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Ian Carmichael on stage, screen and radio

The English actor and comedian Ian Carmichael OBE (1920–2010) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including theatre, radio, television and film. His career spanned from 1939 until his death in 2010.[1] According to Brian McFarlane, writing for The Encyclopedia of British Film, Carmichael "epitomises the good-natured, undemanding pleasures of '50s British cinema".[2]

Carmichael wearing a suit looking directly at the camera
Carmichael in 1972 as Lord Peter Wimsey

Carmichael made his professional stage debut in 1939 while he was studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; his role was as a robot in the science fiction play R.U.R., which lasted for only a week.[3] His studies were interrupted by the Second World War, and he was commissioned into the Royal Armoured Corps; he also joined an entertainment unit, 30 Corps Theatrical Pool, for which he produced twenty shows.[1][4] At the end of the war he returned to professional acting, and in 1947 he took a role in She Wanted a Cream Front Door, which ran in the West End for nine months.[4] He continued to perform in the theatre throughout the rest of his career, largely in the UK, but also in productions in Canada, South Africa and the USA.[1] In 1947 Carmichael made his debut on television in the revue New Faces.[4][5] He continued to work in television throughout his life and, according to McFarlane, achieved considerable success with P. G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster in 1966–67, in which he played Bertie Wooster, and as Lord Peter Wimsey between 1972 and 1975.[2]

Carmichael made his radio debut in 1947 in the BBC Home Service's Saturday Night Theatre, and continued to appear throughout his career. Included in his output were dramatisations of the Wimsey novels and Wodehouse's works, this time as Galahad Threepwood in the Blandings Castle stories.[1][4] In 1948 Carmichael made his cinematic debut in an uncredited role in Bond Street,[3] and went on to establish a film career in the 1950s when he appeared in films by the Boulting brothers, including Private's Progress (1956), Lucky Jim (1957), Brothers in Law (1957), Happy Is the Bride (1958) and I'm All Right Jack (1959).[4] On Carmichael's death in 2010 Dennis Barker, writing for The Guardian, observed that "what made Carmichael notable was that he could play fool parts in a way that did not cut the characters completely off from human sympathy: a certain dignity was always maintained."[6]

Stage credits

Stage credits of Ian Carmichael
Production[7]DateTheatre
(London, unless stated)		RoleNotesRefs.
R.U.R.1939People's Palace, Mile EndRobotOne week only[3]
A Midsummer Night's Dream1 September 1939Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, RADAFrancis FluteTwo productions only[a][3]
Julius Caesar29 November 1939Embassy TheatreClaudius[8]
Nine SharpJune – August 1940Touring–Ten-week tour[9]
Springtime for Henry1942Army theatre, Duncombe Park–Four performances; informal army production[10]
Between Ourselves1947––[11]
She Wanted a Cream Front DoorFebruary 1947Apollo TheatreTeddy Dyeswood[11]
I Said To MyselfJuly 1947Mercury TheatreJean[7]
Cupid and Mars3 October 1947Arts TheatreChristopher MackintoshFour-week production[12]
Out of the Frying Pan6 December 1947Q TheatreNorman Reese[13]
What Goes On21 December 1947Players' Theatre–Revue[14]
Tomorrow is a Lovely Day1948Touring–Five-week tour[15]
The Lagoon FolliesJuly 1948Jolly Roger Theatre, Clacton–Revue[16]
What Goes On16 November 1948Players' Theatre–Revue[14]
The Lilac DominoMarch – 9 September 1949TouringNorman24-week tour[17]
Wild Violets25 October 1949 – 27 May 1950Stoll TheatreOtto Bergmann[18]
The Lyric Revue24 May – 22 September 1951Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith–Revue; four-week pre-London tour; production transferred to the Globe Theatre from 26 September 1951 to 28 June 1952[19][20]
The Globe Revue10 July 1952 – 31 January 1953Globe Theatre–Revue; two-week tour prior to the Globe[21]
High Spirits13 May – 29 August 1953Hippodrome–Revue; 16-week run[22]
At the Lyric23 December 1953 – 15 May 1954Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith–Revue[20]
Going to Town20 May 1954 – 17 July 1954St Martin's Theatre–Revue[20]
Simon and Laura25 November 1954  – 28 May 1955Strand TheatreDavid Prentice[23]
The Tunnel of LoveDecember 1957 – August 1958Her Majesty's TheatreAugie PoolePreceded by five-week provincial tour[24]
The Love Doctor27 August – October 1959Manchester Opera House, ManchesterThe TrampTransferred to the Piccadilly Theatre on 12 October 1959 for two weeks before closing[25]
The Gazebo29 March 1960 – 28 January 1961Savoy TheatreElliott Nash[26]
Critic's Choice6 December 1961 – May 1962Vaudeville TheatreParker Ballentyne[27]
Devil May CareMarch 1963Strand TheatreNicholasFour-week tour preceded the Strand; ran at the Strand for nine weeks[28]
Sunday in New York1963Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon–[29]
March HaresMarch 1964TouringVictor Hood[30]
Boeing-Boeing2 February 1965Cort Theatre, New YorkRichardShort tour of New Haven, CT and Boston, MA prior to New York; ran at the Cort for three weeks[31]
Say Who You AreAugust 1965Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, GuildfordDavid LordProduction transferred to Her Majesty's Theatre in October 1965[32][33]
Getting Married19 April 1967Strand TheatreSir John HotchkissFive-week tour preceded the Strand[34][35]
I Do! I Do!16 May – 24 August 1968Lyric Theatre, HammersmithMichael[36]
Birds on the Wing1969O'Keefe Centre, Toronto–[37]
Darling I'm Home1972Touring, South Africa–[37]
Springtime for HenryAugust 1974Oxford PlayhouseMr Dewlip[38]
Out on a Limb!October 1976Vaudeville TheatreGraham[39]
OverheardMay 1981Theatre Royal, Haymarket, LondonChristopher CaulkerShort run at Richmond Theatre before transferring to the Haymarket.[40][41]
Pride and Prejudice1987–88Theatre Royal, YorkMr BennetProduction went on a national tour after the Theatre Royal[42]
The Circle1989–90TouringLord Porteus[42]
The School for ScandalJune 1995Chichester Festival TheatreSir Peter Teazle[43]

Radio broadcasts

Radio broadcasts of Ian Carmichael
BroadcastDateRoleNotesRefs.
Saturday Night Theatre: "Mile Away Murder"14 June 1947Dick Elsted[44]
Saturday Night Theatre: "Of Mice and Men"5 February 1949Curley the Boss's son[45]
Gordon Grantley, KC16 May 1949Lieutenant Schulze[46]
Midday Music Hall12 March 1954Compere[47]
Radio Theatre: "Ring For Jeeves"13 February 1955Lord William Rowcester[48]
The Laughtermakers: "The Art of Ian Carmichael"12 April 1957Interviewee[49]
Woman's Hour9 October 1957Interviewee[50]
Desert Island Discs7 April 1958Interviewee[b][51]
Eric Barker and Pearl Hackney are Hosts Gown at 'Barker's Folly'11 March 1959–[52]
Evelyn Laye introduces 'On Stage, Everybody!'15 May 1960–[53]
Ian Carmichael says Everything Happens to Me and has the records to prove It28 August – 25 September 1961–Five episodes[54]
London Mirror9 December 1961–[55]
Variety Playhouse17 November 1962–[56]
Play It Cool5 August – 1 September 1964–With Hugh Paddick and Joan Sims, plus music from Rosemary Squires, The Mike Sammes Singers and the Ken Thorne Orchestra[57]
Woman's Hour19 November 1964Guest[58]
Going Places9 May 1966Leader[59]
Call My Bluff20 October 1966Panellist[60]
Housewives' Choice3 – 7 July 1967–Five episodes[61]
A Play For Tuesday: "A Day in Bed"8 August 1967Jacob Slade[62]
Charades22 April 1970Panellist[63]
The Clever Stupid Game13 June 1970Panellist[64]
Sounds Familiar23 July 1971Panellist[65]
Be My Guest12 August 1971Presenter[66]
Blast of Spring5 October – 9 November 1971Prosper SpringSix episodes[67]
The Great Musicals3 July – 14 August 1973PresenterSeven episodes[68]
Just a Minute24 September 1973Panellist[69]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Whose Body?30 December 1973 – 27 January 1974Lord Peter WimseyFive episodes[70]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Clouds of Witness3 February – 24 March 1974Lord Peter WimseyEight episodes[71]
Just a Minute19 June 1974Panellist[72]
The Great Musicals2 July – 27 August 1974PresenterNine episodes[73]
Wodehouse on Broadway23 March 1975Presenter[74]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Unnatural Death5 May – 16 June 1975Lord Peter WimseySeven episodes[75]
Good Morning Everyone25 – 29 August 1975Presenter[76]
Ian Carmichael's Music Night30 September 1975 – 13 July 1976Presenter[77]
Percival and Apple5 – 9 January 1976ReaderFive episodes[78]
The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter22 March – 8 June 1976Gerald C. PotterEight episodes[79]
am with A.J.19 – 23 April 1976ReaderFive episodes[80]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Strong Poison17 May – 21 June 1976Lord Peter WimseySix episodes[81]
The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter9 November – 26 December 1977Gerald C. PotterSeven episodes[82]
Lord Peter Wimsey: The Five Red Herrings4 January – 22 February 1978Lord Peter WimseyEight episodes[83]
Jack Buchanan – The Complete Entertainer14 June – 12 July 1978PresenterFive programmes[84]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Murder Must Advertise1 January – 5 February 1979Lord Peter WimseySix episodes[85]
Desert Island Discs9 June 1979Interviewee[c][87]
The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter24 September – 31 October 1979Gerald C. PotterEight episodes[88]
Stories by Saki26 – 28 December 1979ReaderThree episodes[89]
Book at Bedtime: Summer Lightning21 July 1980 – 8 August 1980ReaderFifteen episodes[90]
Lord Peter Wimsey: The Nine Tailors20 October – 8 December 1980Lord Peter WimseyEight episodes[91]
The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter27 April – 1 June 1981Gerald C. PotterSix episodes[92]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Have His Carcase21 October – 24 November 1981Lord Peter WimseySix episodes[93]
Lord Peter Wimsey: Busman's Honeymoon3 January – 7 February 1983Lord Peter WimseySix episodes[94]
Merely Melville19 – 21 April 1984Presenter[95]
Tales from a Palm Court9 – 16 August 1984Reader[96]
Tales from a Palm Court3 – 10 January 1985Reader[97]
With Great Pleasure26 July 1985Interviewee[98]
Banes' People III20 August 1986–[99]
Tales from a Palm Court19 April – 3 May 1988Reader[97]
Pigs Have Wings22 August – 12 September 1989Galahad ThreepwoodFour episodes[100]
Strictly T-T21 February 1990PresenterAlso writer; the programme was an appreciation of Terry-Thomas[101]
Galahad at Blandings23 January 1992 – 13 February 1992Galahad ThreepwoodFour episodes[102]
The Monday Play: "Fighting Over Beverley"29 December 1997Archie[103]
Cads and Silly Asses10 February 2004Presenter[104]
The Scoundrels' Return: a History of Lifemanship10 December 2007Presenter[105]

Television

Television appearances of Ian Carmichael
Programme[106][107]DateChannelRoleNotesRefs.
New Faces16 August 1947BBC Television–[108]
New Faces20 September 1947BBC Television–[109]
Cliff Gordon in: Twice Upon a Time16 & 24 January 1948BBC Television–Revue[110]
Tricks of the Trade7 April 1948BBC Television–[111]
Tell Her the Truth12 June 1948BBC TelevisionDick Dennison[112]
Old Songs for New2 August 1948BBC TelevisionSinger[113]
Give My Regards to Leicester Square21 December 1948BBC TelevisionPlayer[114]
Jill Darling12 February 1949BBC TelevisionBobby Jones[115]
Don't Look Now12 July 1950BBC TelevisionPerformer[116]
Floor Show at the "Regency Room"5 August 1950BBC Television–[117]
Here's Television6 January 1951BBC TelevisionPerformer[118]
Starlight9 February 1953BBC Television–[119]
Panorama12 December 1953BBC Television–Theatrical performer in "A New Suit"; uncredited[120]
Something to Shout About!28 June 1955BBC Television–[121]
Here and Now16 December 1955 – 17 February 1956ITV–Sketch show[122]
Off the Record2 January 1956BBC Television–[123]
Alan Melville takes you from A-Z9 November 1956BBC Television–[124]
Picture Parade26 February 1957BBC Television–[125]
Carmichael's Night Out14 March 1957BBC Television–[126]
Rich and Rich10 August 1957BBC TelevisionGuest[127]
The Girl at the Next Table18 August 1957BBC TelevisionTom[128]
The World Our Stage8 March 1958BBC Television–Recorded excerpt from The Tunnel of Love at Her Majesty's Theatre[129]
What's My Line?28 December 1958BBC TelevisionPanellist[130]
Juke Box Jury22 April 1961BBC TelevisionPanellist[131]
Gilt and Gingerbread5 September 1961BBC TelevisionCharles Yeyder[132]
Juke Box Jury22 September 1962BBC TelevisionPanellist[133]
Juke Box Jury6 July 1963BBC TelevisionPanellist[134]
Compact2 January 1964ITV–First episode only[135]
Armchair Theatre: "The Importance of Being Earnest"15 November 1964ITVJohn Worthing J.P.[136]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Dog McIntosh"30 May 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[137]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves, the Aunt, and the Sluggard"6 June 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[138]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Great Sermon Handicap"13 June 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[139]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Song of Songs"20 June 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[140]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Hero's Reward"27 June 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[141]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy"4 July 1965BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 1[142]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace"4 January 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[143]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and a Change of Mind"11 January 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[144]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Spot of Art"18 January 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[145]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum"25 January 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[146]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Purity of the Turf"1 February 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[147]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Clustering Round Young Bingo"8 February 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[148]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Indian Summer of an Uncle"15 February 1966BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 2[149]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Greasy Bird"6 October 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[150]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Stand-in for Sippy"13 October 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[151]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Old School Chum"20 October 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[152]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Impending Doom"27 October 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[153]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg"3 November 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[154]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Love that Purifies"10 November 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[155]
P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Fixing of Freddie"17 November 1967BBC TelevisionBertie WoosterSeries 3[156]
I Do! I Do!16 August 1968BBC TelevisionMichael SnowScenes from Act 1 of the musical; broadcast from the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith[157]
The Last of the Big Spenders22 October 1968ITVHenry Priddis[158]
Cilla5 February 1969BBC TelevisionGuest[159]
Call My Bluff9 October 1969BBC TelevisionPanellist[160]
Call My Bluff16 October 1969BBC TelevisionPanellist[161]
Brian Rix Presents: "Odd Man In"29 December 1969BBC TelevisionMervyn Browne[162]
Play for Today: "Alma Mater"7 January 1970BBC TelevisionJimmy Nicholson[163]
The Morecambe & Wise Show28 January 1970BBC TelevisionGuest[164]
Frost on Sunday1 February 1970ITVGuest[165]
The Laugh Parade: "The Big Money"10 February 1970BBC TelevisionWillie Frith[166]
Call My Bluff2 April 1970BBC TelevisionPanellist[167]
Bachelor Father17 September – 10 December 1970BBC TelevisionPeter LambSeries 1[168]
Father, Dear Father: "An Affair To Forget"22 June 1971ITVLeo[169]
Bachelor Father16 September – 11 November 1971BBC TelevisionPeter LambSeries 2[170]
The Morecambe & Wise Show5 December 1971BBC TelevisionGuest[171]
Lord Peter Wimsey: "Clouds of Witness"5 April – 3 May 1972BBC TelevisionLord Peter WimseyAdapted into five parts[172]
Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show25 December 1972BBC TelevisionGuest[173]
Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club"1 – 22 February 1973BBC TelevisionLord Peter WimseyAdapted into four parts[174]
Lord Peter Wimsey: "Murder Must Advertise"30 November – 21 December 1973BBC TelevisionLord Peter WimseyAdapted into four parts[175]
Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Nine Tailors"22 April – 13 May 1974BBC TelevisionLord Peter WimseyAdapted into four parts[176]
Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Five Red Herrings"23 July – August 1975BBC TelevisionLord Peter WimseyAdapted into four parts[177]
It's a Celebrity Knockout9 July 1976BBC TelevisionParticipant[178]
Three More Men in a Boat1 April 1983BBC TelevisionVoice of Jerome[179]
All for Love: "Down at the Hydro"4 September 1983ITVColonel Hunt[180]
The Wind in the Willows27 December 1983ITVRatVoice only[181]
The Wind in the Willows1 October 1984 – 19 June 1990ITVNarrator[182][183]
Movie Memories8 August 1985ITV–[184]
A Day in Summer1 February 1989ITVBellenger[185]
A Chance to Meet....4 July 1989BBC TelevisionPresenter[186]
The Play on One: "Obituaries"16 August 1990BBC TelevisionWhite[187]
Strathblair3 May – 19 July 1992BBC TelevisionSir James MenziesSeries 1[188]
Strathblair27 June – 29 August 1993BBC TelevisionSir James MenziesSeries 2[188]
Wonders in the Deep8 January 1994BBC TelevisionLord Bertie Wedensbury[189]
The Great Kandinsky14 April 1995BBC TelevisionPatrick McCormick[190]
Bramwell19 June 1995ITVOswald[191]
Wives and Daughters28 November – 19 December 1999BBC TelevisionLord Cumnor[192]
A Foot Again in the Past21 January 2002BBC TelevisionInterviewee[193]
Reputations: "Frankie Howerd"15 June 2002BBC TelevisionInterviewee[194]
The Royal19 January 2003 – 5 June 2011ITVT.J. Middleditch[195]

Filmography

Carmichael and Jill Adams in Private's Progress (1956)
Filmography of Ian Carmichael
Film[106][196][197]YearRoleNotes
Bond Street1948Receptionist at restaurantUncredited[198]
Trottie True1949Bill the postmanUncredited[199]
Dear Mr. Prohack1949The hatter
Ghost Ship1952Bernard
Time Gentlemen, Please!1952P.R.O.
Miss Robin Hood1952ExtraUncredited[200]
Meet Mr. Lucifer1953Man Friday
Betrayed1954Capt. Jackie Lawson
The Colditz Story1955Robin Cartwright
Storm Over the Nile1955Tom Willoughby
Simon and Laura1955David Prentice
Private's Progress1956Stanley Windrush
Brothers in Law1957Roger Thursby
Lucky Jim1957Jim Dixon
Happy Is the Bride1958David Chaytor
The Big Money1958Willie Frith
Left Right and Centre1959Robert Wilcot
I'm All Right Jack1959Stanley Windrush
School for Scoundrels1960Henry Palfrey
Light Up the Sky!1960Lt Ogleby
Double Bunk1961Jack
The Amorous Prawn1962Corporal Sidney Green
Heavens Above!1963The other Smallwood
Hide and Seek1964David Garrett
Case of the 44s1965Jim Pond
Smashing Time1967Bobby Mome-Roth
The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins1971Mr Ferris
From Beyond the Grave1974Reginald 'Reggie' Warren
The Lady Vanishes1979Caldicott
Diamond Skulls1989Exeter

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources

External links

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