Dave Carter

Character & Episode: Electrician in My Late, Lamented Friend and Partner

Dave Carter's television credits span from the mid-Sixties to the late Eighties, and during that time he made more than fifty appearances in a variety of programmes. He seems to have made his uncredited debut with Gerald Harper in Adam Adamant Lives! in 1966. He was generally cast in minor roles, usually without any lines. His last credited appearance was in 1989 when he played an injured workman in The Bill.

He is probably most readily recognised for his Doctor Who roles during the Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker years, during which he variously played guards, prison officers and rebels. He was one of the Silurian creatures in Dr Who and the Silurians and a Primord a few months later in Inferno. His final credits in Doctor Who - as Sergeant Duffy in Invasion (of the Dinosaurs) alongside Jon Pertwee, and as Grierson in The Android Invasion with Tom Baker - witnessed him finally rising to the heights of having a character name in Doctor Who!

Pauline Chamberlain

Character & Episode: Showgirl in It's Supposed To Be Thicker Than Water;
Chorus Girl in That's How Murder Snowballs
Born: 02/10/1932, West Ham, London, England (as Pauline Lesley Chamberlain)

Although Pauline Chamblerlain made significantly more than one hundred screen appearances, all of these were uncredited as she was mainly seen in the background and had very few speaking roles. Her identical twin sister Pamela also did some film work as an extra. Pauline's career as an extra really developed in the 1950s and over the following decades she featured in a number of television series and films. Such films cameos include Thunderball and A Hard Day's Night. Her television work includes Danger Man, The Baron, The Prisoner, Department S and even playing a lady in a pub in an episode of Columbo.

During the 1970s she became a secretary but kept an agent for extras work, for which she would be granted days off from her office job. Her most high profile role was in the BBC situation comedy series Bread (1986-1990), in which she played a bespectacled member of staff at the labour exchange, a role that unusually included brief dialogue. She is seen dancing in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and she did similar work in the films Oliver!, Scrooge, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Indiscreet, among others.

Pauline finally retired from extras work in the mid-Nineties.

Jill Chartell

Character & Episode: Dancer in It's Supposed To Be Thicker Than Water

Born: Belfast, Country Antrim, Northern Ireland

A full Equity member, Jill has enjoyed a long career in International Belly Dancing, appearing in cabaret all over the world. She originally trained at the London College of Dance and Drama, has studied many different dance styles throughout her career and has taught the discpline for more than thirty years (mostly Arabic style – Traditional and Modern Egyptian with some Turkish). She has also featured in a variety of British TV programmes including Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and ITV Playhouse (the episode Rumour), is a professional tarot card reader (as Gipsy Jill the Tarot Reader) and is also an in demand after dinner speaker "with a difference". Her presentations comprise the history of the belly dance, her life as a dancer (interspersed with comedy and dance) and psychic development. Jill is also a teacher of creative dance and drama classes for people with disabilities, learning difficulties and special needs.

Maxwell Craig

Character & Episode: Undertaker in The Smile Behind the Veil

Maxwell Craig was a minor supporting actor and stuntman. As part of his screen work he occasionally doubled and performed stunts and was known to have been a stunt double for Hollywood star Jack Palance at some point. He made a great many appearances in film and television, all of which were uncredited, with the exception of Lindsay Shonteff's Clegg (1970), in which he was credited as Hercules. His contributions to television include The Avengers, The Saint, Man in a Suitcase, Space: 1999 and The Sweeney. His films include Carry On Jack, the Hammer Horror Hands of the Ripper and Superman III. He often played gang members, henchmen and people generally in the background. He died some years ago.

Harry "Aitch" Fielder

Character & Episode: Passer-by in My Late, Lamented Friend and Partner;
Stuntman and Stand-in for Mike Pratt - all episodes of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Born: 26/04/1940, Islington, London, England

Despite not being recognised by anyone on the streets, Harry can claim to have worked on well over three hundred television and film productions. Often his roles were very minor: as extras (speaking and non-speaking) and stand-ins for other actors. Upon leaving school, he worked variously in short-lived jobs as a Post Office messenger boy, made Christmas crackers and dyed feathers. Harry spent eight years working for a timber yard from 1958 until 1966. During this time he played in several bands, met his wife Mary Turner (1944-2010) at one of these gigs, and subsequently married her in 1963.

He started out as an extra in television programmes, the first of which was an episode of The Saint, filmed in 1966. By the following year he was a legionnaire in Carry On Follow That Camel, and then in 1969 he featured in all twenty-six episodes of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), working as a stuntman and second unit double for Mike Pratt. Generally though, his roles were very small and often went uncredited.

On the silver screen he worked on films such as Oliver! (1968), Where Eagles Dare (1968), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and The Battle of Britain (1969), Brannigan (1975) and The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976). In 1977 he was a Death Star stormtrooper in Star Wars and the following year he played a policeman in Superman (he would go on to figure in Superman II in a similar role). In 1979 he featured in the classic Fawlty Towers episode The Kipper and the Corpse. He went on to feature in McVicar and The Elephant Man (both 1980) and played a German soldier in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

Between 1967 and 1982 he played an assortment of guards and other background characters in various Doctor Who stories. His most recent screen role was playing a stallholder in the film Entrapment in 1999, which starred Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Harry also presented CBTV a Thames TV programme during the Eighties.

He has written an autobiography - Extra, Extra, Read All About It! - happily shares stories of his times working in TV and film. Harry has his own website - http://harryfielder.co.uk - and is very proud of his career.

Romo Gorrara

Character & Episode: Reg in Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
Born: 24/04/1932, Holborn, London, England (as Romo Livio Gorrara)
Died: 04/12/1997, Camden, London, England

Romo Gorrara was a well-known stuntman who had a number of minor roles in films and television programmes. He worked as a stunt performer on such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), two Police Academy films (1986 and 1987) and Batman (1989). His roles generally meant playing heavies in the background, or performing stunt work or doubling for credited actors.

In later years, Romo acted as stunt co-ordinator on many productions, including Charles Crichton's comedy classic A Fish Called Wanda (1988). On television he contributed to such series as Z Cars, The Saint, The Prisoner and many episodes of The Avengers (between 1966 and 1969), though he was usually uncredited. He doubled Sean Connery as James Bond in a fight sequence in You Only Live Twice (1967) and thirty years later he was still performing stunts in the Bond movies, featuring in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) as Elliot Carver's henchman. He passed away shortly after working on this film.

Victor Harrington

Character & Episode: Theatre Audience Member in That's How Murder Snowballs
Born: 27/08/1909, Casal Paola, Malta (as Victor James Harrington)
Died: 23/07/1980, Brighton, East Sussex, England

Victor Harrington was a professional extra who made more than three hundred film and television appearances in his career. His debut came in the mid-1930s, and over the next forty-odd years the vast majority of his appearances would similarly go unrecognised.

Generally, he had non-speaking roles, though he did appear in such notable films as Dr. No (1962), From Russia With Love (1963) and Dr. Strangelove (1964). His last known appearance was in 1976 when he played a monk in the horror film The Omen. In his personal life, he mas married to Margot Littlefair. His daughter Victoria Harrington (1944-2018) was also an actress.

Frank Maher

Character & Episode: 2nd Henchman in A Sentimental Journey
Born: 18/06/1929, London, England (as Francis James Maher)
Died: 13/07/2007, Newport, Isle of Wight, England

At school Frank was a gold medal winning boxer. During the war he served in the Parachute Regiment of the British Army. He lied about his age to join the regiment which meant that he was only 15 when he took part in the battle of Arnhem in 1944, an operation in which he was wounded. Tall (6ft 2ins) and formidably built, he was well suited to 'physical' film roles, and his first stunt engagement was as a Roman Centurion in the film Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) which starred Stewart Granger. His other early stunt roles were on the The Crimson Pirate (1952) doubling for Burt Lancaster and as a riding double in the The Devil's Disciple (1959).

In 1959 he became the stunt double for Patrick McGoohan on the television series Danger Man. He would soon be the main stunt co-coordinator on a number of well-known television series including The Prisoner (it is Frank running on the beach as Number 6 in the famous title sequence), The Champions, Department S, Blake's 7 and on Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). On The Saint (1962–69), he replaced Les Crawford as Roger Moore's double. Roger nicknamed him "Mrs Maher" because of his meticulous planning of stunt sequences. As an actor, he mainly played non-speaking 'heavy' roles in the productions he worked on as a stuntman or coordinator.

In the late 1970s, he co-wrote with Denis J. Cleary a number of thriller style novels including The Capricorn Run (also known as The Hook), published in 1978, Wipe Out and Sahara Strike (both published in 1980). He also wrote action sequences for films including Die Hard (1988).

He was married four times. His first wife, Dilys Laye (1934-2009), was an actress known for the Carry On series. She was also married at one time to Garfield Morgan, another Randall and Hopkirk player. Frank had one son, Gary, who is a bricklayer, and one daughter, Stephanie, who was Surrey's premier doorwoman, with second wife Jackie, who was a dancer. He died at St Mary's Hospital in Newport, Isle of Wight, after a long battle with emphysema.

Makki Marseilles

Character & Episode: Manservant in My Late, Lamented Friend and Partner

Makki Marseilles, an actor of Greek descent with fewer than two dozen credited appearances in British film and television, made his main contributions in TV film series such as The Avengers, Man in a Suitcase, Department S and Strange Report. He was born in Marseilles in France, but grew up in Greece and started his career as an actor there. In 1957, he planned to emigrate to Canada, but stopped in United Kingdom on the way and decided to stay. His first job in British theatre was as an assistant stage manager in Lincoln, and later, worked as a theatre general manager.

Makki has also worked in journalism, becoming a senior journalist in Athens. He has edited a number of English language newspapers in Greece and has reported freelance for several titles and news agencies internationally, including the BBC. Despite this he has maintained an active interest in the performing arts and founded The Rainbow Theatre in Athens in the late 1980s, its aim being to familiarise Greek students to the sound of the English language and the feel of English culture. It's first production, Fantoccini, was staged in 1988, with Makki directing the play. In addition to acting, producing and directing for the Rainbow, he has also written plays and performed the role of artistic director for the theatre.

In his personal life, he was firstly married to Gillian, who worked at The Arts Theatre in London's West End. They had several children. Then, in 1979, he married for a second time to Jennifer Bell.

Terence Plummer

Character & Episode: Pete in Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
Born: 1936 (as Harold Terence Plummer)
Died: 15/07/2011, Surrey, England

Terence Plummer was a well-known film and television stuntman, who was seen regularly in 'heavy' roles as henchmen and villains as well as in other minor roles. As an actor he appeared in many bit parts, and The Heroes of Telemark (1965), The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), Willow (1988) and Batman (1989) were just some of the films he made contributions to. On television he appeared in such series as The Avengers and Blake's 7. His last appearance seems to have been in the feature film Sexy Beast in 2000.

Bill Reid

Character & Episode: Parkin in When the Spirit Moves You
Born: Ballygub, County Kilkenny, Ireland

Bill Reid took to athletics as a child. During the Second World War, while he was in the army he won many athletics and cycling titles including becoming the All-Army Champion in the 16lb and 36lb Shot Putt (in this he was following in the footsteps of his grandfather, also called Bill Reid, who was also a weight thrower). He was also reported to be a good pole vaulter and was runner-up in this event at the 1943 Irish Championship. Soon after he was demobbed, he took to lifeguard duty in his native country, a job that he held for some years with several rescues to his name. While serving in this role, he continued with his sporting pursuits, training in several disciplines including boxing. In 1952 and 1953 he was heavyweight boxing champion of Ireland and it is also known that he was also recognised as a judo expert in the 1950s.

Bill's career in the film industry commenced soon after when he was taken on to replace a stuntman who had become injured whilst doubling for Hollywood star Rock Hudson on a film shot in Ireland in the summer of 1954, Captain Lightfoot (released in 1955). Bill went on to appear in many films, mainly as a stunt performer, although he was on occasion cast in acting roles of a minor nature. Films on which he was employed as an actor include Crooks Anonymous (1962), Heavens Above! (1963) and The Bargee (1964). On television he appeared in such series as Danger Man, The Avengers and The Persuaders!

Paddy Ryan

Character & Episode: Larry in Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?
Born: 03/01/1911, Greenwich, London, England (as Frank Ryan McCree Singletary)
Died: 10/05/1990, Watford, Hertfordshire, England

Paddy Ryan was one of the United Kingdom's most important stunt performers. Dubbed the "father of British stuntmen", it was Paddy who initiated the British Stunt Register. He became involved in stunt work for feature films in the second half of the 1920s and served in the Second World War in the Desert Rats, the British 7th Armoured Division who participated in the North African campaigns.

Despite having a career in films that lasted for sixty years and dated back to the end of the silent era in Britain, it was not until he acted in Dick Barton at Bay (1950) that Paddy received his first credit on screen. On television he appeared in such series as The Saint, Adam Adamant Lives!, The Avengers, The Persuaders! and Steptoe and Son. His last television credit was in 1988 in the comedy series Screenplay.

In his personal life, Paddy was married to Agnes Campbell and had some children.

Mike Stevens

Character & Episode: Police Sergeant in Whoever Heard of a Ghost Dying?

Mike Stevens came to the film and TV industry in the 1960s and worked within it mainly as an extra. On the big screen he was seen in five films in the famous Carry On comedy series, though none of those roles were credited, the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and the third Star Wars film to be made Return of the Jedi (1983). His first credited feature film appearance was in Play Dirty (1969), an action film set during the Second World War. On television, Mike appeared in such series as The Saint, The Baron and Department S. He also appeared as a Main Mission Operative in 16 of the 24 first series episodes of Space: 1999, but was not credited on screen in the series. In addition to his work as an extra and actor, Mike was also a stuntman - one of his notable accomplishments was to double Patrick Macnee as John Steed in some episodes of The Avengers.