Bernard Bresslaw

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Publicity still of Bernard Bresslaw in 'Carry On Camping'

Bernard Bresslaw (born Stepney London February 25, 1934 - June 11, 1993) was an English actor who was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He is best known for his comedy work, especially as a member of the Carry On team. His catchphrase, in his strong Cockney accent, was 'I only arsked' (sic), first used in The Army Game, and later revived in Carry On Camping (1969). He was a very tall man, exactly 6' 7" (2.01 m), the biggest of the Carry On team, head-and-shoulders over fellow Carry On regular, Barbara Windsor, who is 4'10" (1.47 m). He was married to dancer Betty Wright from 1959 until his death, and they had three sons. He died after collapsing in his dressing room at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, London, where he was to play Grumio in the New Shakespeare Company's production of Taming of the Shrew, the day after the death of fellow comedy performer Les Dawson.He made great efforts to follow up any role..learning a genuine African dialect for "Carry on Up the Jungle".

Television series include:

The Army Game
Three Carry On Christmas Specials and Carry On Laughing
Doctor Who serial The Ice Warriors (1967) as Varga, an Ice Warrior
The Goodies
The Book Tower

Films include:

I Only Arsked! (1958)
The Ugly Duckling (1959)
Too Many Crooks (1959)
Fourteen Carry On films, from Carry On Cowboy (1965) to Carry On Behind (1975)
Up Pompeii (1971)
The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (Avarice segment) (1971)
One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975)
Hawk the Slayeras "gort" (1980)
Krull (1983)
Asterix and the Big Fight (1989) (animation, voice of Obelix)
Leon the Pig Farmer (1993)

UK chart singles:

"Mad Passionate Love/You need Feet" (1958)
"The Army Game/What do we do in the Army?" (1958) Michael Medwin. Bernard Bresslaw, Alfie Bass & Leslie Fyson
"Charlie Brown/The Teenager's Lament" (1959)
"Ivy Will Cling/I Found a Hole" (1959)

His song "You Need Feet" (a parody of "You Need Hands" by Max Bygraves) was used in The Rutles' TV special, accompanying the Yoko Ono film parody "A Thousand Feet of Film", but was cut from the syndicated version and the original DVD release, but was restored for subsequent versions.

Books:

Bernard was the author of a privately published volume of poetry, Ode to the Dead Sea Scrolls

[edit] External links

Bernard Bresslaw at the Internet Movie Database
Bernard Bresslaw Memorial at Find A Grave

v • d • e Carry On films

Films: Sergeant • Nurse • Teacher • Constable • Regardless • Cruising • Cabby • Jack • Spying • Cleo • Cowboy • Screaming • Don't Lose Your Head • Follow That Camel • Doctor • Up the Khyber • Camping • Again Doctor • Up the Jungle • Loving • Henry • At Your Convenience • Matron • Abroad • Girls • Dick • Behind • England • Emmannuelle • Columbus
TV: Laughing • Christmas Specials • That's Carry On! Unmade: Spaceman Upcoming: London