Michael Knowles

	Actor
Michael Knowles
Born	1937
First appearance	The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker (television), A Stripe for Frazer (radio)
Last appearance	Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel (television), Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel (radio)
Series	2 - 5 (television), 1 - 3 (radio)
Episode count	6 (television), 7 (radio)

Michael Knowles created the radio series of Dad's Army with Harold Snoad. He also played various characters in both the television series and the radio series.

Biography[]

Early life and career[]

Michael Knowles was born in Spondon, Derbyshire. He went to Bemrose Grammar for Boys in Derby.

Early acting career[]

Michael had originally considered studying medicine, but after appearing Bemrose's production of Henry V, he felt that was where is loyalties lay. So he studying at RADA and starting to get acting roles at various reps.

Dad's Army[]

Thanks to his work at the Palace Theatre in Watford, Michael found himself being recruited to make his first screen role as Captain Cutts in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker. He reprised this role in the radio version and also played Mr. Rees and the Cook House Steward. He later played Captain Cutts in The Bullet is Not for Firing. In Sgt - Save My Boy! he played the Engineer Officer. He played Captain Reed in the television version of Fallen Idol, but Jack Watson took over the part in the radio version. He appeared as the Staff Captain in the original Dad's Army movie and played Captain Stewart in both the television and radio version of Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel. In 1972, he played the voice of the BBC Producer in Dad's Army's Christmas Night with the Stars sketch, Broadcast of the Empire. When this sketch was adapted into a full length radio episode called Ten Seconds from Now, Frank Thornton took over Michael's role.

The following year, Michael teamed up with occasional episode director, Harold Snoad to adapt the television episodes of Dad's Army for BBC Radio 4. At the same time, Michael continued to play characters for various episodes. As well as the parts he reprised from the television series, he also took over other actor's roles. He took over the role of Captain Bailey from John Ringham who also did a few episodes that he had done before for television, provided he was written into the script as Captain Turner. Michael also took over Captain Pringle from Tim Barrett in The Bullet is Not for Firing, Mr. Wintergreen from Jeffrey Gardiner in A Brush with the Law and Mr. Boyle from Arthur Brough in A. Wilson (Manager)?. He also played the Squadron Leader in The Day the Balloon Went Up.

In the 1980's, Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles teamed up again to make Dad's Army's radio spin-off, It Sticks Out Half a Mile. He also played the character of Ernest Woolcot in three episodes. Michael and Harold later tried to adapt this series for television, but due to the unrealistic outlook in the programme, High and Dry never went any further than its first seven episodes.

Character Gallery[]

Other acting work and later career[]

Over the years, Michael has appeared in most Jimmy Perry and David Croft's sitcoms, including Come Back Mrs. Noah and Are You Being Served?, the latter he occasionally wrote episodes for. He is probably best remembered for playing Captain Ashwood in It Ain't Half Hot Mum and the Honourable Sir Teddy Meldrum in You Rang M'Lord?.

Trivia[]

He appeared with Mollie Sugden, Frank Thornton, Arthur Brough, Wendy Richard, Larry Martyn, Harold Bennett and Freddie Wiles in the pilot of Are You Being Served?. He later appear with them again and Jeffrey Segal in an episode from the series.
He appeared with Don Estelle and Micheal Bates in It Ain't Half Hot Mum.