British stand-up comedian and comedy actor (1903–1966)
Ronald Shiner
Born (1903-06-08 ) 8 June 1903London, England
Died 29 June 1966(1966-06-29) (aged 63)
Ronald Alfred Shiner (8 June 1903 – 29 June 1966) was a Britishstand-up comedian and comedy actor whose career encompassed film,West End theatre andmusic hall .
Early life and career [ edit ] When he was seventeen, Shiner joined theRoyal North-West Mounted Police , after which he became a signalman and a wireless operator, then a farmer. He also worked as a greengrocer, milkman and bookmaker's clerk.[ 1]
Army concerts gave him a taste for the stage. He made his stage debut in 1928 inDr Syn and the following year became a stage director at theStage Society .[ 2] West End plays at theWhitehall Theatre byWalter Hackett includingGood Losers Take a Chance Afterwards Road House
Shiner's first film wasWild Boy My Old Dutch Doctor's Orders It's a Bet Gentlemen's Agreement Royal Cavalcade Squibs Once a Thief While Parents Sleep Line Engaged Invitation to the Waltz King of Hearts Limelight Anna Neagle andArthur Tracy ,Excuse My Glove Dreaming Lips
Shiner was in another with Neagle,London Melody Doctor Syn The Black Tulip Beauty and the Barge Silver Blaze
He was uncredited inA Yank at Oxford Sidewalks of London They Drive by Night The Gang's All Here The Mind of Mr. Reeder Trouble Brewing George Formby ,The Nursemaid Who Disappeared I Killed the Count Flying Fifty-Five Discoveries The Lion Has Wings Come On George! Bulldog Sees It Through The Missing People Will Fyffe ,The Middle Watch Let George Do It! [ 3] The Case of the Frightened Lady Spare a Copper Salvage with a Smile The Seventh Survivor Old Bill and Son South American George
On stage he was inBehind the Schemes (1940) and notablySomething in the Air (1943–44). He had a popular radio segmentHome Town .[ 4]
Shiner's film parts remained small inThey Flew Alone Those Kids from Town The Big Blockade The Black Sheep of Whitehall Will Hay ,Unpublished Story Sabotage at Sea The Young Mr. Pitt King Arthur Was a Gentleman Arthur Askey ,The Balloon Goes Up The Gentle Sex
Shiner was fourth billed in Formby'sGet Cracking Miss London Ltd. Thursday's Child My Learned Friend The Butler's Dilemma The Night Invader Bees in Paradise I Live in Grosvenor Square Caesar and Cleopatra
Shiner's career received a massive boost when he appeared in a stage hitWorm's Eye View [ 5]
On screen, George Formby gave Shiner another good part inGeorge in Civvy Street The Man Within Dusty Bates Forbidden
Shiner had another huge stage success when he headlined the wartime playSeagulls Over Sorrento [ 5] [ 6]
His stardom began when he was cast as a drill sergeant in the comedyReluctant Heroes Jack Raymond , this was one of the most popular films in British cinemas in 1952. Also popular wasWorm's Eye View Diana Dors , also directed by Raymond. These two films saw Shiner voted Britain's most popular local male star in cinemas in 1952 – having never made the list before.[ 7] [ 8]
Shiner made a cameo inThe Magic Box Little Big Shot [ 9]
Shiner remained a star forTop of the Form John Paddy Carstairs , his first film for the Rank Organisation.[ 10] Innocents in Paris Alastair Sim and supportedMargaret Lockwood and two Hollywood names (Wendell Corey andForrest Tucker ) inLaughing Anne [ 11] [ 12]
At the height of Shiner's career he insured his nose for £10,000 because he said "it's me beak which made 'em larf."[ 5]
Shiner back to leads forUp to His Neck Aunt Clara Margaret Rutherford ,See How They Run Keep It Clean Dry Rot My Wife's Family Seagulls Over Sorrento was taken bySid James , although he reprised it for the BBC in 1956 and 1961.[ 13] My Three Angels
He had a cameo inCarry On Admiral Not Wanted on Voyage Girls at Sea The Navy Lark Operation Bullshine The Night We Got the Bird
He was the subject ofThis Is Your Life Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.
Shiner starred in the London production ofAladdin as Widow Twankey withBob Monkhouse at theColiseum in 1960.
On the BBC he was in productions ofSeagulls Over Sorrento (1961) andWorm's Eye View (1962).[ 14] Send for Shiner
In retirement he owned a pub atBlackboys inSussex .British Pathé News filmed a newsreel of him in his pub, being visited byJimmy Edwards , in 1954.[ 15]
Shiner suffered ill health during his last few years. In 1963 he moved from London to Eastbourne for his health. He died in hospital there in June 1966 leaving an estate of £30,955.[ 5] [ 16] [ 17]
Selected filmography [ edit ] Doctor's Orders My Old Dutch Wild Boy Regal Cavalcade Royal Cavalcade Once a Thief Squibs Line Engaged It's a Bet Gentlemen's Agreement Invitation to the Waltz While Parents Sleep Excuse My Glove King of Hearts Dreaming Lips The Black Tulip a novel byAlexandre Dumas ) – HendrikLondon Melody Beauty and the Barge Limelight Silver Blaze Dinner at the Ritz Dr Syn a series of novels byRussell Thorndike )A Yank at Oxford The Constant Nymph a novel byMargaret Kennedy )Prison Without Bars Sidewalks of London They Drive by Night Trouble Brewing novel by Joan Butler) – BridgewaterThe Mind of Mr. Reeder novel byEdgar Wallace also known asThe Mysterious Mr. Reeder The Gang's All Here The Amazing Mr. Forrest (1943)) – Spider FerrisThe Nursemaid Who Disappeared I Killed the Count The Missing People novel byEdgar Wallace ) – Sam HackettFlying Fifty-Five novel byEdgar Wallace ) – Scrubby OaksDiscoveries Come On George! The Lion Has Wings The Spider The Middle Watch Let George Do It! Bulldog Sees It Through The Case of the Frightened Lady Frightened Lady Edgar Wallace ) – Sergeant TottyCall a Cop Spare a Copper Salvage with a Smile Old Bill and Son South American George The Seventh Survivor The Black Sheep of Whitehall The Big Blockade They Flew Alone Unpublished Story Sabotage at Sea The Young Mr. Pitt King Arthur Was a Gentleman Those Kids from Town The Balloon Goes Up The Soldier's Food Thursday's Child The Gentle Sex Get Cracking Miss London Ltd. My Learned Friend The Butler's Dilemma The Night Invader Bees in Paradise I Live in Grosvenor Square A Yank in London (1945)) – Paratrooper #1Caesar and Cleopatra Caesar & Cleopatra in the United States) – 2nd. PorterGeorge in Civvy Street The Man Within a novel , also known asThe Smugglers in the United States) – Cockney HarryDusty Bates Brighton Rock Forbidden Worm's Eye View The Magic Box [ 18] Reluctant Heroes Little Big Shot Top of the Form Innocents in Paris Laughing Anne Up to His Neck Aunt Clara See How They Run Keep It Clean Dry Rot My Wife's Family Carry On Admiral Not Wanted on Voyage Girls at Sea Operation Bullshine The Navy Lark Upgreen – And at 'Em (1960)The Night We Got the Bird BBC Sunday-Night Play ^ "RONALD SHINER, 63, COCKNEY COMEDIAN".The New York Times . 2 July 1966.ProQuest 117261161 . ^ "TARES CIVIC PRESENTS" .The Northern Champion . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "New Films Of The Week" .The Sun . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "Ronny Becomes "Bobby" Shiner" .Manilla Express . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^a b c d "Mr ronald shiner".The Guardian . 1 July 1966.ProQuest 185155729 . ^ "Australian's play is big hit in West End" .The Australian Women's Weekly . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "COMEDIAN TOPS FILM POLL" .The Sunday Herald . Retrieved24 April 2012 – via National Library of Australia.^ "WHAT'S NEWS IN THE MOVIE WORLD" .The Sunday Times . Retrieved10 July 2012 – via National Library of Australia.^ "WHAT'S NEWS IN THE MOVIE WORLD" .Sunday Times (Perth) . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "Challenge to Chaplin" .The Sun . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "British films lifted out of doldrums for the Coronation" .The Australian Women's Weekly . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF" .The Age . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ "Seagulls over Sorrento · British Universities Film & Video Council" .^ "Worm's Eye View · British Universities Film & Video Council" .^ Pathe News : Guv'nor Shiner(1954) ^ "Ronald shiner leaves £30,000".The Guardian . 23 September 1966.ProQuest 185226526 . ^ "Ronald Shiner dies. 63" .The Canberra Times . Retrieved2 September 2017 – via National Library of Australia.^ Release date for The Magic Box , in IMDb.
