Peter Butterworth
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| Peter Butterworth | |
 As the Meddling Monk in Doctor Who |
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| Born | February 4, 1919 Bramhall, Cheshire, England, UK |
| Died | January 16, 1979 |
| Spouse(s) | Janet Brown |
| Notable roles | Regular in Carry On films The Meddling Monk in Doctor Who |
Peter Butterworth (February 4, 1919 - January 16, 1979) was an English comic actor who appeared in sixteen of the Carry On films. He was married to fellow actor Janet Brown, who presented Picture Book on 1950s BBC Children's Television and later was a celebrated impersonator of Margaret Thatcher. Their son Tyler Butterworth is also an actor.
He also appeared in Doctor Who as the first Time Lord villain, the Meddling Monk, in The Time Meddler and later in the 12-part epic The Daleks' Master Plan, both with William Hartnell.
Born in Bramhall, Cheshire, Butterworth served during World War II in the Royal Navy as a lieutenant. He was captured in the Netherlands in 1940 and attempted to escape three times. During one attempt that occurred in June, 1940 at Dugaluft near Frankfurt, Butterworth managed to escape through a tunnel and covered 27 miles (43 km) over the next three days before German secret police recaptured him. The other attempts were abortive and never got beyond the camp grounds.
Ending up at Stalag Luft III, he met Talbot Rothwell, who would go on to co-write many of the Carry On films. Rothwell and Butterworth sang together in a camp show, where the booing and the catcalls were so loud that they covered up the sounds of an escape tunnel being dug by other prisoners. Butterworth also acted as one of the 'vaulters' covering for the digging escapers during the escape immortalised by the book and film The Wooden Horse - Butterworth would later audition for a part in the subsequent film but fail to get one as he 'didn't look convincingly heroic and athletic enough'. Rothwell and Butterworth continued to be close friends after the war, and the latter was inspired by the experience to take up acting.
Butterworth is the only person to be honoured with a posthumous This Is Your Life after he died of a heart attack between the filming and broadcast of his show.
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Butterworth, Peter |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | English Actor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 4, 1919 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bramhall, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 16, 1979 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
| Carry On films |
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| Principal cast: Kenneth Williams | Joan Sims | Charles Hawtrey | Sid James | Kenneth Connor | Peter Butterworth | Bernard Bresslaw | Hattie Jacques | Jim Dale | Barbara Windsor | Terry Scott |
| Films: Sergeant • Nurse • Teacher • Constable • Regardless • Cruising • Cabby • Jack • Spying • Cleo • Cowboy • Screaming • Don't Lose Your Head • Follow That Camel • Doctor • Up the Khyber • Camping • Again Doctor • Up the Jungle • Loving • Henry • At Your Convenience • Matron • Abroad • Girls • Dick • Behind • England • Emmannuelle • Columbus TV: Laughing • Christmas Specials • That's Carry On! Unmade: Spaceman Upcoming: London |
