Arthur Lowe

Just thought this man deserves a thread of his own. In my opinion, he is the greatest comedy actor of all time. His expressions were first class. He's obviously best remembered for his outstanding role in Dad's Army which was an excellent 'performance'. I put performance in inverted commas because he was very much like Mainwaring in real life. He didn't learn his lines at home, just in rehersals, which annoyed some of the cast, so writer Jimmy Perry told him 'Why don't you take the script home and learn it?' Arthur brilliantly replied 'Take the script home. I'm not having that rubbish in my house' Such a response and what could you possibly say to that.
Dad's Army aside, he also played Leonard Swindley in Coronation Street and played the role again in the spin-off Pardon the Expression and managed to raise a smile to the rather bland script of that sitcom. Post Dad's Army he had a few projects, such as playing Redvers Potter in Potter. I've only seen one episode and he was great in that. He also played the lead role in Bless me Father, a sitcom I've never seen, but Arthur's presence is making me want to buy the DVD. His final role was as the lead in AJ Wentworth BA before his death in 1982.
During Dad's Army, he also appeared in six episodes of Doctor at Large as Doctor Maxwell. It was in 1971 he made these appearances and Arthur was in great form in these episodes. Out of the over 100 episodes of the great Doctor series, the six featuing Arthur were the highlight of the show.
Arthur Lowe- a tribute.

A young-ish Arthur Lowe turns up at the end of the great Ealing comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Another favourite performance of mine from Lowe was in Parsley Sidings, a radio sitcom set in a railway station where he played, Horace Hepplewhite the station master (Grade 3). There are some similarities to Mainwaring in that Hepplewhite is both pompous and has a wife who never appears on the show. The show also stared Ian Lavender as Horace's idiot son Bertrand.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/parsley_sidings/

Not that I wish to dispute your opinion Jack, but really, Arthur Lowe is the greatest comedy actor of our time?

As has been evidenced, he basically played himself in Dad's Army and then played variations of the same character in every thing he did afterwards.

I'm not saying he wasn't talented or didn't make me laugh, but I think Peter Sellers and Steve Coogan knock spots of him in the comedy acting stakes.

He was very good at what he did. He wasn't particularly versatile, but never mind. I can't remember a performance of his (outside of Dad's Army) which really stood out. He was an excellent technical actor, with some gift for comedy. Nuff said.

Steve Coogan? That's the funniest thing you've posted yet, RC.

I'd certainly recommend Bless Me, Father (https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/bless_me_father/). Potter I found pretty bland but I think you'd enjoy it.

To be fair, I should take a look at more of his sitcom work, it would be interesting. I really love his performance in the film The Bed-Sitting Room, which in many ways is a bizarre story. He kept his performance brilliantly grounded in the face of this.

Quote: Aaron @ September 12 2009, 5:08 PM BST

Steve Coogan? That's the funniest thing you've posted yet, RC.

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Dismiss the Coo-gan at your peril. He creates fully rounded, three dimensional characters and inhabits them fully. Whether it be Partridge, Saxondale, Gareth Cheeseman or Keanu Reeves, his voices, mannerisms and quirks all ring true. He is a comedy genius.

His film work has been poor though.

I liked him in A Cock And Bull Story, which is a lovely film (if a little bit too clever for its own good). I have never seen The Parole Officer or Around The World In 80 Days and probably never will.

He was also the Mr Men narrator. (Arthur Lowe that is, not Steve Coogan).

Oh yes, so he was! Kudos to you for remembering that, DD.

Interestingly, Simon Callow is the new Mr Men narrator and IIRC, John Alderton took over from Arthur Lowe when he could no longer do it due to death.

The Curse of the Mr. Men narrators?

'Look out Mr. Tickle, here comes Mr. Death'.

Just looked up Arthur Lowe, because I'm not very familiar with him and I was shocked to discover that he was Mr. Beaver in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe from the 70s. Our local library has that on video. I'll have to check it out. I almost have about 5 or 6 times.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ September 12 2009, 5:53 PM BST

John Alderton took over from Arthur Lowe when he could no longer do it due to death.

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F**king actors. So much for "the show must go on" bollocks these luvvies spout.