Erik Chitty
English actor (1907–1977)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Early life
Chitty was the son of a flour miller, Frederick Walter Chitty and his wife Ethel Elsie Assistance née Franklin; they married in 1902. He attended Dover College and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was one of the founders of the Cambridge University Mummers, before training at RADA and becoming a professional actor.[5] He then ran his own repertory company in Frinton-on-Sea.
Personal life
Chitty and former actress Hester Bevan married 1936, and they had two daughters and one son. He was also a keen genealogist.[6]
Television career
Early television (1936–1939)
Chitty was an early player in the fledgling BBC television output, which started in November 1936 until it was closed at the beginning of WWII.
- Pyramus And Thisbe, 23 July 1937, Snout[7]
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, 2 March 1938, Guildenstern[8]
- Henry IV 22 March 1938, "Valet"[9]
- The White Chateau, 11 November 1938,[A] Trooper of Uhlans/Orderly/Linesman[10]
- Edna's Fruit Hat, 27 January 1939, Cousin Sid[11]
- The Tempest, 5 February 1939, Boatswain[12]
- The Unquiet Spirit, 7 March 1939 "Hall Porter"[13]
- Katharine and Petruchio, 12 April 1939, "A Tailor"[14]
- Annajanska, The Bolsjevik Empress 2 May 1939, "Stammfest"[15]
- The Day is Gone, 4 August 1939, Radio announcer's voice[16]
- The Advantages of Paternity 12 May 1939, "Brunov"[17]
Television postwar (1946 onwards)
His television credits included a major role as the aged "Mr Smith" in Please Sir!, and multiple appearances in Dad's Army, Raffles, Doctor Who, Danger Man, Maigret, Man About the House and The Goodies.[18][4] He appeared in the TV musical Pickwick for the BBC in 1969.[19]
Filmography
- Contraband (1940) – Cloakroom attendant (uncredited)
- Oliver Twist (1948) – Workhouse Board member (uncredited)
- Forbidden (1949) – Schofield
- All Over the Town (1949) – Frobisher
- Your Witness (1950) – Judge's clerk
- Chance of a Lifetime (1950) – Silas Pike
- Circle of Danger (1951) - Box-office clerk (uncredited)
- John Wesley (1954) – Trustee of Georgia
- Time Is My Enemy (1954) – Ballistics expert
- Views on Trial (1954) – Sterling Silver
- Raising a Riot (1955) – Mr Buttons (uncredited)
- Footsteps in the Fog (1955) – Hedges
- Windfall (1955) – (uncredited)
- After the Ball (1957) – Waiter
- Zoo Baby (1957) – Vulture man
- Left Right and Centre (1959) – Deputy returning officer
- The Devil's Disciple (1959) – Uncle Titus
- The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) – Gudgeon (uncredited)
- Not a Hope in Hell (1960) – Joe
- Raising the Wind (1961) – Elderly Man at concert
- Follow That Man (1961) – Doctor
- First Men in the Moon (1964) – Gibbs, Cavor's hired man (uncredited)
- The Horror of It All (1964) – Grandpa Marley
- Doctor Zhivago (1965) – Old Soldier
- Casino Royale (1967) – Sir James Bond's butler (uncredited)
- Bedazzled (1967) – Seed – Sir Stanley Moon's butler (uncredited)
- Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) – Priest (uncredited)
- Arthur? Arthur! (1969) – Uncle Ratty
- A Nice Girl Like Me (1969) – Vicar
- Twinky (1969) – Lawyer's elderly client
- Song of Norway (1970) – Helsted
- The Railway Children (1970) – Photographer
- Lust for a Vampire (1971) – Professor Herz
- The Statue (1971) – Mouser
- Please Sir! (1971) – Mr Smith
- The Amazing Mr. Blunden (1972) – Mr Claverton
- The Vault of Horror (1973) – Old waiter (segment 1 "Midnight Mess")
- Op de Hollandse toer (1973) – Mr Molenaar
- The Flying Sorcerer (1973) – Sir Roger
- Fall of Eagles (1974) - Hertling, German Chancellor
- One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) – Museum guard
- The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones (1976) – Sam (uncredited)
- The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) – The butler
- Jabberwocky (1977) – Second door-opener / Servant (uncredited)
- A Bridge Too Far (1977) – Organist
Notes
- Armistice Day, 20th anniversary