Bill Fraser
| Bill Fraser | |
|---|---|
Fraser in 1966
|
|
| Born |
William Simpson Fraser 5 June 1908 Perth, Perthshire, Scotland |
| Died | 9 September 1987 (aged 79) Bushey, Hertfordshire, England |
| Cause of death | Emphysema |
| Occupation | Comic actor, actor |
| Years active | 1938–1987 |
| Spouse(s) | Pamela Cundell (1981–1987; his death) |
William Simpson "Bill" Fraser (5 June 1908 – 9 September 1987) was a Scottish actor who appeared on stage, screen and television for many years. In 1986 he won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for his stage role in the play When We Are Married.
Fraser was born in Perth and educated at Strathallan School. He began his career as a clerk in a bank before moving on to acting. In the early days when acting work was scarce, Fraser was often penniless, frequently sleeping rough on the Embankment in London. Before the Second World War he ran the Connaught Theatre in Worthing; when called up he served in a Royal Air Force Special Liaison Unit, reaching the rank of flight lieutenant, where he met and became friends with Eric Sykes. Just after the war a chance meeting in a London street led to Fraser's giving Sykes his first work as a writer for radio comedy and the two friends worked together many times over the following years. Fraser is also credited with giving Peter Cushing his first acting job
Fraser often played irascible or belligerent characters on screen and had many roles as a policeman, soldier or judge. His first television appearance was on The Tony Hancock Show in 1956, after which he became a regular actor on Hancock's Half Hour. He then joined The Army Game as Sgt Claude Snudge, which led to a sequel called Bootsie and Snudge. He also played Snudge in the 1964 series Foreign Affairs. Later comedic roles included parts in the TV dramatisation of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ as well as Ripping Yarns, The Train Now Standing, The Corn is Green and Father, Dear Father.
...
Wikipedia