Edward Chapman

Edward Chapman (13 October 1901 – 9 August 1977) was an English actor who starred in many films and television programmes, but is chiefly remembered as "Mr William Grimsdale", the officious superior and comic foil to Norman Wisdom's character of Pitkin in many of his films from the late 1950s and 1960s.

Life and career Chapman was born in Harrogate, West Riding of Yorkshire, and was the uncle of actor/screenwriter John Chapman and actor Paul Chapman. On leaving school he became a bank clerk, but later began his stage career with the Ben Greet Players in June 1924 at the Nottingham Repertory Theatre, playing Gecko in George du Maurier's Trilby. He made his first London stage appearance at the Court Theatre in August 1925 playing the Rev Septimus Tudor in The Farmer's Wife. Among dozens of stage roles that followed, he played Bonaparte to Margaret Rawlings's Josephine in Napoleon at the Embassy Theatre in September 1934. In 1928 he attracted the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who gave him the role of "The Paycock" in the 1930 film, Juno and the Paycock. In the same year he also made an appearance in Caste. He had a role in The Citadel in 1938 and appeared alongside George Formby in the Ealing Studios comedy Turned Out Nice Again in 1941.

During the Second World War he took a break from acting and joined the Royal Air Force. After training he was posted to 129 (Mysore) Squadron as an intelligence officer. This Spitfire squadron was based at Westhampnett and Debden. The squadron was heavily engaged in combat during this period and many of Chapman's fellow squadron mates were killed in action.

Chapman first starred alongside Norman Wisdom in 1957's Just My Luck in the role of Mr. Stoneway, but the next year in The Square Peg he appeared as Mr. Grimsdale for the first time opposite Wisdom's character of Norman Pitkin. In 1960 he and Wisdom acted together again in The Bulldog Breed, playing the roles of Mr. Philpots and Norman Puckle – Mr. Grimsdale and Pitkin in all but name. Wisdom appeared alone as Norman Pitkin in On the Beat in 1962, while Chapman branched out, starring in the Danish folktale Venus fra Vestø, but Grimsdale and Pitkin were reunited for 1963's A Stitch in Time. Their final performance together was in The Early Bird in 1965, Wisdom's first film in colour. In all, Chapman appeared alongside Norman Wisdom in five films. Sir Laurence Olivier reportedly threw Chapman out of his dressing room when he solicited his signature for the petition.

From 1965 Chapman played mostly character roles on television. His final role was as Mr. Callon for nine episodes of the BBC's seafaring melodrama The Onedin Line between 1971 and 1972. – Father in Family Group His Excellency (1952) – The Admiral The Card (1952) – Herbert Duncalf Mandy (1952) – Ackland The Ringer (1952) – Stranger Folly to Be Wise (1953) – Joseph Byres M.P. The Intruder (1953) – Lowden A Day to Remember (1953) – Mr Robinson The End of the Road (1954) – Works Manager The Crowded Day (1954) – Mr Bunting The Love Match (1955) – Mr Longworth A Yank in Ermine (1955) – Duke of Fontenham Bhowani Junction (1956) – Thomas Jones Lisbon (1956) – Edgar Selwyn X the Unknown (1956) – John Elliott Doctor at Large (1957) – Wilkins Just My Luck (1957) – Mr Stoneway Innocent Sinners (1958) – Manley The Square Peg (1958) – Mr Grimsdale The Young and the Guilty (1958) – George Connor The Rough and the Smooth (1959) – Willy Catch School for Scoundrels (1960) – Gloatbridge Oscar Wilde (1960) – Marquis of Queensberry The Bulldog Breed (1960) – Mr Philpots Venus fra Vestø (1962) – Englænder A Stitch in Time (1963) – Mr Grimsdale Hide and Seek (1964) – McPherson Joey Boy (1965) – Tom Hobson The Early Bird (1965) – Mr Grimsdale The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) – Barton

Selected stage appearances Blue Comet by Eden Phillpotts (1927) The Combined Maze by Frank Vosper (1927) Leave It to Psmith by Ian Hay and P.G. Wodehouse (1930) The Good Companions by J.B. Priestley (1931) Chase the Ace by Anthony Kimmins (1935) As You Are by Hugh Mills (1940)