Guy Standeven

[Tigon Man]

Hello Stonfan
I've submitted Guy's role as a stiff in Harry Enfield to Imdb.
What is the scene he is in in Superman? What is his role? He looks like a Bystander. Is he in the extended version only?

[Stonfan]

He's man watching TV in Street. You can see him in the normal version but he doesn't turn to camera like he does in the extended version ( that's director Richard Donner incidentally on the far right)

[Tigon Man]

Both entries now accepted by Imdb.

[Stonfan]

Excellent. Our combined efforts are filling up that page well.

[Stonfan]

I'm not sure about this one but I think this is Guy in 1991's House of Cards as an MP on the far left (geographically not politically) He doesn't often have a moustache and his hair looks fuller than usual (it could be a wig) so I'm not sure. He is apparently in this but what does everyone else think?

[Stonfan]

Anyone? Tigon Man, Dave W? You are the only people who acknowledge my posts for some reason! It's a mystery to me. A member of Britmovies for nearly ten years as well. Ah, sweet mystery of life. Xxxxxxxx

[Tigon Man]

I'll always acknowledge you Stonfan.
The Extra's pages I guess are not for everyone, being a bit of a specialist subject.
For the record I don't think that's Guy.

[Stonfan]

That you do indeed, cheers. Yeah, I wasn't sure about this one.

[Dave W]

Sorry Son, didn't see this until now. I can see why you thought it was Guy, but I don't think it is, either. Seems younger and hair whiter for this point in Guy's career.

[Stonfan]

I thought I would share my research on the life and career of Guy Standeven. IMDB has him down as 150 credits at present. I have amassed from the old Britmovies site, Actors Compendium, Moviedudes site and my own research 578 credits. I have 237 of these with screen shots of Guy. Of the 578 these are from film, TV, theatre, radio, voice over and training films. I haven't included Lolita and House of Cards as most people didn't think it was him. I have contacted about 10 people who worked with him and they all say he was a delightful, reliable, unpretentious chap. Whats interesting is some of his co-workers such as his Knightmare co-stars( Tom Karol, Edmund Dehn) categorically insist he was a professional actor (indeed he had an equity card) and not an extra. Other first AD's I spoke with (Christopher Newman, Simon Moseley) classed him as an extra who was good for the odd line. I cant think of any other actor who had a similar career. He clearly turned down very little work. The only area I've had no luck in is speaking to anyone who knew him personally. He lived at the same address in Hampton Wick for twenty years but I've yet to contact anyone who remembers him. My research continues...

[Dave W]

That's pretty impressive, and I think is probably just the tip of the iceberg. I definitely think Guy qualifies more as an actor than extra, though I am pretty sure most of our familiar extras were members of Equity (Ernest Blyth was, and I don't recall him ever having a real line in any film). he has notable bits of acting in Operation Crossbow and Sweeney 2, bits I don't think would have been entrusted to just extras. I don't think he turned down any work, either, but it's plain he just loved what he was doing.

(I know I promised to look for stage credits for him, haven't forgotten!)

[Stonfan]

Your right about equity membership. I guess many extras are members. Yeah, I would confidently say he was an actor who unusually did lots of extra work. He has quite a few credited speaking parts to his name and he was a series regular in Knightmare for two years which further supports this.

With regards theatre credits I have..

1945-Murder Happens, Grand Opera House, Harrogate
1946 Payment Deferred
1948-The Firstborn, Pilgrim Players Ltd, Palace Theatre
1950-Cinderella, Pavillion Theatre
1963-The Poison Tree, Ashcroft Theatre
1970-The Hero-Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
1971-Flowering Cherry, Richmond Theatre
1974-Medium Fool, Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs
1974-Lord Nelson Lives in Liverpool 8, Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs
1974-Zoological Palace, Royal Court, Theatre Upstairs

I bet there are others. I found about some of these by contacting Richmond library and Joan Mills who directed him in the 1974 productions. This information wasn't online so there must be others. There's a 13 year gap at one point.

[Stonfan]

I know this is on IMDB but this was on ITV Encore on Saturday so I thought I'd post it. The great Guy Standeven in a 1981 episode of When the Boat Comes In (Comrade in Arms) He plays a snooty passenger and has two lines delivered with his customary skill.

[Stonfan]

This one certainly is Guy. It's from 1996's London Suite. He is a hotel guest walking behind the late, great Madeline Kahn.

[Stonfan]

More Guy from the 1977 version of The Four Feathers. He's some sort of army type at a party. This was a hard one to screen grab as there's so much movement going on around him.