William Franklyn
Encyclopedia
William Leo Franklyn was a British
actor, perhaps best known for voicing the "Schhh... You Know Who" adverts for Schweppes
from 1965 to 1973. He also performed on the stage, on film, on television, and on radio, taking over from Peter Jones
as "The Book" (the narrator) in the third, fourth and fifth radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
.
into an acting family: his maternal grandfather, Arthur Rigby, Sr and uncle, Arthur Rigby, Jr
, mother, Mary Rigby, and father, Leo Franklyn, were all actors. He was taken to Australia
as a baby, where his father toured with musical comedies. The young Franklyn attended Wesley College, Melbourne
and Haileybury College, Melbourne, and developed an abiding love of cricket
. He later trialled as a fast bowler for Essex
, and opened the bowling for the Stage Cricket Club. He also became a leg spin
ner, and ran his own team, the Sargentmen, raising money for the
Malcolm Sargent
Cancer Fund for Children.
He returned to London, aged 11. He was evacuated to Luscombe Castle
in Devon
in the Second World War. His stage career began at the age of 18, when he appeared in My Sister Eileen
at the Savoy Theatre
in 1943. He was called up to join the Parachute Regiment, and was sent to Palestine
.
at Southend Pier
in 1946, soon after he was demobilised, and settled on an acting career. He continued to tour with the play in repertory
for 6 years. In a slow period, he traded as an antiques dealer, taking junk away on a barrow from rich areas of London and selling it as antiques
.
He went on to perform on the stage, on television and radio, and in several movies. He appeared in several films in the 1950s, including Quatermass 2
in 1957, and took a starring role in the 1961 film, Pit of Darkness which was the B-feature shown with Adam Faith
's What A Whopper
. He featured in the 1965 Morecambe and Wise
film The Intelligence Men
.
He appeared in London's West End
in comedies such as There's A Girl In My Soup and Tunnel of Love. After perfunctory Italian lessons, he directed a version of There's A Girl In My Soup in Italy, with Italian actors, in Italian. On television, he was a panellist on game shows such as What's My Line? and Call My Bluff. He played Jacques Fleury in The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1955–56) and Peter Dallas in the spy drama series Top Secret
(1961–62), and also appeared in several episodes of The Avengers
.
He was featured on This Is Your Life
(1978), appeared in the 1984 comedy television series The Steam Video Company
, and in G.B.H. (1991) and Diana: Her True Story (1993).
He was also known for commercial voice-over work; those "Schhh... You Know Who" Schweppes adverts Franklyn voiced were created by Ogilvy and Mather and he appeared on screen in 10 commercials and voiced another 40 from 1965 to 1973.
He was also the Voice of 'Danger Mouse' in the British Television series pilot (although David Jason
replaced William in future episodes).
On radio, he was the reader of the quotes on BBC Radio 4
's Quote Unquote for 11 years, until shortly before his death, and also read for The News Quiz
. In 2004 and 2005, he took over the role of "The Book" (the narrator) from Peter Jones
, a friend, for the third, fourth and fifth radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
.
in 1952; they had a daughter, actress Sabina Franklyn
, but were divorced in 1962. He re-married in 1969; he and his second wife, Susanna, had two daughters, Francesca Franklyn, a film producer, and Melissa Franklyn, an actress.
Franklyn died of prostate cancer
in October 2006.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
actor, perhaps best known for voicing the "Schhh... You Know Who" adverts for Schweppes
Schweppes (brand)
Schweppes is a beverage brand that is sold around the world. It includes a variety of carbonated waters and ginger ales. Its marketing campaign made heavy use of an onomatopoeia in their commercials: "Schhhhh......
from 1965 to 1973. He also performed on the stage, on film, on television, and on radio, taking over from Peter Jones
Peter Jones (actor)
Peter Jones was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster.-Early life and career:Jones was born in Wem, Shropshire and he was educated at the Wem Grammar School and Ellesmere College. He made his first appearance as an actor in Wolverhampton at the age of 16 and then appeared in repertory...
as "The Book" (the narrator) in the third, fourth and fifth radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
.
Early life
Franklyn was born in KensingtonKensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
into an acting family: his maternal grandfather, Arthur Rigby, Sr and uncle, Arthur Rigby, Jr
Arthur Rigby (actor)
-Selected filmography:* You Made Me Love You * The Deputy Drummer * The Prisoner of Corbal * Hold My Hand * The Blue Lamp * Small Town Story * The Blue Parrot * Dangerous Cargo...
, mother, Mary Rigby, and father, Leo Franklyn, were all actors. He was taken to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as a baby, where his father toured with musical comedies. The young Franklyn attended Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
and Haileybury College, Melbourne, and developed an abiding love of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
. He later trialled as a fast bowler for Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
, and opened the bowling for the Stage Cricket Club. He also became a leg spin
Leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action, causing the ball to spin from right to left in the cricket pitch, at the point of delivery. When the ball bounces, the spin causes the ball to deviate sharply from right to left, that...
ner, and ran his own team, the Sargentmen, raising money for the
Malcolm Sargent
Malcolm Sargent
Sir Harold Malcolm Watts Sargent was an English conductor, organist and composer widely regarded as Britain's leading conductor of choral works...
Cancer Fund for Children.
He returned to London, aged 11. He was evacuated to Luscombe Castle
Luscombe Castle
Luscombe Castle is a country house situated near the resort town of Dawlish, in the county of Devon in England. The house was built in 1800 for Charles Hoare, a prominent banker whose sister, Henrietta, was the widow of Sir Thomas Acland of Killerton, near Exeter.The house was designed by John...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in the Second World War. His stage career began at the age of 18, when he appeared in My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen originated as a series of short stories by Ruth McKenney that eventually evolved into a book, a play, a musical, a radio play , two films, and a CBS television series in the 1960-1961 season....
at the Savoy Theatre
Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
in 1943. He was called up to join the Parachute Regiment, and was sent to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Career
He appeared in Arsenic and Old LaceArsenic and Old Lace (play)
Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American playwright Joseph Kesselring, written in 1939. It has become best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust, and opened on January 10, 1941. On September 25, 1943, the...
at Southend Pier
Southend Pier
Southend Pier is a major landmark in Southend-on-Sea. Extending into the Thames Estuary, it is the longest pleasure pier in the world. Sir John Betjeman once said that "the Pier is Southend, Southend is the Pier". The pier is a Grade II listed building....
in 1946, soon after he was demobilised, and settled on an acting career. He continued to tour with the play in repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
for 6 years. In a slow period, he traded as an antiques dealer, taking junk away on a barrow from rich areas of London and selling it as antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
.
He went on to perform on the stage, on television and radio, and in several movies. He appeared in several films in the 1950s, including Quatermass 2
Quatermass 2
Quatermass 2 is a 1957 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions, it is a sequel to an earlier Hammer film The Quatermass Xperiment. Like its predecessor, it is based on a BBC Television serial – Quatermass II – written by Nigel Kneale...
in 1957, and took a starring role in the 1961 film, Pit of Darkness which was the B-feature shown with Adam Faith
Adam Faith
Terence "Terry" Nelhams-Wright, known as Adam Faith was a Teen idol English singer, actor and later financial journalist. He was one of the most charted acts of the 1960s. He became the first UK artist to lodge his initial seven hits in the Top 5...
's What A Whopper
What a Whopper
What a Whopper is a 1961 British comedy film, written by Terry Nation.It treats the subject of the Loch Ness Monster in a rather tongue in cheek fashion...
. He featured in the 1965 Morecambe and Wise
Morecambe and Wise
Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise, usually referred to as Morecambe and Wise, or Eric and Ernie, were a British comic double act, working in variety, radio, film and most successfully in television. Their partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's death in 1984...
film The Intelligence Men
The Intelligence Men
The Intelligence Men is a 1965 comedy film starring the British comic duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.The film is subtitled "M.I.5 plus 2 equals 0"...
.
He appeared in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
in comedies such as There's A Girl In My Soup and Tunnel of Love. After perfunctory Italian lessons, he directed a version of There's A Girl In My Soup in Italy, with Italian actors, in Italian. On television, he was a panellist on game shows such as What's My Line? and Call My Bluff. He played Jacques Fleury in The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1955–56) and Peter Dallas in the spy drama series Top Secret
Top Secret (TV series)
Top Secret was a British TV spy series broadcast in two seasons in 1961-1962. It starred William Franklyn as suave secret agent Peter Dallas, over a total of 26 black-and-white episodes, of 60 minutes each...
(1961–62), and also appeared in several episodes of The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
.
He was featured on This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
(1978), appeared in the 1984 comedy television series The Steam Video Company
The Steam Video Company
The Steam Video Company was a 1984 comedy series produced by Thames Television for ITV written by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick.The six episode series was a low budget spoof of the horror genre, intermingled with spoofs on contemporary television programmes, such as Nationwide. The programmes...
, and in G.B.H. (1991) and Diana: Her True Story (1993).
He was also known for commercial voice-over work; those "Schhh... You Know Who" Schweppes adverts Franklyn voiced were created by Ogilvy and Mather and he appeared on screen in 10 commercials and voiced another 40 from 1965 to 1973.
He was also the Voice of 'Danger Mouse' in the British Television series pilot (although David Jason
David Jason
Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack...
replaced William in future episodes).
On radio, he was the reader of the quotes on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Quote Unquote for 11 years, until shortly before his death, and also read for The News Quiz
The News Quiz
The News Quiz is a topical panel game broadcast on British radio BBC Radio 4.-History:It was first broadcast in 1977 with Barry Norman as chairman. Subsequently it was chaired by Simon Hoggart, Barry Took , and then again by Simon Hoggart until March 2006. Hoggart was replaced by Sandi Toksvig in...
. In 2004 and 2005, he took over the role of "The Book" (the narrator) from Peter Jones
Peter Jones (actor)
Peter Jones was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster.-Early life and career:Jones was born in Wem, Shropshire and he was educated at the Wem Grammar School and Ellesmere College. He made his first appearance as an actor in Wolverhampton at the age of 16 and then appeared in repertory...
, a friend, for the third, fourth and fifth radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
.
Selected filmography
- The Secret PeopleThe Secret People (film)The Secret People is a 1952 British drama film directed by Thorold Dickinson and starring Valentina Cortese, Audrey Hepburn and Serge Reggiani. Hepburn's appearance was her first major starring role in a film . In this suspenseful film, Hepburn plays a ballerina, making use of her extensive training...
(1952) - Time Is My EnemyTime Is My EnemyTime Is My Enemy is a 1954 British crime film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars Dennis Price and Renée Asherson.It is also notable that the initials spell T.I.M.E.-Cast:*Dennis Price as Martin Radley*Renée Asherson as Barbara Everton...
(1954) - The Crowded DayThe Crowded DayThe Crowded Day is a 1954 British drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice and Sid James. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a department store during the Christmas period.-Cast:...
(1954) - Out of the CloudsOut of the CloudsOut of the Clouds is a 1955 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden, and starring Anthony Steel, Sid James and James Robertson Justice. An Ealing Studios film, it follows the lives of the passengers and crew on a day at an airport that was filmed in Heathrow Airport.-Description:The film was...
(1955) - Above Us the WavesAbove Us the Waves (film)Above Us the Waves is a 1955 war film directed by Ralph Thomas. It tells the story of human torpedo and midget submarine attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz. It is based on true-life attacks on the Tirpitz, first using manned torpedoes , and then the Royal Navy's midget X-Craft submarines in...
(1955) - Quatermass 2Quatermass 2Quatermass 2 is a 1957 British science fiction horror film. Made by Hammer Film Productions, it is a sequel to an earlier Hammer film The Quatermass Xperiment. Like its predecessor, it is based on a BBC Television serial – Quatermass II – written by Nigel Kneale...
(1957) - The Flesh Is WeakThe Flesh Is WeakThe Flesh Is Weak is a 1957 British film directed by Don Chaffey. It stars John Derek and Milly Vitale.-Cast:* John Derek as Tony Giani* Milly Vitale as Marissa Cooper* William Franklyn as Lloyd Buxton* Martin Benson as Angelo Giani...
(1957) - That Woman OppositeThat Woman OppositeThat Woman Opposite is a 1957 British crime drama, directed by Compton Bennett and starring Phyllis Kirk, Dan O'Herlihy and William Franklyn...
(1957) - Danger WithinDanger WithinDanger Within is a 1959 British war film set in a prisoner of war camp in northern Italy during the summer of 1943.-Plot:After a clever escape plan fails, the escape committee, led by Lieutenant Colonel David Baird suspects that there is an informer in their ranks...
(1959) - Fury at Smugglers' BayFury at Smugglers' BayFury at Smugglers' Bay is a 1961 British adventure film produced, written and directed by John Gilling and starring Peter Cushing, Bernard Lee, Michèle Mercier and John Fraser. The story is based around smuggling in Cornwall...
(1961) - Pit of DarknessPit of DarknessPit of Darkness is a 1961 British thriller film, directed by Lance Comfort and starring William Franklyn and Moira Redmond. The film is an amnesia thriller dealing with a man's attempts to piece together a sequence of strange events in which he seems to have been involved during the time of which...
(1961) - The Intelligence MenThe Intelligence MenThe Intelligence Men is a 1965 comedy film starring the British comic duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise.The film is subtitled "M.I.5 plus 2 equals 0"...
(1965) - Cul-de-sac (1966)
- Ooh... You Are Awful (1972)
- The Satanic Rites of DraculaThe Satanic Rites of DraculaThe Satanic Rites of Dracula is a 1974 Hammer Horror film directed by Alan Gibson. It is the eighth film in the Hammer Dracula series, and the seventh and final to feature Christopher Lee as Dracula. The film also the third film to reunite Peter Cushing as Van Helsing with Christopher Lee together...
(1974) - Splitting HeirsSplitting HeirsSplitting Heirs is a 1993 British film starring Eric Idle, Rick Moranis, Barbara Hershey, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cleese and Sadie Frost. The film was directed by Robert Young, and features music by Michael Kamen...
(1993)
Personal life
Franklyn was married twice: first to Margo JohnsMargo Johns
Margo Johns was a British actress and the first wife of actor William Franklyn.Her film credits include Murder at the Windmill and Konga , while her television credits include Dixon of Dock Green, Emergency - Ward 10, The Saint and Yes Minister.-External links:...
in 1952; they had a daughter, actress Sabina Franklyn
Sabina Franklyn
Sabina Franklyn is an English actress, and the daughter of William Franklyn and Margo Johns.Franklyn attended the independent Queen's Gate School and acted on stage with repertory theatres before her television appearances....
, but were divorced in 1962. He re-married in 1969; he and his second wife, Susanna, had two daughters, Francesca Franklyn, a film producer, and Melissa Franklyn, an actress.
Franklyn died of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
in October 2006.
External links
- Obituary, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 31 October 2006 - Obituary, The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, 1 November 2006 - Obituary, The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 1 November 2006 - Obituary, The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 1 November 2006 - Obituary, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 31 October 2006 - http://www.tv.com/danger-mouse/show/3897/cast.html, "TV.com Danger mouse cast", 31 May 2010