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Edward Chapman is a Actor British born on 13 october 1901 at Harrogate (United-kingdom)

Edward Chapman

Edward Chapman
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Birth name Edward Chapman
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 13 october 1901 at Harrogate (United-kingdom)
Death 9 august 1977 (at 75 years) at Brighton (United-kingdom)

Edward Chapman (13 October 1901 – 9 August 1977) was an English actor who starred in many films and television programmes, but is chiefly remembered as "Mr. Wilfred Grimsdale", the officious superior and comic foil to Norman Wisdom's character of Pitkin in many of his films from the late 1950s and 1960s.

Chapman was born in Harrogate, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. On leaving school he became a bank clerk but later began his stage career with Ben Greet's Company in June 1924 at the Repertory Theatre, Nottingham, playing Gecko in George du Maurier's Trilby. He made his first London stage appearance at the Court Theatre in August 1925 playing the Rev Septimus Tudor in The Farmer's Wife. Among dozens of stage roles that followed, he played Bonaparte to Margaret Rawlings's Josephine in Napoleon at the Embassy Theatre in September 1934. In 1928 he attracted the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who gave him the role of "The Paycock" in the 1930 film, Juno and the Paycock. In the same year he also made an appearance in Caste (of which no prints are known to exist). He had a role in The Citadel in 1938 and appeared alongside George Formby in the Ealing Studios comedy Turned Out Nice Again in 1941.

During the Second World War he took a break from acting and joined the Royal Air Force. After training he was posted to 129 (Mysore) Squadron as an intelligence officer. This Spitfire squadron was based at Westhampnett and Debden. The squadron was heavily engaged in combat during this period and many of Chapman's fellow squadron mates were killed in action.

Chapman first starred alongside Wisdom in 1957's Just My Luck in the role of Mr. Stoneway, but the next year in The Square Peg he appeared as Mr. Grimsdale for the first time opposite Wisdom's character of Norman Pitkin. In 1960 he and Wisdom acted together again in The Bulldog Breed, playing the roles of Mr. Philpots and Norman Puckle - Mr. Grimsdale and Pitkin in all but name. Wisdom appeared alone as Norman Pitkin in On the Beat in 1962, while Chapman branched out, starring in the Danish folktale Venus fra Vestø, but Grimsdale and Pitkin were reunited for 1963's A Stitch in Time. Their final performance together was in The Early Bird in 1965, Wisdom's first film in colour. In all, he appeared alongside Norman Wisdom in five films.

After Sir John Gielgud was arrested for "persistently importuning male persons for immoral purposes", Chapman started a petition to force him to resign from Equity. Sir Laurence Olivier reportedly threw Chapman out of his dressing room when he solicited his signature for the petition.

From 1965 Chapman played mostly character roles on television. His final role was as Mr. Callon for nine episodes of the BBC's seafaring melodrama The Onedin Line between 1971 and 1972. Chapman died of a heart attack in Brighton, East Sussex, England at the age of 75.

Usually with

Norman Wisdom
Norman Wisdom
(5 films)
Robert Hamer
Robert Hamer
(6 films)
Pen Tennyson
Pen Tennyson
(4 films)
Jack E. Cox
Jack E. Cox
(5 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Edward Chapman (73 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

The Man Who Haunted Himself, 1h29
Directed by Basil Dearden
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Thriller, Fantasy, Crime
Actors Roger Moore, Freddie Jones, Hildegarde Neil, Anton Rodgers, Olga Georges-Picot, Thorley Walters
Roles Barton
Rating63% 3.1965753.1965753.1965753.1965753.196575
Whilst driving his Rover P5B, uptight City worker Harold Pelham appears to become possessed and has a serious high-speed accident. On the operating table, he briefly suffers clinical death, after which there appear to be two heartbeats on the monitor. When he awakes, Pelham finds his life has been turned upside-down; in his job as a director of a marine technology company he learns that he now supports a merger that he once opposed, and that he apparently is having an affair. Friends, colleagues and acquaintances claim to have seen him in places where he has never been, and Pelham starts being followed by a mysterious silver car (a Lamborghini Islero). Does Pelham have a doppelgänger or is he actually going insane?
The Early Bird, 1h38
Directed by Robert Asher
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Actors Edward Chapman, Norman Wisdom, Jerry Desmonde, Paddie O'Neil, Bryan Pringle, Richard Vernon
Roles Mr. Thomas Grimsdale
Rating67% 3.353443.353443.353443.353443.35344
Wisdom's character works for Grimsdale's Dairy as a milkman, in competition with Consolidated Dairies, an ever-growing rival company under the management of Walter Hunter (played by Jerry Desmonde).
Joey Boy
Joey Boy (1965)
, 1h31
Directed by Frank Launder
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Themes Political films
Actors Harry H. Corbett, Stanley Baxter, Bill Fraser, Percy Herbert, Lance Percival, Reg Varney
Roles Tom Hobson
Rating49% 2.4557452.4557452.4557452.4557452.455745
After a gang of London Spivs are arrested for running an illegal gambling den during the Second World War they are offered a choice between prison and a tour of duty with the British Army putting their unique talents to work.
Hide and Seek, 1h30
Directed by Cy Endfield
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Actors Ian Carmichael, Curd Jürgens, Janet Munro, George Pravda, Maggie d'Abo, Kieron Moore
Roles McPherson
Rating59% 2.9559252.9559252.9559252.9559252.955925
A reserved British astronomer is drawn out of his quiet life and into an affair of international espionage behind the Iron Curtain.
A Stitch in Time, 1h29
Directed by Robert Asher
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Actors Edward Chapman, Norman Wisdom, Jerry Desmonde, Wanda Ventham, Marianne Stone, Glyn Houston
Roles Mr Grimsdale
Rating69% 3.450593.450593.450593.450593.45059
Norman Pitkin is the apprentice to Mr Grimsdale an old fashioned butcher. When the store is raided by a young thug (Johnny Briggs), Mr Grimsdale (at Norman's suggestion) puts his gold watch in his mouth for safe keeping. The result of which leads to Mr Grimsdale accidentally swallowing the watch and sent to hospital. Whilst visiting Mr Grimsdale, Norman (in his usual way) accidentally causes chaos around the hospital and meets a girl called Lindy who hasn't spoken since her parents were killed in an aeroplane accident. After Norman is unable to visit Lindy as he is banned from hospital he and Mr. Grimsdale join the St. John Ambulance Brigade which gives him the excuse to visit her, as usual chaos ensues, and in the end Lindy visits him at a charity ball where the St John Ambulance Brigade Band are performing, the ball descends into the inevitable chaos, caused entirely by Norman, but Norman redeems himself (and the reputation of the Brigade) as he addresses those attending the ball and everyone donates money for the charity.
School for Scoundrels, 1h34
Directed by Cyril Frankel, Robert Hamer, Hal E. Chester
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Actors Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, Dennis Price, Janette Scott, Alastair Sim, Peter Jones
Roles Gloatbridge
Rating72% 3.6453553.6453553.6453553.6453553.645355
Henry Palfrey (Ian Carmichael) is a failure in sport and love, and the easy victim of conmen and employees alike. So he enrolls at the "School of Lifemanship" in Yeovil, run by Dr. Potter (Alastair Sim). Late for his appointment, he overhears Potter explaining the principles of lifemanship to the new intake: Well, gentlemen, lifemanship is the science of being one up on your opponents at all times. It is the art of making him feel that somewhere, somehow he has become less than you – less desirable, less worthy – less blessed.
The Bulldog Breed, 1h37
Directed by Robert Asher
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Themes Military humor in film, Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Norman Wisdom, Ian Hunter, David Lodge, Robert Urquhart, Edward Chapman, Eddie Byrne
Roles Mr. Philpots
Rating60% 3.0490053.0490053.0490053.0490053.049005
Norman Puckle (Norman Wisdom), a well-meaning but clumsy grocer's assistant, cannot seem to do anything right. After being rejected by Marlene, the love of his life, he attempts suicide, but cannot even do that. He is saved from jumping off a cliff at 'Lover's Leap' by a Royal Navy petty officer. He persuades Puckle to join the Royal Navy, where he will meet 'lots of girls'.
Oscar Wilde, 1h38
Directed by Gregory Ratoff
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Biography
Themes Films about writers, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Robert Morley, Phyllis Calvert, Ralph Richardson, Alexander Knox, John Neville, Dennis Price
Roles Marquis of Queensberry
Rating67% 3.3894853.3894853.3894853.3894853.389485
Film biographique sur Oscar Wilde. Au soir de la première de sa pièce L'Éventail de Lady Windermere, Oscar Wilde rencontre le jeune Lord Alfred.
The Rough and the Smooth, 1h36
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Nadja Tiller, Tony Britton, William Bendix, Norman Wooland, Natasha Parry, Donald Wolfit
Roles Willy Catch
Rating60% 3.002683.002683.002683.002683.00268
Un archéologue tombe amoureux d'une étrange jeune fille.
The Rough and the Smooth
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Genres Drama
Actors William Bendix, Nadja Tiller, Norman Wooland, Tony Britton, Adrienne Corri, Donald Wolfit
Rating60% 3.002683.002683.002683.002683.00268
Un architecte voit sa vie basculer quand il rencontre une jeune femme blonde.
The Square Peg, 1h25
Directed by John Paddy Carstairs
Origin United-kingdom
Genres War, Comedy
Themes Military humor in film
Actors Honor Blackman, Norman Wisdom, Edward Chapman, Campbell Singer, Hattie Jacques, Brian Worth
Roles Mr Grimsdale
Rating67% 3.393963.393963.393963.393963.39396
In the early days of World War II, Norman Pitkin, a roadmender with St Godric's Borough Council, falls foul of the soldiers in an army camp, when his handiwork slows down access to the camp. Despite the efforts of Borough Engineer, Mr Grimsdale, the army has both of them called up for army service. They find themselves in the Pioneer Corps, doing much the same sort of work.
Innocent Sinners, 1h35
Directed by Philip Leacock
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Flora Robson, David Kossoff, Catherine Lacey, Barbara Mullen, Susan Beaumont, Lyndon Brook
Roles Manley
Rating69% 3.480563.480563.480563.480563.48056
Londres peu après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, une jeune fille tente d'égayer sa vie en créant un jardin dans les ruines d'une église.
Doctor at Large, 1h38
Directed by Ralph Thomas
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Romance
Actors Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavlow, Donald Sinden, James Robertson Justice, Shirley Eaton, Michael Medwin
Roles Wilkins
Rating59% 2.99742.99742.99742.99742.9974
Back at St Swithin’s, Dr Simon Sparrow loses out to the self-important Dr Bingham for a job as senior house surgeon. Feeling that he has no future as a surgeon, he takes a general practice job in an industrial town. He finds that he has to do most of the work, including night calls, and is also the target of his partner’s flirty wife.