Paul Eddington

[Number Six]

I can't find a thread dedicated to Paul Eddington, so I would like to start one!



Paul was an excellent actor who cropped up in all manner of programmes - early in his career he actually played forty-one different characters in the SAME series - The Adventures of Robin Hood - before finally landing a full-time role as Will Scarlett opposite Richard Greene's Robin.He made appearances in the early Z Cars, Dangerman and The Avengers and played Cobb in 'Arrival', the first episode of The Prisoner. This was followed by roles in The Champions, Spy Trap, Man At The Top, Van Der Valk, Special Branch and Get Some In before landing the part of Jerry Leadbeatter, The Good's long suffering friend and neighbour in The Good Life. He appeared in all 30 episodes of the classic comedy and went on to even more acclaim with the role of inept MP Jim Hacker, firstly in Yes, Minister and subsequently Yes, Prime Minister. The debonair actor was awarded the CBE for his services to drama in 1987 and tragically suffered with skin cancer and diabetes later in his life. He bore his illness with great dignity and much bravery, finally succumbing, aged just 68, in 1995. He left a wife and four children. His gentle, unassuming nature was borne out in his final interview when he said of his possible epitaph, 'He did very little harm'. And that's not easy - most people seem to me to do a great deal of harm. If I could be remembered as having done very little, that would suit me."



Here's Paul in his early role of Will Scarlett,





and as 'Klein' having a spot of bother with Craig and Sharron in The Champions,





as Jerry Leadbeatter in the classic The Good Life





and finally as inept MP Jim Hacker with Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fouwlds in Yes, Prime Minister

[didi-5]

I always admired Paul Eddington as an actor; very natural on the screen with a real gift for comedy and the double take as he proved in his most famous roles in The Good Life and Yes Minister. Until recently I had no idea his career went as far back as Richard Greene's Robin Hood - 41 characters?!



His last screen appearance IIRC was in Henry IV, part of the Performance theatre series for the BBC in 1995. He was clearly disfigured by skin cancer then and I remembering thinking he was very brave to appear before the cameras like that - he also did an interview round the same time, for Face to Face I think?

[CaptainWaggett]

He talks about Robin Hood in his autobiography, saying it was a mistake to get a regular role because all he got to do was say 'But Robin, there's just one thing I don't understand' but before he used to get a juicy guest role every other week.

[Number Six]

He talks about Robin Hood in his autobiography, saying it was a mistake to get a regular role because all he got to do was say 'But Robin, there's just one thing I don't understand' but before he used to get a juicy guest role every other week.

Quite right Captain W - it must be some sort of record though, 41 different roles in 41 episodes! Quite amazing.

[Moor Larkin]

41 different roles in 41 episodes! Quite amazing.

Routine Repertory actor stuff. He and Patrick McGoohan both met and married their wives whilst in repertory in Sheffield. The two women were apparently good friends at the time, so Mr. Eddington says in his pleasant-reading autobiography......



http://www.amazon.com/So-Far-Good-Pa.../dp/0340654015

[Number Six]

Routine Repertory actor stuff....



http://www.amazon.com/So-Far-Good-Pa.../dp/0340654015

Yes, I agree ML, but highly unusual for television I would have thought. I can't imagine any other actor has played that many different roles in the same series and still ended up with a major role in it too!!

[CaptainWaggett]

Yes, I agree ML, but highly unusual for television I would have thought. I can't imagine any other actor has played that many different roles in the same series and still ended up with a major role in it too!!

Indeed, I can't think of anyone in British television who managed this. Closest might be Derren Nesbitt who was in 14 (out of 30) episodes of The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (as different characters) and who presumably would have played a similar number of roles in a second season had there been one. It must have been something of a surprise to the original audience that he didn't get a duel with William Russell in the Doctor Who story Marco Polo!. He was in 8 episodes of William Tell too.

[Moor Larkin]

Indeed, I can't think of anyone in British television who managed this.

Willoughby Gray is down in imdb as Outlaw - 39 episodes....

Was he always the same Outlaw?........



imdb only says Mr. Eddington did *over* 20 different roles and seems to have him in 64 episodes as Will Scarlett/..... Is the /..... meant to indicate his other roles are part of that 64 I wonder?



Not looking for an argument ... ....just checking out what might be urban legend..... ... and perhaps spruce up imdb......



I seem to recall a very funny story he told in his book about riding a horse over and over whilst not very well, or somehting like that.... I must have a re-read....

[CaptainWaggett]

Willoughby Gray is down in imdb as Outlaw - 39 episodes....

Was he always the same Outlaw?........



imdb only says Mr. Eddington did *over* 20 different roles and seems to have him in 64 episodes as Will Scarlett/..... Is the /..... meant to indicate his other roles are part of that 64 I wonder?

Not looking for an argument ... ....just checking out what might be urban legend..... ... and perhaps spruce up imdb......

I seem to recall a very funny story he told in his book about riding a horse over and over whilst not very well, or somehting like that.... I must have a re-read....

I've watched the whole series farily recently and he really is in an awful lot of episodes in the early series, alternating between peasant and noble in consecutive episodes, often as the main guest. It really says something about the size and clarity of 1950s tellies that nobody noticed - didn't anyone think to check the cast-lists in the tv times? The full IMDB credits are here - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0248844/f...ries#tt0047706 - he only started being Will S in the last couple of seasons.

[Moor Larkin]

The full IMDB credits are here - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0248844/f...ries#tt0047706 -

Oh yes..... I didn't notice the (59 more)..........

Willoughby is similar !! Excellent stuff.....

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0337016/f...ries#tt0047706

I used to watch the programme after school for years and don't suppose that I would have ever noticed such things, although my brother used to delight in pointing out Sam Kydd all the time in movies, I recall........... and Bud Westmore on the make-up credits of American movies when we got to see one.........

[Number Six]

imdb only says Mr. Eddington did *over* 20 different roles and seems to have him in 64 episodes as Will Scarlett/..... Is the /..... meant to indicate his other roles are part of that 64 I wonder?

As I understand it, Paul Eddington appeared in 41 episodes as different characters and a further 23 episodes as Will Scarlet alone.

[HUGHJAMPTON]

Mini-bio in 3 parts.

[Number Six]

Mini-bio in 3 parts.

Excellent Hugh - he really was a class act wasn't he. (Nice new avatar by the way!! )

[HUGHJAMPTON]

Excellent Hugh - he really was a class act wasn't he. (Nice new avatar by the way!! )

Quality, through and through, 6, both as actor and a man. definitely an actor who could up the game of others.

[smudge]

Quality, through and through, 6, both as actor and a man. definitely an actor who could up the game of others.

Have to agree on both counts. When he first went public with his illness I wrote him a brief letter with my good wishes and he (unexpectedly) sent back the most charming note of thanks.



A true gent!



Smudge



(I always loved that classic moment in THE GOOD LIFE when Margot is out and he quite deliberately wafts his Indian take-away throughout the living-room, before lighting up a forbidden cigar!)

[Number Six]

...(I always loved that classic moment in THE GOOD LIFE when Margot is out and he quite deliberately wafts his Indian take-away throughout the living-room, before lighting up a forbidden cigar!)

Priceless.

[HUGHJAMPTON]

Have to agree on both counts. When he first went public with his illness I wrote him a brief letter with my good wishes and he (unexpectedly) sent back the most charming note of thanks.



A true gent!



Smudge



(I always loved that classic moment in THE GOOD LIFE when Margot is out and he quite deliberately wafts his Indian take-away throughout the living-room, before lighting up a forbidden cigar!)

Good on you, too, smudge, for sending that letter.



The cream on top of that curry evening, was that Jerry also indulge in playing a New Seekers LP.

[smudge]

Good on you, too, smudge, for sending that letter.



The cream on top of that curry evening, was that Jerry also indulge in playing a New Seekers LP.

It was indeed! A nice break from the Surbiton Am Dram I should think...



Smudge

[Rowdon]

I've been watching a number of Good Life episodes recently - I always look forward to Jerry's double laugh: "A-ha-ha (pause) A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha..." Cracks me up.

[Arfur Teacake]

I've watched the whole series farily recently and he really is in an awful lot of episodes in the early series, alternating between peasant and noble in consecutive episodes, often as the main guest. It really says something about the size and clarity of 1950s tellies that nobody noticed - didn't anyone think to check the cast-lists in the tv times? The full IMDB credits are here - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0248844/f...ries#tt0047706 - he only started being Will S in the last couple of seasons.

I think this shows up the celibrity culture we have today? In those days actors were just doing a job and many of them doing a rather great job of convincing us week after week that they were somebody else.

The fact we are here today flagging up Paul Eddington's performances is of this day and age.



Up until maybe the 1980s? if Paul Eddington or anybody else appeared in a show he would be that character and that is all we would want to know about him.



It was different though for 'stars'.Stars were/are not always good actors and you would notice them if they were a road sweeper one week or a king the next week.