Search hotels

Check-in date

Check-out date

Join in

Send page to a friend

George Cole

George Cole’s early life was worthy of a film script, and would have been better than plenty of the 60 or so in which he acted – though among the duds are some absolute gems like the St Trinian’s series and Too Many Crooks. Adopted after his 16-year-old mother abandoned him, at a crisis in his family life when he was 14 he ran away to Blackpool and got an acting job. Actor-director Alistair Sim soon afterwards effectively adopted him and his mother, coaching the boy and appearing with him in several movies. His range was far wider than many may realise, from Shakespeare to musicals via horror films, radio comedies and even a star turn as Sir Giles in Blott on the Landscape, when he carried off a nude scene with aplomb. But we’ll remember him as the shifty Flash Harry of St Trinian’s, and the shiftier Arthur Daley of Minder fame, brilliant characters created by brilliant character acting.

More about George Cole

Previous heroes of the hour

More British Heroes

Brit Quote:
Life has a practice of living you, if you don't live it. - Philip Larkin
More Quotes

On this day:
Tolpuddle Martyrs Sentenced - 1834, Argentine Forces land on South Georgia - 1982
More dates from British history

click here to view all the British counties

County Pages