CineScope
Michael Bates picture

Michael Bates

Acting
Known For

57 Years Old

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Michael Hammond Bates was an Indian-born English actor. He was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland and St Catharine's College, Cambridge. Bates served as a Major serving with the Brigade of Gurkhas in Burma before his discharge at the end of World War II. In 1953, while an ensemble member with the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, he appeared in Richard III and All's Well That End's Well. In 1956 he appeared in Hotel Paradiso which starred Alec Guinness, at the Winter Garden Theatre in London. He appeared in many UK television series including Last of the Summer Wine from 1973 to 1975 as Cyril Blamire and It Ain't Half Hot Mum from 1974 to 1977 as Rangi Ram, as well as many others. His role as Rangi Ram caused some controversy as it required Bates to be made-up with fake tan to look like an Indian, which he took to naturally as he was born in India and spoke the Hindi language fluently. On radio he played a variety of characters in the BBC's long-running comedy series The Navy Lark. These were: Able Seaman Ginger, Lt. Bates, Rear Admiral Ironbridge, the Padre and Captain Ignatius Aloysius Atchison. Bates' film roles include Battle of Britain (1969) as Warrant Officer Warwick, Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) as a Lance-corporal, Patton (1970) as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery (to whom he bore a striking resemblance), Frenzy (1972) by Alfred Hitchcock, and the Stanley Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange (1971). On stage, he did Shakespeare at Stratford and the Old Vic and made a big impression as Inspector Truscott in the West End production of Loot by Joe Orton in 1966. He died of cancer in Cambridge, aged 57. Description above from the Wikipedia article Michael Bates (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Born

Jhansi, British India (now Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India) on 4th December 1920

Died

11th January 1978

All Credits

Last of the Summer Wine Image
Last of the Summer Wine
Cyril Blamire
No Hiding Place Image
No Hiding Place
BBC Play of the Month Image
BBC Play of the Month
Professor Godbole
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Image
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Colonel Sandstream
The Saint Image
The Saint
Joe
The Wednesday Play Image
The Wednesday Play
Joe
It Ain't Half Hot Mum Image
It Ain't Half Hot Mum
Rangi Ram
Public Eye Image
Public Eye
George
Jason King Image
Jason King
Ivanhoe Image
Ivanhoe
Will The Simple
Budgie Image
Budgie
Minces Nutty
Cilla Image
Cilla
Self
No Image
Ooh La La!
Vatelin
Man in a Suitcase Image
Man in a Suitcase
Delacroix
Male of the Species Image
Male of the Species
Fred
Six Dates with Barker Image
Six Dates with Barker
Armchair Theatre Image
Armchair Theatre
The Misfit Image
The Misfit
Sgt. Wilfreds
A Clockwork Orange Image
A Clockwork Orange
Chief Guard
Curry Up Harry! Image
Curry Up Harry!
Din
No Image
Cluff
Battle of Britain Image
Battle of Britain
Warrant Officer Warwick
Patton Image
Patton
Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
Fall of Eagles Image
Fall of Eagles
Von Ludendorff
Frenzy Image
Frenzy
Sergeant Spearman
Bedazzled Image
Bedazzled
Inspector Clarke
Dunkirk Image
Dunkirk
Froome
Oh! What a Lovely War Image
Oh! What a Lovely War
Drunk Lance Corporal
I'm All Right Jack Image
I'm All Right Jack
Bootle
Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River Image
Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River
Dr. Spink
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer Image
The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer
Mr. Spimm
The Dick Emery Show Image
The Dick Emery Show
No Sex Please: We're British Image
No Sex Please: We're British
Mr. Arnold Needham
The Stone Tape Image
The Stone Tape
Eddie Holmes
Carrington V.C. Image
Carrington V.C.
Major Broke-Smith
Salt & Pepper Image
Salt & Pepper
Inspector Crabbe
Hammerhead Image
Hammerhead
Andreas / Sir Richard
The Spanish Gardener Image
The Spanish Gardener
Consular Official (uncredited)
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Image
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Mr. McGregor
Every Home Should Have One Image
Every Home Should Have One
Magistrate
Gulliver's Travels Image
Gulliver's Travels
(voice)
Male of the Species Image
Male of the Species
Fred
The Stratford Adventure Image
The Stratford Adventure
Self
The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones Image
The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones
Madman
No Image
The Brahmin Widow
Mr. Ambekar
Arthur? Arthur! Image
Arthur? Arthur!
Mr. Harrington
Quay South Image
Quay South
Captain Alan Gerald
A Passage to India Image
A Passage to India
Professor Godbole
Macready's Gala Image
Macready's Gala
Mike MacFarland
Hokusai: An Animated Sketchbook Image
Hokusai: An Animated Sketchbook
Narrator
Sling Your Hook Image
Sling Your Hook
Joe
The Fox Trot Image
The Fox Trot
Arthur