Frank Windsor
Encyclopedia
Frank Windsor is an English
actor, mainly on television.
He attended Queen Mary's Grammar School
, Walsall. He began his career on radio and made an appearance in a 1953 film of Henry V
. His first TV appearances were in 1960 in a series of Shakespearean
plays.
His most famous role was as Detective Sergeant John Watt in Z-Cars
from 1962 to 1965, and thereafter its spin-off Softly, Softly: Taskforce
from 1966 to 1976.
He starred as a rather old-fashioned headmaster grappling with problems in education in Headmaster, which started as a single play in Play for Today
in 1974 and was well received, being expanded into a six-part series in 1977.
In 1969 he appeared in the pilot episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
in the episode My Late Lamented Friend and Partner
as the wealthy businessman Sorrensen with a murderous streak. His lighter side was demonstrated in the pilot episode of the situation comedy
The Dustbinmen
in 1968, and as 'Scoutfinder General' in an episode of The Goodies
.
He has also had regular roles in the BBC drama Casualty
and the ITV drama Peak Practice
; played Major Charlie Grace in EastEnders
(1992); appeared twice in Doctor Who
; had various stage roles, and in his later years appeared in a number of television commercials advertising life-assurance policies for the over-50s.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor, mainly on television.
He attended Queen Mary's Grammar School
Queen Mary's Grammar School
Queen Mary's Grammar School is a selective grammar school located in Sutton Road, Walsall, England, about a mile from the town centre.-Admissions:...
, Walsall. He began his career on radio and made an appearance in a 1953 film of Henry V
Henry V (play)
Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written in approximately 1599. Its full titles are The Cronicle History of Henry the Fifth and The Life of Henry the Fifth...
. His first TV appearances were in 1960 in a series of Shakespearean
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
plays.
His most famous role was as Detective Sergeant John Watt in Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
from 1962 to 1965, and thereafter its spin-off Softly, Softly: Taskforce
Softly, Softly: Taskforce
Softly, Softly the popular BBC television police drama series, was revamped in 1969, partly to coincide with the coming of colour broadcasting to BBC 1...
from 1966 to 1976.
He starred as a rather old-fashioned headmaster grappling with problems in education in Headmaster, which started as a single play in Play for Today
Play for Today
Play for Today is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage plays and novels, were transmitted...
in 1974 and was well received, being expanded into a six-part series in 1977.
In 1969 he appeared in the pilot episode of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall and Hopkirk , first transmitted during 1969-70, is a British private detective television series starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk, respectively. The series was originally created by Dennis Spooner and produced by Monty Berman...
in the episode My Late Lamented Friend and Partner
My Late Lamented Friend and Partner
"My Late Lamented Friend and Partner" is the pilot episode of the popular 1969 British television series Randall and Hopkirk starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope and Annette Andre. The episode was first broadcast on 21 September 1969 on ITV...
as the wealthy businessman Sorrensen with a murderous streak. His lighter side was demonstrated in the pilot episode of the situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
The Dustbinmen
The Dustbinmen
The Dustbinmen was a British television sitcom made by Granada Television for ITV, which starred Bryan Pringle, Trevor Bannister, Graham Haberfield and Tim Wylton. The show was a spin-off from a one-off 90-minute TV movie "There's a Hole in Your Dustbin, Delilah" written by Jack Rosenthal and...
in 1968, and as 'Scoutfinder General' in an episode of The Goodies
The Goodies
The Goodies are a trio of British comedians who created, wrote, and starred in a surreal British television comedy series called The Goodies during the 1970s and early 1980s combining sketches and situation comedy.-Honours:All three Goodies now have OBEs...
.
He has also had regular roles in the BBC drama Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
and the ITV drama Peak Practice
Peak Practice
Peak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time...
; played Major Charlie Grace in EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
(1992); appeared twice in Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
; had various stage roles, and in his later years appeared in a number of television commercials advertising life-assurance policies for the over-50s.
Selected filmography
- This Sporting LifeThis Sporting LifeThis Sporting Life is a 1963 British film based on a novel of the same name by David Storey which won the 1960 Macmillan Fiction Award. It tells the story of a rugby league footballer, Frank Machin, in Wakefield, a mining area of Yorkshire, whose romantic life is not as successful as his sporting...
(1963) - Spring and Port WineSpring and Port WineSpring and Port Wine is a stage play by Bill Naughton which was turned into a film .It began life under the title My Flesh, My Blood as a BBC Radio play, broadcast on 17 August 1957 in the Saturday Night Theatre strand...
(1969) - Sunday Bloody SundaySunday Bloody Sunday (film)Sunday Bloody Sunday is a 1971 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger and starring Murray Head, Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch. It tells the story of a free-spirited young bisexual artist and his simultaneous relationships with a female recruitment consultant and a male Jewish doctor...
(1971) - AssassinAssassin (1973 film)Assassin is a 1973 British thriller film directed by Peter Crane and starring Ian Hendry, Edward Judd and Frank Windsor. The British government hires in an assassin to kill a Ministry of Defence official suspected of leaking secrets.-Cast:...
(1973) - Barry McKenzie Holds His OwnBarry McKenzie Holds His OwnBarry McKenzie Holds His Own is the 1974 sequel to the 1972 Australian comedy film The Adventures of Barry McKenzie.Returning from the original film is Barry Crocker in the title role, as well as Barry Humphries in the role of Barry's aunt, Dame Edna. Also returning in the director's chair is Bruce...
(1974) - Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? is a 1978 comedy mystery film starring George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, and Robert Morley. It was based on a novel entitled Someone is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe by Nan and Ivan Lyons...
(1978) - The London ConnectionThe London ConnectionThe London Connection is a 1979 film directed by Robert Clouse. It stars Jeffrey Byron and Larry Cedar.-Cast:* Jeffrey Byron as Luther Starling* Larry Cedar as Roger Pike* Roy Kinnear as Bidley* Lee Montague as Vorg* Mona Washbourne as Aunt Lydia...
(1979) - The Shooting PartyThe Shooting PartyThe Shooting Party is a 1985 film directed by Alan Bridges and based on the book of the same name by Isabel Colegate. The film is set in 1913 and shows the way of life of English aristocrats, gathered for pheasant shooting and general self-indulgence. Their way of life is contrasted with the...
(1985) - RevolutionRevolution (1985 film)Revolution is a 1985 film directed by Hugh Hudson, written by Robert Dillon and starring Al Pacino, Helen Porter, Donald Sutherland, Nastassja Kinski, Joan Plowright, Dave King, Annie Lennox, Danny Turner, Steven Berkoff, Graham Greene, and Robbie Coltrane....
(1985) - Out of OrderOut of Order (film)Out of Order is a 1987 British comedy drama film directed by Jonnie Turpie and starring Gary Webster, Natasha Williams and George Baker. An unemployed layabout shocks his family and friends by joining the police force.-Cast:* Sharon Fryer ... Jaz Bailey...
(1987) - Between Two WomenBetween Two WomenBetween Two Women is a 1950s set feature film by British writer-director Steven Woodcock. It tells the story of Ellen, a factory worker’s wife trapped in an unhappy marriage amidst the grime and industrial noise of north England.-Plot:...
(2000)