Who else would have been good casting for a member of the trio?

B

Bradders

New Member
As many of you know, when Brian Wilde was threatening to leave the series around 1983/4, Fulton Mackay was approached to join the series in his place. Who else do you think would have been good casting for a member of the trio?

Here are some suggestions

Compo-type:

Norman Wisdom
Kenneth Connor

Clegg-type:

Graham Stark
Richard Pearson

Foggy-type:

Derek Guyler
Jon Pertwee

What do you think? Any suggestions?
 
Impossible, impossible to re-cast.

Mind you, Norman Wisdom as Compo?

No way.

I like his films, but I can't stand the thought of him as Compo.

I liked the idea of Deryck Guyler in the Foggy role.

Clegg, though not an 'extreme' character, has to be the hardest to re-cast. I certainly can't think of anyone better than Sallis.

Anyway, here's my hastily created cast list, which I'm sure I'll be changing as I think about it more. My choices are based on Bradder's ideas, and also who was around in 1972.

Alfie Bass as Compo. A cockney, but so was Bill Owen.
Ray Mort as Clegg. Best known from The Fishing Party with Brian Glover, Jane Freeman and John Comer, and Selwyn Froggitt.
Deryck Guyler as Foggy. Already suggested.
 
We had such conversations before. My knowledge of British actors is limited based on the few shows I watch. I can'tt help but to refer to Waiting for God.

Graham Crowden may not be so much like Foggy, but a bit like Seymour.

Stephanie Cole could definitely be one of the stern ladies.

Although, they may not be "Yorkshire enough". I am clueless when it comes to the regionalism.
 
Who else would have been good casting for a member of the trio

codfanglers said:
We had such conversations before. My knowledge of British actors is limited based on the few shows I watch. I can'tt help but to refer to Waiting for God.

Graham Crowden may not be so much like Foggy, but a bit like Seymour.

Stephanie Cole could definitely be one of the stern ladies.

Although, they may not be "Yorkshire enough". I am clueless when it comes to the regionalism.
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Both people you mention would fit in perfectly ,simply because they are such great actors/actresses who have learned their craft . Ronnie Barker was such a great character actor he could play all three roles. I could have seen Kenneth Connor from the Carry On films as Compo and clearly Croft and Perry saw that in him when they cast him as a Sammy , an ex tramp and Children's entertainer , in Hi-De-Hi . If they upped the military bearing of the Foggy then Windsor Davies playing the overbearing Sgt role from It Ain't Half Hot Mum would be good. I agree with Cleggy being the most difficult to re-cast and it is so hard to look past Peter Sallis.
 
My three pennorth, of the top of my head, as I'm not sure they'd all be around then -

Compo - Wilfred Brambell
Clegg - Arnold Ridley, Seconded Graham Stark
'Third Man' - Robin Bailey

But you'll never better the originals.
 
Robin Bailey is a good choice. He was fairly tall I think, had he been a little shorter could have even been considered to play Compo or Clegg. His performance as Uncle Mort and later as Potter demonstrates how good he could have been in LOTSW.

I think Larry Noble would have made a passable Compo.

It's astonishing how hard it is to think of an actor for Clegg. I gather Derek Fowlds had the difficult task of playing him in one of the stage shows.

I think Derek Fowlds would have been a bit young to play him when the show began.

How about Robert Gillespie for Clegg? Slightly on the young side perhaps, but good at all that philosophical stuff.
 
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Geoffrey Palmer would have been perfect as the third man imo. He obviously played a military type in Reginald Perrin and Blackadder and could have been great.

Fulton MacKay would also have been good and, of course, he very nearly did appear.
 
Nicko12345 said:
Geoffrey Palmer would have been perfect as the third man imo. He obviously played a military type in Reginald Perrin and Blackadder and could have been great.

Fulton MacKay would also have been good and, of course, he very nearly did appear.
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Yes, Geoffrey Palmer would be very good.

With his talent he may have even made a reasonable Clegg, even though he is best known for playing rather uptight characters.
 
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