Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens; 10 July 1911 – 8 January 1990) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a monocle, waistcoat and cigarette holder. His striking dress sense was set off by a 1⁄3-inch (8.5 mm) gap between his two upper front teeth.Born in London, Terry-Thomas made his film debut, uncredited, in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). He spent several years appearing in smaller roles, before wartime service with Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) and Stars in Battledress. The experience helped sharpen his cabaret and revue act, increased his public profile and proved instrumental in the development of his successful comic stage routine. Upon his demobilisation, he starred in Piccadilly Hayride on the London stage and was the star of the first comedy series on British television, How Do You View? (1949). He appeared on various BBC radio shows, and made a successful transition into British films. His most creative period was the 1950s when he appeared in Private's Progress (1956), The Green Man (1956), Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957), I'm All Right Jack (1959) and Carlton-Browne of the F.O. (1959).From the early 1960s Terry-Thomas began appearing in American films, coarsening his already unsubtle screen character in films such as Bachelor Flat, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and How to Murder Your Wife. From the mid-1960s he frequently starred in European films, in roles such as Sir Reginald in the successful French film La Grande Vadrouille. In 1971 Terry-Thomas was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which slowly brought his career to a conclusion: his last film role was in 1980. He spent much of his fortune on medical treatment and, shortly before his death, was living in poverty, existing on charity from the Actors' Benevolent Fund. A charity gala was held in his honour, which raised sufficient funds for him to live his remaining time in a nursing home.
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, BAFTA Award for Best British Actor
Movies
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, School for Scoundrels, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, How to Murder Your Wife, The Naked Truth, Monte Carlo or Bust!, Too Many Crooks, La Grande Vadrouille, I'm All Right Jack, Robin Hood, Make Mine Mink, Tom Thumb, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Carlton...
TV Shows
The Old Campaigner, Strictly T-T
Star Sign
Cancer
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Trademark
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Cigarette holder and lapelled carnation
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Catchphrases "You're an absolute shower", "Good show" etc
Terry's and his wife Ida Patlanski had a dachshund dog which appeared in the film Miss Tulip Stays the Night (1955) credited as Archie Terry - Thomas.
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Henri-Georges Clouzot wanted him to star in the movie Les espions (1957), but Terry-Thomas had to reject due to his full working schedule.
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Was charged with driving a car in Great Windmill Street, Soho, on December 23 1957 "while under the influence of drink to such an extent as to be incapable of proper control of the vehicle." At Bow Street Court on January 16, 1958 he pled not guilty and elected to go for trial. At the trial on March 14, 1958 he was found not guilty and discharged.
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A comic heritage plaque now commemorates his ownership of 11 Queen's Gate Mews, South Kensington, London, SW7. He lived at the West London Mews from 1949 until 1981.
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In 1965 he brought a successful court action against "Private Eye" magazine after a cartoon image in the August 23 edition depicted him as a "drunken dissolute character standing under a stage door" (The Times, February 9, 1965).
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The Marvel UK comic book villain Mad Jim Jaspers is based on him.
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He used to say that the hyphen in his name Terry-Thomas represented the famous gap between his teeth.
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Although mentioned in some German Edgar Wallace books, Terry-Thomas did not appear in The Trygon Factor (1966) as "Thompson", neither in the original English nor in the German version of the film. The role was played by Allan Cuthbertson.
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He and producer Douglas Rankin headed their own production company together. It was called Thomkins Productions Ltd.
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The gap in his upper teeth is so famous that in British medicine there is a Terry-Thomas sign - the gap between the scaphoid and lunate bones (scapho-lunate disassociation) on x-rays. These two bones are in the human wrist.
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He was asked by director Derek Jarman to star as "Prospero" in his Shakespeare adaptation The Tempest (1979), but his failing health didn't allow him to play this role, which was eventually portrayed by Heathcote Williams.
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He was the first choice to play the role of Dr. Ezra Mungo in Call Me Bwana (1963), a part eventually played by Lionel Jeffries.
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Having played Bertie Wooster in two radio plays in 1964 ('Indian Summer of an Uncle' and 'Jeeves Takes Charge'), he was also the first choice for the same role in the television series The World of Wooster (1965), eventually portrayed by Ian Carmichael.
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The producer of Two's Company (1975) tried to get him to play a recurring character part in the series, but Thomas's suffering from Parkinson's disease made it impossible for him to sign the contract.
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In 1966 he was about to co-star in a movie called "Easy Come, Easy Go" with Jan Berry and Dean Torrence in the leading roles. Due to a car wreck during shooting, in which Berry suffered a severe brain damage and paralysis, the film was canceled. The film would have marked the screen debut of Mel Brooks, who also would have starred in the movie.
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Cousin of actor Richard Briers's father, making him Richard's first cousin, once removed.
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He and Belinda Cunningham had two sons, Timothy ("Tiger") and Cushan.
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Changed his professional name from Thomas Terry after repeatedly being asked if he was related to stage legend Ellen Terry
$700,000
