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Post by tigon67 on Nov 10, 2010 8:56:16 GMT 12
I loved Windsor in It Ain't Half Hot Mum. I always thought that Battery Sergeant Major Williams was one of the funniest characters that Croft & Perry created and wonderfully acted by Windsor.
I had thought he was retired and living between his homes in France and Carshalton Beeches Surrey, but according to Wiki (Granted not always reliable) he is making a comeback in the ITV comedy Benidorm.
Lets hope it's true! ;D
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Post by Katie on Nov 11, 2010 7:43:04 GMT 12
I thought he'd died??!  |
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Post by Andy Howells on Nov 11, 2010 8:30:06 GMT 12
No, Windsor is still with us - I'm not sure hes making so much as a comeback hes just very selective about what he does - hes popped up on various shows and dramas over the years - though I did used to enjoy him with Donald Sinden in Never The Twain...
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 11, 2010 10:49:46 GMT 12
From It Ain't Half Hot Mum, those of the main cast who have died are:
Michael Bates
Dino Shafeek
Christopher Mitchell
Ken McDonald
Andy Ho
Don Estelle
The rest of the main cast are still with us
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Post by tigon67 on Nov 13, 2010 8:55:09 GMT 12
From It Ain't Half Hot Mum, those of the main cast who have died are: Michael Bates Dino Shafeek Christopher Mitchell Ken McDonald Andy Ho Don Estelle The rest of the main cast are still with us Wasn't there some talk on various forums that Babar Bhatti who played Punkah Wallah Ramsin is no longer with us? I believe he gave up acting and went into business, possibly running a restaurant. Rumour has it he died in the late 90's. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 13, 2010 17:15:01 GMT 12
He was still alive in the mid-2000's, but he lives in Pakistan.
Babar Bhatti was a restauranteur before he became an actor. Jimmy and/or David apparently met him in one of his restaurants. From memory he ran a couple of very good Indian/Pakistani takeaways in London. He gave up acting because his family were not happy that the tabloids had printed what a great time he was having as an actor having wild parties, etc - according to some of the other IAHHM cast members I have talked with. But I have heard nothing about him dying and assume the rumour was incorrect.
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Post by faginsgirl on Nov 14, 2010 0:17:33 GMT 12
He gave up acting because his family were not happy that the tabloids had printed what a great time he was having as an actor having wild parties, etc Spoil sports! ;D |
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Post by jonboy on Nov 14, 2010 2:58:42 GMT 12
According to his IMDB entry Babar's last tv appearance was in 1981 in an early episode of Only Fools and Horses.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 14, 2010 8:52:23 GMT 12
Yes, you'll recall he didn't appear in the last series of IAHHM.
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Post by tigon67 on Nov 20, 2010 9:19:50 GMT 12
Although not a direct replacement, the programme makers bought in a new character the Chinese chef played by Andy Ho.
I think this was the same Andy Ho who was involved in the Soho Chinese restaurant boom in the late sixties.
He was a business partner of the boxing legend Freddie Mills in the latters 'Nite Spot' club off of Londons Tottenham Court Road. Freddie Mills met a violent death in 1965, which remains unsolved.
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Post by jonboy on Nov 21, 2010 7:13:31 GMT 12
Freddie Mills - I recall a documentary on ITV a few years back, his death from a shotgun blast to the side of his head was recorded as suicide despite that fact it was impossible for anyone to it themselves from the angle of the wound & also the fact that the gun was found resting neatly across his lap - their were rumours he had refused to pay protection to a local triad gang, still after 45 years I guess we will never know.
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Post by Katie on Nov 22, 2010 3:17:49 GMT 12
Weren't the Krays thought to be involved in his death/murder? |
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Post by tigon67 on Nov 22, 2010 5:22:45 GMT 12
There are many theories surrounding Freddie Mills death, most of them pretty daft including he was 'Jack the Stripper' a serial killer who targeted prostitutes in West London, the last murder being committed in 1965 before Mills death. Another story had him about to be exposed as having a gay affair. He was certainly in serious financial difficulties and his nightclub was losing money handover fist. Both Mills and his partner Andy Ho knew the Kray twins and they may have been under pressure to pay protection to the Soho racketeers operating at the time. Ho was also rumoured to have asked the twins to pressure Freddie into handing sole control of the club to him. It was all unsubstantiated speculation and there was no evidence for any of the stories put forward. Besides police cheif Leonard 'Nipper' Reed who eventually bought the Kray twins to trial states that if there had been a gangland plot against Mills he would have heard about it. Despite the various books purporting to have solved the mystery of Mills death its unlikely the full truth will ever come out. |
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Post by Molly on Nov 22, 2010 20:28:53 GMT 12
I think Windsor Davies in the IAHHM was just wonderful. So clever. The way he did that funny little twitch thing. One of the funniest episodes for me was the one where Captain Ashwood wanted to fight the sergeant - hilarious! As usual, can't remember the name of the episode sorry.
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Post by jonboy on Nov 22, 2010 21:12:12 GMT 12
I think Windsor was the right choice, David Croft was keen to cast Leonard Rossitor who I believe wanted the part re-written to suit his style.
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Post by tigon67 on Nov 23, 2010 8:03:44 GMT 12
I think Windsor Davies in the IAHHM was just wonderful. So clever. The way he did that funny little twitch thing. One of the funniest episodes for me was the one where Captain Ashwood wanted to fight the sergeant - hilarious! As usual, can't remember the name of the episode sorry. I remember one of the early episodes (The title escapes me) where they are on a long hot train journey and the officers and the Sergeant Major take it in turns to sit on a cooling block of ice. Windsor's face is an absolute picture as he cools his posterior..  |
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Post by tigon67 on Nov 23, 2010 8:11:34 GMT 12
I think Windsor was the right choice, David Croft was keen to cast Leonard Rossitor who I believe wanted the part re-written to suit his style. According to Jimmy Perry in his book 'A Stupid Boy', Leonard Rossiter met Croft & Perry and then dismantled the script calling the character stereotyped. Jimmy P. calls him 'Downright Rude'. Perhaps it was better that Len didn't want the role, otherwise we would have missed out on the wonderful comedy of 'The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and Rising Damp, as well as Windsor's brilliant performance in IAHHM! |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 23, 2010 17:47:16 GMT 12
The episode with the ice is, from memory, The Road To Bannu. That is a brilliant episode and it is a favouriter of most of the cast.
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