Occupation actor Parents Thomas Comer, Mary Comer Role Actor | Name John Comer Years active 1940's - 1984 Siblings Tony Comer | |
 | ||
Died February 11, 1984, England, United Kingdom Movies and TV shows Last of the Summer Wine, There's a Girl in My Soup, The Family Way, I Didn't Know You Cared, Heavens Above! Similar People Joe Gladwin, Michael Aldridge, Roy Clarke, Trevor Bannister, Sable | ||
Comer Family Memorial
John Comer (1 March 1924 – 11 February 1984) was a British comic actor. He starred in the television series I Didn't Know You Cared, Last of the Summer Wine and All Our Saturdays.
Contents
Early life
Born and brought up in Stretford, Lancashire, Comer gained an engineering apprenticeship at Metropolitan-Vickers, Trafford Park.
Early career
Comer began his career performing a comedy routine around local social clubs and pubs in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1952, with his younger brother Tony, he performed in a children's theatre production for local schools in Stretford. The siblings then formed a double act named the Comer Brothers. In 1957 the brothers began a regular slot at the Manchester Apollo, performing a variety act entitled Comer's Cottage.
In 1958 the Comer Brothers participated in an ITV talent show called Bid for Fame and began working for Butlin's. In 1959 they won first prize in the Butlin's National Talent Contest, winning £1,000 and a film contract with the Boulting Brothers.
Success
In 1959 the Boulting Brothers cast John and Tony Comer in the film I'm All Right Jack, in which they starred alongside Peter Sellers and Richard Attenborough as trade union shop stewards. Their next film roles were in 1961, when they featured alongside Rita Tushingham in A Taste of Honey. However shortly afterwards Tony decided to leave showbusiness and returned to full-time work at Metropolitan-Vickers, while John decided to continue pursuing his film career. He appeared in the Boulting Brothers' 1967 film The Family Way as a father-of-the-bride to Hayley Mills's character, whose father John Mills portrayed her father-in-law.
He gained a recurring role in 1973 as the primary supporting role of Sid in the new BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. He also starred in a long-running advertising campaign for Home Brew Beer. 1977 saw him appear as Bill Malley in the BBC series "Murder Most English".
Death
Comer died of throat cancer in 1984, at the age of 59. The disease had so affected his voice that in his final television appearance, as cafe owner Sid, in the Last of the Summer Wine Christmas film Getting Sam Home, his lines had to be dubbed by another actor, Tony Melody. His funeral was held at Carleton Crematorium, Blackpool, where he is commemorated at rose-bed no. 18. After the death of Comer's wife, Mollie, in 2010, his estate was finalised; in 2013 the Comer family donated £245,000 to the hospice in Blackpool where John Comer was treated before his death.
Filmography
Actor
1973
Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) as
Sid
- Getting Sam Home (1983) - Sid
- The Arts of Concealment (1983) - Sid
- The Waist Land (1983) - Sid
- The White Man's Grave (1983) - Sid
- The Frozen Turkey Man (1983) - Sid
- All Mod Conned (1982) - Sid
- From Wellies to Wet Suit (1982) - Sid
- Serenade for Tight Jeans and Metal Detector (1982) - Sid
- One of the Last Few Places Unexplored by Man (1982) - Sid
- A Bicycle Made for Three (1982) - Sid
- The Odd Dog Men (1982) - Sid
- Car and Garter (1982) - Sid
- In the Service of Humanity (1982) - Sid
- Whoops (1981) - Sid
- And a Dewhurst Up a Fir Tree (1979) - Sid
- Here We Go Again into the Wild Blue Yonder (1979) - Sid
- Here We Go into the Wild Blue Yonder (1979) - Sid
- Earnshaw Strikes Again (1979) - Sid
- Deep in the Heart of Yorkshire (1979) - Sid
- The Flag and Further Snags (1979) - Sid
- The Flag and Its Snag (1979) - Sid
- Small Tune on a Penny Wassail (1978) - Sid
- A Merry Heatwave (1978) - Sid
- Who Made a Bit of a Splash in Wales Then? (1977) - Sid
- Flower Power Cut (1977) - Sid
- Jubilee (1977) - Sid
- Getting on Sidney's Wire (1977) - Sid
- Ferret Come Home (1977) - Sid
- Isometrics and After (1976) - Sid
- The Kink in Foggy's Niblick (1976) - Sid
- Cheering Up Gordon (1976) - Sid
- The Great Boarding-House Bathroom Caper (1976) - Sid
- Mending Stuart's Leg (1976) - Sid
- The Man from Oswestry (1976) - Sid
- Northern Flying Circus (1975) - Sid
- Ballad for Wind Instruments and Canoe (1975) - Sid
- Some Enchanted Evening (1975) - Sid
- The Changing Face of Rural Blamire (1975) - Sid
- Who's That Dancing with Nora Batty Then? (1975) - Sid
- Forked Lightning (1975) - Sid
- Hail Smiling Morn or Thereabouts (1973) - Sid
- The 30's Car (1973) - Sid
- Compo's Suit (1973) - Sid
- Pâté and Chips (1973) - Sid
- Inventor of the Forty Foot Ferret (1973) - Sid
- The Lost Key (1973) - Sid
1981
Memoirs of a Survivor as
Man delivering Emily
1981
The Good Companions (TV Mini Series) as
Herbert Dulver
- A Wind in the Triangle (1981) - Herbert Dulver
1980
The Boy Who Never Was (TV Movie) as
News Agent
1980
Nice Work (TV Series) as
Mr. Blundell
- And Unto Us, and Them, a Child Is Born (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- A Slight Squeamishness (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- Edwin's Day (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- The Hoodlum (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- Kill the Fatted Hen (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- Rules of the Game (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- Time and Emotion (1980) - Mr. Blundell
- Whose Puncture Is It, Anyway? (1980) - Mr. Blundell
1980
Bernie (TV Series)
- Episode #2.3 (1980)
1980
The Likes of Sykes (TV Movie)
1975
I Didn't Know You Cared (TV Series) as
Mr Brandon / Mr. Brandon
- The Great Day (1979) - Mr Brandon
- What's in a Name (1979) - Mr Brandon
- The Great Escape (1979) - Mr Brandon
- Don't Answer That (1979) - Mr Brandon
- A Tip Top Day (1979) - Mr Brandon
- Love Is a Many Splendoured Thing (1979) - Mr Brandon
- The Love Match (1979) - Mr Brandon
- The Last Tram (1978) - Mr Brandon
- Paradise Lost (1978) - Mr Brandon
- Stout Deeds (1978) - Mr Brandon
- A Bleak Day (1978) - Mr Brandon
- Party Games (1978) - Mr Brandon
- A Grave Decision (1978) - Mr Brandon
- Men at Work (1978) - Mr Brandon
- Good Wood, God! (1976) - Mr. Brandon
- You Should See Me Now (1976) - Mr Brandon
- A Signal Disaster (1976) - Mr Brandon
- A Woman's Work (1976) - Mr Brandon
- Chez Us (1976) - Mr Brandon
- The Way My Wife Looks at Me (1976) - Mr Brandon
- The Axe and Cleaver (1975) - Mr Brandon
- Large or Small, Big or Tall (1975) - Mr Brandon
- Aye- Well- Mm- (1975) - Mr Brandon
- After the Ball Was Over (1975) - Mr Brandon
- The Old Tin Trunk (1975) - Mr Brandon
- A Knitter in the Family (1975) - Mr Brandon
- Cause for Celebration (1975) - Mr Brandon
1978
All Creatures Great and Small (TV Series) as
Mr. Dimmock
- The Name of the Game (1978) - Mr. Dimmock
1976
Potter's Picture Palace (TV Series) as
Sidney Bogart
- Down Memory Lane (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- Gone Dancing (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- The Girl Friend (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- One of Our Spaceships Is Missing (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- The Great Escape (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- Gold Fever (1978) - Sidney Bogart
- King Kong Phooey (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- Gums (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- The Mouse That Snored (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- The Night of the Triffids (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- The Little Dictator (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- The Phantom of the Palace (1976) - Sidney Bogart
- That Darned Kid! (1976) - Sidney Bogart
1977
The Quality Connection (Short) as
Charlie
1977
Premiere (TV Series) as
Dad
- A Little Outing (1977) - Dad
1977
The Fuzz (TV Series) as
Granville Talbot
- Pending Further Enquiries (1977) - Granville Talbot
1977
Murder Most English: A Flaxborough Chronicle (TV Series) as
Sergeant Malley
- Coffin Scarcely Used: Part 1 (1977) - Sergeant Malley
- The Flaxborough Crab: Part 2 (1977) - Sergeant Malley
- The Flaxborough Crab: Part 1 (1977) - Sergeant Malley
- Hopjoy Was Here: Part 2/Lonelyheart 4122: Part 1 (1977) - Sergeant Malley
- Hopjoy Was Here: Part 1 (1977) - Sergeant Malley
1977
Survivors (TV Series) as
Les Norton
- Long Live the King (1977) - Les Norton
1977
Beryl's Lot (TV Series) as
George Hotten / Plasterer
- Episode #3.9 (1977) - George Hotten
- Episode #3.6 (1977) - Plasterer
1976
Orde Wingate (TV Series) as
Comedian
- If I Forget Thee O Jerusalem (1976) - Comedian
1975
Centre Play (TV Series) as
Arnold
- Our Terry (1975) - Arnold
1975
Emmerdale Farm (TV Series) as
Ernie Shuttleworth
- Episode #1.256 (1975) - Ernie Shuttleworth
- Episode #1.255 (1975) - Ernie Shuttleworth
- Episode #1.242 (1975) - Ernie Shuttleworth
1975
The Life of Riley (TV Series) as
George Pollitt
- Double Time (1975) - George Pollitt
- Uneasy Riders (1975) - George Pollitt
- Oh! Sister (1975) - George Pollitt
- The Staff Dance (1975) - George Pollitt
- The Arrival (1975) - George Pollitt
1974
South Riding (TV Mini Series) as
Bill Heyer
- Give Us This Day (1974) - Bill Heyer
- Forgive Us Our Trespasses (1974) - Bill Heyer
- The Number of Our Days (1974) - Bill Heyer
- Beggars and Choosers (1974) - Bill Heyer
- The Facts of Life (1974) - Bill Heyer
- A Time to Live and a Time to Die (1974) - Bill Heyer
- Those for, and Those Against (1974) - Bill Heyer
1972
Play for Today (TV Series) as
Billy Crane / Mr. Calthrop / George / ...
- Leeds United! (1974) - Billy Crane
- Song at Twilight (1973) - Mr. Calthrop
- Kisses at Fifty (1973) - George
- The Fishing Party (1972) - Teaman
1974
The Tommy Cooper Hour (TV Series) as
Train Conductor
- 24 April 1974 (1974) - Train Conductor
1973
Billy Liar (TV Series) as
Mr. Sissons
- Billy and the Party Spirit (1973) - Mr. Sissons
1972
Thirty Minutes Worth (TV Series)
- Episode #3.4 (1973)
- Episode #1.7 (1972)
1973
The Lovers! as
Geoffrey's Dad
1973
ITV Saturday Night Theatre (TV Series)
- Passengers (1973)
1973
Crown Court (TV Series) as
Police Sergeant Kershaw / Constable Kershaw
- The Long-Haired Leftie: Part 3 (1973) - Police Sergeant Kershaw
- The Long-Haired Leftie: Part 2 (1973) - Police Sergeant Kershaw
- The Long-Haired Leftie: Part 1 (1973) - Police Sergeant Kershaw
- The Mugging of Arthur Simmons: Part 3 (1973) - Constable Kershaw
- The Mugging of Arthur Simmons: Part 2 (1973) - Constable Kershaw
1968
ITV Playhouse (TV Series) as
Leslie / Jacko / Bert
- Vinegar Trip (1973) - Leslie
- The Panel (1971) - Jacko
- The Best Pair of Legs in the Business (1968) - Bert
1970
The Flaxton Boys (TV Series) as
Jim Cooper / George Carmody
- 1945: This Little Piggy- (1973) - Jim Cooper
- 1890: The Solution (1970) - George Carmody
1973
All Our Saturdays (TV Series) as
Wilf
- When the Nobbling Had to Stop (1973) - Wilf
- Come Home Stan Maycock (1973) - Wilf
- The Ref Is Always Right? (1973) - Wilf
- 100 Years of Outstanding Underthings (1973) - Wilf
- The Unhappy Hooker (1973) - Wilf
- Charity Meets Its Match (1973) - Wilf
1973
The Adventures of Black Beauty (TV Series) as
Mr. Binns
- Sailor on a Horse (1973) - Mr. Binns
1973
Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) as
Sid
- Of Funerals and Fish (1973) - Sid
1972
Dr. Phibes Rises Again as
Ship's Officer (uncredited)
1972
Bless This House (TV Series) as
Barman
- Wives and Lovers (1972) - Barman
- Love Me, Love My Tree (1972) - Barman
1972
The Last of the Baskets (TV Series) as
Coach Driver
- Good Queen Bess Slept Here (1972) - Coach Driver
1971
Cry of the Penguins as
Police Sergeant
1971
Suspicion (TV Series) as
Bishop
- No Case to Answer (1971) - Bishop
1971
Father, Dear Father (TV Series) as
Removal Man
- The Last of the Red Hot Mommas (1971) - Removal Man
1971
Hine (TV Series) as
Arthur
- Comrades in Arms (1971) - Arthur
1971
Villain as
Waiter at House of Commons (uncredited)
1971
On the House (TV Series) as
Jones
- Are You Giving Me the Business? (1971) - Jones
1971
The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder (TV Series) as
Bigelow
- The Duke (1971) - Bigelow
1971
The More We Are Together (TV Series)
- Don't Invite Crime (1971)
1970
Wuthering Heights
1970
There's a Girl in My Soup as
John, the porter
1970
Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) as
Watkins
- Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Meets a Man Going to St. Ives (1970) - Watkins
1970
Grady (TV Series) as
Arnold Smith
- Somebody Else's War (1970) - Arnold Smith
1970
A Family at War (TV Series) as
Taxi Driver
- The Gate of the Year (1970) - Taxi Driver
1970
For the Love of Ada (TV Series) as
Eddie
- The Permissive Society (1970) - Eddie
1970
The Dustbinmen (TV Series) as
1st Policeman
- Cheese and Egg Becomes Holy (1970) - 1st Policeman
1970
Doomwatch (TV Series) as
Jack
- The Devil's Sweets (1970) - Jack
1970
The Wednesday Play (TV Series) as
Warrant officer
- The Hunting of Lionel Crane (1970) - Warrant officer
1969
Castle Haven (TV Series) as
Sid Buller
- Episode dated 30 September 1969 (1969) - Sid Buller
- Episode dated 1 July 1969 (1969) - Sid Buller
1969
The Battle of Britain as
Policeman (uncredited)
1969
Nearest and Dearest (TV Series) as
Policeman
- Breach of the Peace (1969) - Policeman
1968
The First Lady (TV Series) as
Ted Kirby / Bert Webster
- In Shocking Taste (1969) - Ted Kirby
- Vacancy (1968) - Bert Webster
1969
Fraud Squad (TV Series) as
Sergeant Lister
- Last Exit to Liechtenstein (1969) - Sergeant Lister
1969
The Avengers (TV Series) as
Groom
- Take-Over (1969) - Groom
1968
Happy Deathday as
Briggs
1968
Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) as
Greengrocer / Lawson
- Berserk (1968) - Greengrocer
- The Hard Way (1968) - Lawson
1968
Z Cars (TV Series) as
Mr. Salter / Charlie Cook
- It's a Sort of Game: Part 2 (1968) - Mr. Salter
- It's a Sort of Game: Part 1 (1968) - Mr. Salter
- Inside Information: Part 2 (1968) - Charlie Cook
- Inside Information: Part 1 (1968) - Charlie Cook
1962
Coronation Street (TV Series) as
Wilf Jones / Mr. Birtles / Taxi Driver
- Episode #1.768 (1968) - Wilf Jones
- Episode #1.767 (1968) - Wilf Jones
- Episode #1.764 (1968) - Wilf Jones
- Episode #1.763 (1968) - Wilf Jones
- Episode #1.762 (1968) - Wilf Jones
- Episode #1.473 (1965) - Taxi Driver
- Episode #1.222 (1963) - Mr. Birtles
- Episode #1.207 (1962) - Mr. Birtles
1968
Sam and Janet (TV Series) as
Det-Sgt Runcorn
- Episode #2.4 (1968) - Det-Sgt Runcorn
1968
Softly Softly (TV Series) as
George Boscombe
- Complaint (1968) - George Boscombe
1968
City '68 (TV Series)
- The Visitors (1968)
1967
Love Story (TV Series) as
Bill Turpin
- Out of Sight, Out of Mind (1967) - Bill Turpin
1967
The Fellows (TV Series) as
Prisoner / Police Sergeant
- No Cage for This Bird (1967) - Prisoner
- Arson (1967) - Police Sergeant
1967
Turn Out the Lights (TV Series) as
Policeman
- You Can't Get the Wood (1967) - Policeman
1966
ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) as
Policeman / First passenger / Ephraim Cotton
- Love on the Dole (1967) - Policeman
- Stories of D.H. Lawrence #5: Tickets Please/Monkey Nuts (1966) - First passenger
- Stories of D.H. Lawrence #2: Daughters of the Vicar (1966) - Ephraim Cotton
1966
The Family Way as
Leslie Piper
1966
The Man in Room 17 (TV Series) as
Sgt. Thomas Lynch
- The Standard (1966) - Sgt. Thomas Lynch
1966
Pardon the Expression (TV Series) as
Police Constable
- January Sale (1966) - Police Constable
1965
Rotten to the Core as
Police Sergeant (uncredited)
1964
The Counterfeit Constable as
Police Constable on Gate Security
1964
It's Dark Outside (TV Series) as
Constable
- The Grim World of the Brothers Tulk (1964) - Constable
1963
Friday Night (TV Series) as
Bus conductor / 1st Dealer
- Plastic Mac in Winter (1963) - Bus conductor
- The Last Big Deal of Dekker Arkwright (1963) - 1st Dealer
1963
Heavens Above! as
Butcher
1963
ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series) as
2nd Workman
- There's No Room for You Here for a Start (1963) - 2nd Workman
1960
Hell Is a City as
Plainclothes Police Driver (uncredited)
1959
I'm All Right Jack as
Shop Steward
Self
1956
Bid for Fame (TV Series) as
Self
Archive Footage
2003
30 Years of 'Last of the Summer Wine' (TV Movie documentary)
References
John Comer Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA