Erik Chitty

For the Canadian speedway rider, see Eric Chitty.

Erik Chitty (8 July 1907 – 22 July 1977) was an English stage, film and television actor.^[3][4]

Erik Chitty
Born	(1907-07-08)8 July 1907[1] Dover, Kent, England
Died	22 July 1977(1977-07-22) (aged 70)[2] Brent, Middlesex, England
Alma mater	RADA
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1937–1977
Spouse	Hester Bevan
Children	3

Early life

Chitty was the son of a flour miller, Frederick Walter Chitty and his wife Ethel Elsie Assistance née Franklin; they married in 1902. He attended Dover College and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was one of the founders of the Cambridge University Mummers, before training at RADA and becoming a professional actor.^[5] He then ran his own repertory company in Frinton-on-Sea.

Personal life

Chitty and former actress Hester Bevan married 1936, and they had two daughters and one son. He was also a keen genealogist.^[6]

Television career

Early television (1936–1939)

Chitty was an early player in the fledgling BBC television output, which started in November 1936 until it was closed at the beginning of WWII.

• Pyramus And Thisbe, 23 July 1937, Snout^[7]
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, 2 March 1938, Guildenstern^[8]
• Henry IV 22 March 1938, "Valet"^[9]
• The White Chateau, 11 November 1938,^[A] Trooper of Uhlans/Orderly/Linesman^[10]
• Edna's Fruit Hat, 27 January 1939, Cousin Sid^[11]
• The Tempest, 5 February 1939, Boatswain^[12]
• The Unquiet Spirit, 7 March 1939 "Hall Porter"^[13]
• Katharine and Petruchio, 12 April 1939, "A Tailor"^[14]
• Annajanska, The Bolsjevik Empress 2 May 1939, "Stammfest"^[15]
• The Day is Gone, 4 August 1939, Radio announcer's voice^[16]
• The Advantages of Paternity 12 May 1939, "Brunov"^[17]

Television postwar (1946 onwards)

His television credits included a major role as the aged "Mr Smith" in Please Sir!, and multiple appearances in Dad's Army, Raffles, Doctor Who, Danger Man, Maigret, Man About the House and The Goodies.^[18][4] He appeared in the TV musical Pickwick for the BBC in 1969.^[19]

Filmography

• Contraband (1940) – Cloakroom attendant (uncredited)
• Oliver Twist (1948) – Workhouse Board member (uncredited)
• Forbidden (1949) – Schofield
• All Over the Town (1949) – Frobisher
• Your Witness (1950) – Judge's clerk
• Chance of a Lifetime (1950) – Silas Pike
• Circle of Danger (1951) - Box-office clerk (uncredited)
• John Wesley (1954) – Trustee of Georgia
• Time Is My Enemy (1954) – Ballistics expert
• Views on Trial (1954) – Sterling Silver
• Raising a Riot (1955) – Mr Buttons (uncredited)
• Footsteps in the Fog (1955) – Hedges
• Windfall (1955) – (uncredited)
• After the Ball (1957) – Waiter
• Zoo Baby (1957) – Vulture man
• Left Right and Centre (1959) – Deputy returning officer
• The Devil's Disciple (1959) – Uncle Titus
• The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960) – Gudgeon (uncredited)
• Not a Hope in Hell (1960) – Joe
• Raising the Wind (1961) – Elderly Man at concert
• Follow That Man (1961) – Doctor
• First Men in the Moon (1964) – Gibbs, Cavor's hired man (uncredited)
• The Horror of It All (1964) – Grandpa Marley
• Doctor Zhivago (1965) – Old Soldier
• Casino Royale (1967) – Sir James Bond's butler (uncredited)
• Bedazzled (1967) – Seed – Sir Stanley Moon's butler (uncredited)
• Anne of the Thousand Days (1969) – Priest (uncredited)
• Arthur? Arthur! (1969) – Uncle Ratty
• A Nice Girl Like Me (1969) – Vicar
• Twinky (1969) – Lawyer's elderly client
• Song of Norway (1970) – Helsted
• The Railway Children (1970) – Photographer
• Lust for a Vampire (1971) – Professor Herz
• The Statue (1971) – Mouser
• Please Sir! (1971) – Mr Smith
• The Amazing Mr. Blunden (1972) – Mr Claverton
• The Vault of Horror (1973) – Old waiter (segment 1 "Midnight Mess")
• Op de Hollandse toer (1973) – Mr Molenaar
• The Flying Sorcerer (1973) – Sir Roger
• Fall of Eagles (1974) - Hertling, German Chancellor
• One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing (1975) – Museum guard
• The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones (1976) – Sam (uncredited)
• The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) – The butler
• Jabberwocky (1977) – Second door-opener / Servant (uncredited)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977) – Organist

Notes

1. Armistice Day, 20th anniversary