Michael Ripper

Michael George Ripper (27 January 1913 – 28 June 2000) Along with Michael Gough he played one of the two murderers in Laurence Olivier's film version of Richard III.

From the late 1940s Ripper became a mainstay in Hammer Film Productions playing supporting character roles: coachmen, peasants, tavern keepers, pirates, soldiers, and sidekicks. Appearing in more of the company's films than any other performer, these included There Is No Escape (1948), X the Unknown (1956), The Camp on Blood Island (1958), The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), The Mummy (1959), The Brides of Dracula (1960), Captain Clegg (1962), The Scarlet Blade (1963), The Reptile (1966), The Plague of the Zombies (1966) and The Mummy's Shroud (1967).

Some of Ripper's parts were little better than glorified bits (as in The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)), but his penultimate role for Hammer Films was a significant supporting part as a landlord in Scars of Dracula in 1970. (His last Hammer role was as a railway worker in the atypical comedy That's Your Funeral two years later.)

Ripper is also well remembered for his role as a jockey/horse trainer in The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) and the liftman in the next three of the St. Trinian's comedies, and on television for his role as Thomas the chauffeur in the BBC comedy Butterflies (1978–83) and as Burke, one of the two criminals in the youth television series Freewheelers (1968–71).

Partial filmography

Twice Branded (1936) – Minor role (uncredited) Prison Breaker (1936) – (uncredited) Not So Dusty (1936) – Bit Role (uncredited) To Catch a Thief (1936) – (uncredited) The Heirloom Mystery (1936) Nothing Like Publicity (1936) – (uncredited) Pearls Bring Tears (1937) – (uncredited) Busman's Holiday (1937) – Crook Farewell to Cinderella (1937) – Undetermined Role (uncredited) Strange Adventures of Mr. Smith (1937) – Undetermined Role (uncredited) Fifty-Shilling Boxer (1937) – (uncredited) Father Steps Out (1937) – Minor Role (uncredited) Why Pick on Me? (1937) – (uncredited) Easy Riches (1938) – Cuthbert Paid in Error (1938) – Minor Role (uncredited) His Lordship Regrets (1938) – (uncredited) You're the Doctor (1938) – (uncredited) His Lordship Goes to Press (1938) – (uncredited) Luck of the Navy (1938) Miracles Do Happen (1938) – Morning Comet Reporter (uncredited) Blind Folly (1939) – (uncredited) Captain Boycott (1947) – Pat Nolan Oliver Twist (1948) – Barney The Dark Road (1948) – Andy Anderson Noose (1948) – Nelson (uncredited) The History of Mr. Polly (1949) – Third Store Employee Carrying Packages (uncredited) The Rocking Horse Winner (1949) – 2nd Chauffeur (uncredited) The Adventures of PC 49 Investigating the Case of the Guardian Angel (1949) – Fingers Your Witness (1950) – Samuel 'Sam' Baxter Let's Have a Murder (1950) - Gunman A Case for PC 49 (1951) – George Steele Lady Godiva Rides Again (1951) – Joe (stage manager) Old Mother Riley's Jungle Treasure (1951) – Jake Secret People (1952) – Charlie Treasure Hunt (1952) – Removal Man (uncredited) Derby Day (1952) – 1st Newspaper Reporter (uncredited) Folly to Be Wise (1952) – Drill Corporal Alf's Baby (1953) – Mike The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan (1953) – Louis Appointment in London (1953) – Bomb Aimer Blood Orange (1953) – Eddie The Intruder (1953) – Mechanic Personal Affair (1953) – Reporter (uncredited) The Rainbow Jacket (1954) – Benny Loder The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954) – Albert Faning The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1954) – Botterhill Tale of Three Women (1954) – Simkins (segment "Thief of London' story) The Constant Husband (1955) – Left Luggage Attendant Geordie (1955) – Reporter Secret Venture (1955) – Bill Rymer Richard III (1955) – Forrest, 2nd murderer A Man on the Beach (1955) - as Unnamed Chauffeur 1984 (1956) – Outer Party Orator Yield to the Night (1956) – Roy, bar good-timer Reach for the Sky (1956) – Warrant Officer West The Green Man (1956) – Waiter X the Unknown (1956) – Sgt. Harry Grimsdyke The Steel Bayonet (1957) – Pvt. Middleditch Quatermass 2 (1957) – Ernie Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957) – Pawnbroker These Dangerous Years (1957) – Pvt. Simpson Not Wanted on Voyage (1957) – Steward Macy The One That Got Away (1957) – Corporal (uncredited) The Naked Truth (1957) – J.E. Freeman – Greengrocer (uncredited) Blue Murder at St Trinian's (1957) – Eric – The Liftman The Camp on Blood Island (1958) – Japanese Driver Up the Creek (1958) – Decorator The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) – Kurt Girls at Sea (1958) – Jumper, Marine Further Up the Creek (1958) – Ticket Collector I Only Arsked! (1958) – Azim Quatermass and the Pit (TV, 1959) – Sergeant The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959) – Morgue Attendant (uncredited) Bobbikins (1959) – Naval Petty Officer (uncredited) The Mummy (1959) – Poacher The Ugly Duckling (1959) – Benny Jackpot (1960) – Lenny Lane Sink the Bismarck! (1960) – Able Seaman, Lookout 'Suffolk' (uncredited) Dead Lucky (1960) – Percy Simpson The Brides of Dracula (1960) – Coachman Not a Hope in Hell (1960) – Sid A Circle of Deception (1960) – Monsieur Chauvel The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) – Liftman The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) – Old Soak A Matter of WHO (1961) – Skipper Petticoat Pirates (1961) – Tug The Pirates of Blood River (1962) – Mack, a pirate Captain Clegg (1962) – Jeremiah Mipps (coffinmaker) The Phantom of the Opera (1962) – Longfaced Cabbie Out of the Fog (1962 film) – Tich A Prize of Arms (1962) – Cpl. Freeman The Amorous Prawn (1962) – Angus Two Left Feet (1963) – Uncle Reg The Punch and Judy Man (1963) – Waiter What a Crazy World (1963) – The Common Man Swallows and Amazons (1963) – Old Billie The Scarlet Blade (1963) – Pablo The Human Jungle - ( ' The Flip Side Man ', episode ) - as Dublane The Devil-Ship Pirates (1964) – Pepe, a pirate Every Day's a Holiday (1964) – Mr. George Pullman The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb (1964) – Achmed The Secret of Blood Island (1964) – Lt Tojoko The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965) – Lofthouse (uncredited) The Plague of the Zombies (1966) – Sergeant Jack Swift Rasputin the Mad Monk (1966) – Waggoner (voice, uncredited) The Reptile (1966) – Tom Bailey The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966) – The Liftman Where the Bullets Fly (1966) – Angel The Deadly Bees (1966) – David Hawkins The Mummy's Shroud (1967) – Longbarrow Torture Garden (1967) – Gordon Roberts (Framework Story) Inspector Clouseau (1968) – Steven Frey The Lost Continent (1968) – Sea Lawyer Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968) – Max Journey into Darkness (1968) – Albert Cole (episode 'Paper Dolls') Moon Zero Two (1969) – 1st Card Player Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Girly (1970) – Zoo attendant Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970) – Cobb Scars of Dracula (1970) – Landlord That's Your Funeral (1972) – Arthur (Railway Porter) The Creeping Flesh (1973) – Carter No Sex Please, We're British (1973) – Traffic Warden Legend of the Werewolf (1975) – Sewerman Unipart TV advert (1970s) "Thousands of Parts for Millions of Cars" , with Peter Cleall The Sweeney (TV 1975) Herbie Mew. The Prince and the Pauper (1977) – Edith's Servant Sammy's Super T-Shirt (1978) – Gateman Butterflies (1978 - 1983) – Thomas (19 episodes) Danger on Dartmoor (1980) Lady Killers (1981) – William Seddon The Funny Side of Christmas (1982) – Thomas No Surrender (1985) – Tony Bonaparte Revenge of Billy the Kid (1992) – Old Pub Local (final film role)