Frank Thornton was born on January 15, 1921 in Dulwich, London, England as Frank Thornton Ball. He was an actor, known for Last of the Summer Wine (1973), Are You Being Served? (1972) and Gosford Park (2001). He was married to Beryl Jane Margaret Evans. He died on March 16, 2013 in Barnes, London.
A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's, Covent Garden (commonly known as the Actors' Church) on 12 July 2013.
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Worked for an insurance firm while attending acting classes at drama school in the evenings. He made his theatrical debut in 1940.
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His father was a bank employee.
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Left £1.6 million in his will.
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Trained at RADA and made his professional debut at the age of nineteen at Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland.
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A Flying Officer during WWII, Frank later toured the RAF Gangshows as a talent-spotter. Amongst those he noted as having potential were Sgt Tony Hancock and Cpl Peter Sellers.
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Featured in a UK public information film on road safety in the mid-1970s.
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Enjoys music, photography, bird watching and wildlife conservation.
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Father of Jane Higgs. He has three grandsons, Jonathan, Andrew and David.
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Left an early career in insurance to pursue acting.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Great Expectations
1991
TV Mini-Series
Mr. Trabb
Mr. Majeika
1990
TV Series
Headmaster
The BFG
1989
TV Movie
Mr. Tibbs (voice)
T-Bag and the Revenge of the T-Set
1989
TV Series
William Wagadagger
The Kenny Everett Television Show
1983-1988
TV Series
Various
The Ronnie Corbett Show
1987
TV Series
Various Roles
T-Bag Bounces Back
1987
TV Series
Count Boris
The Sooty Show
1987
TV Series
Dr. Hugh
Are You Being Served?
1972-1985
TV Series
Captain Stephen Peacock
Jane
1984
TV Series
Commander L
Jackanory Playhouse
1978-1984
TV Series
King Balthazar
The Gentle Touch
1982
TV Series
Leo
The Dick Emery Show
1981
TV Series
The Taming of the Shrew
1980
TV Movie
Gremio
Kelly Monteith
1979
TV Series
Word for Word
1979
TV Series
Jogran
The Goodies
1971-1977
TV Series
Master of Ceremonies / Waiter
Are You Being Served?
1977
Captain Peacock
The New Avengers
1976
TV Series
Roland
The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones
1976
Whitlow
The Molly Wopsies
1976
TV Series
Chief Constable
Spanish Fly
1976
Dr. Johnson
Side by Side
1975
Inspector Crumb
Shades of Greene
1975
TV Series
Rev. Simon Milan
Whodunnit?
1975
TV Series
Gerald Harvey
The Boundary
1975
TV Movie
Old Dracula
1974
Mr. King
Holiday with Strings
1974
TV Movie
Travel Agent
Keep It Up, Jack
1974
Mr. Clarke
The Tommy Cooper Hour
1974
TV Series
Fall of Eagles
1974
TV Mini-Series
Prince Albert
Crown Court
1974
TV Series
Professor McIver
Scott On...
1970-1974
TV Series
Steptoe and Son
1962-1973
TV Series
Travel Agency Clerk / The Frenchman / Butler / ...
The Three Musketeers
1973
Man in Small Carriage (uncredited)
Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World
1973
Estate Agent
Armchair Theatre
1961-1973
TV Series
Arthur - groom's father / Station Sergeant / Frank / ...
The Village Concert
1973
TV Movie
No Sex Please: We're British
1973
Glass Shop Manager
Thirty Minutes Worth
1973
TV Series
Steptoe and Son Ride Again
1973
Mr. Russell
The Gordon Peters Show
1973
TV Series
Comedy Playhouse
1961-1973
TV Series
Captain Stephen Peacock / Mr Walters / Jessop / ...
The Reg Varney Revue
1972
TV Series
Our Miss Fred
1972
British Colonel
That's Your Funeral
1972
Town Clerk
Sykes
1972
TV Series
Dr. Taplow
Bless This House
1972
Mr Jones
Love Thy Neighbour
1972
TV Series
The Barman
The Chastity Belt
1972
Master of Ceremonies
Bachelor Father
1971
TV Series
Vicar
From a Bird's Eye View
1971
TV Series
Spinks
And Mother Makes Three
1971
TV Series
The Store Manager
Some Matters of Little Consequence
1971
TV Series
All the Way Up
1970
Mr. Driver
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
1970
Tom Stoddart
Here Come the Double Deckers!
1970
TV Series
Mr Parsons
She Follows Me About
1970
TV Movie
Meevor
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
1970
Porter
A Cuckoo in the Nest
1970
TV Movie
Claude Hickett MP
The Other Reg Varney
1970
TV Movie
Various Characters
Mogul
1970
TV Series
TV Interviewer
Some Will, Some Won't
1970
Purvis
The Morecambe & Wise Show
1970
TV Series
Richards the Waiter
As Good Cooks Go
1970
TV Series
The Magic Christian
1969
Police Inspector (uncredited)
Mr. Digby Darling
1969
TV Series
Mr. Skidmore
The World of Beachcomber
1968-1969
TV Series
The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm
1969
TV Series
King Kong
The Bed Sitting Room
1969
The BBC
Sophie's Place
1969
Cyril
Thicker Than Water
1969
TV Series
Ted Rumbold
The Assassination Bureau
1969
Elevator victim Count von Kissen (uncredited)
The Champions
1969
TV Series
Clerk
Till Death Us Do Part
1968
Valuation Officer
Inside George Webley
1968
TV Series
Maitre d'
A Flea in Her Ear
1968
Charles the Butler
The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom
1968
Factory manager
If There Weren't Any Blacks You'd Have to Invent Them
1968
TV Movie
The Undertaker
30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia
1968
Registrar
City '68
1968
TV Series
Danny the Dragon
1967
Sergeant Bull
Ride of the Valkyrie
1967
Short
Harry Worth
1967
TV Series
Inspector Wallace
Lucy in London
1966
TV Movie
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966
Roman Sentry
Carry on Screaming!
1966
Mr. Jones
Coronation Street
1966
TV Series
Danny Roach
The Liars
1966
TV Series
Aldogrando
Gonks Go Beat
1965
Mr. A&R
The Wild Affair
1965
Manager
The Murder Game
1965
Radio Announcer
The Early Bird
1965
Drunken Doctor
Here's Harry
1965
TV Series
The Big Job
1965
Bank Official
A World of Comedy
1965
TV Mini-Series
Catesby
The Man in Room 17
1965
TV Series
Inspector Bascombe
Six Shades of Black
1965
TV Series
Mr. Inchcape-Lewis
Emergency-Ward 10
1965
TV Series
John Ross
Hugh and I
1962-1965
TV Series
HMS Paradise
1964-1965
TV Series
Commander Fairweather
Frankie Howerd
1965
TV Series
The Tomb of Ligeia
1964
Peperel
The Comedy Man
1964
Producer (uncredited)
The Dickie Henderson Show
1964
TV Series
The Villains
1964
TV Series
Fowler
Doomsday at Eleven
1963
BBC announcer
It's a Square World
1960-1963
TV Series
Various Characters
The Sentimental Agent
1963
TV Series
Tailor
ITV Play of the Week
1962-1963
TV Series
Richard Acton Hicks / Brig. Gen. Lloyd / Gerald Thornton / ...