Michael Attwell
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Michael John Attwell (16 January 1943 – 18 March 2006) was an English film and television actor. He is possibly best known for his role as Kenny Beale in the television soap opera EastEnders.
Michael Attwell | |
|---|---|
As Kenny Beale in EastEnders | |
| Born | Michael John Attwell 16 January 1943 Watford, Hertfordshire, England |
| Died | 18 March 2006 (aged 63) London, England |
| Years active | 1968–2006 |
| Children | 3 |
After training at RADA (studying Stage Management[1]), Attwell went into repertory theatre at Newcastle Playhouse. Among his theatrical appearances include playing Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (both at Haymarket Theatre).[2]
In 1979 and 1980, he played Razor Eddie a.k.a. Edward Winston Malone in two series of the comedy-drama Turtle's Progress. The character had originally been created for the ITV drama serial The Hanged Man, where he was played by Gareth Hunt.
In 1978, he played Bill Sikes in the revival of Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! at the Albery Theatre and in 1985 he played Bill Sikes again in the BBC's Sunday afternoon classic serial Oliver Twist.
His other TV credits include: Doctor Who (in the serials The Ice Warriors and Attack of the Cybermen), The First Churchills, Only Fools and Horses, Minder, Bergerac, C.A.T.S. Eyes, Wycliffe, Inspector Morse, Bugs, Silent Witness, Pie in the Sky, Casualty, The Bill, Hotel Babylon, and Are You Being Served?.
He appeared in the 1988 film Buster, based on the life of the Great Train Robber Buster Edwards.
To supplement his theatre income, Attwell produced cartoon strips for IPC and DC Thomson comics including Bunty, Buster, Whizzer and Chips and The Hotspur.[3] As well as acting, between 1981 and 1993 Attwell also had a considerable career as a political cartoonist for several British national newspapers including The Sun, The Sunday People and the News of the World. A self-taught artist, Attwell signed himself as Zoke, an amalgam of the names of his children Zoe and Jake.
In 2002 he played Kenneth in the West End run of Debbie Isitt's The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband at The Ambassadors Theatre.[4]
Death edit
Attwell died in London on the 18 March 2006 aged 63 from complications following heart surgery. His life and work was honoured at the British Academy Television Awards in 2006.
Filmography edit
Film edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Labyrinth | Goblin | Voice |
| 1988 | Buster | Harry | |
| 1994 | Tom & Viv | W.I. Janes | |
| 2000 | Circus | Magnus | |
| 2000 | New Year's Day | Sergeant Bristow | |
| 2001 | High Heels and Low Lifes | Duty Sergeant | Credited as Mike Attwell |
| 2001 | Bodywork | David Leer |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Coronation Street | Keith | 4 episodes |
| 1968 | The Root of All Evil? | Ron | Episode: "You Can Only Buy Once" |
| 1969 | The First Churchills | Henry St. John | 3 episodes |
| 1979–1980 | Turtle's Progress | Razor Eddie Malone | 13 episodes |
| 1981 | Seconds Out | Julian | Episode: "Round 8" |
| 1982 | The Chinese Detective | Harry Foss | Episode: "Bounty Hunter" |
| 1982 | Only Fools and Horses | Englishman | Episode: "It Never Rains..." |
| 1983 | Bloomfield | Bruce Bruton | Episode: "The Art of Finding Edina" |
| 1983 | Bergerac | Frank | Episode: "Almost Like a Holiday" |
| 1983 | Paul Squire Esq. | Unknown | Episode: #1.6 |
| 1983 | Jemima Shore Investigates | Dennis Jones | Episode: "Death à la Carte" |
| 1984 | Minder | Harry | Episode: "A Number of Old Wives Tales" |
| 1967–1985 | Doctor Who | Ice Warrior Bates | 6 episodes |
| 1985 | Up the Elephant and Round the Castle | Tonka | Episode: "Wakey Wakey" |
| 1985 | Hilary | Sam Chance | Episode: #1.4 |
| 1985 | Are You Being Served? | Burglar | Episode: "The Hold-Up" |
| 1985 | Roll Over Beethoven | PC Crosby | Episode: #1.11 |
| 1985 | Oliver Twist | Bill Sikes | 9 episodes |
| 1986 | King and Castle | Stimson | Episode: "Rivals" |
| 1987 | C.A.T.S. Eyes | Jack Lee | Episode: "Country Weekend" |
| 1987 | Never Say Die | Mr. Danvers | 3 episodes |
| 1987 | Gentry | Slatter | Television film |
| 1988 | EastEnders | Kenny | 9 episodes |
| 1988 | The Tenth Man | Krogh | Television film |
| 1989 | Crossbow | Headhunters' Leader | Episode: "Headhunters" |
| 1990 | Inspector Morse | Parsons | Episode: "The Infernal Serpent" |
| 1990 | The New Adventures of Black Beauty | Barrett | 2 episodes |
| 1990 | The Paradise Club | Johnny Ivory | Episode: "The Rotherhithe Project" |
| 1991 | ScreenPlay | Oliver Rowntree | Episode: "Redemption" |
| 1991 | Singles | Jeff | Episode: "Flash Back" |
| 1989–1991 | Boon | Arthur Mitchell John Milne | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Then Churchill Said to Me | Pvt. Norman Pain | 6 episodes |
| 1993 | Westbeach | Ray Cromer | 8 episodes |
| 1993 | London's Burning | Phil | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Scarlet and Black | Monsieur Valenod | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Horse Opera | Johnson | Television film |
| 1994 | Red Eagle | Bazarov (as Mike Attwell) | Television film |
| 1994 | Anna Lee | Charlie McKinnon Robert Thurman | Episode: "Stalker" |
| 1995 | Harry | Roger | Episode: "Over the Hills" |
| 1995 | Bugs | Alan Moore | Episode: "Out of the Hive" |
| 1995 | Joseph | Judah (as Mike Attwell) | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Poldark | George Warleggan | Television film |
| 1996 | Thief Takers | Assistant Commissioner Weldon | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Silent Witness | Josef Quayle | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Screen One | Kuzmenko | Episode: "Hostile Waters" |
| 1997 | Pie in the Sky | Michael | Episode: "In the Smoke" |
| 1991–1997 | Casualty | David Reed Sam Jones | 2 episodes |
| 1997–1998 | Wycliffe | DCC Stevens | 10 episodes |
| 1999 | The Colour of Justice | William James Melish | Television film |
| 2000 | Monsignor Renard | M. Dufosse | 3 episodes |
| 2000 | Border Cafe | Edwardian Clive | 8 episodes |
| 2000 | Hope and Glory | Geoff Wilson | Episode: #3.2 |
| 2001 | My Family | Mr. Smith | Episode: "Get Cartier" |
| 1989–2002 | The Bill | Various | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Daniel Deronda | Rev. Gascoigne | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Dinotopia | Hugo | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Seven Wonders of the Industrial World | William Hope | Episode: "The Great Ship" |
| 2004 | The Last Detective | Billy Clemens | Episode: "The Long Bank Holiday" |
| 2004 | Doc Martin | Alan Gibson | Episode: "Of All the Harbours in All the Towns" |
| 2004 | Trial & Retribution | Brian the Bouncer | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Heartbeat | Bob Acott | Episode: "Buried Secrets" |
| 2006 | Missing | Mr. Greenside | Television film |
| 2006 | Hotel Babylon | Derek Crisp | 6 episodes |
| 2006 | Agatha Christie's Marple | Archie Stone | Episode: "The Sittaford Mystery" |
References edit
- ^ Michael Atwell – RADA
- ^ Obituaries: Michael Attwell, The Independent, 25 March 2006 (pg.41)
- ^ Michael Attwell (Zoke) - University of Kent
- ^ "Theatre review: The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband at New Ambassadors". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
External links edit
- Michael Attwell at IMDb
- Michael Attwell at Theatricalia