Christopher Mitchell Driver (21 May 1948 – 22 February 2001) was an English actor known for his role in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum as Gunner Nigel 'Parky' Parkin.
Career He was born in Surrey, and after attending a private drama school performed in repertory theatre, and as a model in television adverts for Macleans toothpaste. His early television roles included small parts in Dixon of Dock Green and Z Cars,Robert Ross, Forgotten Heroes of Comedy, Unbound Press, London, 2021, , pp.368-374 and his film credits include Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967), This, That and the Other (1969), The Sex Thief (1973) and What's Up Superdoc! (1978).
From 1974 to 1981, Mitchell played Gunner Nigel "Parky" Parkin in the sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum, which drew him to national attention. He appeared in two episodes of Only Fools and Horses ("May the Force Be With You" in 1983 and "To Hull and Back" in 1985), playing policeman Terry Hoskins. In addition he had parts in many other comedies such as: Keeping Up Appearances; Never the Twain and That's My Boy.
Death He died from liver cancer at the age of 52, a month before his father, actor Norman Mitchell, and in the same year as Kenneth MacDonald, another actor with a role as a gunner in It Ain't Half Hot Mum, who died of a heart attack aged 50.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRole1967Here We Go Round the Mulberry BushTony1969This, That and the OtherCarl1973The Sex ThiefWensleydale1978What's Up Superdoc!Dr. Todd
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1967Emergency Ward 10Ron LeeOne episodeSeven Deadly VirtuesGordon Mather1968Sam and JanetRonCold Comfort FarmBounderDixon of Dock GreenPete1969Strange ReportJay BrandDetectiveBilly Smith1969—1970Take Three GirlsEdwinFive episodes1970Ours Is a Nice HouseSimonOne episode1971Z-CarsBobThree episodesThe Fenn Street GangEdgarOne episode1972The Shadow of the TowerFirst GuardAlcock and GanderHarryEmmerdaleNorman HarrisonThree episodes1973Arthur of the BritonsBarthOne episode1974—1981It Ain't Half Hot MumGunner "Parky" ParkinFifty-six episodes1974The ProtectorsJuanOne episodeDoctor at SeaDoctor1976, 1995This Is Your LifeHimselfTwo episodes1976The Cedar TreeAlan Chapman1977No Appointment NecessaryGarthOne episode1978Come Back Mrs. NoahThe Butler1979You're Only Young TwiceJunior1980CrossroadsDet. Const. HardimanFour episodesWatch This SpaceOne episodeBorn and BredPC WillisThe ProfessionalsSimms1983, 1985Only Fools and HorsesTerence HoskinsTwo episodes1983That's My BoyMikeOne episode1988Never the TwainNorman the barmanTwo episodes1989Mr MajeikaRon BigmoreFive episodes1990The BillPrison officerOne episode1991Keeping Up AppearancesThe porterMinderCustomer in Winchester1995OmnibusHimself (archive footage)
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