Bill Owen, Acting - KorPlix:Korean Person Archives

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Bill Owen
Acting

Bill Owen
Known For
Acting
Birthday
1914-03-14,Acton, London, England, UK
Gender
Male
Biography
British born actor known for playing working class characters on film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, the son of a tram driver and laundress, he started playing drums in London nightclubs and toured music halls with his own cabaret act to pay for acting classes. He entertained at Butlin's holiday camps and performed in repertory, joining the Unity Theatre where he attained respect as a stage producer. His career was interrupted by military service with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps where he was injured in an explosion during a battle training course. Returning to acting, he started making a name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), and The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). He continued to perform in the theatre limelight and peaked in roles with Katharine Hepburn in "As You Like It" in 1950, and with "The Threepenny Opera" and "The Mikado", which made use of his musical talents. A writer at heart, he penned songs, musicals and plays over the years. Partnered with Mike Sammes, he wrote songs recorded by Pat Boone, Harry Secombe, Engelbert Humperdinck and Sir Cliff Richard, who had a hit with his 1980 song "Marianne". In the 60s he produced the stage musical, "The Matchgirl", and focused heavily on film slapstick with the 'Carry On' series. TV stardom came late, in the role of Compo in the BBC's 1973 series "Last of the Summer Wine". When he died of pancreatic cancer in 1999, he asked to be buried in the Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, where the TV series was filmed. Owen was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his steadfast work for the National Association of Boys Clubs and for his role as chairman of the Performing Arts Advising Panel.

Filmography

6.381

Carry On Nurse
1959-01-30

Carry On Sergeant

6.404

Carry On Sergeant
1958-08-31

Carry On Regardless

6.327

Carry On Regardless
1961-04-04

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men

6.193

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
1952-05-26

The Secret of Blood Island

9

The Secret of Blood Island
1964-12-01

6.2

Georgy Girl
1966-08-04

Carve Her Name with Pride

6.036

Carve Her Name with Pride
1958-02-18

The Way to the Stars

6.129

The Way to the Stars
1945-06-16

5.571

Hotel Sahara
1951-07-09

6.038

Daybreak
1948-05-18

6

The Shakedown
1960-01-01

6.471

Carry On Cabby
1963-06-01

The Rainbow Jacket

7

The Rainbow Jacket
1954-05-27

My Brother's Keeper

6.3

My Brother's Keeper
1948-08-19

Dancing with Crime

6.071

Dancing with Crime
1947-06-25

The Square Ring

7.063

The Square Ring
1953-07-13

6

Diamond City
1949-09-20

The Ship That Died of Shame

7.3

The Ship That Died of Shame
1955-04-19

The Hellfire Club

5.4

The Hellfire Club
1961-02-03

5.75

Laughterhouse
1984-09-01

6.143

Easy Money
1948-01-20

Once a Jolly Swagman

5.8

Once a Jolly Swagman
1949-02-02

Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs

0

Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
2022-03-05

5.763

The Comeback
1978-06-16

5.227

In Celebration
1975-03-17

5.714

On the Fiddle
1961-10-10

5.714

Davy
1958-01-02

When The Bough Breaks

6.8

When The Bough Breaks
1947-11-19

A Day to Remember

7.417

A Day to Remember
1953-11-10

Getting Sam Home

8

Getting Sam Home
1983-12-27

0

Unfair!
1970-11-15

6.75

Not So Dusty
1956-02-16

7

Trottie True
1949-09-29

0

A City Reborn
1945-01-01

The Girl Who Couldn't Quite

6.75

The Girl Who Couldn't Quite
1950-01-31

There Was a Young Lady

7

There Was a Young Lady
1953-01-01

Headline Hunters

8

Headline Hunters
1968-09-01

9

Mischief
1969-12-01

6.848

O Lucky Man!
1973-03-25

Trouble in the Air

8

Trouble in the Air
1948-11-01

0

Tank Patrol
1941-06-16

6.667

The Weaker Sex
1948-10-11

0

Kiss Me, Kate
1964-04-20

The Entertainer

7

The Entertainer
1993-12-04

School for Secrets

7.2

School for Secrets
1946-12-23

Breathing Space

0

Breathing Space
1943-09-30

The Fighting Prince of Donegal

5.536

The Fighting Prince of Donegal
1966-10-01

The Last Word on Julie

0

The Last Word on Julie
1964-01-26

Royal Variety Performance 1984

0

Royal Variety Performance 1984
1984-11-25

The Funny Side of Christmas

0

The Funny Side of Christmas
1982-12-27

Last of the Summer Wine Christmas Specials 1978-1982

4

Last of the Summer Wine Christmas Specials 1978-1982
1978-12-26

That's Carry On!

5.8

That's Carry On!
1977-11-10

What's a Carry On?

7.667

What's a Carry On?
1998-12-29

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy

6.5

The Funny Blokes of British Comedy
2005-03-03

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

7.714

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
1973-01-09

Tales of the Unexpected

6.776

Tales of the Unexpected
1979-03-24

Last of the Summer Wine

7.138

Last of the Summer Wine
1973-01-04

6.4

The Buccaneers
1956-09-19

7.6

Catweazle
1970-02-15

Shirley's World

6

Shirley's World
1972-04-07

4.5

Angels
1975-09-01

Man in a Suitcase

7.222

Man in a Suitcase
1967-09-27

6.333

Performance
1991-10-05

5.25

Blankety Blank
1979-01-18

8

Cilla
1968-01-30

Sherlock Holmes

8

Sherlock Holmes
1951-10-20

Noel's House Party

7.429

Noel's House Party
1991-11-23

Last of the Summer Wine

7.138

Last of the Summer Wine
1973-01-04

9

Taxi!
1963-07-10

0

Taxi!
1963-07-10

0

Coppers End
1971-02-19

The Val Doonican Music Show

0

The Val Doonican Music Show
1977-04-09

Smillie's People

0

Smillie's People
1996-10-14

This Is Your Life

6.667

This Is Your Life
1955-07-29

The Kids International Show

0

The Kids International Show
1982-05-31

0

Drama 61-67
1961-03-19

Armchair Theatre

6

Armchair Theatre
1956-07-08

7

ITV Playhouse
1967-09-25

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

7

ITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969-01-11

Half Hour Story

7.5

Half Hour Story
1967-05-16