Michael Hammond Bates (4 December 1920 – 11 January 1978) was a British actor, born in colonial India. He was best known for his roles as Field Marshall Sir Bernard Law Montgomery in Patton (1970), Guard Barnes in A Clockwork Orange (1971), Cyril Blamire in Last of the Summer Wine (1973–1975) and Rangi Ram in It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1977).

Early life Bates was born in Jhansi, United Provinces, British Raj (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India). His parents were of Cheshire families; his father, Henry Stuart "Harry" Bates (16 March 1893 – 1 September 1985), son of Albert Bates (born 1868), of Congleton, Cheshire,Kelly's Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes, 1969, p. 224Who Was Who: A Companion to Who's Who, 2002, p. 50 was educated at Denstone School and Cambridge University before entering the Indian Civil Service in 1920. He served as Deputy Secretary of the Revenue Department and a Member of the Board of Revenue for the United Provinces of India until 1947 (in which year he was created Order of the Star of India (CSI) and was later of the Colonial Office.Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage and Companionage, Kelly's Directories, 1973, p. 2474Who's Who, A. & C. Black, 1968, p. 183 Bates's mother, Sarah Clarke Walker (19 June 1896 – 24 November 1982) was daughter of William Hammond Walker (1851 – 19 May 1904), also of Congleton.

Having been sent home to England aged seven by his parents,Last of the Summer Wine: The Inside Story of the World's Longest-Running Comedy Series, Andrew Vine, Aurum Press, 2011 Bates was educated at Uppingham School and his father's alma mater, St Catharine's College, Cambridge. He was commissioned in the Indian Army in March 1942. During the Second World War he served in the Burma Campaign as a major with the 3rd Battalion, The 9th Gurkha Rifles, and was mentioned in dispatches in 1944.

Career In 1953, while an ensemble member with the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, Bates appeared in Richard III and All's Well That Ends Well.

In 1956, Bates appeared in Hotel Paradiso (L'Hôtel du libre échange), which starred Alec Guinness, at the Winter Garden Theatre in London. On radio, he played a variety of characters in the BBC's long-running comedy series The Navy Lark, including Able Seaman Ginger, Lieutenant Bates, Rear Admiral Ironbridge, the Military padre, and Captain Ignatius Aloysius Atchison.

Bates appeared in many British television series, including Last of the Summer Wine from 1973 to 1975 (as Cyril Blamire) and It Ain't Half Hot Mum from 1973 to 1977 (as Rangi Ram).

Bates's film roles include Bedazzled (1967) as the flirtatious police inspector, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1967) as Mr. McGregor, Battle of Britain (1969) as Warrant Officer Warwick, Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) as a Lance-Corporal, Patton (1970) as Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery (to whom he bore a striking resemblance), A Clockwork Orange (1971) and Frenzy (1972). On stage, he played Shakespearean roles at Stratford and at the Old Vic and made a big impression as Inspector Truscott in the West End production of Loot by Joe Orton in 1966.

Personal life In 1954, Bates married Margaret M. J. Chisholm. They had three children.Who's Who in the Theatre, 1977, p. 391 He was a supporter of the Conservative Party. Peter Sallis described Bates as being "slightly to the right of Thatcher" politically and said that Bates's right-wing opinions contrasted so sharply with the left-wing views of fellow Last of the Summer Wine star Bill Owen that the series was almost not made because of their arguments.

Bates died of cancer on 11 January 1978 at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, London, aged 57. Bates had reportedly started to suffer from a rapid health decline around eighteen months before his death. He died shortly after the fifth series of It Ain't Half Hot Mum had been broadcast; his character was written out of the show with no explanation.Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy by Mark Lewisohn (2003), p. 414

Brownface allegations Bates's role as Rangi Ram in It Ain't Half Hot Mum led to the allegation that he had performed in brownface.See comments by actor Renu Setna in the documentary on Comedy Connections "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" (#5.3), original air date: 26 January 2007 Series co-creator Jimmy Perry told Stuart Jeffries in 2003 that they had been unable to find a suitable Asian actor. "But Michael was ideal for the role", Perry said. Interviewed by the journalist Neil Clark for The Daily Telegraph in 2013, Perry said that all Bates wore "was a light tan. He wasn't blacked up! Michael spoke fluent Urdu, and was a captain in the Gurkhas". The show is not repeated in the UK by the BBC, which uses the "blacked up" description of Bates's performance in its website's article about the series. The series has been repeatedly shown on the UK channel That's TV since the summer of 2023, with an on-screen 'disclaimer' at the beginning of each episode reminding viewers that it contains language and attitudes reflecting the era in which it was made.

Selected filmography Film roles Carrington V.C. (1955) – Major Broke-Smith Dunkirk (1958) – Froome I'm All Right Jack (1959) – Bootle Bedazzled (1967) – Inspector Clarke Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (1968) – Mr. McGregor Hammerhead (1968) – Andreas / Sir Richard Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River (1968) – Dr. Spink Salt and Pepper (1968) – Inspector Crabbe Oh! What a Lovely War (1969) – Drunk Lance Corporal Battle of Britain (1969) – Warrant Officer Warwick Arthur? Arthur! (1969) – Mr. Harrington Patton (1970) – Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery Every Home Should Have One (1970) – Magistrate The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970) – Mr. Spimm A Clockwork Orange (1971) – Chief Guard Barnes Frenzy (1972) – Sergeant Spearman No Sex Please, We're British (1973) – Mr. Needham Fall of Eagles (1974) – General Erich Ludendorff The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones (1976) – Madman Gulliver's Travels (1977) – (voice)

Television roles Year Title Role Notes1953The AppleyardsMr. CrumpEpisode: "The Problem of Joe"1955-1958ITV Television PlayhouseCaptain Alan Gerard/Sergeant Grey 2 episodesBBC Sunday Night TheatreMaxwell Oliver/Starveling1957Television World TheatreBardulph/WilliamsEpisode: "The Life of Henry V"1958Dixon of Dock GreenJimmyEpisode: "A Little Bit of Luck"IvanhoeWill the SimpleEpisode: "The Raven"Saturday PlayhouseGregory Lupton/Colonel Lukyn2 episodes1959World Theatre Old ColonelEpisode: Mother Courage and Her ChildrenThe Four Just Men Corporal BatesEpisode: "The Deserter"1960No Hiding PlaceAlec PetersEpisode: "Three Small Bones"Boyd Q.C.Dr. AttardEpisode: "The Little Man"1960-1966Emergency Ward 10Joe Watson/James Wilberforce9 episodes1961ITV Play of the WeekLieutenant-Commander Richard StanfordEpisode: "The Flashing Stream"1962Tales of MysteryArthur VezinEpisode: "Ancient Sorceries"1963The SaintJoeEpisode: "The Fellow Traveller"1965Thursday TheatreTommyEpisode: "Photo Finish" Cluff Inspector Mole Season 2 1965-1970BBC Play of the MonthProfessor Godbole/Ronald Storrs2 episodes1966Theatre 625ShpichelskyEpisode: "A Month in the Country"1966-1969The Wednesday PlayMike MacFarland/Joe2 episodes1968Man in a SuitcaseDelacroixEpisode: "Blind Spot"ITV PlayhouseMr. Ambekar/Harold Radcliff2 episodesArmchair TheatreEpisode: "The Escape Club"1968-1973Comedy PlayhouseAntrobus/Cyril Blamire2 episodes1969 The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder Ras Lal Punjabi Episode: "Sheer Melodrama"1969-1972ITV Saturday Night TheatreVarious3 episodes1970NBC Experiment in TelevisionEustace CartwrightEpisode: "The Engagement"Oh In Colour1 episode1970-1971Mr Digby DarlingNorman Stanhope6 episodes1970-1973Thirty-Minute TheatreCaptain Gambell/Mr. Lightfoot2 episodes1971Man at the TopTom BinseyEpisode: "Too Good for This World" Six Dates with Barker Gasman / Patient Episode: "1971: Come in and Lie Down"The Misfit Sgt. WilfredsEpisode: "On Arrivals and Departures and Things in Between"Play for TodayArthurEpisode: "The Fox Trot"Jason KingEdwardEpisode: "As Easy as A.B.C."The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Colonel SandstreamEpisode: "The Assyrian Rejuvenator"1972BudgieMinces NuttyEpisode: "Louie the Ring is Dead and Buried in Kensal Green Cemetery"Lollipop Loves Mr MoleMr. ChristmasEpisode: "It's Only Natural Gas" Public Eye George (Shopkeeper / Retired policeman) Episode: "Horse and Carriage"The Stone TapeEddie HolmesTV film1973–1975 Last of the Summer Wine Cyril Blamire Seasons 1-2 1974Fall of EaglesVon Ludendorff2 episodesThe Dick Emery ShowHorace Toombs/Veedo1974–1977 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Bearer Rangi Ram Seasons 1-5 1975Comedy PremiereReg ForresterEpisode: "Honey"

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