Nicholas Parsons

Acting

Nicholas Parsons

Born — Died

1923-10-10 — 2020-01-28

Place of birth

Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Known for

Acting

Credits

80 titles

Christopher Nicholas Parsons (10 October 1923 – 28 January 2020) was an English actor, straight man and radio and television presenter. He was the long-running presenter of the comedy radio show Just a Minute and hosted the game show Sale of the Century during the 1970s and early 1980s. Parsons was born and grew up in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and was educated at St Paul's School, London. He became a full-time actor following the Second World War and began appearing in various theatre, film and television roles, including support to Arthur Haynes. He began presenting Just a Minute in 1967 and never missed a show until 2018. In addition to his well-known roles on this and Sale of the Century, …

Known for

Doctor Who poster
7.9

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Doctor Who

1963

Have I Got News for You poster
7.1

Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.

Have I Got News for You

1990

Wogan poster
5.6

Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

Wogan

1982

World in Action poster
7.0

World in Action was Granada Television’s flagship ITV current affairs series, running from 7 Jan 1963 to 7 Dec 1998, and built a reputation for film-led investigative reporting and a forceful editorial stance. Its journalism produced major public and political repercussions—including investigations associated with miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham Six—and it also served as a platform for landmark documentary projects, including the first broadcast of “Seven Up!” as part of the strand in 1964.

World in Action

1963

Agatha Christie's Marple poster
7.8

The adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004

Never Mind the Buzzcocks poster
7.1

Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme. The show is infamous for its dry, sarcastic humour and scathing, provocative attacks on the pop industry.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

1996

Film credits

2010s · 7 titles

13 Hours That Saved Britain poster
6.3

In this documentary, experts dissect the Battle of Britain, which took place on Sept. 15, 1940 — a day that determined the fate of the nation.

13 Hours That Saved Britain

2011

The Incredible Story of Marie Antoinette's Watch with Nicholas Parsons poster
7.0

Nicholas Parsons explores his life-long enthusiasm for clocks when he goes in search of the most valuable and famous watch in the world - the so-called Marie Antoinette.

The Incredible Story of Marie Antoinette's Watch with Nicholas Parsons

2016

Frost on Sketch Shows poster
8.5

Sir David Frost traces the development of the sketch show over the last fifty years, from variety theatre to primetime television.

Frost on Sketch Shows

2013

There Is No Plane to Zagreb poster
NR

A retrospective of events in director Louis van Gasteren’s life from 1964 to 1969, filmed by him in that period and reflected on from his vantage point over 40 years later at the age of 90.

There Is No Plane to Zagreb

2012

No artwork available
NR

Family and friends pay tribute to the funnyman, who was one of Britain's best-loved stars of stage, TV and film for more than 50 years - and also became a cult figure in Albania, where his films were ruled to be acceptable entertainment during the country's long years of isolation during the Cold War. Including contributions by Norman's son Nick, singer Vera Lynn and actress Honor Blackman.

The Unforgettable Norman Wisdom

2011

Brains of Britain (or How Quizzing Became Cool) poster
7.0

We all love a good quiz. So here's a question - when did ordinary contestants turn into the pro-quizzers of today? Giving the answers are Victoria Coren Mitchell, Judith Keppel, Chris Tarrant, Mark Labbett, Nicholas Parsons and many more. Narrated by Ben Miller.

Brains of Britain (or How Quizzing Became Cool)

2016

Filmed in Supermarionation poster
7.3

The definitive documentary about the iconic television series developed by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and their production companies (AP Films and Century 21 Pictures). Supermarionation was a revolutionary technique used in all their programmes throughout the 1960s including Stingray, Captain Scarlet and, most famously, Thunderbirds.

Filmed in Supermarionation

2014

2000s · 6 titles

Lady Godiva poster
1.0

Quirky young art teacher Jemima takes up a £100,00 bet to ride through the town naked on horseback like Lady Godiva to keep her beloved Art Factory open.

Lady Godiva

2008

Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! poster
6.3

Kenneth Williams was the star of the Carry Ons and Round the Horne. Despite his fame, he led a life full of mental torture as he tried to overcome his homosexuality in 1950s Britain. This film follows his life and eventual death based on the many diaries he kept

Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!

2006

Wendy Richard: A Life on the Box poster
10.0

Profile of actress Wendy Richard's remarkable television career, featuring classic clips and contributions from colleagues.

Wendy Richard: A Life on the Box

2001

Another Audience With Ken Dodd poster
7.0

Once again, Ken Dodd (with over 40 years in his trade) performs his unique set in front of a host of celebrities gathered to show their appreciation of his enduring talent.

Another Audience With Ken Dodd

2002

Is Benny Hill Still Funny? poster
NR

A documentary looking at the life of Benny Hill and with the use of an audience reaction test finding out if he is still funny to contemporary audiences.

Is Benny Hill Still Funny?

2006

Bottom Mindless Violence poster
10.0

The only word to describe the amazing duo of Rik Mayall and Adrian Edminson is genius. For the past 25 years they have provided us with some unforgettable programs that left us on the floor such as The Young Ones, The Dangerous Brothers and of course, Bottom. The DVD contains the very best and violent bits from the live shows and TV programmes that have starred the two slapstick legends in the past 25 years. With the help of the great comedy writers such as Ben Elton, they have produced many great moments, such as the sprouts of doom and the towering inferno impression that went horrifically wrong. Here they are, all of the great moments on 1 disc. Here is what you can expect from the greatest compilation of slapstick moments of all time!!!

Bottom Mindless Violence

2004

1970s · 4 titles

1960s · 8 titles

Murder Ahoy poster
7.1

During an annual board of trustees meeting, one of the trustees dies. Miss Marple thinks he’s been poisoned after finding a chemical on him. She sets off to investigate at the ship where he had just come from. The fourth and final film from the Miss Marple series starring Margaret Rutherford as the quirky amateur detective.

Murder Ahoy

1964

Carry On Regardless poster
6.2

After a bunch of no-hopers approaches an employment agency, the anarchy mounts as they do a series of odd jobs, including a chimp's tea party, trying to stay sober at a wine tasting… and demolishing a house.

Carry On Regardless

1961

The Wrong Box poster
6.4

In Victorian England, a fortune now depends on which of two brothers outlives the other—or can be made to have seemed to do so.

The Wrong Box

1966

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River poster
6.6

George Lester is a man who is chasing rainbows, looking for the pot of gold at the end. When his wife, Pamela grows tired of being dragged all over the world, she leaves him. While she is away, George converts her family home into a discotheque, when she returns, she threatens to send George to jail for fraud, cause she didn't give her approval. George needing some fast bucks, decides to turn to an old cohort of his, William Homer but Willy's a little short. George then decides to steal the plans to a new drill, Pamela's suitor, Dudley Heath is working on. But when George gets the mumps, he can't make it to the meeting place and refuses to give Willy the plans unless he gives him the cash first. And the buyers won't give unless they see the merchandise first.

Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River

1968

Every Day's a Holiday poster
7.0

A group of teenagers take jobs at a holiday camp for the summer and enter a TV talent show

Every Day's a Holiday

1965

Doctor in Love poster
5.5

Doctors Burke and Hare leave the confines of St Swithins for the world of general practice, stopping off on the way as patients at the Foulness Anti-cold Unit. Hare then takes up a position as junior in a well-healed G.P.'s surgery while Burke continues to sow his doctorial wild oats.

Doctor in Love

1960

The Ghost Goes Gear poster
9.0

Unbeknownst to the Spencer Davis Group, their manager is upper class, grew up in a haunted manor, and is called Algernon. When they visit his home, they find out that the family is broke, they don't have the money to pay the servants, and their home is going to ruin. Spencer suggests that they advertise the home (and the ghost) and charge admission.

The Ghost Goes Gear

1966

No artwork available
9.0

A medical student who is thrown out of his university, ends up working in a laundry and rebuilds his confidence with a relationship with a fashion model.

Let's Get Married

1960

1950s · 10 titles

The Long Arm poster
6.9

Scotland Yard detectives attempt to solve a spate of safe robberies across England beginning with clues found at the latest burglary in London. The film is notable for using a police procedural style made popular by Ealing in their 1950 film The Blue Lamp. It is known in the US as The Third Key.

The Long Arm

1956

Upstairs and Downstairs poster
5.8

On marrying the boss's daughter, Richard takes his father-in-law's advice to hire a live-in domestic. He soon finds good help is hard to come by. Run-ins follow with dipsomaniacs, bank robbers, a Welsh lass who takes one look at London and runs, and an Italian charmer who turns the place into a bawdy house. Then when Ingrid arrives from Sweden things actually start to get complicated.

Upstairs and Downstairs

1959

An Alligator Named Daisy poster
6.4

Returning from a cricket match in Ireland, Peter Weston gains a pet alligator from another passenger who abandons it with him. He is horrified and while his first instinct is to get rid of it he develops a relationship with a young Irishwoman who appears to be entwined with the reptile. He soon discovers that Daisy is tame and seems to be the way to Moira's heart.

An Alligator Named Daisy

1955

Carlton-Browne of the F.O. poster
6.1

Great Britain has had an international agreement for the last 50 years with a small pacific island. It has been ignored until the death of their king brings it to the attention of the Foreign Office in Whitehall. They decide to send Cadogan de Vere Carlton-Browne to re-establish friendly relations.

Carlton-Browne of the F.O.

1959

Too Many Crooks poster
7.4

Accident-prone Fingers runs a pretty unsuccessful gang. They try and rob wealthy but tricky Billy Gordon - who distrusts banks and fears the Inland Revenue - but he sees Fingers and the boys off. So they decide to kidnap his daughter, only to end up with his wife Lucy. Gordon makes out he couldn't be more pleased, spuring Lucy to take charge of the hopeless bunch of villains.

Too Many Crooks

1959

Simon and Laura poster
5.9

A couple of bickering, married performers agree to star in a "Mr. and Mrs." TV show.

Simon and Laura

1955

Brothers in Law poster
7.0

Roger Thursby is an overly keen, newly-qualified barrister who rubs his fellow barristers up the wrong way. When he is thrown in at the deep-end, with a particularly hot-tempered judge and tricky case, Thursby learns how to prove himself not only to the judge and fellow barristers but also to the public gallery.

Brothers in Law

1957

To Dorothy, a Son poster
5.8

Under a complicated bequest from her uncle, Myrtle stands to inherit $2,000,000 if her ex-husband doesn't have any male heirs on the way, else he gets the cash. She journies from New York to England, and finally tracks him down with his heavily pregnant new wife. Should she try and woo him back or challenge the legality of the new marriage?

To Dorothy, a Son

1954

Happy Is the Bride poster
7.0

In a quiet summer corner of Wiltshire that is forever England, David and Janet decide to tie the knot. Unfortunately this is the cue for everyone else to take over proceedings, to the dismay of the couple and the increasing despair of Janet's father.

Happy Is the Bride

1958

Eyewitness poster
6.8

Lucy Church, the sole witness to a fatal robbery, is struck by a passing bus and her life lies in the balance as the thieves wait for a chance to finish her off.

Eyewitness

1956

Series credits

Doctor Who poster
7.9

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Doctor Who

1963

Have I Got News for You poster
7.1

Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so, that leaves no party, personality or action unscathed in pursuit of laughs.

Have I Got News for You

1990

Wogan poster
5.6

Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable personalities.

Wogan

1982

World in Action poster
7.0

World in Action was Granada Television’s flagship ITV current affairs series, running from 7 Jan 1963 to 7 Dec 1998, and built a reputation for film-led investigative reporting and a forceful editorial stance. Its journalism produced major public and political repercussions—including investigations associated with miscarriages of justice such as the Birmingham Six—and it also served as a platform for landmark documentary projects, including the first broadcast of “Seven Up!” as part of the strand in 1964.

World in Action

1963

Agatha Christie's Marple poster
7.8

The adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004

Never Mind the Buzzcocks poster
7.1

Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game show with a pop and rock music theme. The show is infamous for its dry, sarcastic humour and scathing, provocative attacks on the pop industry.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

1996

Good Omens poster
8.0

Aziraphale and Crowley, of Heaven and Hell respectively, have grown rather fond of the Earth. So it's terrible news that it's about to end. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing. The Four Horsemen are ready to ride. Everything is going according to the Divine Plan...except that someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist. Can our heroes find him and stop Armageddon before it's too late?

Good Omens

2019

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip poster
6.0

Antiques experts accompany celebrities on a road trip around the UK searching for treasures and competing to make the most money at auction

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

2011

An Audience with... poster
5.3

An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television, in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.

An Audience with...

1978

The Adventures of Robin Hood poster
6.4

The legendary character Robin Hood and his band of merry men in Sherwood Forest and the surrounding vicinity. While some episodes dramatised the traditional Robin Hood tales, most episodes were original dramas created by the show's writers and producers.

The Adventures of Robin Hood

1955

Celebrity Mastermind poster
6.0

Celebrity Mastermind is a British television quiz show broadcast by BBC television. The show is a spin-off of the long-running quiz show Mastermind, with the exception that all the contestants are celebrities. As with the main show, John Humphrys is the host and question-master. Magnus Magnusson was quizmaster on the 2003/04 episodes featuring Jonathan Meades as winner.

Celebrity Mastermind

2003

The Comic Strip Presents... poster
7.4

The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, who do parodies of films, literature and sometimes major events.

The Comic Strip Presents...

1982

The Comic Strip Presents... poster
7.4

The Comic Strip is a group of British comedians, who do parodies of films, literature and sometimes major events.

The Comic Strip Presents...

1982

Benny Hill Show poster
8.5

No synopsis available yet.

Benny Hill Show

1980

The Benny Hill Show poster
7.2

The Benny Hill Show is a British comedy television show that starred Benny Hill and aired in various incarnations between 15 January 1955 and 30 May 1991 in over 140 countries. The show focused on sketches that were full of slapstick, mime, parody, and double-entendre. Thames Television cancelled production of the show in 1989 due to declining ratings and large production costs at £450,000 per show.

The Benny Hill Show

1969

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Style Challenge

1996

Surprise, Surprise poster
5.7

Surprise, Surprise is a British television programme originally hosted by Cilla Black and produced by London Weekend Television for ITV. It ran for 14 series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. In 2012, the show returned after a 11-year hiatus. The revived version is produced by ITV Studios and presented by Holly Willoughby. The show is currently in its second series.

Surprise, Surprise

1984

Target poster
7.0

A crime drama set in Southampton following a team of detectives and the cases they solve.

Target

1977

Countdown poster
6.0

The clock is ticking as contestants compete in games of lexical dexterity and numerical agility.

Countdown

1982

The New Statesman poster
7.5

The New Statesman is a British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time.

The New Statesman

1987

A Bit of Fry & Laurie poster
7.9

A British comedy television series with turns of phrase and elaborate wordplay, written by and starring former Cambridge Footlights members Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

A Bit of Fry & Laurie

1989

Brass Eye poster
7.7

Investigative reporter Chris Morris puts modern Britain under the spotlight, and smacks the issues of the day till they bleed. He tackles weighty issues including animals, drugs, sex and skewered celebrities and politicians alike - and in a later episode in 2001, paedophiles.

Brass Eye

1997

Tales of the Tardis poster
5.8

Classic Doctor Who duos are reunited as they board a very special TARDIS on a nostalgic voyage through space and time.

Tales of the Tardis

2023

Cluedo poster
6.7

Cluedo was a UK television game show based on the board game of the same name. Each week, a reenactment of the murder at the stately home Arlington Grange of a visiting guest was played and, through a combination of interrogating the suspects and deduction, celebrity guests had to discover who committed the murder, which of six weapons and in which room it was committed, whilst viewers were invited to play along at home.

Cluedo

1990

All Star Mr & Mrs poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

All Star Mr & Mrs

2008

Bodger and Badger poster
6.3

Bodger and Badger is a BBC children's comedy programme which was first broadcast in 1989. It starred Andy Cunningham as Simon Bodger, who had a badly behaved companion, a talking badger with a love for mashed potatoes.

Bodger and Badger

1989

Call My Bluff poster
7.7

Two teams of three alternate between giving and guessing the meanings of obscure English words.

Call My Bluff

1965

The Ugliest Girl in Town poster
6.0

The Ugliest Girl in Town is a short-lived American sitcom produced by Screen Gems for ABC. It ran from September 26, 1968 to January 30, 1969. Timothy Blair is a Hollywood talent agent. He falls in love with Julie Renfield, a British actress who is visiting the United States to do a movie. After that movie is finished, she returns to England. To assist his brother Gene complete a photography assignment, Timothy dresses as a hippie and poses for a photo shoot. The photos are sent to a modeling agent in England who assumes that they are of a woman. He offers "her" a job. Knowing that this would be the only chance to go to Great Britain and be with Julie, Tim accepts and dubs himself "Timmie". Tim has two weeks of vacation to spend as much time with Julie as he can, but when as he is about to leave with his brother, Gene loses £11,000 gambling. Unless he pays him back, Tim has to continue being Timmie for a while longer. In 2002, TV Guide ranked the series number 18 on its '50 Worst TV Shows of All Time' list.

The Ugliest Girl in Town

1968

The Alphabet Game poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

The Alphabet Game

1996

Spatz poster
6.3

Spatz is a children's comedy series that ran on CITV during the 1990s, produced by Thames Television and created by Andrew Bethell. The show originally ran from 21 February 1990 to 10 April 1992. The show centred around a fast food restaurant situated in a fictional shopping mall in Cricklewood, London. It was operated by two Canadians, Karen Hansson, Spatz International's European Co-ordinator, and Thomas "TJ" Strickland, the restaurant's manager. Vas Blackwood, Stephanie Charles, Jonathan Copestake, Sue Devaney, Joe Greco, Katy Murphy and Ling Tai appeared as Spatz restaurant employees. Guest stars included David Harewood, Rhys Ifans, Gary Lineker, Danny John-Jules and Nicholas Parsons.

Spatz

1990

What the Dickens? poster
NR

What the Dickens is a television panel game hosted by Sandi Toksvig. Team captains were Dave Gorman and Tim Brooke-Taylor for the first series and Sue Perkins and Chris Addison for the second and third. It is recorded at Sky Studios in West London.

What the Dickens?

2008

Four Feather Falls poster
6.6

Four Feather Falls was the third puppet TV show produced by Gerry Anderson for Granada Television. It was based on an idea by Barry Gray, who also wrote the show's music. The series was the first to use an early version of Anderson's Supermarionation puppetry. Thirty-nine 13-minute episodes were produced, broadcast by Granada from February until November 1960. The setting is the late 19th-century fictional Kansas town of Four Feather Falls, where the hero of the series, Tex Tucker, is sheriff. The four feathers of the title refers to four magical feathers given to Tex by the Indian chief Kalamakooya as a reward for saving his grandson: two allowed Tex's guns to swivel and fire without being touched whenever he was in danger, and two conferred the power of speech on Tex's horse and dog. Tex's speaking voice was provided by Nicholas Parsons, and his singing voice by Michael Holliday. The series has never been repeated on British television, but it was released on DVD in 2005.

Four Feather Falls

1960

Comedy World Cup poster
NR

David Tennant hosts the competition to determine which of Britain's comedians have the biggest fountain of funny knowledge

Comedy World Cup

2012

Presented in Supercolorisation poster
NR

Prior to Stingray, Gerry Anderson produced three series in black and white - their only colour representation being a small number of on-set stills taken during production. Using these as a basis, key episodes of Four Feather Falls, Supercar and Fireball XL5 have been colourised from High Definition remasters using state-of-the-art software, enabling fans to see their favourite shows in a whole new way!

Presented in Supercolorisation

2022

Just a Minute poster
9.5

Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy and television panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons. Its first transmission on Radio 4 was on 22 December 1967, three months after the station's launch. The Radio 4 programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003. The object of the game is for panellists to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject, "without repetition, hesitation or deviation". The comedy comes from attempts to keep within these rules and the banter among the participants. In 2011 comedy writer David Quantick ascribed Just a Minute's success to its "insanely basic" format, stating, "It's so blank that it can be filled by people as diverse as Paul Merton and Graham Norton, who don't have to adapt their style of humour to the show at all."

Just a Minute

2012

Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show poster
6.0

Frank Sidebottom's very own TV show, broadcast from the converted shed that functioned as his showbiz HQ. Also featuring diminutive sidekick Little Frank, the shows include Frank’s take on Crimewatch, Timperley’s contribution to Manchester’s Olympic bid, pioneering rocket science in the back garden, and even a staging of Live Aid 2!

Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show

1992

No artwork available
NR

Bill Pierce is a public relations officer in a large London store who is always on hand when things go wrong behind the scenes.

The Adventures of the Big Man

1956

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Good Morning Summer

1995

No artwork available
NR

A look at the impact of television on British culture.

How TV Changed Britain

2008

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Feast

2009