Gordon Rollings

Gordon Charles Rollings (17 April 1926 – 7 June 1985[1]) was an English actor who mainly appeared on television, but also appeared on-stage and in feature films. He was born in Batley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1926 and started his career in radio in Israel. It was in Palestine while serving for the British Army as part of the Palestine Mandate that he was shot by a sniper of the Stern Gang. He later trained as a clown in Paris, appearing in the Medrano Circus.[2]

Gordon Rollings
Born
Gordon Charles Rollings

(1926-04-17)17 April 1926
Batley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died7 June 1985(1985-06-07) (aged 59)
Bristol, England
Years active1959–1985

Rollings made an uncredited screen appearance in the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night. He played the man in the pub who is shocked to find that Ringo has thrown a dart into his lunch. Director Richard Lester later used him in both Superman films he directed: in the first, he plays a fisherman who is stunned to see General Zod walking on water and in the second, he appears as a pedestrian in a flat cap who upsets a display of toy penguins that triggers the slapstick chaos in the opening credits scene.

After a number of small parts in TV shows such as Z-Cars in the early 1960s, on 21 April 1964, he was the first presenter of BBC 2's daily programme for young children, Play School, alongside Virginia Stride.[3] In the same year he played the character of Charlie Moffitt in Coronation Street. Between 1966 and 1967 Rollings appeared as a storyteller in ten episodes of the BBC children's television show Jackanory, reading amongst others, stories of Worzel Gummidge. (Rollings would later appear in a 1981 episode of the televised series of Worzel Gummidge). He later narrated The Herbs, and as the character Arkwright with his small dog, Tonto, in the adverts for John Smith's Bitter.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1961A Weekend with LuluHumperUncredited
1961What a WhopperConstable Doone
1962Captain CleggWurzel
1963Edgar Wallace MysteriesWalkerEpisode: 'Five to One (film)'
1963Just for FunParty Official with radio
1964The Comedy ManSkippy
1964A Hard Day's NightMan with sandwich in pubUncredited
1966Press for TimeBus conductor
1967Carry On DoctorNight Porter
1968Great CatherineGlaizer
1969The Bed-Sitting RoomDrip feed patient(as Gordon Rawlings)
1969RhubarbArtist Rhubarb
1972Something to Hide2nd Man at Airport
1976The Pink Panther Strikes AgainInmate
1977JabberwockyKing's taster(as Gordon Rawlings)
1980Superman IIFisherman
1983Superman IIIMan in cap(as Gordon Rawlings)
1983Fanny HillBeggar
1983The Sign of FourMr. Sherman
1984Bloodbath at the House of DeathMan at bar
1984Give My Regards to Broad StreetMonster

References
  1. "Biography of Gordon Rollings". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  2. "A Proper Charlie" (jpg image). TV Times. 1960s. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  3. "Play School (Episode 1)". National Media Museum. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
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