Nicholas Phipps

William Nicholas Foskett Phipps (23 June 1913 – 11 April 1980) was a British actor and writer who appeared in stage roles between 1932 and 1967 and more than thirty films between 1940 and 1970. He wrote West End plays, songs and sketches for revues, and film scripts.

Life and career Early years Phipps was born in London on 23 June 1913, the son of the civil servant Sir Edmund Bampfylde Phipps and his wife Margaret, née Phipps (the granddaughter of Charles Paul Phipps). He was educated at Winchester College.

He made his first appearance on the stage at the Old Vic on 25 January 1932, walking-on Julius Caesar. In 1933, he played in Anew McMaster's Shakespearian season at the Chiswick Empire, and at Christmas, appeared at the Embassy in Aladdin . At the St Martin's in March 1934 he played Henry in Love in a Mist, subsequently joining the Northampton repertory company. During 1934–35, he was co-director of the Imperial Institute Theatre. He toured in 1934 in P. G. Wodehouse's Good Morning, Bill and was a member of the Oxford Playhouse in 1935–36.

At the Q Theatre in October 1947 Phipps played Clive Hamilton in his own play Bold Lover. His stage roles in the 1950s were Villardieu in Ardele (Vaudeville, August 1951), Alexander Marko in The Hungry God (Q Theatre, February 1952), Jaques Lambert in Figure of Fun (Aldwych, April 1952) and Charles Waterlow in Letter From Paris (Aldwych, October 1952).

As a screen actor Phipps appeared mainly in British comedy films, often specialising in playing military figures. He began his association with Herbert Wilcox working on I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945). He wrote This Man Is Mine (1946) then had a big hit with Piccadilly Incident (1946) which he wrote for Wilcox and Anna Neagle, Wilcox's wife. They reunited on The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947) and Spring in Park Lane (1948), also successfully. Phipps also worked on The First Gentleman (1948) then was back with Wilcox and Neagle for Maytime in Mayfair (1948) and Elizabeth of Ladymead (1949).

Phipps wrote two films for Stewart Granger: Woman Hater (1948) and Adam and Evelyne (1949). He then did a Wilcox movie without Neagle, Into the Blue (1950). He wrote a script for David Lean, Madeleine (1950) and did one for Ralph Thomas, Appointment with Venus (1951)

He was one of several writers on I Believe in You (1952), and did a thriller for George Raft Escape Route (1952). After an Alec Guinness comedy, The Captain's Paradise (1953), Phipps had one of the biggest hits of his career with Doctor in the House (1954) for Thomas. He did the sequels Doctor at Sea (1955) and Doctor at Large (1957), plus a similar comedy, True as a Turtle (1957). Others wereThe Captain's Table (1959); The Lady Is a Square (1959), for Wilcox, and Doctor in Love (1960).

For Thomas, Phipps wrote No Love for Johnnie (1961). More typical were A Pair of Briefs (1962), The Amorous Prawn (US: The Playgirl and the War Minister, 1963) and Doctor in Distress (1963).

Last years Phipps retired from acting in 1970. He died in Acton, London on 11 April 1980, aged 66, leaving a widow, Joyce ( Robinson).

Partial filmography

Actor

Pride o' the Green (1937) (TV) – Macleeves Two Gentlemen of Soho (1938) (TV ) Hands Across the Sea (1938) (TV) Spring Meeting (1938) (TV) First Stop North (1939) (TV) – Roland Capel The Gate Revue (1939) (TV) Blackout (1940) – Man in Car (uncredited) You Will Remember (1941) – Earl of Potter Old Bill and Son (1941) – BBC Reporter The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947) – Phipps Spring in Park Lane (1948) – Marquis of Borechester Elizabeth of Ladymead (1948) – John Beresford in 1854 Maytime in Mayfair (1949) – Sir Henry Hazelrigg Madeleine (1950) – Reporter (uncredited) Appointment with Venus (1951) – Minister The Captain's Paradise (1953) – The Major The Intruder (1953) – Regular Officer Doctor in the House (1954) – Magistrate Forbidden Cargo (1954) – Royal Navy Information Officer (uncredited) Mad About Men (1955) – Col. Barclay Sutton Out of the Clouds (1955) – Hilton-Davidson All for Mary (1955) – General McLintock-White Who Done It? (1956) – Scientist The Iron Petticoat (1956) – Tony Mallard Doctor at Large (1957) – Mr. Wayland – Solicitor Orders to Kill (1958) – Lecturer Lieutenant Rockets Galore! (1958) – Andrew Wishart The Navy Lark (1959) – Capt. Povey The Captain's Table (1959) – Reddish Don't Panic Chaps! (1959) – Mortimer Upstairs and Downstairs (1959) – Harry Doctor in Love (1960) – Dr. Clive Cardew The Pure Hell of St Trinian's (1960) – Major A Pair of Briefs (1962) – Sutcliffe Summer Holiday (1963) – Wrightmore Heavens Above! (1963) – Director-General Foreign Affairs (1964) (TV series) – Ambassador Charlie Bubbles (1967) – Agent Some Girls Do (1969) – Lord Dunnberry Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969) – Golfer The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970) – Snaggot

Screenwriter

More Fun and Games! (1939) (TV movie) First Stop North (1939) (TV movie) Look Here! (1939) (short) A Yank in London (1945) This Man Is Mine (1946) Piccadilly Incident (1946) A Word in Your Eye (1947) (TV movie) Kathy's Love Affair (1947) The Courtneys of Curzon Street (1947) Affairs of a Rogue (1948) Spring in Park Lane (1948) Elizabeth of Ladymead (1948) Woman Hater (1948) Adam and Evelyne (1949) Maytime in Mayfair (1949) Into the Blue (1950) Madeleine (1950) Man in the Display (1950) Appointment with Venus (1952) aka Island Rescue I Believe in You (1952) Penny Plain (1952) (TV movie) Escape Route (1952) aka I'll Get You The Captain's Paradise (1953) Doctor in the House (1954) Doctor at Sea (1955) True as a Turtle (1957) Doctor at Large (1957) The Captain's Table Tommy the Toreador (1959) The Lady Is a Square (1959) Doctor in Love (1960) No Love for Johnnie (1962) (with Mordecai Richler) A Pair of Briefs (1962) Young and Willing (1962) The Amorous Mr. Prawn (1962) Doctor in Distress (1963)