Chris Gittins

Chris Gittins (4 July 1902 – 21 August 1988)[1][2] was a British character actor who played the role of Walter Gabriel in the long-running BBC radio series The Archers.[3][4]

Gittins was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, where he also died.[2][3] He was the son of a gas fitter who became involved with the theatre as an actor, producer and director, later alternating between the theatre and radio.[2] His first radio part was on 13 November 1935.[5] He specialised in Black Country and The Midlands accents.[2] As well as The Archers and radio plays he took part in Children's Hour and the British Forces Broadcasting Service.[2]

He played the role of Walter Gabriel, a tenant farmer, in The Archers for 35 years from 1953 to 1988,[3] and was known nationally for the character's phrases "Oh dear, oh lor" and "Me old pal, me old beauty".[2][6] He also appeared in several TV series including Hilda Lessways (1959) and Swizzlewick (1964).[1]

He died as a widower, leaving one daughter.[2][3] He was awarded the MBE in 1984.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Chris Gittins at IMDb
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Chriss Gittins; Obituary". The Times. London. 23 August 1988.
  3. ^ a b c d Wainwright, Martin (22 August 1988). "Actor dies, and role of Walter Gabriel passes with him". The Guardian. London.
  4. ^ Smethurst, William (1996) The Archers; the true story: the history of radio's most famous programme. London: Michael O'Mara ISBN 1-85833-620-1
  5. ^ "Red in the Morning' A Mystery Play". Radio Times. BBC. 8 November 1935.
  6. ^ "The Archers: the faces behind the names". The Telegraph. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
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