# Ian Carmichael on stage, screen and radio

The English actor and comedian Ian Carmichael OBE (1920–2010) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including theatre, radio, television and film. His career spanned from 1939 until his death in 2010. According to Brian McFarlane, writing for The Encyclopedia of British Film, Carmichael "epitomises the good-natured, undemanding pleasures of '50s British cinema".
Carmichael made his professional stage debut in 1939 while he was studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; his role was as a robot in the science fiction play R.U.R., which lasted for only a week. His studies were interrupted by the Second World War, and he was commissioned into the Royal Armoured Corps; he also joined an entertainment unit, 30 Corps Theatrical Pool, for which he produced twenty shows. At the end of the war he returned to professional acting, and in 1947 he took a role in She Wanted a Cream Front Door, which ran in the West End for nine months. He continued to perform in the theatre throughout the rest of his career, largely in the United Kingdom, but also in productions in Canada, South Africa and the United States. In 1947 Carmichael made his debut on television in the revue New Faces. He continued to work in television throughout his life and, according to McFarlane, achieved considerable success with P. G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster in 1966–1967, in which he played Bertie Wooster, and as Lord Peter Wimsey between 1972 and 1975.
Carmichael made his radio debut in 1947 in the BBC Home Service's Saturday Night Theatre, and continued to appear throughout his career. Included in his output were dramatisations of the Wimsey novels and Wodehouse's works, this time as Galahad Threepwood in the Blandings Castle stories. In 1948 Carmichael made his cinematic debut in an uncredited role in Bond Street, and went on to establish a film career in the 1950s when he appeared in films by the Boulting brothers, including Private's Progress (1956), Lucky Jim (1957), Brothers in Law (1957), Happy Is the Bride (1958) and I'm All Right Jack (1959). On Carmichael's death in 2010 Dennis Barker, writing for The Guardian, observed that "what made Carmichael notable was that he could play fool parts in a way that did not cut the characters completely off from human sympathy: a certain dignity was always maintained."

## Stage credits

Stage credits of Ian Carmichael :
| Production | Date | Theatre (London, unless stated) | Role | Notes |
| R.U.R. | 1939 | People's Palace, Mile End | Robot | One week only |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | 1 September 1939 | Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre, RADA | Francis Flute | Two productions only |
| Julius Caesar | 29 November 1939 | Embassy Theatre | Claudius | |
| Nine Sharp | June – August 1940 | Touring | – | Ten-week tour |
| Springtime for Henry | 1942 | Army theatre, Duncombe Park | – | Four performances; informal army production |
| Between Ourselves | 1947 | – | – | |
| She Wanted a Cream Front Door | February 1947 | Apollo Theatre | Teddy Dyeswood | |
| I Said To Myself | July 1947 | Mercury Theatre | Jean | |
| Cupid and Mars | 3 October 1947 | Arts Theatre | Christopher Mackintosh | Four-week production |
| Out of the Frying Pan | 6 December 1947 | Q Theatre | Norman Reese | |
| What Goes On | 21 December 1947 | Players' Theatre | – | Revue |
| Tomorrow is a Lovely Day | 1948 | Touring | – | Five-week tour |
| The Lagoon Follies | July 1948 | Jolly Roger Theatre, Clacton | – | Revue |
| What Goes On | 16 November 1948 | Players' Theatre | – | Revue |
| The Lilac Domino | March – 9 September 1949 | Touring | Norman | 24-week tour |
| Wild Violets | 25 October 1949 – 27 May 1950 | Stoll Theatre | Otto Bergmann | |
| The Lyric Revue | 24 May – 22 September 1951 | Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith | – | Revue; four-week pre-London tour; production transferred to the Globe Theatre from 26 September 1951 to 28 June 1952 |
| The Globe Revue | 10 July 1952 – 31 January 1953 | Globe Theatre | – | Revue; two-week tour prior to the Globe |
| High Spirits | 13 May – 29 August 1953 | Hippodrome | – | Revue; 16-week run |
| At the Lyric | 23 December 1953 – 15 May 1954 | Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith | – | Revue |
| Going to Town | 20 May 1954 – 17 July 1954 | St Martin's Theatre | – | Revue |
| Simon and Laura | 25 November 1954 – 28 May 1955 | Strand Theatre | David Prentice | |
| The Tunnel of Love | December 1957 – August 1958 | Her Majesty's Theatre | Augie Poole | Preceded by five-week provincial tour |
| The Love Doctor | 27 August – October 1959 | Manchester Opera House, Manchester | The Tramp | Transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre on 12 October 1959 for two weeks before closing |
| The Gazebo | 29 March 1960 – 28 January 1961 | Savoy Theatre | Elliott Nash | |
| Critic's Choice | 6 December 1961 – May 1962 | Vaudeville Theatre | Parker Ballentyne | |
| Devil May Care | March 1963 | Strand Theatre | Nicholas | Four-week tour preceded the Strand; ran at the Strand for nine weeks |
| Sunday in New York | 1963 | Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon | – | |
| March Hares | March 1964 | Touring | Victor Hood | |
| Boeing-Boeing | 2 February 1965 | Cort Theatre, New York | Richard | Short tour of New Haven, CT and Boston, MA prior to New York; ran at the Cort for three weeks |
| Say Who You Are | August 1965 | Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford | David Lord | Production transferred to Her Majesty's Theatre in October 1965 |
| Getting Married | 19 April 1967 | Strand Theatre | Sir John Hotchkiss | Five-week tour preceded the Strand |
| I Do! I Do! | 16 May – 24 August 1968 | Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith | Michael | |
| Birds on the Wing | 1969 | O'Keefe Centre, Toronto | – | |
| Darling I'm Home | 1972 | Touring, South Africa | – | |
| Springtime for Henry | August 1974 | Oxford Playhouse | Mr Dewlip | |
| Out on a Limb! | October 1976 | Vaudeville Theatre | Graham | |
| Overheard | May 1981 | Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London | Christopher Caulker | Short run at Richmond Theatre before transferring to the Haymarket. |
| Pride and Prejudice | 1987–88 | Theatre Royal, York | Mr Bennet | Production went on a national tour after the Theatre Royal |
| The Circle | 1989–90 | Touring | Lord Porteus | |
| The School for Scandal | June 1995 | Chichester Festival Theatre | Sir Peter Teazle | |

## Radio broadcasts

Radio broadcasts of Ian Carmichael :
| Broadcast | Date | Role | Notes |
| Saturday Night Theatre: "Mile Away Murder" | 14 June 1947 | Dick Elsted | |
| Saturday Night Theatre: "Of Mice and Men" | 5 February 1949 | Curley the Boss's son | |
| Gordon Grantley, KC | 16 May 1949 | Lieutenant Schulze | |
| Midday Music Hall | 12 March 1954 | Compere | |
| Radio Theatre: "Ring For Jeeves" | 13 February 1955 | Lord William Rowcester | |
| The Laughtermakers: "The Art of Ian Carmichael" | 12 April 1957 | Interviewee | |
| Woman's Hour | 9 October 1957 | Interviewee | |
| Desert Island Discs | 7 April 1958 | Interviewee | |
| Eric Barker and Pearl Hackney are Hosts Gown at 'Barker's Folly' | 11 March 1959 | – | |
| Evelyn Laye introduces 'On Stage, Everybody!' | 15 May 1960 | – | |
| Ian Carmichael says Everything Happens to Me and has the records to prove It | 28 August – 25 September 1961 | – | Five episodes |
| London Mirror | 9 December 1961 | – | |
| Variety Playhouse | 17 November 1962 | – | |
| Play It Cool | 5 August – 1 September 1964 | – | With Hugh Paddick and Joan Sims, plus music from Rosemary Squires, The Mike Sammes Singers and the Ken Thorne Orchestra |
| Woman's Hour | 19 November 1964 | Guest | |
| Going Places | 9 May 1966 | Leader | |
| Call My Bluff | 20 October 1966 | Panellist | |
| Housewives' Choice | 3 – 7 July 1967 | – | Five episodes |
| A Play For Tuesday: "A Day in Bed" | 8 August 1967 | Jacob Slade | |
| Charades | 22 April 1970 | Panellist | |
| The Clever Stupid Game | 13 June 1970 | Panellist | |
| Sounds Familiar | 23 July 1971 | Panellist | |
| Be My Guest | 12 August 1971 | Presenter | |
| Blast of Spring | 5 October – 9 November 1971 | Prosper Spring | Six episodes |
| The Great Musicals | 3 July – 14 August 1973 | Presenter | Seven episodes |
| Just a Minute | 24 September 1973 | Panellist | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Whose Body? | 30 December 1973 – 27 January 1974 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Five episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Clouds of Witness | 3 February – 24 March 1974 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Eight episodes |
| Just a Minute | 19 June 1974 | Panellist | |
| The Great Musicals | 2 July – 27 August 1974 | Presenter | Nine episodes |
| Wodehouse on Broadway | 23 March 1975 | Presenter | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Unnatural Death | 5 May – 16 June 1975 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Seven episodes |
| Good Morning Everyone | 25 – 29 August 1975 | Presenter | |
| Ian Carmichael's Music Night | 30 September 1975 – 13 July 1976 | Presenter | |
| Percival and Apple | 5 – 9 January 1976 | Reader | Five episodes |
| The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter | 22 March – 8 June 1976 | Gerald C. Potter | Eight episodes |
| am with A.J. | 19 – 23 April 1976 | Reader | Five episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Strong Poison | 17 May – 21 June 1976 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Six episodes |
| The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter | 9 November – 26 December 1977 | Gerald C. Potter | Seven episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: The Five Red Herrings | 4 January – 22 February 1978 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Eight episodes |
| Jack Buchanan – The Complete Entertainer | 14 June – 12 July 1978 | Presenter | Five programmes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Murder Must Advertise | 1 January – 5 February 1979 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Six episodes |
| Desert Island Discs | 9 June 1979 | Interviewee | |
| The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter | 24 September – 31 October 1979 | Gerald C. Potter | Eight episodes |
| Stories by Saki | 26 – 28 December 1979 | Reader | Three episodes |
| Book at Bedtime: Summer Lightning | 21 July 1980 – 8 August 1980 | Reader | Fifteen episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: The Nine Tailors | 20 October – 8 December 1980 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Eight episodes |
| The Small, Intricate Life of Gerald C. Potter | 27 April – 1 June 1981 | Gerald C. Potter | Six episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Have His Carcase | 21 October – 24 November 1981 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Six episodes |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: Busman's Honeymoon | 3 January – 7 February 1983 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Six episodes |
| Merely Melville | 19 – 21 April 1984 | Presenter | |
| Tales from a Palm Court | 9 – 16 August 1984 | Reader | |
| Tales from a Palm Court | 3 – 10 January 1985 | Reader | |
| With Great Pleasure | 26 July 1985 | Interviewee | |
| Banes' People III | 20 August 1986 | – | |
| Tales from a Palm Court | 19 April – 3 May 1988 | Reader | |
| Pigs Have Wings | 22 August – 12 September 1989 | Galahad Threepwood | Four episodes |
| Strictly T-T | 21 February 1990 | Presenter | Also writer; the programme was an appreciation of Terry-Thomas |
| Galahad at Blandings | 23 January 1992 – 13 February 1992 | Galahad Threepwood | Four episodes |
| The Monday Play: "Fighting Over Beverley" | 29 December 1997 | Archie | |
| Cads and Silly Asses | 10 February 2004 | Presenter | |
| The Scoundrels' Return: a History of Lifemanship | 10 December 2007 | Presenter | |

## Television

Television appearances of Ian Carmichael :
| Programme | Date | Channel | Role | Notes |
| New Faces | 16 August 1947 | BBC Television | – | |
| New Faces | 20 September 1947 | BBC Television | – | |
| Cliff Gordon in: Twice Upon a Time | 16 & 24 January 1948 | BBC Television | – | Revue |
| Tricks of the Trade | 7 April 1948 | BBC Television | – | |
| Tell Her the Truth | 12 June 1948 | BBC Television | Dick Dennison | |
| Old Songs for New | 2 August 1948 | BBC Television | Singer | |
| Give My Regards to Leicester Square | 21 December 1948 | BBC Television | Player | |
| Jill Darling | 12 February 1949 | BBC Television | Bobby Jones | |
| Don't Look Now | 12 July 1950 | BBC Television | Performer | |
| Floor Show at the "Regency Room" | 5 August 1950 | BBC Television | – | |
| Here's Television | 6 January 1951 | BBC Television | Performer | |
| Starlight | 9 February 1953 | BBC Television | – | |
| Panorama | 12 December 1953 | BBC Television | – | Theatrical performer in "A New Suit"; uncredited |
| Something to Shout About! | 28 June 1955 | BBC Television | – | |
| Here and Now | 16 December 1955 – 17 February 1956 | ITV | – | Sketch show |
| Off the Record | 2 January 1956 | BBC Television | – | |
| Alan Melville takes you from A-Z | 9 November 1956 | BBC Television | – | |
| Picture Parade | 26 February 1957 | BBC Television | – | |
| Carmichael's Night Out | 14 March 1957 | BBC Television | – | |
| Rich and Rich | 10 August 1957 | BBC Television | Guest | |
| The Girl at the Next Table | 18 August 1957 | BBC Television | Tom | |
| The World Our Stage | 8 March 1958 | BBC Television | – | Recorded excerpt from The Tunnel of Love at Her Majesty's Theatre |
| What's My Line? | 28 December 1958 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Juke Box Jury | 22 April 1961 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Gilt and Gingerbread | 5 September 1961 | BBC Television | Charles Yeyder | |
| Juke Box Jury | 22 September 1962 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Juke Box Jury | 6 July 1963 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Compact | 2 January 1964 | ITV | – | First episode only |
| Armchair Theatre: "The Importance of Being Earnest" | 15 November 1964 | ITV | John Worthing J.P. | |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Dog McIntosh" | 30 May 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves, the Aunt, and the Sluggard" | 6 June 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Great Sermon Handicap" | 13 June 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Song of Songs" | 20 June 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Hero's Reward" | 27 June 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Inferiority Complex of Old Sippy" | 4 July 1965 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 1 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace" | 4 January 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and a Change of Mind" | 11 January 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Spot of Art" | 18 January 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves Exerts the Old Cerebellum" | 25 January 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Purity of the Turf" | 1 February 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Clustering Round Young Bingo" | 8 February 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Indian Summer of an Uncle" | 15 February 1966 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 2 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Greasy Bird" | 6 October 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Stand-in for Sippy" | 13 October 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Old School Chum" | 20 October 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Impending Doom" | 27 October 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Hard-Boiled Egg" | 3 November 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Love that Purifies" | 10 November 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| P.G. Wodehouse's The World of Wooster: "Jeeves and the Fixing of Freddie" | 17 November 1967 | BBC Television | Bertie Wooster | Series 3 |
| I Do! I Do! | 16 August 1968 | BBC Television | Michael Snow | Scenes from Act 1 of the musical; broadcast from the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith |
| The Last of the Big Spenders | 22 October 1968 | ITV | Henry Priddis | |
| Cilla | 5 February 1969 | BBC Television | Guest | |
| Call My Bluff | 9 October 1969 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Call My Bluff | 16 October 1969 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Brian Rix Presents: "Odd Man In" | 29 December 1969 | BBC Television | Mervyn Browne | |
| Play for Today: "Alma Mater" | 7 January 1970 | BBC Television | Jimmy Nicholson | |
| The Morecambe & Wise Show | 28 January 1970 | BBC Television | Guest | |
| Frost on Sunday | 1 February 1970 | ITV | Guest | |
| The Laugh Parade: "The Big Money" | 10 February 1970 | BBC Television | Willie Frith | |
| Call My Bluff | 2 April 1970 | BBC Television | Panellist | |
| Bachelor Father | 17 September – 10 December 1970 | BBC Television | Peter Lamb | Series 1 |
| Father, Dear Father: "An Affair To Forget" | 22 June 1971 | ITV | Leo | |
| Bachelor Father | 16 September – 11 November 1971 | BBC Television | Peter Lamb | Series 2 |
| The Morecambe & Wise Show | 5 December 1971 | BBC Television | Guest | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: "Clouds of Witness" | 5 April – 3 May 1972 | BBC Television | Lord Peter Wimsey | Adapted into five parts |
| Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show | 25 December 1972 | BBC Television | Guest | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club" | 1 – 22 February 1973 | BBC Television | Lord Peter Wimsey | Adapted into four parts |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: "Murder Must Advertise" | 30 November – 21 December 1973 | BBC Television | Lord Peter Wimsey | Adapted into four parts |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Nine Tailors" | 22 April – 13 May 1974 | BBC Television | Lord Peter Wimsey | Adapted into four parts |
| Lord Peter Wimsey: "The Five Red Herrings" | 23 July – August 1975 | BBC Television | Lord Peter Wimsey | Adapted into four parts |
| It's a Celebrity Knockout | 9 July 1976 | BBC Television | Participant | |
| Three More Men in a Boat | 1 April 1983 | BBC Television | Voice of Jerome | |
| All for Love: "Down at the Hydro" | 4 September 1983 | ITV | Colonel Hunt | |
| The Wind in the Willows | 27 December 1983 | ITV | Rat | Voice only |
| The Wind in the Willows | 1 October 1984 – 19 June 1990 | ITV | Narrator | |
| Movie Memories | 8 August 1985 | ITV | – | |
| A Day in Summer | 1 February 1989 | ITV | Bellenger | |
| A Chance to Meet.... | 4 July 1989 | BBC Television | Presenter | |
| The Play on One: "Obituaries" | 16 August 1990 | BBC Television | White | |
| Strathblair | 3 May – 19 July 1992 | BBC Television | Sir James Menzies | Series 1 |
| Strathblair | 27 June – 29 August 1993 | BBC Television | Sir James Menzies | Series 2 |
| Wonders in the Deep | 8 January 1994 | BBC Television | Lord Bertie Wedensbury | |
| The Great Kandinsky | 14 April 1995 | BBC Television | Patrick McCormick | |
| Bramwell | 19 June 1995 | ITV | Oswald | |
| Wives and Daughters | 28 November – 19 December 1999 | BBC Television | Lord Cumnor | |
| A Foot Again in the Past | 21 January 2002 | BBC Television | Interviewee | |
| Reputations: "Frankie Howerd" | 15 June 2002 | BBC Television | Interviewee | |
| The Royal | 19 January 2003 – 5 June 2011 | ITV | T.J. Middleditch | |

## Filmography

Filmography of Ian Carmichael :
| Film | Year | Role | Notes |
| Bond Street | 1948 | Receptionist at restaurant | Uncredited |
| Trottie True | 1949 | Bill the postman | Uncredited |
| Dear Mr. Prohack | 1949 | The hatter | |
| Ghost Ship | 1952 | Bernard | |
| Time Gentlemen, Please! | 1952 | P.R.O. | |
| Miss Robin Hood | 1952 | Extra | Uncredited |
| Meet Mr. Lucifer | 1953 | Man Friday | |
| Betrayed | 1954 | Capt. Jackie Lawson | |
| The Colditz Story | 1955 | Robin Cartwright | |
| Storm Over the Nile | 1955 | Tom Willoughby | |
| Simon and Laura | 1955 | David Prentice | |
| Private's Progress | 1956 | Stanley Windrush | |
| Brothers in Law | 1957 | Roger Thursby | |
| Lucky Jim | 1957 | Jim Dixon | |
| Happy Is the Bride | 1958 | David Chaytor | |
| The Big Money | 1958 | Willie Frith | |
| Left Right and Centre | 1959 | Robert Wilcot | |
| I'm All Right Jack | 1959 | Stanley Windrush | |
| School for Scoundrels | 1960 | Henry Palfrey | |
| Light Up the Sky! | 1960 | Lt Ogleby | |
| Double Bunk | 1961 | Jack | |
| The Amorous Prawn | 1962 | Corporal Sidney Green | |
| Heavens Above! | 1963 | The other Smallwood | |
| Hide and Seek | 1964 | David Garrett | |
| Case of the 44s | 1965 | Jim Pond | |
| Smashing Time | 1967 | Bobby Mome-Roth | |
| The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins | 1971 | Mr Ferris | |
| From Beyond the Grave | 1974 | Reginald 'Reggie' Warren | |
| The Lady Vanishes | 1979 | Caldicott | |
| Diamond Skulls | 1989 | Exeter | |