Wilfrid Brambell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilfrid Brambell
Brambell in 1966 (photo by Duffy)
Born	Henry Wilfrid Brambell (1912-03-22)22 March 1912 Dublin, Ireland
Died	18 January 1985(1985-01-18) (aged 72) London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1930–1985
Spouse(s)	Mary Josephine Hall ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1955)​

Wilfrid Brambell (born March 22, 1912 – died January 18, 1985) was an Irish actor. He was famous for playing Albert Steptoe, a rag-and-bone man, in the TV show Steptoe and Son. He also appeared with the Beatles in their movie A Hard Day's Night, playing Paul McCartney's grandfather.

Early Life and Acting Start

Wilfrid Brambell was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was the youngest of three brothers. His father worked at the Guinness Brewery, and his mother was an opera singer.

Wilfrid started acting as a child. He performed for soldiers during World War I. After school, he worked as a reporter and acted in plays. He later became a professional actor. During World War II, he joined ENSA, an organization that entertained British troops.

Wilfrid Brambell's Acting Career

Wilfrid Brambell started acting in films and on TV in 1947. He often played older men, even when he was only in his forties. For example, he played Jacob, an immigrant selling newspapers in Paris, in an episode of Maigret.

He also appeared in the film In Search of the Castaways in 1962. Wilfrid also sang on two 45-rpm records. These songs, "Second Hand" and "Rag Time Ragabone Man", were inspired by his character in Steptoe and Son.

Wilfrid was also a well-known stage actor. In 1966, he played Ebenezer Scrooge in a musical version of A Christmas Carol. His deep voice surprised many listeners, as it was very different from his TV character. In 1971, he starred in the play The Banana Box. This play later became the TV show Rising Damp.

Steptoe and Son and The Beatles Film

Wilfrid's ability to play older characters led to his most famous role. He played Albert Steptoe, the grumpy father in Steptoe and Son. When the show began, Albert was supposed to be in his sixties, but Wilfrid was only 50. His co-star, Harry H. Corbett, played his son Harold.

The TV show ran from 1962 to 1974. A running joke in the series was Harold calling Albert a "dirty old man." This happened, for example, when Albert ate pickled onions in the bath and picked up dropped onions from the bathwater. The show was so popular that it led to two movies and an American version called Sanford and Son.

The success of Steptoe and Son made Wilfrid very famous. This helped him get a role in the Beatles' first movie, A Hard Day's Night (1964). He played Paul McCartney's grandfather. In the movie, his character was joked about as being "a very clean old man." This was the opposite of his "dirty old man" character in Steptoe and Son.

In real life, Wilfrid was very different from Albert Steptoe. He was well-dressed and spoke clearly. He had a proper English accent, which was different from his Cockney accent in Steptoe and Son and his natural Irish accent. In 1965, Wilfrid decided he did not want to do another series of Steptoe and Son. He went to New York City to act in a musical called Kelly, but it only had one performance.

Later Acting Roles

After Steptoe and Son ended in 1974, Wilfrid had guest roles in films and on TV. He and Harry H. Corbett also toured Australia and New Zealand in 1977 with a stage show based on Steptoe and Son.

Wilfrid appeared in many films. In 1982, he was in Terence Davies' film Death and Transfiguration. His performance in The Terence Davies Trilogy (1983) was highly praised. He appeared throughout the 24-minute film but did not say a single word.

Wilfrid Brambell's Personal Life

In 1982, Wilfrid Brambell spoke on BBC News about the death of his co-star, Harry H. Corbett. He was very sad about it.

A documentary film in 2002, When Steptoe Met Son, talked about Wilfrid and Harry's relationship off-screen. It suggested they did not get along well after their Australian tour. However, the writers of Steptoe and Son, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, disagreed. Harry Corbett's nephew also said they did not hate each other. He explained they spent a lot of time together in Australia and continued to work together later.

Wilfrid Brambell was married to Mary "Molly" Josephine Hall from 1948 to 1955.

Death

Wilfrid Brambell died from cancer at his home in London on January 18, 1985. He was 72 years old. He was cremated on January 25, 1985, at Streatham Park Cemetery. Only six people attended his funeral, including his brother, his partner Raymond, and the writers of Steptoe and Son.

Legacy

The Curse of Steptoe is a BBC TV play about Wilfrid Brambell and Harry H. Corbett. It was shown on March 19, 2008, on BBC Four. Phil Davis played Wilfrid Brambell in the show. The first broadcast had the highest audience numbers for the channel at that time.

Filmography