{{Short description|English comedian and actor (1922–2013)}} {{about|the British actor and comedian|the Canadian sketch comedian and content creator|LoadingReadyRun}} {{Lead too short|date=October 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Graham Stark | image = Graham Stark in One Step Beyond (The Stranger).jpg | image_size = | caption = Stark in an episode of ''One Step Beyond'' (1961) | birth_name = Graham William Stark | birth_date = {{birth date|1922|01|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Wallasey, Cheshire, England | death_date = {{death date and age|2013|10|29|1922|01|20|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | other_names = | occupation = {{hlist|Comedian|actor|writer|director}} | years_active = 1939–1999 | spouse = {{marriage|Audrey Nicholson|1959}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/oct/31/graham-stark|title=Graham Stark obituary|first=Michael|last=Coveney|date=31 October 2013|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> | children = 3 }}
'''Graham William Stark''' (20 January 1922 – 29 October 2013) was an English comedian, actor, writer and director, known for his close friendship with actor Peter Sellers and appearances in several films by director Blake Edwards, including several of ''The Pink Panther'' films and ''Victor/Victoria''.<ref name="Telegraph">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/film-obituaries/10418861/Graham-Stark.html Obituary: Graham Stark], telegraph.co.uk, 31 October 2013</ref>
== Early life == The son of a purser on transatlantic liners,<ref name="Telegraph"/> Stark was born in New Brighton<ref name="RSellers">Robert Sellers [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/graham-stark-actor-author-and-director-who-graduated-from-music-hall-to-the-big-screen-8916513.html "Graham Stark: Actor, author and director who graduated from music hall to the big screen"], ''The Independent'', 31 October 2013</ref> (part of Wallasey) in Wirral, Cheshire, England. He attended Wallasey Grammar School and made his professional stage debut aged 13 in pantomime at the Lyceum Theatre in London.
During the Second World War he served in the RAF entertaining troops in North Africa, Burma, Italy and Germany.<ref name="Coveney">Michael Coveney [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/oct/31/graham-stark "Graham Stark obituary"], ''The Guardian'', 31 October 2013</ref> While there he first met Dick Emery, Tony Hancock and Peter Sellers, the latter two as fellow members of Ralph Reader's Gang Shows. Sellers would become a long-lasting close friend. With the Gang Shows, Stark toured the locations where military personnel were seeing active service.<ref name="Coveney"/> After the war he studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art,<ref name=GetReading>Cheryl Mullin [http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/graham-stark-pink-panther-series-6255703 Graham Stark Obituary], ''Reading Post'', 30 October 2013</ref> and joined the regulars at Grafton's, a pub in Victoria run by Jimmy Grafton, a venue at which soon-to-be-prominent entertainers of the next few decades regularly gathered.<ref name="Telegraph"/>
== Career == Stark began to work on BBC Radio in the postwar years, helped by Tony Hancock's connections,<ref name="RSellers"/> making his debut in ''Happy Go Lucky'' and going on to ''Ray's a Laugh'', thanks to the intervention of Sellers.<ref name="Telegraph"/> For a time, Stark was a regular in ''Educating Archie'', and substituted for Spike Milligan on ''The Goon Show''<ref name="ScudamoresMilliganbio">{{cite book | last = Scudamore | first = Pauline | title = Spike Milligan: A Biography. | year = 1985 | publisher = Granada | location = London | isbn = 0-246-12275-7 }} (a)pp. 159–160, (c)pp. 203–204</ref><ref name="Life&DeathofSellers">{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = Roger | title = The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. | year = 1995 | publisher = Arrow Books | location = London | isbn = 0-09-974700-6}}</ref> when the comedian was ill. Stark was a regular supporting player on TV with Sellers in ''A Show Called Fred'' and ''Son of Fred'', and with Benny Hill. Stark's profile was sufficient for him to gain his own, albeit short-lived, sketch series, ''The Graham Stark Show'' (BBC 1964).<ref name="Telegraph"/> Now entirely lost,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131101200447/http://lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=eda99a07-e34a-43b9-b28e-80b9c20192fb "Missing or incomplete episodes for programme ''The Graham Stark Show''"], lostshows.com</ref> it was scripted by Johnny Speight with each episode featuring a different group of supporting actors, including Deryck Guyler, Arthur Mullard, Derek Nimmo, Patricia Hayes and Warren Mitchell. An episode of ''Till Death Us Do Part'', called "In Sickness and in Health", 1967, where Stark plays decrepit Dr. Kelly, survives. In 1970 Stark was given his own radio sketch show, entitled ''Stark Raving''. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and consisted of a single series of six episodes.<ref>{{cite web | title = Stark Raving - Radio 2 Sketch Show - British Comedy Guide | website = British Comedy Guide | url = https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/stark-raving/ | access-date = May 18, 2025}}</ref>
Adept at comic French accents, Stark stole scenes as a hapless gendarme in Hammer's 1961 comedy ''A Weekend with Lulu''. He became a regular performer in the ''Pink Panther'' film series. His first role in the series was as Hercule Lajoy, Inspector Clouseau's stonefaced assistant, in ''A Shot in the Dark'' (1964). Along with Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk, he appeared in more ''Pink Panther'' films than any other actor, playing a variety of characters, including reprising Lajoy in ''Trail of the Pink Panther'' (1982) and twice playing Dr Auguste Balls (in ''Revenge of the Pink Panther'', 1978; and ''Son of the Pink Panther'', 1993). He was cast as the hotel clerk in the "Does your dog bite" scene in ''The Pink Panther Strikes Again''. Stark, as well as Lom and Kwouk, each appeared in seven titles from the series.
In the film ''Alfie'' (1966), Stark was Humphrey, a timid bus conductor who takes on a woman (Julia Foster) and her child when the title character (played by Michael Caine) refuses commitment. He also played the role of Lord Fortnum's physician, Captain Pontius Kak, in the original stage play of ''The Bedsitting Room'', which opened at the Mermaid Theatre on 31 January 1963.<ref name=ScudamoresMilliganbio/><ref name="thebedsittingroom">Milligan, Spike, & Antrobus, John (1973) ''The Bedsitting Room''. Tandem: London. First published in Great Britain by Margaret & Jack Hobbs, 1970. Published by Universal-Tandem, 1972.</ref><ref name="Spike&Co">{{cite book | last = McCann | first = Graham | title = Spike & Co. | year = 2006 | publisher = Hodder & Stoughton | location = London | isbn = 0-340-89809-7 }} p. 158. McCann cites the physician's name as Captain Martin. This is possible. There appears to have been variation in names used, certainly between the play and the film, and possibly during the life of the play.</ref> Following the sudden death of James Beck in 1973, Stark took over the role of Private Joe Walker for the remainder of episodes in the first series of the radio adaptation of ''Dad's Army''.
In 1982, Stark appeared in a cameo role as a butler, alongside Dandy Nichols, in the music video for Adam Ant's UK No. 1 hit "Goody Two Shoes".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/graham-stark-dead-alfie-actor-2656759 | title=Alfie actor Graham Stark dies aged 91 | work=Daily Mirror| date=30 October 2013 | access-date=31 October 2013}}</ref> He played the character of Mr Nadget in the 1994 BBC adaptation of ''Martin Chuzzlewit''.
== Personal life == In 1959 he married Audrey Nicholson, who survived him with their two sons and a daughter. Peter Sellers was their godfather. Christiane Kubrick is their godmother.<ref>"Peter Sellers at godfather christening of Julia Amanda". Shutterstock. https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/image-editorial/actor-peter-sellers-godfather-christening-julia-amanda-1974211a.</ref> Stark was also an accomplished stills photographer. He was the last known performer to have appeared on ''The Goon Show'' during its original run. In 2003 he published an autobiography, ''Stark Naked''. He associated with people such as Blake Edwards, Julie Andrews, Yul Brynner, Julie Christie, Stanley Kubrick, Sidney Poitier, Jack Palance, Kim Basinger, Sean Connery, Tony Curtis, and Ringo Starr.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stark|first=Graham|author-link= |date=30 May 2003 |title=Stark Naked |url= |location=London UK |publisher=Sanctuary Publishing |isbn=978-1-860743672}}</ref>
He died in London on 29 October 2013 at age 91, after suffering a stroke.<ref name=death>{{cite news|title=Film actor Graham Stark dies at 91|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/film-tv/news/film-actor-graham-stark-dies-at-91-29711750.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=30 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Graham Stark, Pink Panther actor, dies aged 91|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24741605|newspaper=BBC News|date=30 October 2013}}.</ref>
== Filmography as actor == {{div col|colwidth=26em}} *''The Spy in Black'' (1939) as Bell Boy (uncredited) *''Ça c'est du cinéma'' (1951) (voice, uncredited) *''Emergency Call'' (1952) as Posh Charlie *''Down Among the Z Men'' (1952) as Spider *''Behind the Headlines (1953 film)'' as crook (uncredited) *''Forces' Sweetheart'' (1953) as Simmonds *''Flannelfoot'' (1953) as Ginger *''The Super Secret Service'' (1953) as Carstairs *''Johnny on the Spot'' (1954) as Stevie *''The Sea Shall Not Have Them'' (1954) as Corporal (uncredited) *''One Good Turn'' (1955) as Boxing Competitor (uncredited) *''They Never Learn'' (1956) as Plum *''The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film'' (1959) (uncredited) *''Inn for Trouble'' (1960) as Charlie (Driver) *''Sink the Bismarck!'' (1960) as Petty Officer Williams (uncredited) *''The Millionairess'' (1960) as Butler *''A Weekend with Lulu'' (1961) as Chiron *''Double Bunk'' (1961) as Flowerman *''Dentist on the Job'' (1961) as Sourfaced Man *''Watch It, Sailor!'' (1961) as Carnoustie Bligh *''On the Fiddle'' (1961) as Sgt. Ellis *''Only Two Can Play'' (1962) as Hyman *''Operation Snatch'' (1962) as Soldier *''A Pair of Briefs'' (1962) as Police Witness *''Village of Daughters'' (1962) as Postman *''She'll Have to Go'' (1962) as Arnold *''The Wrong Arm of the Law'' (1963) as Sid Cooper *''The Mouse on the Moon'' (1963) as Standard Bearer *''Lancelot and Guinevere'' (1963) as Rian *''Strictly for the Birds'' (1963) as Hartley *''Ladies Who Do'' (1963) as Foreman *''Becket'' (1964) as Pope's Secretary (uncredited) *''A Shot in the Dark'' (1964) as Hercule Lajoy *''Guns at Batasi'' (1964) as Sgt. 'Dodger' Brown *''Go Kart Go'' (1964) as Policeman *''Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'' (1965) as Fireman *''San Ferry Ann'' (1965) as Gendarme *''You Must Be Joking!'' (1965) as McGregor's friend *''Runaway Railway'' (1965) as Grample *''Alfie'' (1966) as Humphrey *''The Wrong Box'' (1966) as Ian Scott Fife *''Finders Keepers'' (1966) as Burke *''Casino Royale'' (1967) as Cashier *''Rocket to the Moon'' (1967) as Grundle *''The Plank'' (1967) as Amorous Van Driver (Harry Nichols) *''A Ghost of a Chance'' (1967) as Thomas Dogood *''Salt and Pepper'' (1968) as Sgt. Walters *''The Picasso Summer'' (1969) as Postman *''The Magic Christian'' (1969) as Waiter *''Rhubarb'' (1969) as Golf Pro. Rhubarb *''Start the Revolution Without Me'' (1970) as Andre Coupe *''Doctor in Trouble'' (1970) as Satterjee *''Scramble'' (1970) (uncredited) *''Simon, Simon'' (1970) as 1st Workman *''The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins'' (1971) as Guest Appearance (segment "Sloth") (uncredited) *''Hide and Seek'' (1972) as Milkman *''A Day at the Beach'' (1972) as Pipi *''Not Now, Darling'' (1973) as Painter (uncredited) *''Secrets of a Door-to-Door Salesman'' (1973) as Charlie Vincent *''Where's Johnny?'' (1974) as Professor Graham *''The Return of the Pink Panther'' (1975) as Pepi *''I'm Not Feeling Myself Tonight'' (1976) as Hotel M.C. *''Pure as a Lily'' (1976) as Detective Mike *''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' (1976) as Hotel Clerk *''Gulliver's Travels'' (1977) (voice) *''Hardcore'' (1977) as Inspector Flaubert *''The Prince and the Pauper'' (1977) as Jester *''Let's Get Laid'' (1978) as Inspector Nugent *''What's Up Nurse!'' (1978) as Carthew *''Revenge of the Pink Panther'' (1978) as Professor Auguste Balls *''The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1979) as Erik *''Le Pétomane'' (1979) as Defence Counsel *''There Goes the Bride'' (1980) as Bernardo Rossi, Headwaiter *''The Sea Wolves'' (1980) as Manners *''Hawk the Slayer'' (1980) as Sparrow *''Victor/Victoria'' (1982) as Waiter *''Trail of the Pink Panther'' (1982) as Hercule Lajoy *''Superman III'' (1983) as Blind Man *''Curse of the Pink Panther'' (1983) as Bored Waiter *''Bloodbath at the House of Death'' (1984) as Blind Man *''Blind Date'' (1987) as Jordan the Butler *''Jane and the Lost City'' (1987) as Tombs *''Son of the Pink Panther'' (1993) as Professor Auguste Balls *''The Incredible Adventures of Marco Polo'' (1998) as Old King {{div col end}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name|0823174|Graham Stark}} * {{OL author|1539022A}} * [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10806464/The-stark-truth-of-Peter-Sellers-sidekick.html Article by Roger Lewis]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stark, Graham}} Category:1922 births Category:2013 deaths Category:English male comedians Category:English male film actors Category:English male television actors Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II Category:Male actors from Wallasey Category:English autobiographers Category:Comedians from Cheshire