What a sad week. First Cilla dies from a fall induce stroke, now the wonderful George Cole goes too. What a legacy he leaves behind, two of the great roles of English film and tv, Flash Harry and Arthur Daley. I loved this man's work.
Still love seeing the first three St Trinian's movies when they pop up on the many TV channels we now have access to. George Cole. Alastair Sim and Joyce Grenfell were class acts. This series and the Miss Jane Marple films with Margaret Rutherford are somehow very uplifting to gentlemen of a certain age! As an aside I assume you were aware that George Cole 'lived' with Alastair Sim and his wife from a fairly early age. AS was a character; he believed, in a complete change to today's thinking, that once you reached a certain age (70?) you should lose the vote and have to withdraw from any decision making public positiion. He felt that 'senior' individuals were to set in their ways and generally selfish so had no right to make decisions on the way the 'young' led their lives. I wonder what political party in the UK, or Australia, would allow him to join today and promote these views!!!! I asked on Facebook (a strange passtime for a sixty one year old) if anyone could recall the episode of Minder which parodied the 'The 12 Angry Men'. Arthur Daley pictured himself in the Henry Fonda role and proceeded to convince his fellow jury members that the defendant, who was clearly guilty of I think receiving stolen goods, was not guilty. It showed the essence of Arthur Daley; a true 'conservative' and believer in free enterprise; priceless!
Raise a ‘large VAT’ (on the slate) to George Cole. Curiously I saw him the other day in a repeated Midsomer Murders episode that also featured Donald Sinden. The episode to which you refer is called “Poetic Justice, Innit?” (Series 3, Episode 11; 1981) I looked it up on the DVD box set. Sgt. Chisholm (Patrick Malahide) was the chief prosecution witness and Mr Johnny Smith (Larry Martyn) had been handling stolen clothes. There were a few members of that jury that will be well known to viewers of other programmes, such as John Bardon (EastEnders), Pamela Cundell (Mrs Fox in Dad’s Army), Lloyd McGuire (Coronation Street; Bob in Teachers), Anton Darby (Z Cars) and a young Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra from Only Fools & Horses).
I watched Poetic Justice yesterday on Youtube, what a laugh. Patrick Malahide's portrayal of Sgt Chisolm is brilliant, especially when giving testimony in the witness box. The look on his face when Arthur stands and and tells the judge that he's not sure what the term "fitted up" means, was priceless.
George Cole RIP what a legend. Arfur Daley,I watch the Minder repeats on tv of an evening, brilliant show Along with Del Boy, JR Ewing, Basil Fawlty, my 4 favourite ever TV characters.
Favourite TV characters? Great way to start a Saturday: Malcolm Tucker - The Thick Of It. Francis Urquhart - UK House of Cards Alan Shore/Denny Crane - Boston Legal Horace Rumpole - Rumpole Of The Bailey Jeeves and Wooster - Stephen Fry and Hugh Lawrie
