Anthony the Actor and Writer

This is Anthony as a younger man. Probably in his 20s. In the next picture he is probably about the same age, but made up. As you can see (from the 'Victorian' photo), he aged slightly differently to the way he was made up.

Films and plays he was in included Guns of Navaronne, Our Miss Fred and The Blue Lamp. I remember him being on TV in Z-cars, The Adventure Club (kids programme), The Saint and The Avengers. Always an extra. I went to see him in the theatre once in The Importance of Being Ernest, but he was understudy, so I never actually saw him perform in that play.

As he died when I was only 13 I don't have a tremendous collection of memories of him performing. What I do have though is a copy of the one film he was the lead character in. And the strange thing is, he is a rabbit! It was a Children's Film Foundation version of the invisible rabbit story, called "Mr Horatio Nibbles". My only record of him in film is therefore as him dressed as a very dapper rabbit and they used another voice over, so it's not his voice on the film. But it is still, despite the costume and the change in voice, very much him. The mannerisms, the way he moved, those I remember. Oh, and I'm in the film too! A child extra (aged 11).

His wife (my mum) Sally made the costume, complete with watchchain and twitching nose, waistcoat and a top hat that let his rabbit ears stick out the top.

But Anthony was also a writer, and one of his short stories was made into a film: "Talk of the Devil". We went to see it in the cinema when I was small and at the end I am told that I stood up when I saw my father's name and yelled out 'That's my daddy!'. Oh how embarassing! Only matched by my going up to the front of the cinema and yelling 'What's on the other side?' (referring to TV channels). I guess I didn't like the film!

As an Actor Anthony was liked. He was tall (Bernham and Nathan's, the London costumier, had a Police Uniform with his hame on it he was so often asked to be a policeman) and distinguished looking (don't you think?). Though not a 'lead man' (unlike his buddy at the time, Sean Connery, who was also great at schmoozing with the agents and directors whilst Anthony had a family and went home to them), he had a face that was very expressive. I don't know if he was a good actor, but I'm guessing he must have been good enough.

When my parents were first married they lived next door to Shiela Hancock and her first husband, Alec Ross (also an actor), in a small flat in London. I will ask Sally more. Sally's theatrical exploits deserve a whole blog on their own, but insted I will just have special posts for her. Though this blog is for those researching the Sheppard family, there will no doubt be people looking for other geneaology links who may well find themselves here!