Michael Bates (actor)

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Michael Hammond BatesTemplate:Citation needed (4 December 1920 – 11 January 1978)<ref name=BFI>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was a British actor, born in colonial India. He was best known for his roles as Chief Guard Barnes in A Clockwork Orange (1971), Cyril Blamire on Last of the Summer Wine (1973–1975), and Rangi Ram on It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1977).

Early life

Bates was born in Jhansi, United Provinces, India (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India).<ref name="BFI" /> His parents were of Cheshire families; his father, Henry Stuart "Harry" Bates (March 16 1893–September 1 1985), son of Albert Bates, of Congleton, Cheshire,<ref name="kelly">Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes, 1969, pg. 224</ref><ref>Who Was Who: A Companion to Who's Who, 2002, pg. 50</ref> was educated at Denstone School and Cambridge University before entering the Indian Civil Service in 1920. He served as Deputy Secretary of the Revenue Department and a Member of the Board of Revenue for the United Provinces of India until 1947 (in which year he was created CSI) and was later of the Colonial Office.<ref name="Debrett's Peerage 1973">Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage and Companionage, Kelly's Directories, 1973, p. 2474</ref><ref>Who's Who, A. & C. Black, 1968, p. 183</ref> Bates's mother, Sarah Clarke Walker (June 19 1896–from October to December 1982) was daughter of William Hammond Walker (1851-19 May 1904), also of Congleton.<ref name=kelly/>

Having been sent home to England aged seven by his parents,<ref>Last of the Summer Wine: The Inside Story of the World's Longest-Running Comedy Series, Andrew Vine, Aurum Press, 2011</ref> Bates was educated at Uppingham School and his father's alma mater, St Catharine's College, Cambridge.<ref name="Debrett's Peerage 1973"/> He was commissioned in the Indian Army in March 1942.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> During World War II he served in the Burma Campaign as a major with the 3rd Battalion, The 9th Gurkha Rifles,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was mentioned in dispatches in 1944.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Career

In 1953, while an ensemble member with the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, Bates appeared in Richard III and All's Well That Ends Well.

In 1956, Bates appeared in Hotel Paradiso (L'Hôtel du libre échange), which starred Alec Guinness, at the Winter Garden Theatre in London. On radio, he played a variety of characters in the BBC's long-running comedy series The Navy Lark, including Able Seaman Ginger, Lieutenant Bates, Rear Admiral Ironbridge, the Padre, and Captain Ignatius Aloysius Atchison.

Bates appeared in many British television series, including Last of the Summer Wine from 1973 to 1975 (as Cyril Blamire) and It Ain't Half Hot Mum from 1974 to 1977 (as Rangi Ram).

Bates's film roles include Bedazzled (1967) as the flirtatious police inspector, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967) as Mr. McGregor, Battle of Britain (1969) as Warrant Officer Warwick, Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) as a Lance-Corporal, Patton (1970) as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery (to whom he bore a striking resemblance), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Frenzy (1972). On stage, he played Shakespearean roles at Stratford and at the Old Vic and made a big impression as Inspector Truscott in the West End production of Loot by Joe Orton in 1966.

Personal life

In 1954, Bates married Margaret M. J. Chisholm. They had three children.<ref>Who's Who in the Theatre, 1977, pg. 391</ref>

Bates was a supporter of the Conservative Party. Peter Sallis described Bates as being "slightly to the right of Thatcher” politically and said that Bates's right-wing opinions contrasted so sharply with the left-wing views of fellow Last of the Summer Wine star Bill Owen that the series was almost not made because of their arguments.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Bates died of cancer on 11 January 1978 at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, London, aged 57.<ref name=BFI /><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Bates had reportedly started to suffer from a rapid health decline around eighteen months before his death.<ref name=":0" /> He died shortly after the fifth series of It Ain't Half Hot Mum had been broadcast; his character was written out of the show with no explanation.<ref>page 414 Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy by Mark Lewisohn (2003)</ref>

Brownface allegations

His role as Rangi Ram led to the allegation that he had performed in brownface.<ref name="Comedy-Connections">See comments by actor Renu Setna in the documentary on Comedy Connections "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" (#5.3), original air date: 26 January 2007</ref> Series co-creator Jimmy Perry told Stuart Jeffries in 2003 that they had been unable to find a suitable Asian actor. "But Michael was ideal for the role", Perry said.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Interviewed by the journalist Neil Clark for The Daily Telegraph in 2013, Perry said that all Bates wore "was a light tan. He wasn't blacked up! Michael spoke fluent Urdu, and was a captain in the Gurkhas".<ref name="Clark2013">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Furness2013">Template:Cite news</ref> The show is not repeated in the UK by the BBC, who use the "blacked up" description of Bates's performance on their website's article about the series.<ref name="Clark2013" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The series has been repeatedly shown on the "That's TV (UK)" channel since the summer of 2023, with an on-screen 'disclaimer' at the beginning of each episode reminding viewers that it contains language and attitudes reflecting the era in which it was made.

Selected filmography

Film roles

Television roles

Year Title Role Notes
1953 The Appleyards Mr. Crump Episode: "The Problem of Joe"
1955-1958 ITV Television Playhouse Captain Alan Gerard/Sergeant Grey 2 episodes
BBC Sunday Night Theatre Maxwell Oliver/Starveling
1957 Television World Theatre Bardulph/Williams Episode: "The Life of Henry V"
1958 Dixon of Dock Green Jimmy Episode: "A Little Bit of Luck"
Ivanhoe Will the Simple Episode: "The Raven"
Saturday Playhouse Gregory Lupton/Colonel Lukyn 2 episodes
1959 World Theatre Old Colonel Episode: Mother Courage and Her Children
The Four Just Men Corporal Bates Episode: "The Deserter"
1960 No Hiding Place Alec Peters Episode: "Three Small Bones"
Boyd Q.C. Dr. Attard Episode: "The Little Man"
1960-1966 Emergency Ward 10 Joe Watson/James Wilberforce 9 episodes
1961 ITV Play of the Week Lieutenant-Commander Richard Stanford Episode: "The Flashing Stream"
1962 Tales of Mystery Arthur Vezin Episode: "Ancient Sorceries"
1963 The Saint Joe Episode: "The Fellow Traveller"
1965 Thursday Theatre Tommy Episode: "Photo Finish"
Cluff Inspector Mole Season 2
1965-1970 BBC Play of the Month Professor Godbole/Ronald Storrs 2 episodes
1966 Theatre 625 Shpichelsky Episode: "A Month in the Country"
1966-1969 The Wednesday Play Mike MacFarland/Joe 2 episodes
1968 Man in a Suitcase Delacroix Episode: "Blind Spot"
ITV Playhouse Mr. Ambekar/Harold Radcliff 2 episodes
Armchair Theatre Episode: "The Escape Club"
1968-1973 Comedy Playhouse Antrobus/Cyril Blamire 2 episodes
1969 The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder Ras Lal Punjabi Episode: "Sheer Melodrama"
1969-1972 ITV Saturday Night Theatre Various 3 episodes
1970 NBC Experiment in Television Eustace Cartwright Episode: "The Engagement"
Oh In Colour 1 episode
1970-1971 Mr Digby Darling Norman Stanhope 6 episodes
1970-1973 Thirty-Minute Theatre Captain Gambell/Mr. Lightfoot 2 episodes
1971 Man at the Top Tom Binsey Episode: "Too Good for This World"
Six Dates with Barker Gasman / Patient Episode: "1971: Come in and Lie Down"
The Misfit Sgt. Wilfreds Episode: "On Arrivals and Departures and Things in Between"
Play for Today Arthur Episode: "The Fox Trot"
Jason King Edward Episode: "As Easy as A.B.C."
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Colonel Sandstream Episode: "The Assyrian Rejuvenator"
1972 Budgie Minces Nutty Episode: "Louie the Ring is Dead and Buried in Kensal Green Cemetary"
Lollipop Loves Mr Mole Mr. Christmas Episode: "It's Only Natural Gas"
Public Eye George (Shopkeeper / Retired policeman) Episode: "Horse and Carriage"
The Stone Tape Eddie Holmes TV film
1973–1975 Last of the Summer Wine Cyril Blamire Seasons 1-2
1974 Fall of Eagles Von Ludendorff 2 episodes
The Dick Emery Show Horace Toombs/Veedo
1974–1977 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Bearer Rangi Ram Seasons 1-5
1975 Comedy Premiere Reg Forrester Episode: "Honey"

References

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