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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 detailed form
YearNameJobRoles
1970The Man Who Haunted HimselfActorBarton
1965The Early BirdActorMr. Thomas Grimsdale
1965Joey BoyActorTom Hobson
1964Hide and SeekActorMcPherson
1963A Stitch in TimeActorMr Grimsdale
1962Venus fra VestøActorEnglishman
1960School for ScoundrelsActorGloatbridge
1960The Bulldog BreedActorMr. Philpots
1960Oscar WildeActorMarquis of Queensberry
1959The Rough and the SmoothActorWilly Catch
1959The Rough and the SmoothActor
1958The Square PegActorMr Grimsdale
1958The Young and the GuiltyActorGeorge Connor
1958Innocent SinnersActorManley
1957Doctor at LargeActorWilkins
1957Just My LuckActorMr. Stoneway
1956Bhowani JunctionActorThomas Jones
1956LisbonActorEdgar Selwyn
1956X the UnknownActorJohn Elliott
1955The Love MatchActorMr Longworth
1955A Yank in ErmineActorDuke of Fontenham
1954The Crowded DayActorMr. Bunting
1953A Day to RememberActorMr. Robinson
1953Folly to Be WiseActorJoseph Byres M.P.
1953The IntruderActorLowden
1952The Magic BoxActorFather in Family Group
1952The CardActorMr. Duncalf
1952His ExcellencyActorThe Admiral
1952MandyActorAckland
1952The RingerActorStranger
1950Night and the CityActorHoskins (uncredited)
1950MadeleineActorDr. Thompson
1950Gone to EarthActorMr. James
1949The History of Mr. PollyActorMr. Johnson
1949Man on the RunActorChief Inspector Mitchell
1949The Spider and the FlyActorMinister for War
1948Mr. Perrin and Mr. TraillActorBirkland
1947It Always Rains on SundayActorGeorge Sandigate
1947The October ManActorMr. Peachy
1942They Flew AloneActorMr. Johnson
1941Inspector Hornleigh Goes to ItActorMr. Blenkinsop
1941JeannieActorMr. Jansen
1941Ships with WingsActorPapadopoulos
1941Turned Out Nice AgainActorUncle Arnold
1940ConvoyActorCaptain Eckersley
1940The Proud ValleyActorDick Parry
1940The Briggs FamilyActorCharley Briggs
1940Law and DisorderActorDetective Inspector Bray
1940Now You're TalkingActorAlf Small
1939The Four Just MenActorB.J. Burrell
1939Inspector Hornleigh on HolidayActorCaptain Edwin Fraser
1939Poison PenActorLen Griffin
1939There Ain't No JusticeActorSammy Sanders
1939The Nursemaid Who DisappearedActorJenks
1938The CitadelActorJoe Morgan
1938MarigoldActorMordan
1938PremiereActorLohrmann
1938Who Killed John Savage?ActorInspector Chortley
1937The Man Who Could Work MiraclesActorMajor Grigsby
1936Things to ComeActorPippa Passworthy / Raymond Passworthy
1936RembrandtActorFabrizius
1936Someone at the DoorActorPrice
1935The Divine SparkActorSaverio Mercadante
1934Blossom TimeActorMeyerhoffer
1934Girls Will Be BoysActorGrey
1934The Queen's AffairActorGuard
1934The Church MouseActorMr. 'Pinky' Wormwood
1932Happy Ever AfterActor
1932The Flying SquadActorSedeman
1931Tilly of BloomsburyActorPercy Welwyn
1931The Skin GameActorDawker
1930Juno and the PaycockActorCaptain Boyle
1930Murder!ActorTed Markham