Paul McDowell

Paul William McDowell (15 August 1931 – 2 May 2016) was an English actor and writer who appeared in numerous television productions over a 40-year period.

Early life and career McDowell was born on 15 August 1931 in Fulham, southwest London, the only son of William, a museum guard and shipyard worker. His mother Frances was a landlady and cleaner. He attended several primary schools and was evacuated to Guildford, Rochdale, and Torbay during World War II. After leaving school, he trained to be a painter at Chelsea Art College. He later attended St Edmund Hall, Oxford.

In the early 1960s as "Whispering" Paul McDowell he was a vocalist with the British 1920s-style jazz band The Temperance Seven, who had a No. 1 hit in Britain. He was a member of the pop group 'Guggenheim' which he formed with Granada Television producer and singer Chris Pye, and guitarist Jules Burns. The album Guggenheim was released in 1972 on Indigo Records, and distributed by the British Decca label. He worked at the Establishment Club as an actor/writer, then became a member of the improvisational group the Second City in the United States and was a writer on The Frost Report.

Television actor His television roles include: Mr Collinson, a sour-faced prison officer in Porridge, Churchill's butler in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years, and Mr Phillips in The Two of Us.

Writer As a screenwriter he wrote for Sheila Hancock and The Two Ronnies. Later he concentrated on writing and teaching tai chi.

Later life Later he lived in Towcester, Northamptonshire, where he wrote a letter to The Guardian, published on 11 March 2016, less than two months before his death. His letter was an amusing mild rebuke that The Guardian had omitted to state in their obituary of George Martin that his very first Number 1 hit was the Temperance Seven's "You're Driving Me Crazy".

Illness and death On 23 April 2016, McDowell announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He died on 2 May 2016, from complications: heart failure following pneumonia. The immediate cause of death on his death certificate was cardiac arrest with respiratory failure. He was survived by his children Helena, Lola, Sidonie, Milo and his third wife, Trisha.

Filmography Film Film Year Title Role Notes 1959 Food for a Blush Bit part Short film Uncredited 1972 Savage Messiah Agitator Uncredited 1978 The Life Story of Baal Piller The Thirty Nine Steps McLean 1979 Porridge Collinson Released in the United States as Doing Time 1980 Rough Cut Postman 1985 National Lampoon's European Vacation English Motorist 1988 Dead End City Gang Member 2008 Chemical Wedding Symonds Final film role

Television Television Year Title Role Notes 1966 Festival Dancer Disco Writer Series 7, episode 5: "Westbrook's Man/Ligging About" (Segment: "Ligging About") 1968-1969 Horne A'Plenty Guest Star 2 episodes 1969 The World of BeachcomberTrucker 6 episodes Canada GooseConductor TV movie 1970 Frost on Sunday Sam Writer - 9 episodes 1972 His and Hers Melvyn Series 2, episode 6: "Telephone" Scoop Pigge 3 episodes 1972-1973 But Seriously, It's Sheila Hancock Vares 2 episodes Writer - 5 episodes 1973 Our Kid Householder Episode 6: "The Last of the All-Rounders" The Protectors Bank Teller Series 2, episode 7: "Goodbye George" Grubstreet Vance 6 episodes 1974 You'll Never Walk Alone Third Man TV movie No Strings 2nd Workman Episode 2: "Grow and Let Grow" Crown Court Frederick Barker Season 3, episode 148: "Forgive-Me-Not: Part 1" 1974-1977 Porridge Mr. Collinson 4 episodes 1975 Churchill's People 1st Guest Star Episode 12: "A Wilderness of Roses" The Good Life Telephone Engineer Series 1, episode 3: "The Weaker Sex?" Dawson's Weekly Dr. Lang Episode 1: "Les Miserables" The Nearly Man Gordon Episode 5: "Confrontation: July 1975" 1975-1978 Wodehouse Playhouse Hotel Manager / Studio Guide / First Cop 3 episodes 1976 One-Upmanship McDowell 3 episodes Victorian Scandals Samuel James Episode 4: "A Pitcher of Snakes" 1976-1979 Dave Allen at Large Valentin Stone 8 episodes 1977 The Other One Security Guard Episode 1 1977-1985 The Two Ronnies Waiter/Paul/Trucker 3 episodes 1978 Going Straight Mr. Collinson Episode 1: "Going Home" Life at Stake Pierre Laporte Episode 8: "James Cross Will Be Executed" A Soft Touch Harvey Hornbeam Episode 1: "Now Take my Wife" BBC2 Play of the Week William Series 2, episode 7: "Return Fare" Bernie Ernie Zell Episode #1.4 1978-1980 Robin's Nest Doctor 2 episodes1979 Bloomers 1st Policeman Episode 3: "The Contract" Suez 1956 Henry Cabot Lodge TV movie 1980 Tales of the Unexpected Schaeffer Series 2, episode 16: "The Man at the Top" The Enigma Files John Smith Episode 10: "Why Don't They Tell You These Things?" Play for Today Bill Newsome Series 11, episode 1: "Pasmore" 1981 Wolcott Chief Supt. Cosgrave 3 episodes Never the Twain Det. Sgt. Talbot Series 1, episode 4: "A Matched Pair" Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years Butler at Chartwell Miniseries 7 episodes Angels Mr. Howard 2 episodes 1981-1984 Kelly Monteith Ken Keys 2 episodes 1982 Secombe with Music Conductor #3 Writer - 1 episode Nancy Astor Lee 3 episodes The Brack Report Eric Fulton 2 episodes - 1 uncredited Strangers Detective Inspector O'Rourke Series 5, episode 1: "A Much Underestimated Man" Squadron Air Commodore Grant Episode 8: "Operation Hawk" 1983 The Kenny Everett Television Show Earl Episode #2.3 Blackadder Herbert, Archbishop of Canterbury Series 1, episode 3: "The Archbishop" R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only Barry Clarke TV series Potter The Drunk Episode #3.6 Chessgame Jack Soutar Episode 1: "The Alamut Ambush" 1984-1986 Comrade Dad Man in Queue 2 episodes 1985 Mixed Doubles Estate Agent Series 1, episode 6: "Such Sweet Sorrow" Terry and June Newsreader Series 8, episode 11: "Mistaken Identity" 1986 C.A.T.S. Eyes Les Series 2, episode 1: "One Away" The Fourth Floor Purvis Miniseries 3 episodes Slinger's Day Man Series 1, episode 1: "New Management" Only Fools and Horses Man in Market Series 5, episode 7: "A Royal Flush" The Alamut Ambush Jack Soutar First two episodes of Chessgame edited as a TV movie 1986-1988 All in Good Faith Supermarket Manager / Policeman 2 episodes 1986-1990 The Two of Us Colin Phillips 13 episodes 1987-1989 The Little and Large Show Polo/Matt 2 episodes 1988 Carrott ConfidentialHagen Episode #2.1 1990 Mr. Bean The Customer Episode 2: "The Return of Mr. Bean" 1991 EastEnders Mr. Wallace 2 episodes 1993 Frank Stubbs Promotes Featherstone Series 1, episode 7: "Book" 1994 Law and Disorder Edward Powell Episode 3: "A Night to Remember" 1996 The Brittas Empire Man in Pool Series 6, episode 6: "Mr. Brittas Falls in Love" The Legacy of Reginald Perrin Higgins Episode 1 Final television appearance