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1-21 of 21
- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Andrew Sachs born Andreas Siegfried Sachs was born in Berlin, Germany, he and his family emigrated to London in 1938, to escape persecution under the Nazis. He made his name on British television and rose to fame in the 1970s for his portrayals of the comical Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers (1975), a role for which he was BAFTA nominated.
He went on to have a long career in acting and voice-over work for television, film and radio. In his later years, he continued to have success with roles in films such as Quartet, and as Ramsay Clegg in Coronation Street.
Sachs was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Katharina (née Schrott-Fiecht), a librarian, and Hans Emil Sachs, an insurance broker. His father was Jewish and his mother was Catholic, and of half-Austrian descent. He left with his parents for Britain in 1938, when he was eight years old, to escape the Nazis. They settled in north London, and he lived in Kilburn for the rest of his life.
In 1960, Sachs married Melody Lang, who appeared in one episode of Fawlty Towers, "Basil the Rat", as Mrs. Taylor. He adopted her two sons from a previous marriage, John Sachs and William Sachs, and they had one daughter, Kate Sachs.
In the late 1950s, whilst still studying shipping management at college, Sachs worked on radio productions, including Private Dreams and Public Nightmares by Frederick Bradnum, an early experimental programme made by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Sachs began in acting with repertory theatre and made his West End debut as Grobchick in the 1958 production of the Whitehall farce Simple Spymen. He made his screen debut in 1959 in the film The Night We Dropped a Clanger. He then appeared in numerous television series throughout the 1960s, including some appearances in ITC productions such as The Saint (1962) and Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (1969).
Sachs is best known for his role as Manuel, the Spanish waiter in the sitcom Fawlty Towers (1975 and 1979). During the shooting of the Fawlty Towers episode "The Germans", Sachs was left with second degree acid burns due to a fire stunt. He was hit with a faulty prop on the set of the show by John Cleese and suffered a massive headache.
Sachs recorded four singles in character as Manuel; the first was "Manuel's Good Food Guide" in 1977, which came in a picture sleeve with Manuel on the cover. Sachs also had a hand in writing (or adapting) the lyrics. This was followed in 1979 by "O Cheryl" with "Ode to England" on the B side. This was recorded under the name "Manuel and Los Por Favors". Sachs shares the writing credits for the B side with "B. Wade", who also wrote the A side.
In 1981, "Manuel" released a cover version of Joe Dolce's number one in the United Kingdom "Shaddap You Face", with "Waiter, there's a Flea in my Soup" on the B side. Sachs also adapted "Shaddap You Face" into Spanish, but was prevented from releasing it before Dolce's version by a court injunction. When finally released it reached 138 in the UK Chart.
In 2007, the BBC broadcast an adaptation of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency with Sachs portraying Reg (Professor Urban Chronotis, the Regius Professor of Chronology). He would later appear in another Adams adaptation as the Book in the live tour of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy during its run at Bromley's Churchill Theatre.
On 17 November 2008, it was announced that Sachs had been approached to appear in ITV soap Coronation Street. He later confirmed on 14 December that he was taking up the offer, saying, "I'm taking Street challenge". In May 2009 he made his debut on the street as Norris' brother, Ramsay. He appeared in 27 episodes and left in August 2009.
With the Australian pianist Victor Sangiorgio, he toured with a two man show called "Life after Fawlty", which included Richard Strauss's voice and piano setting of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "Enoch Arden". 2012 saw his last major role, as Bobby Swanson in the movie Quartet.
Sachs was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2012, which eventually left him unable to speak and forced him to use a wheelchair. He died on 23 November 2016 at the Denville Hall nursing home in Northwood, London, England. He was buried on 1 December 2016, the same day his death was publicly announced.
On 2 December 2016, BBC One broadcast the Fawlty Towers episode "Communication Problems" in his memory. John Cleese led tributes to Sachs, describing him as a "sweet, sweet man"- Producer
Kim Clement was born on 30 September 1956 in South Africa. He was a producer, known for Directions (2015), Boys and Girls (2013) and Secrets (2011). He died on 23 November 2016 in California, USA.- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Producer
Joe Esposito was born in 1938. He first met singer Elvis Presley while they both were in the military in 1958. They both went through basic training at Fort Hood, Texas, but they didn't meet face to face until a year later when they were stationed in West Germany, where they became fast friends. Esposito became Elvis's road manager and bodyguard beginning in 1960 and helped Elvis's aide Marty Lacker with the bookkeeping. It was Esposito who arranged women for Elvis to date. Esposito served as the best man at Elvis's wedding while Esposito's wife, Joan, served as the matron of honor. Esposito also played the guitar for Elvis's recording sessions from 1971 onward. After Elvis's death in 1977, Esposito started his own business, the Sterling Coach Company, a Los Angeles limousine service. He later became the road manager for the Bee Gees. Esposito appeared in several of Elvis's films and portrayed himself in the 1981 movie This Is Elvis.- As a youngster his cute round face and red hair made him popular in his neighbourhood. A Paramount film executive suggested he could have a film career so his family moved to Hollywood where in 1929 he became the youngest actor ever put under contract, at the age of 4, to Paramount. Soon after he was given the stage name of Jerry Tucker and immediately became famous at the studio for his ability to recite his lines from memory. He appeared in Our Gang films until 1937 when his final appearance was in Glove Taps. In 1934 he was one of the Our Gang kids to appear with Laurel and Hardy in 'Babes in Toyland'. Outside of the Gang films he worked with Buster Keaton in 'Sidewalks of New York', Clark Gable in 'San Francisco' and Shirley Temple in 'Captain January'. In 1939 he and his mother moved to New York where he auditioned for a number of radio programmes. In 1942 he joined the navy and was wounded when a Japanese kamikaze plane hit the destroyer U.S.S, Sigsbee which he was on. In 1944 he married Myra Heino and had two daughters, Karen Beth and Renee Eve. After the war he studied electrical engineering at college and was employed as an engineer for RCA Global Communications retiring in 1981 and living on Long Island, New York.
- Mark David Fritsche was born on 18 February 1960 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. He was an actor and editor, known for Merchant of Evil (1993), Catnapping (2009) and Demon Wind (1990). He died on 23 November 2016 in Niles, Michigan, USA.
- Maariu Olsen was born on 23 May 1959. He was an actor, known for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) and Traanilamppu (1997). He died on 23 November 2016.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Habibur Rahman Modhu was an actor, known for Kittonkhola (2000), Avijan (1984) and Dhakaiya Mastan (2002). He died on 23 November 2016 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.- Director
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Jeff McGary was born on 22 January 1971 in Bangs, Texas, USA. He was a director and producer, known for The Song Beneath the Song (2010), Postcard Days (2010) and New Year's in New York (2009). He died on 23 November 2016 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Ralph Branca was born on 6 January 1926 in Mount Vernon, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Parental Guidance (2012), Hitler, Stalin & Walter O'Malley (2005) and 1949 World Series (1949). He was married to Ann Mulvey. He died on 23 November 2016 in Rye Brook, New York, USA.
- Director
S.K. Subash was born in 1959 in India. He was a director, known for Baaz (1992), Naach Govinda Naach (1992) and Bhagyawan (1994). He was married to Suja. He died on 23 November 2016 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Vittorio Sermonti was born on 26 September 1929 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He was a writer, known for Una storia milanese (1962), È stata una bellissima partita (1972) and Don Giovanni (1977). He was married to Ludovica Ripa di Meana and Samaritana Rattazzi. He died on 23 November 2016 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
- Renato Lopez was born on 11 March 1983 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He was an actor, known for Macho (2016), El cielo en tu mirada (2012) and Me gusta, pero me asusta (2017). He died on 23 November 2016 in Santa María Mazatlan, Jilotzingo municipality, State of Mexico.
- Claude Imbert was born on 12 November 1929 in Aveyron, France. He was a writer, known for Feu Don Juan (1981), Cannes Film Festival (1952) and Antenne 2 Midi (1979). He died on 23 November 2016 in Paris, France.
- Visual Effects
Mark Peronto was born on 11 February 1958 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA. Mark is known for The Prince of Egypt (1998), The Road to El Dorado (2000) and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002). Mark died on 23 November 2016 in Laguna Hills, California, USA.- Karin Johannisson was born on 11 October 1944 in Lund, Sweden. She died on 23 November 2016 in Uppsala, Sweden.
- Rita Barberá was born on 16 July 1948 in València, València, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain. She died on 23 November 2016 in Madrid, Spain.
- Fred Stobaugh was born on 22 August 1917 in Peoria, Illinois, USA. He was married to Lorraine B. Dinquel. He died on 23 November 2016 in Peoria, Illinois, USA.
- Peggy Kirk Bell was born on 28 October 1921 in Findlay, Ohio, USA. She was married to Warren Bell and Warren "Bullet" Bell. She died on 23 November 2016 in Southern Pines, North Carolina, USA.
- Betty Breckenridge was born on 15 August 1938 in Wimmers, Pennsylvania, USA. She died on 23 November 2016 in Del Rio, Texas, USA.
- François Roustang was born on 23 March 1923 in France. He died on 23 November 2016 in France.
- Music Department
Attila Danyi was born in 1946. He is known for Scampolo (2005) and R. B. Kapitány: Radics Béla emlékére (2003). He died on 23 November 2016.