Bill Owen Trailers
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs TrailerThe Funny Blokes of British Comedy TrailerWhat's a Carry On? Trailer
British born actor known for playing working class characters on film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, the son of a tram driver and laundress, he started playing drums in London nightclubs and toured music halls with his own cabaret act to pay for acting classes. He entertained at Butlin's holiday camps and performed in repertory, joining the Unity Theatre where he attained respect as a stage producer.
His career was interrupted by military service with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps where he was injured in an explosion during a battle training course. Returning to acting, he started making a name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), and The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). He continued to perform in the theatre limelight and peaked in roles with Katharine Hepburn in "As You Like It" in 1950, and with "The Threepenny Opera" and "The Mikado", which made use of his musical talents. A writer at heart, he penned songs, musicals and plays over the years. Partnered with Mike Sammes, he wrote songs recorded by Pat Boone, Harry Secombe, Engelbert Humperdinck and Sir Cliff Richard, who had a hit with his 1980 song "Marianne". In the 60s he produced the stage musical, "The Matchgirl", and focused heavily on film slapstick with the 'Carry On' series.
TV stardom came late, in the role of Compo in the BBC's 1973 series "Last of the Summer Wine". When he died of pancreatic cancer in 1999, he asked to be buried in the Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, where the TV series was filmed.
Owen was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his steadfast work for the National Association of Boys Clubs and for his role as chairman of the Performing Arts Advising Panel.
Most Popular Bill Owen Trailers
Total trailers found: 54
05 March 2022
This new special reveals the secrets of the long-running sitcom's extraordinary success. Helped by former cast and crew members, families of the stars no longer with us, and celebrity fans, we learn the secrets of this comedy classic and get to see previously unseen interviews and rare behind-the-scenes archive footage.
20 September 1949
Set in the diamond fields of South Africa, Stafford Parker is a lawman trying to maintain a semblance of law and order in the "Wild South".
20 January 1948
A win on the football pools in postwar Britain changes lives. A happy family is turned into an unhappy argumentative lot until it is discovered the coupon apparently didn't get posted.
01 September 1968
Children decide to keep the local newspaper running while their father is ill.
01 January 1953
A super-efficient secretary circumvents the schemes of smash-and grab gangsters.
26 January 1964
Beautiful 23-year-old Julie Lister has left home to enjoy the single life. Reckless with money her love life is a disaster but when friends and family receive letters they fear she may have committed suicide.
10 November 1953
A group of men from a London pub are going on a darts team outing to Boulogne. Various members of the party have different reasons for going and get involved in various adventures.
16 June 1941
Made in 1941, this stirring Ministry of Information dramatisation tells the story of a Crusader tank crew trapped behind enemy lines in the Desert.
18 February 1958
London, England, during World War II. After living a tragic life experience, young Violette Szabo joins the Special Operations Executive and crosses the German enemy lines as a secret agent to aid a French Resistance group.
31 January 1950
A tramp is invited to stay with the family of a teenage girl who has been unable to smile since childhood in a bid to cure her.
25 June 1947
When his best friend is murdered inside a London dancehall, a cab driver and his girlfriend involve themselves in the investigation and discover a major criminal operation hiding behind the club's friendly facade.
19 April 1955
After World War II the crew of a motor gunboat join together to buy their old vessel and go into business for themselves.
23 December 1946
Wartime tale of a group of British scientists efforts to develop the first radar system. They did it just in time for it to be used in the Battle of Britain against the might of the Nazi Luftwaffe.
13 July 1953
Boxing drama following the lives of 5 different fighters and their reasons for becoming boxers.
30 January 1959
In Haven Hospital, a certain men's ward is causing more havoc than the whole hospital altogether. The formidable Matron's debut gives everyone a chill every time she walks past, with only Reckitt standing up to her.
17 March 1975
In a Yorkshire mining town, three educated brothers return to their blue-collar home to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of their parents, but dark secrets come to the fore.
20 April 1964
A pair of divorced actors are brought together to participate in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew.
26 May 1952
Young Robin Hood, in love with Maid Marian, enters an archery contest with his father at the King's palace.
01 September 1984
A farmer becomes an unintentional celebrity when, because of a strike, he has to walk his 500 geese 100 miles to market at Christmastime.
04 December 1993
Adaptation of John Osborne's play.
25 March 1973
An ambitious coffee salesman has a series of improbable and ironic adventures seemingly designed to challenge his naive idealism.
04 August 1966
A homely but vivacious young woman dodges the amorous attentions of her father's middle-aged employer while attempting to please her glamorously stuck-up roommate Meredith.
18 May 1948
A mysterious barber hides a secret identity that eventually leads to tragedy.
01 November 1948
A radio commentator is sent to a village to broadcast a bell-ringing team. Meanwhile a property speculator tries to buy a plot of land for less than it is worth.
10 October 1961
Tricked into joining the RAF by a wily judge, wide boy Horace Pope sets his sights on the main chance, teams with slow-witted, good-hearted gypsy Pedlar Pascoe, and works up a lucrative racket in conning both his colleagues and the RAF.
16 June 1945
Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain, to the arrival of the Americans, who join in the bomber offensive.
02 January 1958
The Mad Morgans are a family song and dance act touring the British Music Halls. Young Davy is the star of the act but should he stay with his family or strike out on his own ? The last comedy to be produced at Ealing Studios.
15 November 1970
This incredibly strange short film was commissioned by the union ACTT (Association of Cinematograph, Television and allied Technicians, of which the filmmaker and novelist B.
01 October 1966
Ireland 1587. Hugh O'Donnell inherits the title of The O'Donnell, the prince of Donegal, and tries to unite Ireland to make war on England.
16 June 1978
A singer holes up at a sinister estate to write new songs for his act. His ex-wife is brutally murdered, and the killer may be stalking him next.
30 September 1943
Documentary which shows some of the spare-time activities of service personnel and civilians during the war.
31 August 1958
Sergeant Grimshawe wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very last platoon of newly called-up National Servicemen.
29 December 1998
Documentary commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 'Carry On' comedy film series. Archive clips and out-takes are mixed with interviews with the cast.
04 April 1961
After a bunch of no-hopers approaches an employment agency, the anarchy mounts as they do a series of odd jobs, including a chimp's tea party, trying to stay sober at a wine tasting… and demolishing a house.
01 January 1945
Coventry prepares to rise from the ashes of WWII in this docu-drama written by Dylan Thomas.
27 December 1983
Three old chums agree to take the ailing Sam on one last trip to see his flousy girl-friend, Lily Bless Her, in the middle of the night.
19 November 1947
The bewildered wife of a bigamist allows her child to be adopted and then regrets it.
01 June 1963
Speedee Taxis is a great success, which means its workaholic owner Charlie starts neglecting Peggy, his wife.
09 July 1951
In World War II, desert hotel proprietors Emad and Yasmin are caught between the warring armies and have to constantly shift their political allegiance to whichever army happens to control the area.
29 September 1949
Tottie True is a gay-90s British music-hall performer who has her sights set on moving from rags to riches, who loses her heart to the pure-and-true blue balloonist, Sid Skinner, but continues her upward search on improving her social status.
11 October 1948
A British housewife does her own battles against the enemy during World War II.
02 February 1949
A factory worker quits his job to become a motorcycle racer.
16 February 1956
Two London rubbish collectors come into possession of a valuable book, and thwart the attempts of some criminals to con them out of it.
19 August 1948
War hero turned villain George Martin escapes from the police, but he is handcuffed to a naive young crook Willie Stannard.
03 February 1961
Years after fleeing his ancestral home with his mother, Jason returns home to claim his birthright, only to find his way blocked by his evil cousin Thomas.
03 March 2005
Movie with some of the greatest brittish comedians such as Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese.
25 November 1984
In the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother accompanied by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales.
01 December 1964
Based on the true story of a British secret agent, shot down over Malaya near to a Allied POW forced labour camp.
01 January 1960
Augie comes out of prison and finds his old vice racket has been taken over by the sinister Gollar, so he dreams up a new scam.
10 November 1977
Celebrating twenty years of classic Carry On films, two of the films’ best-loved stars, Kenneth Williams and Barbara Windsor return to Pinewood film studios to unwrap some rib-tickling moments from the series.
27 May 1954
A champion jockey is banned from racing so spends his time helping a young lad to become the next champion.
27 December 1982
Skits from: "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin"; "The Les Dawson Show"; "Yes Minister"; "Only Fools and Horses"; "Three of a Kind"; "Last of the Summer Wine"; "Sorry!"; "Butterflies"; "Smith and Jones"; and "Open All Hours".
01 December 1969
Mischief' is the latest addition to a pony trekking stable. Davy looks after him during the school holidays and discovers that 'Mischief' was once a circus pony and reacts to the sound of music.
26 December 1978
Featuring: Small Tune on a Penny Wassail, And a Dewhurst up a Fir Tree, Whoops and All Mod Conned.
