David Battley

{{Short description|British actor (1935–2003)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{more citations needed|date=May 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = David Battley | birth_name = David John Battley | image = David_Battley.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|11|5|df=y}} | birth_place = Battersea, London, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2003|1|20|1935|11|5|df=y}} | death_place = Epsom, Surrey, England | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1964–2000 | notable_works = ''Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory''<br>''Rutland Weekend Television'' | spouse = {{marriage|Sarah Hanrahan|1971}} | children = 2 }} '''David John Battley''' (5 November 1935 – 20 January 2003) was an English actor of stage and screen, mainly appearing in comedy roles.

==Early life== Battley was born at Battersea, London, the elder son of John Battley, a post-Second World War Labour MP, and his wife Sybill (née Allchurch). Born with a hole in the heart, he was initially home schooled before attending a special school. He later enrolled at Camberwell School of Art but left before completing the course. He earned a living working for the family printing firm, Battley Brothers, before applying to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/david-battley/|title=David Battley — RADA|website=www.rada.ac.uk|access-date=4 July 2020|archive-date=5 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705003413/https://www.rada.ac.uk/profiles/david-battley/|url-status=live}}</ref> Battley had one brother, Bernard.

==Career== Battley used a dry, ironic delivery on television and in films. He found steady work as a character actor and comic stooge. Battley's TV work ranged from the satire show ''BBC-3'' and the military police drama ''Redcap'' in the 1960s through Eric Sykes' BBC sitcom, the 1975 TV adaptation of ''Moll Flanders'', the 1977 Christmas Special of ''The Good Life'', and later ''The Bill'', ''Lovejoy'', ''The Beiderbecke Tapes'' as John the hippy barman, and ''Mr. Bean''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=1125|title=David Battley|website=www.aveleyman.com}}</ref> Battley also appears as the Executioner in the 1966 BBC production of ''Alice in Wonderland''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1065750/credits.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Alice in Wonderland (1966) Credits|website=www.screenonline.org.uk|access-date=4 July 2020|archive-date=25 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225183522/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1065750/credits.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He also appeared in the mid-1970s as a foil to Eric Idle in the BBC series ''Rutland Weekend Television'' (1975–1976).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1151085/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Rutland Weekend Television (1975-76)|website=www.screenonline.org.uk|access-date=4 July 2020|archive-date=8 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108152237/http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1151085/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Battley played the Paul McCartney role in the original ''RWT'' sketch of The Rutles, a parody of The Beatles, but did not appear in the American TV film ''All You Need Is Cash'', based on the sketch.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W4mUDwAAQBAJ&dq=david+battley+not+in+all+you+need+is+cash&pg=PT427|title=The Routledge Companion to Popular Music and Humor|first1=Thomas M.|last1=Kitts|first2=Nick|last2=Baxter-Moore|date=April 25, 2019|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781351266628|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Battley also featured in films, including ''Hotel Paradiso'' (1966), ''Crossplot'' (1969), ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' (1971), ''Up the Chastity Belt'' (1972), ''Up the Front'' (1972), ''That's Your Funeral'' (1972), ''Rentadick'' (1972), ''Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!'' (1973), ''Mister Quilp'' (1975), ''S.O.S. Titanic'' (1979), ''The London Connection'' (1979) and ''Krull'' (1983).<ref name=bfi>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee85c2f|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414101910/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9ee85c2f|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2018|title=David Battley|website=BFI}}</ref>

In 1990, he appeared in an early episode of ''One Foot in the Grave''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d0b7e8d9e969498890ec5180417f39ea|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024011347/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d0b7e8d9e969498890ec5180417f39ea|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2014|title=One Foot in the Grave: The Eternal Quadrangle|date=February 1, 1990|issue=3450|pages=54|via=BBC Genome}}</ref> Among his last roles were a miniature golf course employee in the ''Mr. Bean'' episode "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" (1995), and a doctor examining new regimental recruits in ''Sharpe's Regiment'' (1996).<ref name=bfi/>

==Personal life== Battley had two daughters, Zoe S. Battley and E. Martha Battley.

==Death== He died on 20 January 2003, after suffering a heart attack, at the age of 67, in Epsom, Surrey, England.

==Filmography== ===Film=== {|class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="2"|1966 | ''Hotel Paradiso'' | George | |- | ''Alice in Wonderland'' | Executioner | rowspan="3" | TV film |- | 1968 | ''The Franchise Trail'' | Wesley Dagenham |- | rowspan="2"|1969 | ''Mrs Wilson's Diary'' | David Frost |- | ''Crossplot'' | Bridegroom | |- | 1971 | ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' | Mr. Turkentine | |- | rowspan="5"|1972 | ''Up the Chastity Belt'' | Yokel | |- | ''Rentadick'' | Desk Sergeant | |- | ''Up the Front'' | Midgeley the Cook | |- | ''Follow Me!'' | Writer | Uncredited |- | ''That's Your Funeral'' | Percy | |- | 1974 | ''Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!'' | Country Yokel | |- | rowspan="3"|1975 | ''A Man in the Zoo'' | Collins | TV film |- | ''Mister Quilp'' | Codlin | |- | ''Moll Flanders'' | Henry Haydock | rowspan="2" | TV film |- | 1976 | ''The Snow Queen'' | Old Woman |- | rowspan="2"|1979 | ''The Omega Connection'' | Peters | |- | ''S.O.S. Titanic'' | Chief Boots: S. Stebbing | rowspan="2" | TV film |- | 1980 | ''Moving Pictures'' | Picture Restorer |- | 1983 | ''Krull'' | Ergo | |- | 1998 | ''Vigo: A Passion for Life'' | Cinema Manager | |- | 2000 | ''Out of Depth'' | Donald | |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan="3"|1964 | ''Second City Reports'' | Various roles | Series regular |- | ''The Protectors'' | Wally | Episode: "The Reluctant Thief" |- | ''The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling'' | Private Jones | Episode: "Only a Subaltern" |- | 1964-1965 | ''Redcap'' | Corporal Metters | 2 episodes |- | 1965 | ''Public Eye'' | Charlie Andrews | Episode: "You Think It'll Be Marvellous - But It's Always a Rabbit" |- | rowspan="2"|1966 | ''Sergeant Cork'' | James Starkey | Episode: "The Case of the Crystal Ball" |- | ''Mystery and Imagination'' | Klaus | Episode: "Room 13" |- | rowspan="3"|1967 | ''The Wednesday Play'' | Joey | Episode: "Another Day, Another Dollar" |- | ''Mickey Dunne'' | Milkman | Episode: "No Flowers by Request" |- | ''Theatre 625'' | The New Scribe | Episode: "Lieutenant Tenant" |- | 1968 | ''The Jazz Age'' | Hook | Episode: "Thark" |- | rowspan="2"|1969 | ''Hark at Barker'' | | Episode: "Rustless in Pigtails" |- | ''The Benny Hill Show'' | Russian Officer | Episode: "Show 1" |- | 1970 | ''Comedy Playhouse'' | Percy | Episode: "Last Tribute" |- | 1970-1971 | ''That's Your Funeral'' | Percy | Series regular |- | rowspan="2"|1971 | ''The Sinners'' | Olly | Episode: "One Man, One Boat, One Girl" |- | ''Father, Dear Father'' | Sorting Office Clerk | Episode: "A Book for the Bishop" |- | 1972 | ''Sykes'' | Darlington Porter | 3 episodes |- | rowspan="5"|1973 | ''The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes'' | Podgers | Episode: "The Absent-Minded Coterie" |- | ''Bless This House'' | Mr. Jones | Episode: "Watch the Birdie" |- | ''Centre Play'' | Dennis | Episode: "The Museum Attendant" |- | ''Sporting Scenes'' | Villager | Episode: "England, Their England" |- | ''BBC Play of the Month'' | Costar Pearmain | Episode: "The Recruiting Officer" |- | rowspan="3"|1974 | ''Jackanory Playhouse'' | Percy Harlow | Episode: "The Lost Voice" |- | ''Funny Ha-Ha'' | Boy Wonder | Episode: "Commander Badman" |- | ''Bless This House'' | Wally | Episode: "Freedom Is" |- | rowspan="2"|1975 | ''Churchill's People'' | Edwards | Episode: "Death of Liberty" |- | ''Comedy Playhouse'' | Nigel the Idle | Episode: "For Richer... For Poorer" |- | 1975-1976 | ''Rutland Weekend Television'' | Stig O'Hara - Rutles Bassist | Series regular |- | 1976 | ''Saturday Night Live'' | Stig O'Hara | Episode: "Eric Idle/Joe Cocker/Stuff" |- | rowspan="4"|1977 | ''BBC Play of the Month'' | Parson | Episode: "The Country Wife" |- | ''Beryl's Lot'' | Mr. Biggleswade | 2 episodes |- | ''The Cost of Loving'' | Desmond Waterhouse | Episode: "Albert's Part" |- | ''The Good Life'' | Bill, Tradesman | Episode: "Silly, But It's Fun" |- | 1978 | ''In the Looking Glass'' | | Episode: "Fading Away" |- | 1979 | ''The Dawson Watch'' | | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="3"|1981 | ''Crown Court'' | Paul Flood | 3 episodes |- | ''Thicker than Water'' | Harry Fishwick | |- | ''Roger Doesn't Live Here Anymore'' | Porter | 1 episode |- | 1982 | ''Don't Rock the Boat'' | Eric | 2 episodes |- | 1983 | ''The Climber'' | Ted | |- | 1984 | ''The Gentle Touch'' | Reginald Loon | 2 episodes |- | 1985 | ''Super Gran'' | Police Sergeant | Episode: "Supergran and the Day at the Sea" |- | 1985-1987 | ''Relative Strangers'' | Gerald | Series regular |- | rowspan="2"|1986 | ''Comrade Dad'' | Cliff | Episode: "Cars That Pass in the Night" |- | ''Dramarama'' | Arthur Crouchley | Episode: "Last Days of Black Berts" |- | 1987 | ''The Beiderbecke Tapes'' | John the Barman | Miniseries |- | 1989 | ''Close to Home'' | Mr. Barnes | Episode: "A Matter of Decree" |- | 1990 | ''One Foot in the Grave'' | Carpet-Fitter | Episode: "The Eternal Quadrangle" |- | 1992 | ''The Darling Buds of May'' | Norman | Episode: "Oh! To Be in England" |- | rowspan="3"|1994 | ''The Bill'' | Banwell | Episode: "No Job for an Amateur" |- | ''Minder'' | Potter | Episode: "Bring Me the Head of Arthur Daley" |- | ''Lovejoy'' | Norman Ebersley | Episode: "Holding the Baby" |- | rowspan="2"|1995 | ''As Time Goes By'' | Ted Pringle | Episode: "The Anniversary Party" |- | ''Mr. Bean'' | Golf Attendant | Episode: "Tee Off, Mr. Bean" |- | rowspan="2"|1996 | ''Annie's Bar'' | Gus James | 3 episodes |- | ''Sharpe'' | Doctor | Episode: "Sharpe's Regiment" |- | 1997 | ''Grange Hill'' | Cab Driver | 1 episode |- | 1999 | ''Murder Most Horrid'' | Mr. Gaunt | Episode: "Frozen" |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0061543}}

{{The Rutles}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battley, David}} Category:1935 births Category:2003 deaths Category:20th-century English male actors Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Category:English male film actors Category:English male television actors Category:Male actors from London Category:Actors from the London Borough of Wandsworth Category:The Rutles members Category:People from Battersea