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Frank Thornton (I) More at IMDbPro »
2013 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
9 items from 2013
DVD Review - Spanish Fly (1976)
22 April 2013 2:33 AM, PDT | Flickeringmyth | See recent Flickeringmyth news »
Spanish Fly, 1976.
Directed by Bob Kellett.
Starring Leslie Phillips, Terry-Thomas, Graham Armitage, Nadiuska, Frank Thornton and Sue Lloyd.
Synopsis:
On the Mediterranean island of Minorca, expat Sir Percy de Courcy buys 100,000 gallons of local wine, hoping to sell it at a vast profit. Unfortunately, the wine tastes foul, and when he asks his chauffeur to 'improve' the taste, a certain local ingredient finds its way into the bottles, turning it into a potent aphrodisiac!
Ding dong! Right, now that’s out the way, on to the business of reviewing Spanish Fly. During the 60s, as well as plenty of iconic spy flicks and decent thriller coming out of Britain, we also had the impish, playful exploits of the Carry On team. It was all slightly risqué, very tongue in cheek and just a bit cheeky. As the popularity of this sort of comedy waned and the 70s came into being »
- Flickering Myth
Frank Thornton obituary
18 March 2013 5:06 PM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »
Actor best known as the haughty department store supervisor Captain Peacock in the TV comedy Are You Being Served?
The actor Frank Thornton, who has died aged 92, had a flair for comedy derived from the subtle craftsmanship of classical stage work. However, he will be best remembered for his longstanding characters in two popular BBC television comedy series – the sniffily priggish Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? and the pompous retired policeman Herbert "Truly" Truelove, in Roy Clarke's Last of the Summer Wine.
Robertson Hare, the great Whitehall farceur, told him: "You'll never do any good until you're 40." And, said Thornton, "he was quite right." In the event, he was 51 when David Croft, producer of another long-running British staple, Dad's Army, remembered the tall, long-faced actor from another engagement and decided to cast him as the dapper floor-walker in charge of shop assistants played by Mollie Sugden, Wendy Richard, »
- Carole Woddis
Frank Thornton obituary
18 March 2013 5:06 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Actor best known as the haughty department store supervisor Captain Peacock in the TV comedy Are You Being Served?
The actor Frank Thornton, who has died aged 92, had a flair for comedy derived from the subtle craftsmanship of classical stage work. However, he will be best remembered for his longstanding characters in two popular BBC television comedy series – the sniffily priggish Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? and the pompous retired policeman Herbert "Truly" Truelove, in Roy Clarke's Last of the Summer Wine.
Robertson Hare, the great Whitehall farceur, told him: "You'll never do any good until you're 40." And, said Thornton, "he was quite right." In the event, he was 51 when David Croft, producer of another long-running British staple, Dad's Army, remembered the tall, long-faced actor from another engagement and decided to cast him as the dapper floor-walker in charge of shop assistants played by Mollie Sugden, Wendy Richard, »
- Carole Woddis
R.I.P. Frank Thornton
18 March 2013 2:10 PM, PDT | Deadline TV | See recent Deadline TV news »
Brit Frank Thornton, who played Captain Peacock in the long-running TV sitcom Are You Being Served? has died at his home in London. He was 92. Thornton played mainly comedic roles during his decades-long career, including Truly in Last Of The Summer Wine, but it was the role of Captain Stephen Peacock, a pompous department store floor manager, in Are You Being Served? that he is best remembered. The innuendo-laden sitcom ran for 13 years from 1972 and was based in the fictional London department store Grace Brothers. It became popular in the U.S. on PBS and BBC America. He also appeared in comedies Hancock’s Half Hour, The Goodies, Steptoe And Son, and The Benny Hill Show. His feature film credits include Carry On Screaming, No Sex Please, We’re British, Gosford Park and most recently Run For Your Wife. »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
'Are You Being Served' Actor Dies At Age 92
18 March 2013 10:07 AM, PDT | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »
London — British actor Frank Thornton – best known as Captain Peacock in the hit television comedy "Are You Being Served?" – has died at age 92.
The actor's agent, David Daly, said Monday that Thornton died in his sleep in his home in London in the early hours of Saturday.
Thornton is best remembered by British audiences for his comic role in the innuendo-laden sitcom "Are You Being Served?" The show ran from the 1970s to 1985.
He appeared on "The Benny Hill Show" in the early days of his acting career, and later also became known for his part in the television series "Last of the Summer Wine." He also made an appearance in the movie "Gosford Park."
He is survived by his wife Beryl, daughter Jane, and three grandchildren. »
- AP
Are You Being Served? star Frank Thornton dies
18 March 2013 6:06 AM, PDT | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »
Thornton, 92, who also starred in BBC comedy series Last of the Summer Wine, died peacefully in his sleep, says agent
The actor Frank Thornton, 92, died in his sleep in the early hours of Saturday morning, his agent, David Daly, has said.
The star was famous for his role as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? and as Truly in Last of the Summer Wine.
His agent said: "Frank Thornton died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday. Frank was a much loved British actor who played mainly comedy roles and is perhaps best known for his role as Captain Peacock in Are You Being Served? and latterly as Truly in Last Of The Summer Wine.
"Frank is survived by Beryl, his wife of 67 years, daughter Jane and their three grandchildren.
"I have been Frank's agent since 1986 and he has been the most wonderful client as well as being a great friend. »
'Are You Being Served?' star Frank Thornton dies, aged 92
18 March 2013 4:54 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - TV news news »
Frank Thornton has died at the age of 92.
The actor was best known for his role as Captain Stephen Peacock in long-running BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?.
He also starred in the follow-up Grace & Favour and as Truly Truelove in Last of the Summer Wine. His last role was in this year's cinema adaptation of stage farce Run for Your Wife.
Thornton passed away in his sleep on Saturday (March 16), his agent David Daly confirmed to BBC News.
"I have been Frank's agent since 1986 and he has been the most wonderful client as well as being a great friend. He will be sorely missed," Daly said.
Are You Being Served? ran for 69 episodes over ten series from 1972 to 1985.
Thornton's death makes 79-year-old Nicholas Smith the oldest surviving member of the show's original cast.
Born Frank Thornton Ball in Dulwich in 1921, Thornton worked in insurance before registering at the London »
David Morrissey wants Doctor Who anniversary role
15 March 2013 2:00 AM, PDT | Virgin Media - TV | See recent Virgin Media - TV news »
Frank Thornton has died aged 92. The veteran actor, best known for his role as Captain Peacock in BBC comedy 'Are You Being Served?', died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday (16.03.13) at his home in Barnes, London - his agent David Daly has confirmed. David said: ''I have been Frank's agent since 1986 and he has been the most wonderful client as well as being a great friend. He will be sorely missed.'' Frank was also known for his character Truly in 'Last of the Summer Wine', as well as many other comedy roles in shows such as 'The Goodies' and 'Hancock's »
Run for Your Wife – review
14 February 2013 4:06 PM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
The trouser-dropping 80s stage farce finally hits the big screen with Danny Dyer, to kill off any remaining British self-respect
There's a moment in an old Goon Show where Peter Sellers sonorously says in his officer-class voice: "Old England isn't finished yet. It's finished …" [FX: dinner gong] "… now!" That gong, signalling the end of British self-respect, sounded deafeningly as the houselights dimmed for this film. Argentinian president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner will wish to block-book it for every cinema in Buenos Aires. It's a big-screen version of the trouser-dropping stage farce Run for Your Wife, which ran in London's West End from 1983 to 1991, adapted and directed by its author, Ray Cooney, and starring Danny Dyer as the bigamous taxi driver coping with two missuses (Denise van Outen and Sarah Harding) and a next-door neighbour (Neil Morrissey) who is cheeky, perky and, like everyone else, stunningly unfunny. The humour makes The Dick Emery Show look edgy and contemporary, »
- Peter Bradshaw
2013 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009
9 items from 2013
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