Paul William McDowell (15 August 1931 – 2 May 2016) was an English actor and writer who appeared in numerous television productions over a 40-year period.[1]

Paul McDowell
McDowell in "The Return of Mr. Bean" (1990)
Born
Paul William McDowell

(1931-08-15)15 August 1931
London, England
Died2 May 2016 (2016-05-03) (aged 84)
London, England
OccupationActor

Early life and career

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McDowell was born in Fulham, south-west London the only son of William a museum guard and shipyard worker. His mother Frances was a landlady and cleaner. He attended several primary schools and was evacuated to Guildford, Rochdale, and Torbay during the second world war.[2] After leaving school, he trained to be a painter at Chelsea Art College. He later attended St Edmund Hall, Oxford. In the early 1960s as "Whispering" Paul McDowell he was a vocalist with the British 1920s-style jazz band The Temperance Seven, who had a No. 1 hit in Britain. He was a member of the pop group 'Guggenheim' which he formed with Granada Television producer and singer Chris Pye, and guitarist Jules Burns. The album Guggenheim was released in 1972 on Indigo Records, and distributed by the British Decca label. He worked at the Establishment Club as an actor/writer, then became a member of the improvisational group the Second City in the United States and was a writer on The Frost Report.

Television actor

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His television roles include: Mr Collinson, a sour-faced prison officer in Porridge, Churchill's butler in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years, and Mr Phillips in The Two of Us.

Writer

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As a screenwriter he wrote for Sheila Hancock and The Two Ronnies. Later he concentrated on writing and teaching tai chi.[3]

Later life

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Later he lived in Towcester Northamptonshire, where he wrote a letter [4] to The Guardian, published on 11 March 2016, less than two months before his death. His letter was an amusing mild rebuke that The Guardian had omitted to state in their obituary of George Martin that his very first Number 1 hit was the Temperance Seven's "You're Driving Me Crazy".

Illness and death

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On April 23, 2016, McDowell announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He died on May 2, 2016, from complications: heart failure following pneumonia. The immediate cause of death on his death certificate was cardiac arrest with respiratory failure. He was survived by his children Helena, Lola, Sidonie, Milo and his third wife, Trisha.

Filmography

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Film

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
1959 Food for a Blush Bit part Short film
Uncredited
1972 Savage Messiah Agitator Uncredited
1978 The Life Story of Baal Piller
The Thirty Nine Steps McLean
1979 Porridge Collinson Released in the United States as Doing Time
1980 Rough Cut Postman
1985 National Lampoon's European Vacation English Motorist
1988 Dead End City Gang Member
2008 Chemical Wedding Symonds Final film role

Television

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Television
Year Title Role Notes
1966 Festival Writer
Series 7, episode 5: "Westbrook's Man/Ligging About" (Segment: "Ligging About")
1968-1969 Horne A'Plenty Guest 2 episodes
1969 The World of Beachcomber 6 episodes
Canada Goose TV movie
1970 Frost on Sunday Writer - 9 episodes
1972 His and Hers Melvyn Series 2, episode 6: "Telephone"
Scoop Pigge 3 episodes
1972-1973 But Seriously, It's Sheila Hancock Various 2 episodes
Writer - 5 episodes
1973 Our Kid Householder Episode 6: "The Last of the All-Rounders"
The Protectors Bank Teller Series 2, episode 7: "Goodbye George"
Grubstreet Various 6 episodes
1974 You'll Never Walk Alone Third Man TV movie
No Strings 2nd Workman Episode 2: "Grow and Let Grow"
Crown Court Frederick Barker Season 3, episode 148: "Forgive-Me-Not: Part 1"
1974-1977 Porridge Mr. Collinson 4 episodes
1975 Churchill's People 1st Guest Episode 12: "A Wilderness of Roses"
The Good Life Telephone Engineer Series 1, episode 3: "The Weaker Sex?"
Dawson's Weekly Dr. Lang Episode 1: "Les Miserables"
The Nearly Man Gordon Episode 5: "Confrontation: July 1975"
1975-1978 Wodehouse Playhouse Hotel Manager / Studio Guide / First Cop 3 episodes
1976 One-Upmanship 3 episodes
Victorian Scandals Samuel James Episode 4: "A Pitcher of Snakes"
1976-1979 Dave Allen at Large Various 8 episodes
1977 The Other One Security Guard Episode 1
1977-1985 The Two Ronnies Writer - 1 episodes 3 episodes
1978 Going Straight Mr. Collinson Episode 1: "Going Home"
Life at Stake Pierre Laporte Episode 8: "James Cross Will Be Executed"
A Soft Touch Harvey Hornbeam Episode 1: "Now Take my Wife"
BBC2 Play of the Week William Series 2, episode 7: "Return Fare"
Bernie Episode #1.4
1978-1980 Robin's Nest Doctor 2 episodes
1979 Bloomers 1st Policeman Episode 3: "The Contract"
Suez 1956 Henry Cabot Lodge TV movie
1980 Tales of the Unexpected Schaeffer Series 2, episode 16: "The Man at the Top"
The Enigma Files John Smith Episode 10: "Why Don't They Tell You These Things?"
Play for Today Bill Newsome Series 11, episode 1: "Pasmore"
1981 Wolcott Chief Supt. Cosgrave 3 episodes
Never the Twain Det. Sgt. Talbot Series 1, episode 4: "A Matched Pair"
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years Butler at Chartwell Miniseries
7 episodes
Angels Mr. Howard 2 episodes
1981-1984 Kelly Monteith 2 episodes
1982 Secombe with Music Writer - 1 episode
Nancy Astor Lee 3 episodes
The Brack Report Eric Fulton 2 episodes - 1 uncredited
Strangers Detective Inspector O'Rourke Series 5, episode 1: "A Much Underestimated Man"
Squadron Air Commodore Grant Episode 8: "Operation Hawk"
1983 The Kenny Everett Television Show Various Episode #2.3
Blackadder Herbert, Archbishop of Canterbury Series 1, episode 3: "The Archbishop"
R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only Barry Clarke TV series
Potter The Drunk Episode #3.6
Chessgame Jack Soutar Episode 1: "The Alamut Ambush"
1984-1986 Comrade Dad Man in Queue 2 episodes
1985 Mixed Doubles Estate Agent Series 1, episode 6: "Such Sweet Sorrow"
Terry and June Newsreader Series 8, episode 11: "Mistaken Identity"
1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes Les Series 2, episode 1: "One Away"
The Fourth Floor Purvis Miniseries
3 episodes
Slinger's Day Man Series 1, episode 1: "New Management"
Only Fools and Horses Man in Market Series 5, episode 7: "A Royal Flush"
The Alamut Ambush Jack Soutar First two episodes of Chessgame edited as a TV movie
1986-1988 All in Good Faith Supermarket Manager / Policeman 2 episodes
1986-1990 The Two of Us Colin Phillips 13 episodes
1987-1989 The Little and Large Show Various 2 episodes
1988 Carrott Confidential Episode #2.1
1990 Mr. Bean The Customer Episode 2: "The Return of Mr. Bean"
1991 EastEnders Mr. Wallace 2 episodes
1993 Frank Stubbs Promotes Featherstone Series 1, episode 7: "Book"
1994 Law and Disorder Edward Powell Episode 3: "A Night to Remember"
1996 The Brittas Empire Man in Pool Series 6, episode 6: "Mr. Brittas Falls in Love"
The Legacy of Reginald Perrin Higgins Episode 1
Final television appearance

Notes

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  1. ^ Dave Laing. "Paul McDowell obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  2. ^ The Scotsman by the newsroom 23 June 2016|https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituary-paul-mcdowell-actor-musician-painter-teacher-and-writer-1473749
  3. ^ Richard Webster; Dick Clement; Ian la Frenais (2001). Porridge The Inside Story. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7472-3294-6.
  4. ^ "Paul McDowell letter to The Guardian rebuking them for omitting Temperance Seven as George Martin's first No 1 hit".
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