The English actor and comedian Terry-Thomas (1911–1990) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including film, radio and theatre. His professional career spanned 50 years from 1933 until his retirement in 1983. During this time he became synonymous with playing the "silly-ass Englishman", a characterisation that he had portrayed from his time on the variety circuit.

Terry-Thomas made his film debut as an extra in the 1933 film, The Private Life of Henry VIII, which starred Charles Laughton in the title role; Terry-Thomas continued to undertake a series of small and uncredited film roles while his reputation grew on radio and television. He played his first role on radio in the 1938 BBC tea dance programme Friends to Tea, before spending the Second World War with the Royal Corps of Signals and ENSA, the Entertainments National Service Association.

After the war, Terry-Thomas began his stage career with an appearance in Piccadilly Hayride at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London; the show was a hit and he appeared in it from September 1946 until January 1948. In 1949 he appeared in his first television programme, Technical Hitch, and scored a success later that year with his own television series, How Do You View?, which was noted for being the first comedy series on British television. In 1956 he was cast by the Boulting brothers in Private's Progress. The role boosted his film career, initially in Britain, and then in America. In 1958 Terry-Thomas released the first of two solo comedy records, Strictly T-T; the same year he also appeared as Bertie Wooster in a cast recording of Jeeves, with Roger Livesey playing Jeeves.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Terry-Thomas' appearances on stage and radio were becoming less frequent but his television and film output remained consistent, despite his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease in 1971; by the mid-1980s, though, the disease had effectively ended his career. On his death, The Guardian observed that "as an upper class twit or as a debonair rascal, Terry-Thomas had few equals", and described him as "a national treasure", while The Independent considered that he "personified the Englishman as amiable bounder".

Filmography + Filmography of Terry-Thomas Film Year Role Notes 1933 Extra Uncredited 1935 Extra Uncredited Cheer Up Extra Uncredited When Knights Were Bold Extra Uncredited Things to Come Extra Uncredited Once in a Million Extra Uncredited It's Love Again Extra Uncredited Rhythm in the Air Frankie Uncredited This'll Make You Whistle Extra Uncredited Take a Chance 1937 Cast member Uncredited Rhythm Racketeer 1937 Cast member Uncredited Climbing High Cow Production finished in 1938, film released in 1939; Voice, Uncredited Sam Goes Shopping Boyfriend Uncredited Flying Fifty-Five Bit at Racetrack Uncredited For Freedom News reader Uncredited Under Your Hat Cast member Uncredited Quiet Wedding Extra Uncredited If You Don't Save Paper Shop Assistant Copy Book Please On-screen participant 3-minute instructional film Terry Himself Helter Skelter Himself Melody Club What's Cooking? Cast member Also called Cookery Nook 1952 Cast member Private's Progress Brothers in Law Lucky Jim Blue Murder at St Trinian's Happy Is the Bride Policeman Tom Thumb Ivan Nominated for BAFTA Award for the "Best British Actor in 1959" Too Many Crooks Carlton-Browne of the F.O. I'm All Right Jack School for Scoundrels That's Odd Cast member 15-minute short Make Mine Mink His and Hers Bachelor Flat Operation Snatch Ludwig ('The Singing Bone') Kill or Cure It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Spender Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Terry-Thomas in Tuscany Host Producer; 15-minute short Terry-Thomas in the South of France Host Producer; 19-minute short Terry-Thomas in Northern Ireland Host Producer; 19-minute short How to Murder Your Wife Strange Bedfellows Mortician Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines You Must Be Joking! Our Man in Marrakesh El Caid Munster, Go Home! Scoutmaster Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die Sir Reginald Top Crack Charles Technical Advisor; "Tiger" Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon How to Kill 400 Duponts Arabella ; Duke Pietro Moretti; hotel manager; insurance manager Seven Times Seven Police Inspector Originally titled Sette Volte Sette Danger: Diabolik Minister of the Interior, then Minister of Finance Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? Uno Scacco Tutto Matto Il Direttore Dorgeant Also known as Checkmate for McDowell or It's Your Move How Sweet It Is! 2000 Years Later Monte Carlo or Bust! Originally called Quei Temerari Sulle Loro Pazze, Scatenate, Scalcinate Carriole Arthur? Arthur! Una Su Tredici Albert Also known as 12 + 1 or The Thirteen Chairs Atlantic Wall 1970 Colpo Grosso ... Grossissimo ... Anzi Probabile Dr. Phibes Rises Again Lombardo Tunisia – Yesterday and Today Commentator 16-minute short Gli Eroi Also known as The Heroes Robin Hood Voice Appelby Chi ha rubato il tesoro dello scia? Side by Side Closed Up-Tight Spanish Fly Prison Governor Kingdom of Gifts Voice La Isla De Las Cabezas 1979 Cast member Febbre a 40! 1980 Also known as Happy Birthday Harry!

Radio + Radio broadcasts of Terry-Thomas Broadcast Date Channel Notes Friends to Tea London Regional Anzac Hour BBC General Forces Programme Anzac Hour BBC General Forces Programme We're All Together Now BBC Home Service Strike a Home Note BBC General Forces Programme Band Party BBC Home Service Out of the Hat BBC Home Service Folly to be Wise BBC Light Programme They're Out BBC Light Programme Variety Star Show BBC General Overseas Service George Elrick's Band Party BBC Light Programme Caribbean Carnival BBC General Overseas Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Cabaret Midland Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Happidrome BBC Light Programme BBC Light Programme Piccadilly Hayride BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Happidrome BBC Light Programme BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime Anniversary Programme BBC Home Service Accordion Club BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Up and Doing BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Up and Doing BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme BBC Light Programme Accordion Club BBC Light Programme Navy Mixture BBC Home Service Alhambra of the Air BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service October Revue BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Accordion Club BBC Light Programme BBC Light Programme November Revue BBC Home Service Christmas Crackers BBC Light Programme Night Shift BBC Light Programme Caribbean Carnival BBC General Overseas Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Caribbean Carnival BBC General Overseas Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Variety Hall of Fame BBC Light Programme Best Indian Rendezvous BBC Light Programme Alhambra of the Air BBC Light Programme To Town with Terry – 28 March 1949 BBC Home Service 24 episodes; broadcast weekly Music Hall BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Caribbean Carnival BBC General Overseas Service BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Music Hall BBC Light Programme Variety Fanfare BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Something to Sing About BBC Light Programme Variety Fanfare BBC Home Service Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Variety Fanfare BBC Home Service Variety Fanfare BBC Home Service Variety Fanfare BBC Home Service Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Music Hall BBC Light Programme Variety Bandbox BBC Light Programme Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Calling All Forces BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Calling All Forces BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Music Hall BBC Light Programme Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Can You Beat It BBC Home Service Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Anglo-American Programme BBC Light Programme Top of the Bill BBC Light Programme Calling All Forces BBC Home Service Happy-Go-Lucky BBC Light Programme Music Hall BBC Light Programme Dick Turpin BBC Light Programme Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service Calling All Forces BBC Light Programme All Star Bill BBC Light Programme Henry Hall's Guest Night BBC Home Service All Star Bill BBC Light Programme Star Show BBC Light Programme Forces Show BBC Light Programme Variety Playhouse BBC Home Service Hip, Hip, Hooray BBC Light Programme BBC Ballroom BBC Light Programme Top of the Town BBC Home Service Pilot episode Star Bill BBC Light Programme Worker's Playtime BBC Home Service Ignorance Is Bliss BBC Light Programme Star Bill BBC Light Programme Top of the Town – 21 February 1954 BBC Light Programme 16 episodes, broadcast weekly; series one Variety at the Capitol BBC Light Programme Variety at the Capitol BBC Light Programme Variety at the Capitol BBC Light Programme Star Bill BBC Light Programme Variety Playhouse BBC Home Service Royal Salute BBC Home Service Thank Your Lucky Stars BBC Light Programme Blackpool Nights BBC Light Programme Blackpool Nights BBC Light Programme In Town Tonight BBC Home Service Top of the Town  – 27 February 1955 BBC Light Programme 16 episodes, broadcast weekly; series two Desert Island Discs BBC Home Service Star Struck BBC Home Service BBC Light Programme Variety Playhouse BBC Home Service BBC Home Service Today Today BBC Light Programme In Town Tonight BBC Home Service In Town Tonight BBC Home Service Home This Afternoon BBC Light Programme Home This Afternoon BBC Light Programme Spoken Words WNYC-FM (USA) Open House BBC Radio 2 Arthur Askey's Seventieth Birthday BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs BBC Radio 4

Stage credits