Bernard Cribbins: Movies & Box Office

Bernard Joseph Cribbins was an English actor and singer whose extraordinary career spanned eight decades, making him a beloved figure in British entertainment. Born on 29 December 1928 in the Derker area of Oldham, Lancashire, he grew up in a modest household with two sisters and a father who had served in the First World War. Leaving school at thirteen, he entered the world of theatre as an assistant stage manager and quickly progressed to acting roles at the Oldham Repertory Theatre before completing national service with the Parachute Regiment in Palestine. His breakthrough came in the late 1950s when he appeared on the West End, catching the attention of Parlophone producer George Martin, which led to a series of novelty hit singles such as "The Hole in the Ground" and "Right Said Fred" that topped the UK charts in 1962. Cribbins became a familiar face in film, starring in comedies like Two‑Way Stretch (1960), several Carry On titles, and memorable parts in The Railway Children (1970) and Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972). His versatile voice work included narrating the beloved children’s series The Wombles and becoming the most frequent storyteller on the BBC’s Jackanory, where he delivered 114 episodes between 1966 and 1991. In the realm of science‑fiction, he first played the companion Tom Campbell in the 1966 Doctor Who film, and decades later returned to the television series as Wilfred Mott, the beloved grandfather of Donna Noble, appearing in numerous episodes and the 60th‑anniversary special released posthumously. Awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to drama, he also received special recognition for his contributions to children’s programming. Cribbins remained active in theatre, radio, and television until his death on 27 July 2022, leaving a legacy of humor, warmth, and enduring appeal across generations.