Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright and actor. His biggest success, Run for Your Wife (1983) ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there.
Cooney began to act in 1946 appearing in many of the Whitehall farces of Brian Rix throughout the 1950s and '60s. It was during this time that he co-wrote his first play One For The Pot. With Tony Hilton, he co-wrote the screenplay for the British comedy film What a Carve Up! (1961), which features Sid James and Kenneth Connor.
Cooney has also appeared on TV and in several films, including a film adaptation of his successful theatrical farce Not Now, Darling (1973), which he co-wrote with John Chapman.
In 1983, Cooney created the Theatre of Comedy Company and became its artistic director. During his tenure the company produced over twenty plays such as Pygmalion starring Peter O'Toole and John Thaw, Loot, and Run For Your Wife. Cooney co-wrote a farce with his son Michael, Tom, Dick and Harry (1993). Cooney produced and directed the film Run For Your Wife (2012), based on his own theatre farce.
Cooney's farces combine a traditional British bawdiness with structural complication, as characters leap to assumptions, are forced to pretend to be things that they are not and often talk at cross-purposes. Ray Cooney is greatly admired in France where he is known as "Le Feydeau Anglais", ("The English Feydeau"), in reference to the French farceur Georges Feydeau.
In January 1975, Cooney was the subject of This Is Your Life when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at London's Savoy Hotel. In 2005, Cooney was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his services to drama.
Cooney married Linda Dixon in 1962. One of their two sons, Michael, is a screenwriter.
The Hand, directed by Henry Cass (1960)The Night We Got the Bird, directed by Darcy Conyers (1961)What a Carve Up!, directed by Pat Jackson (1961)Writer
2020
Mayday (based on play by)
2019
Heißmann + Rassau - Komödie aus Franken: Jetzt nicht, Liebling! (TV Special) (play)
2018
Natale a 5 stelle (loosely based on the comedy "Out of Order" by)
2018
Bam-Bam! (TV Movie) (play: Move Over Mrs. Markham)
2015
Daddy Cool (TV Movie) (play)
2013
Lügen haben junge Beine (TV Movie) (based on play by)
2012
Ektos eleghou... ola (TV Movie) (play: Out of Order)
2012
Run for Your Wife (play) / (written by)
2011
Heißmann & Rassau: Alles auf Krankenschein (TV Special) (stage play)
2010
It Runs in the Family
2009
Heißmann & Rassau: Außer Kontrolle (TV Special) (play Out of Order)
2009
Chat et souris (TV Movie) (play)
2008
Dois Amores (TV Movie) (play)
2006
Ohi tora agapoula (TV Movie) (play "Not Now Darling")
2006
Funny Money (play "Funny Money")
2005
Hotelliggaren (TV Movie)
2005
Koita poios irthe! (TV Movie) (play)
2003
Impair et père (TV Movie) (play)
2003
Oloi sex... sto Sussex (play)
2002
Hrimata fantasmata (TV Movie) (play)
2002
Dyo gamoi kai mia moiheia (TV Movie) (play: Run for Your Wife)
2002
Sto pi kai fi (TV Movie) (play)
2000
Bleib doch zum Frühstück (TV Movie) (play)
1999
Oti peite ypourge mou (TV Movie) (play)
1999
To hrima sto laimo mou (TV Movie) (play)
1998
Bravo giatre... (TV Movie) (play: It Runs In The Family)
1998
Le vison voyageur (TV Movie) (play)
1997
Espèces Menacées (TV Special) (play: Funny Money)
1997
A miniszter félrelép (play "Out of Order")
1996
Panique au Plazza (TV Movie)
1995
Kink in de kabel (TV Movie) (play)
1994
Panik på kliniken (TV Movie) (play)
1994
Papa, I Love You (TV Movie) (play "It Runs in the Family")
1993
Ektos eleghou (TV Movie) (play: Out of Order)
1993
Pappie, hier ben ik (TV Movie) (play "It Runs in the Family")
1993
Ojdå - En till...!? (TV Movie) (play)
1992
Außer Kontrolle (TV Movie) (play 'Out of Order')
1992
Out of Order (play "Out of Order")
1992
Kuta och kör (TV Movie) (play)
1991
Trois partout (TV Movie) (play)
1989
C'est encore mieux l'après-midi (TV Special) (play)
1989
Double mixte (TV Movie) (play)
1989
Le saut du lit (TV Movie) (play)
1989
Den Haag vandaag: ofwel een avond lang lachen (TV Movie) (play "Two into One")
1988
Wife Begins at 40 (TV Movie) (adaptation for television)
1987
To theatro tis Defteras (TV Series) (1 episode) - Taxitzis se Dyo Piatses (1987)
1987
Goeie Buren (TV Movie) (play "Run for your Wife")
1987
Huwelijk in de Steigers (TV Movie) (play "Wife Begins at 40")
1987
Lauf nach Haus, egal wohin (TV Movie) (play)
1986
Se devi dire una bugia dilla grossa (TV Movie) (play)
1986
Daar gaat de bruid (TV Movie) (play "There Goes the Bride")
1986
Wenn schon - denn schon (TV Movie) (play "Two into One")
1985
Sé infiel y no mires con quién (play)
1984
See How They Run (TV Movie) (adapted by)
1984
Le vison voyageur (TV Movie) (based on the stageplay "Not Now Darling" by)
1983
Au théâtre ce soir (TV Series) (play - 1 episode) - Allô Hélène (1983) - (play)
1983
Een scheve schaats (TV Movie) (play "One for the Pot")
1981
Een kus van een rus (TV Movie) (play)
1980
There Goes the Bride (play) / (screenplay)
1980
Nee schat, nu niet (TV Movie) (play)
1979
Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (play) / (screenplay)
1976
Not Now, Comrade (original play - uncredited) / (screenplay by)
1976
Voyez-vous ce que je vois? (TV Movie) (play)
1976
Ik slaap wel op de bank (TV Movie) (play "Why Not Stay for Breakfast")
1975
Bleib doch zum Frühstück (TV Movie) (play "Why Not Stay For Breakfast")
1973
Fall nicht in den Schwanensee (TV Movie) (play)
1973
Wie wär's denn, Mrs. Markham? (TV Movie) (play)
1973
Not Now Darling (based on the stageplay by)
1972
Jetzt nicht, Liebling (TV Movie) (play "Not Now Darling")
1972
Nid jetz, Schatz! (TV Movie) (play "Not Now Darling")
1970
Brian Rix Presents ... (TV Series) (1 episode) - Stand by Your Bedouin! (1970)
-
Norman (TV Series) (writer - 2 episodes, 1970) (written by - 1 episode, 1970) - The Girl Pupil (1970) - (written by)
- The Salvation Army lass (1970) - (writer)
- A Career in Music (1970) - (writer)
1968
One for the Pot (writer)
1968
Not Now, Darling (TV Movie) (play)
1967
Stand by Your Bedouin (TV Movie)
1966
One for the Pot (TV Movie)
1965
Six of the Best (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1965) - (writer)
1964
Laughter from the Whitehall (TV Series) (play - 1 episode) - Chase Me Comrade! (1964) - (play)
1964
A Swingin' Time (TV Series) (script - 8 episodes) - Episode #2.8 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.7 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.6 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.5 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.4 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.3 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.2 (1964) - (script)
- Episode #2.1 (1964) - (script)
-
BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) (1 episode, 1963) (play - 1 episode, 1962) - Dial Rix #7: Skin Deep (1963)
- One for the Pot (1962) - (play)
1962
Dial RIX (TV Series) (1 episode) - Round the Bend (1962)
1961
No Place Like Homicide! (screenplay)
1961
The Night We Got the Bird (screenplay)
1960
The Hand (original story) / (screenplay)
Actor
2012
Run for Your Wife as
You think that's funny? man (uncredited)
2000
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (Video) as
Colonel Hickering
2000
Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) as
French proprietor
- Last Post and Pigeon (2000) - French proprietor
1988
Wife Begins at 40 (TV Movie) as
George Harper
1984
See How They Run (TV Movie) as
Police Sergeant
1976
Not Now, Comrade as
Mr. Laver
1973
Not Now Darling as
'Crouch' / Arnold Crouch
1960
Brian Rix Presents ... (TV Series) as
Hubert Shannon / Laker-Hopp / Alexander
- Keep Your Wig On (1968) - Hubert Shannon
- Caught Napping (1963) - Laker-Hopp
- Boobs in the Wood (1960) - Alexander
1965
Laughter from the Whitehall (TV Series) as
Macfarlaine
- Women Aren't Angels (1965) - Macfarlaine
1964
Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) as
Stan Collier / Mr. Parsons
- Children Beware (1964) - Stan Collier
- Night Caller (1964) - Mr. Parsons
1962
Bonehead (TV Series) as
Railway Porter
- My Old Mother (1962) - Railway Porter (as Raymond Cooney)
1961
Nothing Barred as
Policeman at H.Q.
1961
They Met in a City (TV Series) as
Andy
- A Bride in the Morning (1961) - Andy
1961
The Night We Got the Bird as
Man with cartwheel
1960
The Hand as
Sergeant David Pollitt
1960
BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) as
Thompson
- Brian Rix Presents: Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? (1960) - Thompson
1958
Dial 999 (TV Series) as
Hold-up Victim / Keon
- A Mined Area (1959) - Hold-up Victim (uncredited)
- Old Soldiers Sometimes Die (1958) - Keon (as Raymond Cooney)
1959
Make Mine a Double as
Corporal
1957
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (TV Series) as
Alfred / Jerry Winterton / Art / ...
- Brian Rix Presents #4: A Cuckoo in the Nest (1958) - Alfred
- Brian Rix Presents #1: On Monday Next (1958) - Jerry Winterton (as Raymond Cooney)
- Another Man's Life (1957) - Art (as Raymond Cooney)
- You, Too, Can Have a Body (1957) - Policeman (as Raymond Cooney)
1958
Theatre Night (TV Series) as
Corporal Flight
- Simple Spymen (1958) - Corporal Flight (as Raymond Cooney)
1957
Educated Evans (TV Series) as
Joe Bennet
- The Particular Beauty (1957) - Joe Bennet (as Raymond Cooney)
1957
Escape (TV Series) as
Bill
- The Great Bluff (1957) - Bill (as Raymond Cooney)
1956
My Sister and I (TV Series) - Episode #1.6 (1956)
- Episode #1.4 (1956)
- The Widowhood Method (1956)
1949
For the Children (TV Series) as
Albert Milligan
- Watching the Trains Go By (1949) - Albert Milligan (as Raymond Cooney)
1949
Christopher Columbus as
Bit part (uncredited)
1948
The Outsider as
Bit part (uncredited)
1948
My Sister and I as
Bit part (uncredited)
1948
My Brother Jonathan as
Ralph Hingston
1947
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as
Bit part (uncredited)
1947
Hue and Cry as
Minor Role (uncredited)
Producer
-
Lawnmower (Short) (executive producer)
2018
Not Waving (Short) (executive producer)
2013
10 Rules for Sleeping Around (executive producer)
2012
Firehouse Kitchen (TV Series) (executive producer - 2 episodes) - Episode #1.3 (2012) - (executive producer)
- Episode #1.1 (2012) - (executive producer)
2006
Funny Money (executive producer)
1981
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (executive producer)
1980
There Goes the Bride (producer)
1979
Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (executive producer)
Director
1984
See How They Run (TV Movie)
Music Department
1960
Brian Rix Presents ... (TV Series) (book and lyrics by - 1 episode) - Boobs in the Wood (1960) - (book and lyrics by)
Soundtrack
1976
Not Now, Comrade (performer: "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "Good King Wenceslas" - uncredited)
Thanks
2018
Not Waving (Short) (special thanks)
1997
Jack Frost (Video) (special thanks)
Self
2014
Firehouse Kitchen (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #2.2 (2014) - Self
- Episode #2.1 (2014) - Self
2013
ME1 TV... Danny La Rue tribute (Video documentary short) as
Self
1975
This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Gyles Brandreth (2003) - Self
- The Night of 1000 Lives (2000) - Self
- Charlie Drake II (1995) - Self
- Richard Briers (1994) - Self
- Honor Blackman (1993) - Self
- Donald Sinden (1985) - Self
- Gemma Craven (1981) - Self
- Andrew Sachs (1980) - Self
- Brian Rix (1977) - Self
- Ray Cooney (1975) - Self
2002
The John Thaw Story (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
2001
Heroes of Comedy (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Ronnie Corbett (2002) - Self
- Leonard Rossiter (2001) - Self
1996
Call My Bluff (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.4 (1996) - Self
1991
Wogan (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #11.42 (1991) - Self
1984
Desert Island Discs: Archive 1981-1985 (Podcast Series) as
Self
- Ray Cooney (1984) - Self (voice)
1974
Just a Nimmo (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #1.9 (1974) - Self
Archive Footage
2008
Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) as
Landlord
- It's Never Ten Years (2008) - Landlord