Tony Selby
Anthony Samuel Selby (born 26 February 1938) is an English actor.
Tony Selby | |
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Born | Anthony Samuel Selby 26 February 1938 Lambeth, London, England |
Occupation | Actor |
Notable work | Get Some In! Doctor Who Mulberry EastEnders |
Life and career
Selby was born in Lambeth, London, the son of Annie Elizabeth (Weaver), a waitress, and Samuel Joseph Selby, a cab driver.[1] After training at the Italia Conti Stage School, he made his adult stage debut in 1956.[2] His theatre work includes the original production of Edward Bond's controversial play Saved at the Royal Court Theatre in 1965.[3][4] He has appeared in many television programmes including a starring role in RAF National Service comedy Get Some In!,[5] and a recurring role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who as the intergalactic conman Sabalom Glitz.[5]
In 1965 he appeared as a convict under sentence of death in the BBC television drama Three Clear Sundays, directed by Ken Loach.[6]
He had one of his earliest film acting roles in The Early Bird (1965), Alfie (1966), starring Academy award-winner Michael Caine, and his other film appearances include Press for Time (1966), Poor Cow (1967), Witchfinder General (1968), Before Winter Comes (1969), In Search of Gregory (1969), Villain (1971), Nobody Ordered Love (1972), and Adolf Hitler: My Part in his Downfall (1973).[7] In 1971-2 he played magician's assistant Sam Maxstead in children's supernatural TV series Ace of Wands and had a brief 1972 appearance as a jealous fiancé in Public Eye.[8][9] He appeared in the 1970s series Callan.[10] Other notable television appearances included The Avengers as a villainous car mechanic, Bless This House as a depressed burglar, and as Boozy in the all-star Eric Sykes comedy If You Go Down in the Woods Today (1981).[11][12] He appeared in three episodes of the critically acclaimed drama series Minder, twice playing Jack, the minder of gangster's wife Rose Mellors.[11][13] In the early 1990s he played chauffeur to Adam Faith's character in the drama series Love Hurts; he also played Clive Mitchell in BBC's soap opera EastEnders in 2002.[14][15]
Selby appeared in the third episode of The Good Life (known as Good Neighbors in the US), as a rag-and-bone man who sold the Goods an old wood stove and brought them a cat.[16]
In the United States, Selby had an uncredited role as a hood in the first Superman motion picture.
Selby played Susan Harper's long-lost father Arthur in the BBC comedy My Family, in the episode "A Decent Proposal", first broadcast on 12 August 2011.[17]
In 2012 he appeared in the film Cockneys vs Zombies.[18]
He appeared in the television series New Tricks as Danny Paye, an East end loan shark in the 2009 episode Meat is Murder.
Filmography
- The Early Bird (1965) - Godfrey (uncredited)
- Alfie (1966) Lacey (uncredited)
- Villain (1971) - Duncan
- Superman (1978) - 5th Hood (uncredited)
References
- "Tony Selby Biography (1938-)". Retrieved 24 February 2017.
- Brian McFarlane (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Manchester University Press. p. 685. ISBN 978-1-5261-1197-5.
- "Tony Selby | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- Walsh, Maeve (21 February 1999). "Thirty years ago today: 'Saved' for the nation, farewell to the censor". The Independent. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- Masters, Tim (14 October 2011). "Saved still shocks, says original cast member". BBC News. Retrieved 24 February 2017 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- "The Wednesday Play: Three Clear Sundays". 7 April 1965. p. 40 – via BBC Genome.
- "Tony Selby". BFI.
- "BFI Screenonline: Ace of Wands (1970-72)". www.screenonline.org.uk.
- "Selby, Tony 1938– | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com.
- "None of Your Business (1972)". BFI.
- "Tony Selby". www.aveleyman.com.
- "If You Go down in the Woods Today (1981)". BFI.
- "Days of Fines and Closures (1989)". BFI.
- "Love Hurts". 7 February 1992. p. 80 – via BBC Genome.
- "EastEnders". 3 October 2002. p. 110 – via BBC Genome.
- "The Good Life - S1 - Episode 3: The Weaker Sex?". Radio Times.
- "BBC One - My Family, Series 11, A Decent Proposal". BBC.
- "Cockneys vs Zombies (2012)". BFI.