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Arnold Ridley is a Actor, Director and Scriptwriter British born on 7 january 1896 at Bath (United-kingdom)
William Arnold Ridley, OBE (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the British sitcom Dad's Army (1968–77).
He was a Freemason, and belonged to the Savage Club Lodge in London.
He is the great-uncle of actress Daisy Ridley, who is known for her lead role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Source : Wikidata
Arnold Ridley
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Birth name William Arnold Ridley
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 7 january 1896 at Bath (United-kingdom)
Death 12 march 1984 (at 88 years)
Awards Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 7 january 1896 at Bath (United-kingdom)
Death 12 march 1984 (at 88 years)
Awards Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
William Arnold Ridley, OBE (7 January 1896 – 12 March 1984) was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the British sitcom Dad's Army (1968–77).
Biography
He was married three times. Firstly from January 1926 to 1939, then a short marriage beginning in 1939 before his final marriage to actress Althea Parker (1911–2001) on 3 October 1945; they had one son Nicolas (b 1947). Arnold Ridley died in hospital in Northwood in 1984 at the age of 88 after falling at his residence in Denville Hall, a home for retired actors. He was cremated at the Golders Green Crematorium and his urn buried at his parents' grave in Bath Abbey Cemetery. His collection of theatrical memorabilia was left to the University of Bristol and has been made available online.He was a Freemason, and belonged to the Savage Club Lodge in London.
He is the great-uncle of actress Daisy Ridley, who is known for her lead role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
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Filmography of Arnold Ridley (24 films)
Actor
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The Amorous Milkman (1975)
, 1h26Directed by Derren Nesbitt
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films
Actors Julie Ege, Diana Dors, Brendan Price, Alan Lake, Bill Fraser, Fred Emney
Roles Cinema Attendant
Rating29%
Carry On Girls (1973)
, 1h28Directed by Gerald Thomas
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films
Actors Barbara Windsor, Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Bresslaw, June Whitfield
Roles Alderman Pratt
Rating58%
The seaside town of Fircombe is facing a crisis – it's always raining and there's nothing for the tourists to do. Councillor Sidney Fiddler (Sid James) hits on the notion of holding a beauty contest. The mayor, Frederick Bumble (Kenneth Connor) is taken with the idea but feminist councillor, Augusta Prodworthy (June Whitfield) is outraged and storms out of the meeting. The motion is carried in Augusta's absence and Sidney contacts publicist Peter Potter (Bernard Bresslaw) to help with the organization. Sidney's girlfriend, Connie Philpotts (Joan Sims) runs a local hotel and soon her residents, including the eccentric Mrs Dukes (Joan Hickson) and the Admiral (Peter Butterworth) are outnumbered by dolly birds, including the feuding biker babe, Hope Springs (Barbara Windsor) and the bountiful Dawn Brakes (Margaret Nolan). A catfight orchestrated by Hope provides better newspaper copy than bringing a donkey off the beach which, despite the bucket and spade of hotel employee William (Jack Douglas), ruins the plush carpets. Augusta's son, press photographer Larry (Robin Askwith), is hired to document the donkey stunt and snaps the catfight that has the Mayor losing his trousers, then gulps his way through a nude photo shoot with Dawn. The Mayor's wife, Mildred (Patsy Rowlands) joins Prodworthy's bra-burning movement and plots the downfall of the Miss Fircombe contest on the pier. Peter Potter reluctantly becomes a man in a frock for another publicity gimmick for the television show, Women's Things, presented by Cecil Gaybody (Jimmy Logan) and produced by Debra (Sally Geeson). Prodworthy and butch feminist Rosemary (Patricia Franklin) call in the police (David Lodge and Billy Cornelius) to investigate the male pageant contestant but Peter's previously prim girlfriend, Paula (Valerie Leon), has a makeover and steps into the breach as the mysterious girl. Prodworthy's gang put "Operation Spoilsport" into action, sabotaging the final contest with water, mud and itching powder. With an angry mob after his blood, Sidney makes his escape with Hope on her motorcycle.
Dad's Army (1971)
, 1h35Directed by Norman Cohen
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, War, Thriller, Comedy
Themes Military humor in film, Political films
Actors Arthur Lowe, Clive Dunn, John Le Mesurier, John Laurie, James Beck, Arnold Ridley
Roles Pte. Charles Godfrey
Rating68%
1940 - Operation Dynamo has just taken place. From the newly conquered French coastline, a Wehrmacht colonel looks out over the English Channel with powerful binoculars. Surveying the white cliffs of Dover, he spies Godfrey emerging from a lavatory. Godfrey joins the rest of his platoon, who are defiantly waving the Union Flag. The colonel fumes contemptuously, "How can the stupid British ever hope to win?!"
A Man for All Seasons (1966)
, 2hDirected by Fred Zinnemann
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical
Themes Politique, Films about religion, Political films, Films about capital punishment, Films based on plays, Films about royalty
Actors Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Leo McKern, Orson Welles, Robert Shaw, Susannah York
Roles Innkeeper (uncredited)
Rating76%
Cardinal Wolsey, the Lord Chancellor of England, summons Sir Thomas More to Hampton Court. King Henry VIII of England wishes to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn. Saying that England needs a male heir to prevent another civil war, Wolsey chastises More for being the only member of the Privy Council to argue against him. When More states that the Pope will never grant a divorce, he is appalled by Wolsey's suggestion that they apply "pressure" on Church lands to force the issue. To Wolsey's fury, More responds, "No, Your Grace. I am not going to help you.
Crooks in Cloisters (1964)
, 1h38Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Actors Ronald Fraser, Barbara Windsor, Corin Redgrave, Bernard Cribbins, Francesca Annis, Grégoire Aslan
Roles Arnold Ridley
Rating54%
After pulling off a small train robbery, 'Little Walter' and his gang are forced to hide out on a remote Cornish island in an abandoned monastery, disguised as monks. With them comes 'Bikini' (Barbara Windsor), Walter's girlfriend, who is given the job of cook to the group, despite never having cooked in her life. After a few initial setbacks, they slowly adjust to their new contemplative life of tending animals and crops, surviving the added tribulations of visits by a group of tourists and two of the real monks who had been forced to sell the monastery after falling on hard times, including Brother Lucius (Corin Redgrave).
Stolen Face (1952)
, 1h12Directed by Terence Fisher
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Horror, Noir, Crime
Actors Paul Henreid, Lizabeth Scott, André Morell, Mary Mackenzie, John Wood, Arnold Ridley
Roles Dr. Russell
Rating60%
Dr. Philip Ritter, a plastic surgeon (Paul Henreid), falls in love with a gifted and beautiful concert pianist, Alice Brent (Lizabeth Scott). They meet by chance at a country inn, and romance soon develops. However, Alice is already engaged to be married and, afraid to tell Ritter, runs away. Ritter is devastated.
Green Grow the Rushes (1951)
Directed by Derek N. Twist
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Thriller, Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Roger Livesey, Richard Burton, Honor Blackman, Frederick Leister, Arnold Ridley, Colin Gordon
Roles Tom Cuffley
Rating59%
Three British government bureaucrats arrive in Kent to inquire as to why the coastal Anderida marsh is not being cultivated. The reason is that most of the local people know about or are involved in the liquor smuggling scheme operated by Captain Biddle and his accomplice Robert (Richard Burton), who is posing as a fisherman when he is seen by the newspaper editor and his journalist daughter Meg.
The Interrupted Journey (1949)
, 1h20Directed by Daniel Birt
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Thriller
Actors Richard Todd, Valerie Hobson, Christine Norden, Tom Walls, Ralph Truman, Alexander Gauge
Roles Mr. Saunders
Rating66%
John North, a struggling writer, is running away with his mistress. After meeting her in London he is sure they are being followed both in the street and at the railway cafe where they have a cup of tea. Once they are on the train he still can't rid himself of his unease as they sit discussing their new life together. Once she is asleep, North goes out into the corridor to try and gather his thoughts and it is then he again sees the man he believes has been following them. In a fit of panic, North pulls the communication cord and jumps off the train. By chance the train is stopped just a couple of minutes away from his house. When he gets there he finds his wife, Carol, waiting for him as usual, as though nothing were wrong. Feeling a burst of fresh affection for her, he embraces her.
Director
Royal Eagle (1936)
, 1h30Directed by Arnold Ridley
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Jonathan Pryce, Felix Aylmer, Susan Lynch, Nancy Burne, John Garrick, Claudia Gerini
Rating55%
Royal Eagle (1936)
Directed by Arnold Ridley
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors John Garrick, Nancy Burne, Felix Aylmer, Ian Fleming, Muriel Aked, Fred Groves
Scriptwriter
The Ghost Train (1976)
Directed by Bent Christensen
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Horror
Themes Transport films, Rail transport films
Actors Dirch Passer, Axel Strøbye, Kirsten Walther, Preben Kaas, Clara Østø, Bjørn Puggaard-Müller
Roles Original Film Writer
Rating51%
Who Killed the Cat? (1966)
Directed by Montgomery Tully
Themes Films based on plays
Actors Mary Merrall, Ellen Pollock, Amy Dalby, Mervyn Johns, Vanda Godsell, Conrad Phillips
Roles Theatre Play
Rating66%
Second Fiddle (1957)
, 1h18Directed by Maurice Elvey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Romance
Actors Adrienne Corri, Thorley Walters, Lisa Gastoni, Richard Wattis, Bill Fraser, Madoline Thomas
Roles Writer
Rating54%
Deborah and Charles, very much in love, are young executives at the successful Pontifex Advertising Agency. Deborah is highly sought after as a brilliant TV executive, while Charles is regarded as thoroughly efficient. The Pontifex board of directors however, will not allow any married women on their staff. Charles’ fiancée Deborah worries about her future with the company. Eventually the company reverses their policy, enabling newly-wed Deborah to continue working. When Deborah wins a lucrative advertising campaign in New York, and Charles seems to be overlooked for a promotion he was confident would be his, Charles feels his masculinity threatened. Whilst Deb is away in New York, Charles becomes involved in a flirtatious relationship with his attractive secretary Pauline.
Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953)
, 1h23Directed by Anthony Pelissier
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Fantasy
Actors Stanley Holloway, Peggy Cummins, Jack Watling, Barbara Murray, Joseph Tomelty, Kay Kendall
Roles Writer
Rating58%
When Mr Pedelty (Joseph Tomelty) leaves his firm, he is given a television set as a retirement present. At first he enjoys all the attention from his neighbours, but soon the attraction wears off, and he sells it on to a young married couple (Jack Watling and Peggy Cummins) living in the flat above him. They soon encounter the same problems, and again the set is passed on to several different characters all with the same results.
Easy Money (1948)
, 1h34Directed by Bernard Knowles
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Comedy, Crime
Themes Sports films, Théâtre, Association football films, Films based on plays
Actors Petula Clark, Mervyn Johns, Jack Warner, Jack Watling, Yvonne Owen, Mabel Constanduros
Roles Writer
Rating60%
In the first story, a comedy, a content suburban family, headed by Jack Warner, is turned into an unhappy lot when they believe that they have the winning coupon in the football pool. But when it's discovered that the winning coupon apparently wasn't mailed by the younger daughter (Petula Clark), they regain their previously happy lives that had been made unhappy by plans they made regarding how to spend their winnings. Then, when it is discovered that the winning coupon was, in fact, mailed, they decide that they have learned their lesson and resolve not to let the money ruin their happiness. The second is more tragic, with a mild-mannered clerk (Mervyn Johns) concerned about quitting his mundane job. The third is a suspenseful crime caper involving a coupon checker (Dennis Price) and his nightclub singer girlfriend (Greta Gynt in a send-up of Rita Hayworth's Gilda) who devise a scheme to embezzle the winning pot. The final episode, another comedy, concerns a dispirited bass player (Edward Rigby) who discovers he misses the orchestra he left.