CHARLIE CONDOU - No.749

SPEAKING OF CHARLIE

alanhalsall: 1st day back at work today 4 over a month... Good to be back & had some goodies waiting 4 me! Thanks to @Charliecondou @DaddyNatal @JoTantum

ChadLDN: I just paid a voice over £250 for 12 words. Done in 2 min. That's £20.83 per word. Literally £125 per min. I wish I could talk pretty.

ChadLDN: Speaking of people who talk pretty that I pay too much - @jaytay1or @DanieCouchman @Charliecondou @David_Flynn

simonkaston: Always a joy to see @Charliecondou x

mcginn_ron: @Charliecondou do you where the jumper (with stars on it) you were wearing in corrie tonight is from? #swag

Charliecondou: @mcginn_ron top man

Beeckss_: I love Marcus #corrie

CHARLIE'S VIDEO COLLECTION ON DVD

According to Amazon and other reputable sellers of DVDs, most of Charlie's movies are 3 out of 5 stars. So do yourself a favour and check them out. The original Judge Dredd DVD is also available but it rates as 4 out of 5 stars!

VIDEO OF CHARLIE'S SPEECH
FROM STONEWALL CONFERENCE

Charlie Condou - Coronation Street actor and columnist - gives a keynote address at Stonewall's Workplace Conference in Manchester. Recorded on 14 June, 2013.

Charlie Condou - Stonewall Manchester Workplace Conference 2013

Press play:

MY REAL-LIFE ACTING COUSINS

Gordon Gostelow and Vivian Pickles

 Harry Gostelow

Gordon Gostelow (14 May 1925 – 3 June 2007) was a New Zealand born actor who grew up in Australia. Click HERE for Gordon's very extensive filmography. He was educated at North Sydney Boys High School and Sydney University where he graduated in Economics. Gostelow went to England in the mid-1950s and worked in the theatre (pantomime and comedy), including the Royal Shakespeare Company and various roles on British television. He played the part of Perks in the 1968 TV serial of The Railway Children. He played the character of Milo Clancey in the Doctor Who serial The Space Pirates in 1969, and the Duke of Medina Sidonia in Elizabeth R. 

Above: Gordon in an episode of The Saint where he played Rudolph Metz.

Above: Gordon in Dr Who where he played Milo Clancey in an episode called the Space Pirates.

In 1984, Gordon took the part of Alf Battle in the supermarket sitcom Tripper's Day. He appeared in a 1999 episode of Midsomer Murders, entitled "Death's Shadow". Coincidentally, Gordon was in two contrasting productions that included his wife, Vivian Pickles - the film Nicholas and Alexandra and an episode of Midsomer Murders, nearly 30 years later. Their son, Harry, went on to appear in two Midsomers himself.

Gordon's wife is actress Vivian Pickles. Click HERE to see her extensive filmography. 

Above: Vivian as Betty Smythe in The Avengers

Vivian began her career as a child star after being chosen by Mary Field for a series of Saturday Morning children's films, including the lead roles in Jean's Plan (1944) and the serial The Adventures of Peter Joe (1945). At the age of 14, she starred as Alice in George More O'Ferrall's BBC film of Alice in Wonderland which was broadcast live from Alexandra Palace in London. During this period, she acted at the Q Theatre in Vice Versa with Charles Hawtrey and made her West End debut as Wee Willie Winkie in Land of the Xmas Stocking at the Duke of York's Theatre, with Richard Goolden.

After being educated at Le Collège Feminin de Bouffément in Paris, she started her adult acting career in repertory and progressed to featured roles in West End revues. In 1952, she appeared with Roger Moore in I Capture the Castle at the Aldwych Theatre. The production won Roger Moore an MGM contract. When Moore left for Hollywood, Bill Travers assumed Moore's role.

In 1959, she worked with her future husband, Gordon Gostelow in Glimpse of the Sea by Willis Hall at the Lyric Theatre,Hammersmith. In February 1961, she appeared with Henry Kendall in the first performance of Pool's Paradise at the Phoenix Theatre. Pickles' imperious performance in the world première of John Osborne's Plays for England at the Royal Court Theatre (on 19 July 1962) garnered considerable attention as well as praise by Osborne in his autobiography, Looking Back. The following year, Pickles appeared with Peter O'Toole in London in Berthold Brecht's Baal at the Phoenix Theatre (in April 1963).

Hired by Ken Russell for a supporting role for the BBC film, Diary of a Nobody (1964), she graduated to the lead role in Russell's film about Isadora Duncan (Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1966)). She received several awards for her performance in that film, including Best Actress at the Monte Carlo International Festival. In 1967, she appeared in Giles Cooper's BBC adaptation ofEvelyn Waugh's Sword of Honour trilogy.

Her appearance in Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World helped Pickles win the role of Mrs. Chasen in Hal Ashby's cult classic Harold and Maude, playing Harold's weary mother. It is the only American-based film she has made to date. In the booklet accompanying the soundtrack album of the film, Ashby was quoted as saying: "Vivian Pickles is one of the finest actresses in the world. I'd seen the thing that she did for Ken Russell - 'Isadora'".

Another memorable performance on British television was as Mary, Queen of Scots, in Elizabeth R (1971). She was reunited on-screen with Glenda Jackson in John Schlesinger's film, Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971), in which she played the bohemian mother who employed Jackson as a babysitter. Other notable screen roles include Play Dirty (with Michael Caine); Nicholas and Alexandra, as well as two films for Lindsay Anderson — O Lucky Man!, in which she plays the good lady feeding the downtrodden in London, and the pivotal role of the Matron in Britannia Hospital (1982).

Her later television films include Alan Bennett's The Insurance Man (1986), with Daniel Day-Lewis and Jim Broadbent. On the stage, she worked again for Alan Bennett in the World-Premiere production of Kafka's Dick at the Royal Court Theatre. She can be seen in repeats of Midsomer Murders, and does radio work.

Above: Vivian in Midsomer Murders - Birds of Prey

Gordon and Vivian's only son, Harry Gostelow is also a successful actor in the UK. Click HERE for filmography. One of Harry's more international roles was in the award winning movie Shakespeare In Love. He, like his parents, has also appeared in Midsomer Murders playing Dr James Robertshaw in the episode: Birds of Prey

Above: Harry as Dr Robertshaw in Midsomer Murders - Birds of Prey


NoNoNannette30: @Confidential_CC re your acting cousins - Nice! I like to read stuff like that! ;)

*** BINKS ***

GriffRowland: My new acquisition. Muchos happy!

Confidential_CC: @GriffRowland it's the green pond alien on the counter, right? Very SPECIAL I'd like one. X

GriffRowland: @Confidential_CC It's more of a Scandinavian designed hot stand.

Confidential_CC: @GriffRowland still nice... It looks like a retro "binks" (jacks) pattern... Binks were a pop design when I was a kid x

MAJOR PAINS

Brendan_Surrey: train home from pet shop boys, who were amazing, general public, abominable

Confidential_CC: @Brendan_Surrey the lower ranked public are less fun than the generals x

Brendan_Surrey: @Confidential_CC Indeed they are! :o)

SALLY LIVES IN ARIZONA BUT ALL I KEPT SEEING WAS PUDDLES!

#PSYCHIC TOM

tnvol19: @Confidential_CC hi, Tommy. How are you doing today?

Confidential_CC: @tnvol19 am feeling ok today. Hope you are not melting into a puddle! Or has the dog done a wee?

tnvol19: @Confidential_CC lol! He's done a wee & an irrigation line has a small leak, if ur seeing puddles.!?!

TOM'S FAMILY AT WAR

SirThomasWynne: @nancycato1 Blog updates: FUN WITH TOM, DICK AND JAN - http://charlie-corrie-condou.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/charlie-condou-no748.html

nancycato: @SirThomasWynne : Great stuff Tom. Thank you! How's the health?

SirThomasWynne: @nancycato1 ok thanks how's u and your lot? Am in middle of peg wars at mo with g kid x

nancycato: @SirThomasWynne : Bet Grandkid wins!

SirThomasWynn:: @nancycato1 but of course, it's the LAW, isn't it?

nancycato: @SirThomasWynne : Whenever did the law stop YOU!

CHARLIE'S WEE FACE

Sparkle__Monkey: Look at his wee face, Awww @Charliecondou