetoed any attempt to revive his character.
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Title: Last of the Summer Wine
Character: Compo (archive footage)
Released: January 4, 1973
Type: TV
Unencumbered by wives, jobs or any other responsibilities, three senior citizens who've never really grown up explore their world in the Yorkshire Dales. They spend their days speculating about their fellow townsfolk and thinking up adventures not usually favored by the elderly. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse in 1973. The show ran for 295 episodes until 2010. It is the longest running comedy Britain has produced and the longest running sitcom in the world.
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Title: Last of the Summer Wine
Character: Compo
Released: January 4, 1973
Type: TV
Unencumbered by wives, jobs or any other responsibilities, three senior citizens who've never really grown up explore their world in the Yorkshire Dales. They spend their days speculating about their fellow townsfolk and thinking up adventures not usually favored by the elderly. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse in 1973. The show ran for 295 episodes until 2010. It is the longest running comedy Britain has produced and the longest running sitcom in the world.
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Title: Last of the Summer Wine
Character: Himself (archive footage)
Released: January 4, 1973
Type: TV
Unencumbered by wives, jobs or any other responsibilities, three senior citizens who've never really grown up explore their world in the Yorkshire Dales. They spend their days speculating about their fellow townsfolk and thinking up adventures not usually favored by the elderly. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse in 1973. The show ran for 295 episodes until 2010. It is the longest running comedy Britain has produced and the longest running sitcom in the world.
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Title: Shirley's World
Released: April 7, 1972
Type: TV
Shirley's World is a television series aired first by American Broadcasting Company during the U.S. 1971-72 television season. The sitcom was co-produced by the British ITC Entertainment and American producer Sheldon Leonard; it starred Shirley MacLaine as a photojournalist and John Gregson as her editor. Immediately after the ABC broadcasts ended, the seventeen-episode series was aired in its entirety on ITV in the United Kingdom.
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Title: Coppers End
Released: February 19, 1971
Type: TV
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Unfair!
Title: Unfair!
Character: Worker
Released: November 15, 1970
Type: Movie
This incredibly strange short film was commissioned by the union ACTT (Association of Cinematograph, Television and allied Technicians, of which the filmmaker and novelist B.S. Johnson was a member) as part of its action against the Industrial Relations Bill passed by parliament in 1971.
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Title: Catweazle
Character: Pickle
Released: February 15, 1970
Type: TV
A medieval wizard (though not a very good one) Catweazle is transported to the modern age... A British television series, created and written by Richard Carpenter which was produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for London Weekend Television under the LWI banner, and screened in the UK on ITV in 1970. A second season in 1971 was directed by David Reid and David Lane. Both series had thirteen episodes each, with Geoffrey Bayldon playing the leading role. The series was broadcast in Ireland, Britain, Gibraltar, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Czechoslovakia, Nicaragua and Quebec. The first episode is available to view in full at the BFI Screenonline site.
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Mischief
Title: Mischief
Released: December 1, 1969
Type: Movie
Mischief' is the latest addition to a pony trekking stable. Davy looks after him during the school holidays and discovers that 'Mischief' was once a circus pony and reacts to the sound of music. This leads to incidents full of excitement and suspense.
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Headline Hunters
Title: Headline Hunters
Released: September 1, 1968
Type: Movie
Children decide to keep the local newspaper running while their father is ill.
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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: Man in a Suitcase
Released: September 27, 1967
Type: TV
Accused of treason, a former U.S. intelligence officer based in London tries to clear his name, taking on freelance jobs around Europe as he searches for answers.
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The Fighting Prince of Donegal
Title: The Fighting Prince of Donegal
Character: Officer Powell
Released: October 1, 1966
Type: Movie
Ireland 1587. Hugh O'Donnell inherits the title of The O'Donnell, the prince of Donegal, and tries to unite Ireland to make war on England. But then Hugh is kidnapped and imprisoned by the Viceroy of Ireland and held ransom for the Clans' good behavior. Hugh must escape prison and the Viceroy's villainous henchman, Captain Leeds, before he can fight.
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Georgy Girl
Title: Georgy Girl
Character: Ted
Released: August 4, 1966
Type: Movie
A homely but vivacious young woman dodges the amorous attentions of her father's middle-aged employer while attempting to please her glamorously stuck-up roommate Meredith.
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Title: Thirty-Minute Theatre
Released: October 7, 1965
Type: TV
Thirty-Minute Theatre is an anthology drama series of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, which was used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short running length, and which therefore attracted many writers who later became well known. Thirty-Minute Theatre followed on from a similarly named ITV series, beginning on BBC2 in 1965 with an adaptation of the black comedy Parsons Pleasure. In 1967 BBC2 launched the UK's first colour service, with the consequence that Thirty-Minute Theatre became the first drama series in the country to be shown in colour.
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The Secret of Blood Island
Title: The Secret of Blood Island
Character: George Bludgin
Released: December 1, 1964
Type: Movie
Based on the true story of a British secret agent, shot down over Malaya near to a Allied POW forced labour camp. There she is hidden, disguised as a youthful prisoner, until her escape can be effected. The costs of keeping her identity secret fall on all the POW's as the Japanese embark on a policy of ruthless terror to extract her and the focus shifts to the conflicts of the group' s collective concerns against the necessities of personal survival.
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Kiss Me Kate
Title: Kiss Me Kate
Character: Gangster
Released: April 20, 1964
Type: Movie
Abridged version of the classic Cole Porter musical.
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Carry On Cabby
Title: Carry On Cabby
Character: Smiley Sims
Released: June 1, 1963
Type: Movie
Speedee Taxis is a great success, which means its workaholic owner Charlie starts neglecting Peggy, his wife. Suddenly a fleet of rival taxis appears from nowhere and start pinching all the fares. The rivals are Glamcabs, and they have a secret weapon. All their drivers are very attractive women! Who's behind Glamcabs? It's open warfare and only one fleet can survive!
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On the Fiddle
Title: On the Fiddle
Character: Cpl. Gittens
Released: October 10, 1961
Type: Movie
Tricked into joining the RAF by a wily judge, wide boy Horace Pope sets his sights on the main chance, teams with slow-witted, good-hearted gypsy Pedlar Pascoe, and works up a lucrative racket in conning both his colleagues and the RAF. By means of various devious schemes Pope and Pascoe manage to avoid the front lines until they are sent to France - where they find themselves making unexpected and uncomfortably close contact with the enemy.
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Carry On Regardless
Title: Carry On Regardless
Character: Mike Weston
Released: April 4, 1961
Type: Movie
After a bunch of no-hopers approaches an employment agency, the anarchy mounts as they do a series of odd jobs, including a chimp's tea party, trying to stay sober at a wine tasting… and demolishing a house.
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The Hellfire Club
Title: The Hellfire Club
Character: Martin
Released: February 3, 1961
Type: Movie
Years after fleeing his ancestral home with his mother, Jason returns home to claim his birthright, only to find his way blocked by his evil cousin Thomas. In order to reclaim his title, Jason must do battle with his cousin, who calls upon the members of the deadly Hellfire Club to stop him.
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The Shakedown
Title: The Shakedown
Character: David Spettigue
Released: January 1, 1960
Type: Movie
Augie comes out of prison and finds his old vice racket has been taken over by the sinister Gollar, so he dreams up a new scam.
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Carry On Nurse
Title: Carry On Nurse
Character: Percy 'Perc' Hickson
Released: January 30, 1959
Type: Movie
Set in Haven Hospital where a certain men's ward is causing more havoc than the whole hospital put together. The formidable Matron's debut gives the patients a chill every time she walks past, with only Reckitt standing up to her. There's a colonel who is a constant nuisance, a bumbling nurse, a romance between Ted York and Nurse Denton, and Bell who wants his bunion removed straight away, so after drinking alcohol, the men decide to remove the bunion themselves!
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Carry On Sergeant
Title: Carry On Sergeant
Character: Corporal Bill Copping
Released: August 15, 1958
Type: Movie
Fall in for the first ever film in the highly successful Carry On comedy series—now an acclaimed British institution. Kenneth Connor and Charles Hawtrey are the prankish misfits who become the hilarious bane of Army Officers existence when he makes a bet he will turn them into ‘Star Squad’ Award soldiers—or bust!
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Carve Her Name with Pride
Title: Carve Her Name with Pride
Character: NCO Instructor
Released: February 18, 1958
Type: Movie
London, England, during World War II. After living a tragic life experience, young Violette Szabo joins the Special Operations Executive and crosses the German enemy lines as a secret agent to aid a French Resistance group.
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Davy
Title: Davy
Character: Eric
Released: January 2, 1958
Type: Movie
The Mad Morgans are a family song and dance act touring the British Music Halls. Young Davy is the star of the act but should he stay with his family or strike out on his own ? The last comedy to be produced at Ealing Studios.
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Title: The Buccaneers
Character: Clip West
Released: September 19, 1956
Type: TV
The adventures of privateer Captain Dan Tempest and his crew of former pirates as they make their way across the seven seas in The Sultana.
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Not So Dusty
Title: Not So Dusty
Released: February 16, 1956
Type: Movie
Two London rubbish collectors come into possession of a valuable book, and thwart the attempts of some criminals to con them out of it. Meanwhile one of the dustmen pursues a romance with a housemaid he has met on his round. Remake of a 1936 film of the same title which had also been directed by Maclean Rogers. Wally Patch who had written and starred in the earlier film, appears in a small role in the remake.
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The Ship That Died of Shame
Title: The Ship That Died of Shame
Character: Birdie
Released: April 19, 1955
Type: Movie
After World War II the crew of a motor gunboat join together to buy their old vessel and go into business for themselves. This may sound like a laudable scheme, but the business they choose to go into is smuggling.
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The Rainbow Jacket
Title: The Rainbow Jacket
Character: Sam
Released: May 27, 1954
Type: Movie
A champion jockey is banned from racing so spends his time helping a young lad to become the next champion.
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A Day to Remember
Title: A Day to Remember
Character: Shorty Sharpe
Released: November 10, 1953
Type: Movie
Based on The Hand and the Flower, a novel by Jerrard Tickell, A Day to Remember stars Stanley Holloway as Charley Porter, captain of London darts team. When the team travels to the French town of Boulogne for the annual darts tournament, a good time is had by all--and more besides. Jim Carver one of the team's members, is reunited with a little French girl he'd befriended during the war, who has now developed into a beautiful young woman. And Fred Collins makes a poignant journey to the hotel where he'd honeymooned with his late wife. The film works best as a low-key comedy-drama; it is least successful when it ventures into O. Henry territory and strains for "surprise" story twists. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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The Square Ring
Title: The Square Ring
Character: Happy Burns
Released: July 13, 1953
Type: Movie
Boxing drama following the lives of 5 different fighters and their reasons for becoming boxers.
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There Was a Young Lady
Title: There Was a Young Lady
Character: Joe
Released: January 1, 1953
Type: Movie
A super-efficient secretary circumvents the schemes of smash-and grab gangsters.
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The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
Title: The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
Character: Stutely
Released: May 26, 1952
Type: Movie
Young Robin Hood, in love with Maid Marian, enters an archery contest with his father at the King's palace. On the way home his father is murdered by henchmen of Prince John. Robin takes up the life of an outlaw, gathering together his band of merry men with him in Sherwood Forest, to avenge his father's death and to help the people of the land that Prince John are over taxing.
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Title: Sherlock Holmes
Character: Inspector Lestrade
Released: October 20, 1951
Type: TV
Sherlock Holmes was a 1951 television series produced by the BBC featuring Alan Wheatley as Sherlock Holmes and Raymond Francis as Dr. Watson. This was the first series of Sherlock Holmes stories adapted for television.
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Hotel Sahara
Title: Hotel Sahara
Character: Private Binns
Released: July 9, 1951
Type: Movie
World War II farce about the hotel of the title
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The Girl Who Couldn't Quite
Title: The Girl Who Couldn't Quite
Character: Tim
Released: January 31, 1950
Type: Movie
A tramp is invited to stay with the family of a teenage girl who has been unable to smile since childhood in a bid to cure her.
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Trottie True
Title: Trottie True
Character: Joe Jugg
Released: September 29, 1949
Type: Movie
Tottie True is a gay-90s British music-hall performer who has her sights set on moving from rags to riches, who loses her heart to the pure-and-true blue balloonist, Sid Skinner, but continues her upward search on improving her social status. She finally settles for Lord Landon Digby who has lots of assets and a very-stiff upper lip. She gets a lot of the latter and very little of the former, and decides Sid might have been a better choice.
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Diamond City
Title: Diamond City
Character: Pinto
Released: September 20, 1949
Type: Movie
Set in the diamond fields of South Africa, Stafford Parker is a lawman trying to maintain a semblance of law and order in the "Wild South".
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Once a Jolly Swagman
Title: Once a Jolly Swagman
Character: Lag Gibbon
Released: February 2, 1949
Type: Movie
A factory worke quits his job to become a motorcycle racer.
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Trouble in the Air
Title: Trouble in the Air
Released: November 1, 1948
Type: Movie
A radio commentator is sent to a village to broadcast a bell-ringing team. Meanwhile a property speculator tries to buy a plot of land for less than it is worth.
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The Weaker Sex
Title: The Weaker Sex
Character: Soldier with Chicken
Released: October 11, 1948
Type: Movie
A British housewife does her own battles against the enemy during World War II.
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My Brother's Keeper
Title: My Brother's Keeper
Character: Syd Evans
Released: August 19, 1948
Type: Movie
War hero turned villain George Martin escapes from the police, but he is handcuffed to a naive young crook Willie Stannard. After using a clever plan to obtain railway tickets, and with the police and the press in hot pursuit, George has to find a way of breaking loose from Willie, and to make his escape.
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Daybreak
Title: Daybreak
Character: Ron
Released: May 18, 1948
Type: Movie
A mysterious barber hides a secret identity that eventually leads to tragedy.
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Easy Money
Title: Easy Money
Character: Mr. Lee
Released: January 20, 1948
Type: Movie
A win on the football pools in postwar Britain changes lives. A happy family is turned into an unhappy argumentative lot until it is discovered the coupon apparently didn't get posted. A mild-mannered clerk worries about how to tell his overbearing boss he is quitting. A double-bass player finds life without the orchestra lacks something. The lure of the big money even turns some people into criminals, as when a coupon checker is tempted by his night-club singer girlfriend to cheat the company. Written by Jeremy Perkins
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When The Bough Breaks
Title: When The Bough Breaks
Character: Bill Collins
Released: November 19, 1947
Type: Movie
The bewildered wife of a bigamist allows her child to be adopted and then regrets it.
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Dancing with Crime
Title: Dancing with Crime
Character: Dave Robinson
Released: June 25, 1947
Type: Movie
When his best friend is murdered inside a London dancehall, a cab driver and his girlfriend involve themselves in the investigation and discover a major criminal operation hiding behind the club's friendly facade.
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School for Secrets
Title: School for Secrets
Character: Paratroop Sergeant
Released: December 23, 1946
Type: Movie
Wartime tale of a group of British scientists efforts to develop the first radar system. They did it just in time for it to be used in the Battle of Britain against the might of the Nazi Luftwaffe. Without it the little island could well have been overrun.
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The Way to the Stars
Title: The Way to the Stars
Character: Sgt. 'Nobby' Clarke
Released: June 16, 1945
Type: Movie
Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain, to the arrival of the Americans, who join in the bomber offensive. The film centres around Pilot Officer Peter Penrose, fresh out of a training unit, who joins the squadron, and quickly discovers about life during war time. He falls for Iris, a young girl who lives at the local hotel, but he becomes disillusioned about marriage, when the squadron commander dies in a raid, and leaves his wife, the hotel manageress, with a young son to bring up. As the war progresses, Penross comes to terms that he has survived, while others have been killed.
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A City Reborn
Title: A City Reborn
Released: January 1, 1945
Type: Movie
Coventry prepares to rise from the ashes of WWII in this docu-drama written by Dylan Thomas.
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Breathing Space
Title: Breathing Space
Character: (uncredited)
Released: September 30, 1943
Type: Movie
Documentary which shows some of the spare-time activities of service personnel and civilians during the war.
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Tank Patrol
Title: Tank Patrol
Character: Geordie
Released: June 16, 1941
Type: Movie
Made in 1941, this stirring Ministry of Information dramatisation tells the story of a Crusader tank crew trapped behind enemy lines in the Desert. With no intercom, a wounded crewman and little fuel, they must fight their way through an Italian column to freedom.