Frank Thornton

At 92 years old, Frank Thornton has this physical status:

Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 1921 – 16 March 2013), also known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor.

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Early life

Frank Thornton Ball was born in Dulwich, London, the son of Rosina Mary (née Thornton) and William Ernest Ball. His father played the organ at St Stephen's Church in Sydenham Hill, where Frank learned to play the organ for a short time. Music was too difficult for him, however, and he wanted to act from an early age. After leaving Alleyn's School, his father, who worked in a bank, wanted him to get a "proper" job, so he started working in insurance. He enrolled in a small acting school, the London School of Dramatic Art, as a student, and started evening classes. After two years at the insurance company, he was invited to attend the acting school as a day student, and he persuaded his father to pay for his education.

Thornton was evacuated with the drama school, and his first work, beginning in County Tipperary, was touring with four plays in Ireland. He began his service as an airman in the Royal Air Force before ending the war as an officer. On December 1, 1944, he was promoted as a pilot officer on probation (emergency) from the rank of leading aircraftman. His service was confirmed on June 1, 1945, and he was promoted to flying officer (war content). In 1947, he was demobilized.

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Career

Thornton joined a repertory firm almost immediately after demobilization. He appeared in the West End's farce The Party Spirit, alongside Robertson Hare and Ralph Lynn. In the film Radio Cab Murder (1954), his first acknowledged screen role was credited to him. After appearing on stage and in a few films during the 1950s, he became a familiar face on British television, specialising in comedy, but he appeared in episode 23, "The Surgeon."

He appeared on It's a Square World as Hancock ("The Blood Donor"), Steptoe and Son, Sykes, The Goodies, and Love Thy Neighbour. In 1961, he appeared in the Danger Man episode "The Assassin" and as a tailor in The Sentimental Agent episode 'Scroll of Islam (1963). He appeared on numerous television shows, including Dick Emery, Benny Hill, Frankie Howerd, Harry Worth, Reg Varney, and Spike Milligan, during their first run from 1962 to 1965, as well as the 1973 television Christmas special, 'The Party.'

He appeared on BBC Radio comedy The Embassy Lark, a spin-off of The Navy Lark from 1966 to 1968. Nathanial Pertwee, the CPO on at least one episode of The Navy Lark, was deployed as CPO Nathanial Pertwee, filling in for Jon Pertwee, who was inactive. He also appeared in at least one episode of The Navy Lark as his character from The Embassy Lark.

He appeared in The Big Business Lark, a one-season serial of thirteen episodes, in 1969. This was not strictly a spin-off from The Navy Lark, other than being another "Lark" written by Lawrie Wyman. Carry On Screaming!, The Early Bird, The Bed Sitting Room, Some Will, Some Won't, A Funny Thing That Happened, and television sitcom spin-offs continued to appear in films, mostly comedies, during the 1960s and 1970s, including Carry On Screaming!, Carry On Screaming!, The Early Bird, The Young Bird, The Bed Sitting Room, Up the Chastity Belt, Some Won't, He appeared in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) as the one-armed doorman for the Diogenes Club. In the second episode of Fall of Eagles, he made a rare dramatic appearance as Prince Albert in 1974.

Thornton was best known for his role as Captain Peacock in the long-running BBC comedy series Are You Being Served? From 1972 to 1985, there has been a change in the world of electronics. He played Grace & Favour from 1992 to 1993. He appeared in the hit London film Me and My Girl in 1984, earning rave accolades and an Olivier Award nomination. In addition to acting in a morale-boosting extravaganza in the BBC Radio series "Ten Seconds from Now," Willoughby Maxwell-Troughton, the BBC's Army's chaotic platoon, is also featured in a "Ten Seconds from Now" episode.

In 1980, he appeared alongside John Cleese in the BBC Television Shakespeare production The Taming of the Shrew. In a production of The Pirates Of Penzance at the London Palladium in the 1990s, he appeared as The Major General (Stanley).

In 1997, Herbert "Really" Truelove played in Last of the Summer Wine, replacing Brian Wilde, who had arranged him for the role. Mr Burkett can also be seen in the film Gosford Park (2001) as Mr Burkett. Thornton was the star of This Is Your Life in 1998 when Michael Aspel at Pinewood Studios shocked him.

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