David Battley

David John Battley (5 November 1935 – 20 January 2003) was a British actor of stage and screen, mainly appearing in comedy roles.

David Battley
Born	David John Battley (1935-11-05)5 November 1935 Battersea, London, England
Died	20 January 2003(2003-01-20) (aged 67) Epsom, Surrey, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1964–2000
Spouse	Sarah Hanrahan ​ (m. 1971)​
Children	2

Early life

Battley was born at Battersea, London, the elder son of John Battley, a post-Second World War Labour MP, and his wife Sybill (née Allchurch). Born with a hole in the heart, he was initially home schooled before attending a special school. He later enrolled at Camberwell School of Art but left before completing the course. He earned a living working for the family printing firm, Battley Brothers, before applying to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Battley had one brother, Bernard.

Career

Battley used a dry, ironic delivery on television and in films. He found steady work as a character actor and comic stooge. Battley's TV work ranged from the satire show BBC-3 and the military police drama Redcap in the 1960s through Eric Sykes' BBC sitcom, the 1975 TV adaptation of Moll Flanders, the 1977 Christmas Special of The Good Life, and later The Bill, Lovejoy, The Beiderbecke Tapes as John the hippy barman, and Mr. Bean. Battley also appears as the Executioner in the 1966 BBC production of Alice in Wonderland. He also appeared in the mid-1970s as a foil to Eric Idle in the BBC series Rutland Weekend Television (1975–1976). Battley played the Paul McCartney role in the original RWT sketch of The Rutles, a parody of The Beatles, but did not appear in the American TV film All You Need Is Cash, based on the sketch.

Battley also featured in films, including Hotel Paradiso (1966), Crossplot (1969), Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), Up the Chastity Belt (1972), Up the Front (1972), That's Your Funeral (1972), Rentadick (1972), Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! (1973), Mister Quilp (1975), S.O.S. Titanic (1979), The London Connection (1979) and Krull (1983).

In 1990, he appeared in an early episode of One Foot in the Grave. Among his last roles were a miniature golf course employee in the Mr. Bean episode "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" (1995), and a doctor examining new regimental recruits in Sharpe's Regiment (1996).

Personal life

Battley had two daughters, Zoe S. Battley and E. Martha Battley.

Death

He died on 20 January 2003, after suffering a heart attack, at the age of 67, in Epsom, Surrey, England.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1966	Hotel Paradiso	George
	Alice in Wonderland	Executioner	TV film
1968	The Franchise Trail	Wesley Dagenham	TV film
1969	Mrs Wilson's Diary	David Frost	TV film
	Crossplot	Bridegroom
1971	Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory	Mr. Turkentine
1972	Up the Chastity Belt	Yokel
	Rentadick	Desk Sergeant
	Up the Front	Midgeley the Cook
	Follow Me!	Writer	Uncredited
	That's Your Funeral	Percy
1974	Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!	Country Yokel
1975	A Man in the Zoo	Collins	TV film
	Mister Quilp	Codlin
	Moll Flanders	Henry Haydock	TV film
1976	The Snow Queen	Old Woman	TV film
1979	The Omega Connection	Peters
	S.O.S. Titanic	Chief Boots: S. Stebbing	TV film
1980	Moving Pictures	Picture Restorer	TV film
1983	Krull	Ergo
1998	Vigo: A Passion for Life	Cinema Manager
2000	Out of Depth	Donald

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1964	Second City Reports	Various roles	Series regular
	The Protectors	Wally	Episode: "The Reluctant Thief"
	The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling	Private Jones	Episode: "Only a Subaltern"
1964-1965	Redcap	Corporal Metters	2 episodes
1965	Public Eye	Charlie Andrews	Episode: "You Think It'll Be Marvellous - But It's Always a Rabbit"
1966	Sergeant Cork	James Starkey	Episode: "The Case of the Crystal Ball"
	Mystery and Imagination	Klaus	Episode: "Room 13"
1967	The Wednesday Play	Joey	Episode: "Another Day, Another Dollar"
	Mickey Dunne	Milkman	Episode: "No Flowers by Request"
	Theatre 625	The New Scribe	Episode: "Lieutenant Tenant"
1968	The Jazz Age	Hook	Episode: "Thark"
1969	Hark at Barker		Episode: "Rustless in Pigtails"
	The Benny Hill Show	Russian Officer	Episode: "Show 1"
1970	Comedy Playhouse	Percy	Episode: "Last Tribute"
1970-1971	That's Your Funeral	Percy	Series regular
1971	The Sinners	Olly	Episode: "One Man, One Boat, One Girl"
	Father, Dear Father	Sorting Office Clerk	Episode: "A Book for the Bishop"
1972	Sykes	Darlington Porter	3 episodes
1973	The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes	Podgers	Episode: "The Absent-Minded Coterie"
	Bless This House	Mr. Jones	Episode: "Watch the Birdie"
	Centre Play	Dennis	Episode: "The Museum Attendant"
	Sporting Scenes	Villager	Episode: "England, Their England"
	BBC Play of the Month	Costar Pearmain	Episode: "The Recruiting Officer"
1974	Jackanory Playhouse	Percy Harlow	Episode: "The Lost Voice"
	Funny Ha-Ha	Boy Wonder	Episode: "Commander Badman"
	Bless This House	Wally	Episode: "Freedom Is"
1975	Churchill's People	Edwards	Episode: "Death of Liberty"
	Comedy Playhouse	Nigel the Idle	Episode: "For Richer... For Poorer"
1975-1976	Rutland Weekend Television	Stig O'Hara - Rutles Bassist	Series regular
1976	Saturday Night Live	Stig O'Hara	Episode: "Eric Idle/Joe Cocker/Stuff"
1977	BBC Play of the Month	Parson	Episode: "The Country Wife"
	Beryl's Lot	Mr. Biggleswade	2 episodes
	The Cost of Loving	Desmond Waterhouse	Episode: "Albert's Part"
	The Good Life	Bill, Tradesman	Episode: "Silly, But It's Fun"
1978	In the Looking Glass		Episode: "Fading Away"
1979	The Dawson Watch		2 episodes
1981	Crown Court	Paul Flood	3 episodes
	Thicker than Water	Harry Fishwick
	Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore	Porter	1 episode
1982	Don't Rock the Boat	Eric	2 episodes
1983	The Climber	Ted
1984	The Gentle Touch	Reginald Loon	2 episodes
1985	Super Gran	Police Sergeant	Episode: "Supergran and the Day at the Sea"
1985-1987	Relative Strangers	Gerald	Series regular
1986	Comrade Dad	Cliff	Episode: "Cars That Pass in the Night"
	Dramarama	Arthur Crouchley	Episode: "Last Days of Black Berts"
1987	The Beiderbecke Tapes	John the Barman	Miniseries
1989	Close to Home	Mr. Barnes	Episode: "A Matter of Decree"
1990	One Foot in the Grave	Carpet-Fitter	Episode: "The Eternal Quadrangle"
1992	The Darling Buds of May	Norman	Episode: "Oh! To Be in England"
1994	The Bill	Banwell	Episode: "No Job for an Amateur"
	Minder	Potter	Episode: "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley"
	Lovejoy	Norman Ebersley	Episode: "Holding the Baby"
1995	As Time Goes By	Ted Pringle	Episode: "The Anniversary Party"
	Mr. Bean	Golf Attendant	Episode: "Tee Off, Mr. Bean"
1996	Annie's Bar	Gus James	3 episodes
	Sharpe	Doctor	Episode: "Sharpe's Regiment"
1997	Grange Hill	Cab Driver	1 episode
1999	Murder Most Horrid	Mr. Gaunt	Episode: "Frozen"

External links

• David Battley at IMDb