Patrick Barlow (born Evan George Patrick Barlow , 18 March 1947 in Leicester , Leicestershire) is an English actor , comedian and playwright . His comedic alter ego, Desmond Olivier Dingle , is the founder, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the two-man National Theatre of Brent , which has performed on stage, on television and on radio.
Barlow is the scriptwriter, as well as lead performer, in many National Theatre of Brent productions, in particular All the World's a Globe (1987), Desmond Olivier Dingle's Compleat Life and Works of William Shakespeare (1995) and The Arts and How They Was Done (2007). In non-Theatre of Brent performances, he wrote and played in the four-part situation comedy for radio called The Patrick and Maureen Maybe Music Experience
He played the part of Om in the radio adaptation of Terry Pratchett 's Small Gods Robin Brooks .
Barlow played Bob whose character was besotted with his co-star Imelda Staunton , having already overcome unrequited love for another character, called Sarah (initially mistaken as Jacinta) who delivered the sandwiches in Is It Legal? (1995–1998), and played the part of the vicar in Jam & Jerusalem . He has also written and directed his National Theatre of Brent material for television, and played the part of Max in series 2 and the 2004 special of Absolutely Fabulous
Patrick Barlow wrote a stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock 's The 39 Steps which premiered in June 2005 at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. After revision, the play opened at London's Tricycle Theatre in August 2006, and after a successful run transferred to the Criterion Theatre in Piccadilly in September 2006. The play has also been performed on Broadway since early 2008, in Australia by the Melbourne Theatre Company in April 2008. and in Wellington, New Zealand, by Circa Theatre in July/August 2009 and in Bancroft, Ontario by Blackfly Theatre in July 2011. This play was performed in Ottawa, Ontario, by Seven Thirty Productions September 7--24, 2011 and in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by the Neptune Theatre in January–February 2015.
Barlow wrote the script for The Young Visiters Jim Broadbent co-starred with Hugh Laurie .
Most of his film work has been in small, cameo roles, for example:
Actor
2022
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (TV Mini Series) as
Wilfred Bragge
- Episode #1.3 (2022) - Wilfred Bragge
- Episode #1.1 (2022) - Wilfred Bragge
2018
A Very English Scandal (TV Mini Series) as
Captain Myers
- Episode #1.2 (2018) - Captain Myers
2011
Comic Relief: Uptown Downstairs Abbey (TV Movie) as
Carter
2010
Little Crackers (TV Series) as
Patrick
- Dawn French's Little Cracker: Operation Big Hat (2010) - Patrick
2009
Miranda (TV Series) as
Transformers Shop Assistant
- Date (2009) - Transformers Shop Assistant
2006
Clatterford (TV Series) as
Vicar / Hillary / The Vicar
- Missing Persons (2009) - Hillary
- Dinner Party (2009) - Hillary
- Working from Home (2009) - Hillary
- Easter (2009) - The Vicar
- Wedding (2008) - Vicar
- Match (2008) - Vicar
- Skirmish (2008) - Vicar
- Rambling (2008) - Vicar
- Website (2008) - Vicar
- Christmas Panto (2006) - Vicar
- Holy Potato (2006) - Vicar
- Problem Daughter (2006) - Vicar
- Beating the Bounds (2006) - Vicar
- Tea Room (2006) - Vicar
- Sudden Death (2006) - Vicar
2009
Brave Young Men (TV Movie) as
Melvin
2008
Midsomer Murders (TV Series) as
Maurice Morrison
- Blood Wedding (2008) - Maurice Morrison
2007
A Bucket o' French & Saunders (TV Series) - A Christmas Bucket o' French and Saunders (2007)
- Episode #1.4 (2007)
2007
Sensitive Skin (TV Series) as
Ed Hubler
- Here I Am (2007) - Ed Hubler
- Three Lost Loves (2007) - Ed Hubler
2006
Marple (TV Series) as
Mr. Timothy
- By the Pricking of My Thumbs (2006) - Mr. Timothy
2005
Shakespeare's Happy Endings (TV Movie) as
Professor Simon Starkman
1994
Absolutely Fabulous (TV Series) as
Max
- White Box (2004) - Max
- New Best Friend (1994) - Max
2004
Murder in Suburbia (TV Series) as
Redmond Appleby
- Applejacks (2004) - Redmond Appleby
2003
Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairy Tale (TV Movie) as
Plopqvist
1990
French and Saunders (TV Series) as
Various Characters / Various characters / Jeeves / ...
- French and Saunders Actually (2003)
- Celebrity Christmas Puddings (2002) - Various Characters
- The Quick and the Dead (1996) - Various characters
- Batman (1996) - Jeeves
- Loveheart (1996)
- Baywatch (1996) - David Hasselhof
- The House of Idiot (1993) - Jack
- Episode #3.7 (1990) - Martin Althrop
2003
The Young Visiters (TV Movie) as
Archbishop
2001
Goodbye, Mr Steadman (TV Movie) as
Headmaster
2001
Chica de Río as
Strothers
2001
Bridget Jones's Diary as
Julian
1999
The Nearly Complete and Utter History of Everything (TV Movie) as
Advisor
1999
Notting Hill as
Savoy Concierge
1995
Is It Legal? (TV Series) as
Bob / Bob Birch
- 1979 (1998) - Bob Birch
- Someone Is Lying (1998) - Bob Birch
- New Bloke (1998) - Bob Birch
- Glad to Be Colin (1998) - Bob Birch
- Big Desk Bob (1998) - Bob Birch
- Polishing the Mouse (1998) - Bob Birch
- A Question of Pants (1998) - Bob Birch
- Indecision (1996) - Bob
- Office Party (1996) - Bob
- Dick in Court (1996) - Bob
- Darren's Revenge (1996) - Bob
- Alison Gets Laid (1996) - Bob
- Hounslow FM (1996) - Bob
- Solicitors in Love (1996) - Bob
- Resignation (1995) - Bob
- Bob Breaks In (1995) - Bob
- Infatuation (1995) - Bob
- Colin Heals the World (1995) - Bob
- Dick's House of Horror (1995) - Bob
- Whodunnit? (1995) - Bob
- Death in Hounslow (1995) - Bob
1998
Shakespeare in Love as
Will Kempe
1997
Absolutely Fabulous: Absolutely Not! (Video) as
Max
1997
Cows (TV Movie) as
Great Aunt Grace
1996
Hotel Hilbert (TV Movie) as
Ted Doyle
1996
The Snow Queen's Revenge as
Clive (voice)
1996
Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) as
Joey Trask
- A Slight Case of Murder (1996) - Joey Trask
1996
Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... (TV Series) as
Librarian
- The Missing Page (1996) - Librarian
1995
Class Act (TV Series) as
Reverend Ben Fewster
- Episode #2.5 (1995) - Reverend Ben Fewster
1995
Aristophanes: The Gods Are Laughing (TV Movie) as
Cephisophon
1995
Waiting (TV Movie) as
Maurice Ribley
1995
Queen of the East (TV Movie) as
Dr. Meryon
1993
If You See God, Tell Him (TV Mini Series) as
Insurance Man
- Episode #1.2 (1993) - Insurance Man
1993
Lovejoy (TV Series) as
Professor Chenery
- The Peking Gun (1993) - Professor Chenery
1993
Drug-Taking and the Arts (Documentary) as
Théophile Gautier
1992
A Word in Your Era (TV Series) as
Christopher Columbus
- Episode #1.8 (1992) - Christopher Columbus
1992
True Adventures of Christopher Columbus (TV Series) as
Christopher Columbus
1990
Omnibus (TV Series documentary) as
Dr. Peyron
- Van Gogh (1990) - Dr. Peyron
1989
Revolution!! (TV Movie) as
Desmond "Olivier" Dingle
1989
Press Gang (TV Series) as
Phone Banger - Tony Nolan
- Both Sides of the Paper (1989) - Phone Banger - Tony Nolan
1987
The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (TV Series) as
Mitchell Malone
- Episode #1.3 (1987) - Mitchell Malone
1986
All Passion Spent (TV Mini Series) as
Foljambe
- Episode #1.3 (1986) - Foljambe
- Episode #1.2 (1986) - Foljambe
1985
Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV (TV Series) as
Master of Ceremonies / Sir Dave Dixon
- Episode #2.2 (1986) - Master of Ceremonies
- Episode #1.6 (1985) - Sir Dave Dixon
1986
Storyboard (TV Series) as
Mr. Manning
- Thank You, Miss Jones (1986) - Mr. Manning
1985
Mighty Moments from World History (TV Series) as
Desmond "Olivier" Dingle
1985
Cabaret (TV Series) as
Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Episode #1.4 (1985) - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Episode #1.3 (1985) - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Episode #1.2 (1985) - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Episode #1.1 (1985) - Desmond Olivier Dingle
1984
Talk to Me (TV Movie) as
Matthew
1984
Messiah (TV Movie) as
Desmond "Olivier" Dingle
1979
The English Programme (TV Series) as
Performer
- Culture: British Culture? (1979) - Performer
Writer
2009
Marple (TV Series) (screenplay - 1 episode) - Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (2009) - (screenplay)
2005
Ghost of Canterville (TV Movie) (adaptation)
2003
The Young Visiters (TV Movie) (screenplay)
1999
Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century (TV Series) (by - 1 episode) - Death of a Queen - (by)
1995
Queen of the East (TV Movie) (Dramatised by)
1992
True Adventures of Christopher Columbus (TV Series)
1989
The Ghost of Faffner Hall (TV Series) (13 episodes) - Music Brings Us Together (1989)
- Anyone Can Make Music (1989)
- The Power of Music (1989)
- Discovering New Sounds (1989)
- Notation: The Sign That Gets the Sound (1989)
- Improvised Music (1989)
- If You Can Play, It's an Instrument (1989)
- Reacting to Sounds (1989)
- The Voice Is an Instrument (1989)
- Music Is More Than Technique (1989)
- Sounds Become Music (1989)
- Delighting in Sounds (1989)
- Your Body Is an Instrument (1989)
1989
Revolution!! (TV Movie)
1987
The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole (TV Series) (script - 6 episodes) - Episode #1.6 (1987) - (script)
- Episode #1.5 (1987) - (script)
- Episode #1.4 (1987) - (script)
- Episode #1.3 (1987) - (script)
- Episode #1.2 (1987) - (script)
- Episode #1.1 (1987) - (script)
1985
Mighty Moments from World History (TV Series)
Director
1992
True Adventures of Christopher Columbus (TV Series)
Soundtrack
2006
Clatterford (TV Series) (performer - 2 episodes) - Christmas Panto (2006) - (performer: "My Doorbell" - uncredited)
- Sudden Death (2006) - (performer: "All Things Bright and Beautiful")
2004
Murder in Suburbia (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Applejacks (2004) - (performer: "I Just Called to Say I Love You" - uncredited)
Thanks
-
The Commissioner (Short) (special thanks) (post-production)
Self
2018
Funny Women: French & Saunders (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - Actor & Friend / Rev. Hillary
2008
The Alan Titchmarsh Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 28 February 2008 (2008) - Self
2004
The Prince, the Showgirl and Me (TV Movie documentary) as
Narrator
1999
Massive Landmarks of the 20th Century (TV Series) as
Desmond Olivier Dingle / Desmond 'Olivier' Dingle
- Impeachment of a President - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Man on the Moon - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- The Cuban Missile Crisis - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- The Edward and Mrs Simpson Story - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- The Russian - Desmond Olivier Dingle
- Death of a Queen - Desmond 'Olivier' Dingle
1995
A Bit of Fry and Laurie (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #4.4 (1995) - Self
1994
The Good Sex Guide (TV Series) - Episode #2.1 (1994)
1992
Food & Drink (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Christmas Quiz (1993) - Self
- Christmas Quiz (1993) - Self
- Episode #12.10 (1992) - Self
- Episode #12.9 (1992) - Self
Archive Footage
2017
French and Saunders (TV Series) as
Comedy Role
- 300 Years of French and Saunders (2017) - Comedy Role (uncredited)
