Name Christopher Strauli | Role Film actor Spouse Lesley Pottle (m. 1977) | |
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Years active Since 1969 (for film and television) Children Dominic Strauli, Barnaby Strauli, Hanneli Strauli, Belinda Strauli Movies and TV shows Similar People Anthony Valentine, Eric Chappell, Joseph McGrath, Desmond Davis, Douglas Walton | ||
Christopher Strauli (born 13 April 1946) is an English film, television and theatre actor. He is most known for appearing as Norman Binns in the British (Yorkshire TV) sitcom Only When I Laugh.
Contents
Early life and education
He was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.
Strauli was educated at Felixstowe Grammar School in Felixstowe, Suffolk. After teacher-training college he gave up a career as a mathematics and science teacher to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Career
Following his education spent some years at the Bristol Old Vic, before earning some minor and supporting television roles.
Since 1969, Strauli has appeared in at least two films and over twenty-five television productions.
Strauli played Bunny Manders, the assistant to A.J. Raffles, the gentleman thief in the Yorkshire Television series Raffles (1975–1977). He later appeared as feeble hospital patient Norman Binns in the ITV sitcom Only When I Laugh, occupying a bed in a ward next to characters played by James Bolam and Peter Bowles and attended by doctor Richard Wilson. Strauli was then recruited by the show's writer, Eric Chappell, to replace Richard Beckinsale in the film version of Rising Damp (another of Chappell's shows) as a new character, John, an art student.
He appeared as a leading character, Paul Hatfield, in ITV sitcom Full House (known as Mixed Doubles in the United States) (1985) and also featured in some of Victoria Wood's sketch shows. In recent years he has concentrated predominantly on theatre work.
Strauli also appeared in the television serial of Fortunes of War and the TV movie S.O.S. Titanic.
Filmography
Actor
2004
Waking the Dead (TV Series) as
Duncan Sanderson MP
- False Flag: Part 2 (2004) - Duncan Sanderson MP
- False Flag: Part 1 (2004) - Duncan Sanderson MP
2001
Representative Radio as
Donald
2000
Doctors (TV Series) as
Paul Woodford
- God's Gift (2000) - Paul Woodford
2000
Down to Earth (TV Series) as
Mr. Bell
- The Great Escape (2000) - Mr. Bell
1989
T.Bag and the Revenge of the T.Set (TV Series) as
King Leopold
- Anastasia (1989) - King Leopold
1989
Bergerac (TV Series) as
Nigel Smith
- Tangos in the Night (1989) - Nigel Smith
1987
Fortunes of War (TV Mini Series) as
Toby Lush
- Egypt: April 1941 (1987) - Toby Lush
- Greece: October 1940 (1987) - Toby Lush
- Romania: June 1940 (1987) - Toby Lush
1986
Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV (TV Series) as
Graham
- Episode #2.5 (1986) - Graham
1985
Mixed Doubles (TV Series) as
Paul Hatfield
- And Baby Makes Five (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- If at First You Don't Succeed (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- Old Scores (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- The Facts of Life (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- All Play and No Work (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- It's in the Book (1986) - Paul Hatfield
- May the Best Man Win (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- The Mating Game (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- TV or Not TV (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Semper Fidelis (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- It's a Steal (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Home Is Where the Art Is (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Where There's a Will (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Baby Talk (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Such Sweet Sorrow (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Little Secrets (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- It's Only Money (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- Promises, Promises (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- And Mother Came Too (1985) - Paul Hatfield
- First Time Buyers (1985) - Paul Hatfield
1985
Lytton's Diary (TV Series) as
Lord Henry Rimmer
- Come uppance (1985) - Lord Henry Rimmer
1985
View It Yourself Video (Video short)
1985
Summer Season (TV Series) as
Captain Miller
- A Crack in the Ice (1985) - Captain Miller
1985
Dempsey and Makepeace (TV Series) as
James Bessel
- Lucky Streak (1985) - James Bessel
1984
Strangers and Brothers (TV Series) as
Father Ailwyn
- Episode #1.13 (1984) - Father Ailwyn
1979
Only When I Laugh (TV Series) as
Norman / Norman Binns
- The Reunion (1982) - Norman
- When Did You Last See Your Father? (1982) - Norman
- Escape (1982) - Norman
- In Sickness & in Health (1982) - Norman
- All in the Mind (1982) - Norman
- Conduct Unbecoming (1982) - Norman
- Blood Brothers (1982) - Norman
- Away for Christmas (1981) - Norman Binns
- These You Have Loved (1981) - Norman
- Dear Diary (1981) - Norman
- Accident (1981) - Norman
- Postman's Knock (1981) - Norman
- Adam's Rib (1981) - Norman
- The Right Honourable Gentleman (1981) - Norman
- A Day in the Life Of (1981) - Norman
- Last Tango (1980) - Norman
- The Lost Sheep (1980) - Norman
- The Visitors (1980) - Norman
- The Cosmic Influence (1980) - Norman
- It Can Damage Your Health (1980) - Norman
- Where There's a Will (1980) - Norman
- Whatever Happened to Gloria Robins? (1980) - Norman
- Is There a Doctor in the House? (1979) - Norman
- Tangled Web (1979) - Norman
- Let Them Eat Cake (1979) - Norman
- The Man with the Face (1979) - Norman
- The Rumour (1979) - Norman
- Operation Norman (1979) - Norman
- A Bed with a View (1979) - Norman
1980
BBC2 Playhouse (TV Series) as
Arthur Symons / Richard Latt
- Aubrey (1982) - Arthur Symons
- Gentle Folk (1980) - Richard Latt
1980
Leap in the Dark (TV Series) as
Bernard Charlton
- Room for an Inward Light (1980) - Bernard Charlton
1980
Rising Damp as
John
1979
S.O.S. Titanic (TV Movie) as
Wireless Operator: Harold Cottam (Carpathia)
1978
The BBC Television Shakespeare (TV Series) as
Claudio / Benvolio
- Measure for Measure (1979) - Claudio
- Romeo & Juliet (1978) - Benvolio
1978
BBC2 Play of the Week (TV Series) as
Robin
- For Tea on Sunday (1978) - Robin
1977
Eustace and Hilda (TV Series) as
Eustace
- Eustace and Hilda (1977) - Eustace
- The Sixth Heaven (1977) - Eustace
1975
Raffles (TV Series) as
Bunny Manders
- An Old Flame (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Gift of the Emperor (1977) - Bunny Manders
- Home Affairs (1977) - Bunny Manders
- Mr Justice Raffles (1977) - Bunny Manders
- A Bad Night (1977) - Bunny Manders
- To Catch a Thief (1977) - Bunny Manders
- A Trap to Catch a Cracksman (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Last Laugh (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Chest of Silver (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Gold Cup (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Spoils of Sacrilege (1977) - Bunny Manders
- A Costume Piece (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The First Step (1977) - Bunny Manders
- The Amateur Cracksman (1975) - Bunny Manders
1976
Warship (TV Series) as
Lt. Cavan
- The Buccaneer (1976) - Lt. Cavan
1975
Angels (TV Series) as
Brian Hollis
- Linda (1975) - Brian Hollis
1975
Raffles (TV Movie) as
Bunny Manders
1975
Edward the King (TV Mini Series) as
Winston Churchill
- Good Old Teddy! (1975) - Winston Churchill
1973
Harriet's Back in Town (TV Series) as
Chris Pearson
1971
Owen, M.D. (TV Series) as
David
- The Long Days of Summer, Part 2 (1971) - David
- The Long Days of Summer, Part 1 (1971) - David
1970
A Family at War (TV Series) as
Teddy Main
- The Forty-Eight Hour Pass (1970) - Teddy Main
1969
BBC Play of the Month (TV Series) as
Slaves, Citizens and Soldiers
- Julius Caesar (1969) - Slaves, Citizens and Soldiers
Self
2019
The Comedy Years (TV Series documentary) as
Self / Norman Binns
- 1979 (2019) - Self / Norman Binns
2016
Rising Damp Forever (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Self / John, Rising Damp: The Movie
- Episode #1.2 (2016) - Self / John, Rising Damp: The Movie
2002
This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Ian Lavender (2002) - Self
1984
Names and Games (TV Mini Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.1 (1984) - Self (as Chris Strauli)
1980
3-2-1 (TV Series) as
Self - Guest Star
- The Sea (1980) - Self - Guest Star
Archive Footage
2023
One Foot in the Grave: 30 Years of Laughs (TV Movie documentary) as
Norman (uncredited)
2020
Victoria Wood: The Secret List (TV Series) as
Graham
- Episode #1.2 (2020) - Graham (uncredited)
2010
The Many Faces of... (TV Series documentary) as
Norman
- Richard Wilson (2010) - Norman (uncredited)
2000
I Love a 1970's Christmas (TV Special documentary)
References
Christopher Strauli Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA