King Ralph
Encyclopedia
King Ralph is a 1991
American
comedy film
starring John Goodman
in the title role of Ralph Jones. The movie also stars Peter O'Toole
as the King's private secretary, Sir Cedric Willingham, Camille Coduri
as Ralph's girlfriend Miranda Greene, and John Hurt
as the British
peer Percival Graves, who schemes to get Ralph removed in order to claim the throne himself.
The story is loosely based on the novel Headlong
by Emlyn Williams
. Very little of the story survived the transition to the screen; characters were changed and the story made into a comedy. The film was a minor box office hit.
), the ruling family
of the United Kingdom
in the film, is electrocuted in a freak accident while standing on for a family photograph, after a cable has become wet during a storm. The British government immediately begins a search led by courtier Sir Cedric Willingham to look for any surviving heirs to whom to pass the crown
. A researcher finally locates a living heir named Ralph Jones, an American
.
In Las Vegas
Ralph, an easygoing slob, works as a lounge singer/piano player in one of the main casinos. Duncan Phipps and Inspector McGuire watch the performance and applaud with enthusiasm, while Ralph discovers that he has been fired and replaced by a chimpanzee
. Ralph meets Phipps and McGuire, who inform him that he is now king, though at first Ralph is skeptical over their claims. Phipps explains that Ralph's grandfather, the first Duke
of Warren, had had a brief affair with a hotel maid while visiting the States, and this affair produced a child, Ralph's father. But since his father and grandfather have died, Ralph is the only surviving Wyndham heir. Ralph is finally convinced when seeing the Duke's ring, an exact copy of a ring his grandmother claimed to have been given "by a prince".
Ralph is flown to London
, where he meets Willingham for the first time and begins the long period of adjustment instruction intended to turn him into a proper British
monarch. He is schooled by Willingham in English history and culture and is shown a variety of traditional English dishes, including bangers and mash
. When he is shown spotted dick
, a traditional English dessert for which he mistakes the bangers, he replies, "Spotted dick? Dick of what?" Ralph also learns the hard way that the British monarch does not just "smile and wave"
.
Shortly after his arrival, Ralph heads for a local strip club
, meeting the exotic dancer Miranda Greene. When she is unable to perform and leaves the stage in embarrassment, Ralph decides he wants to meet her. She is skeptical of his claim to be king, but Ralph proposes that if he can prove he is, Miranda will go on at least one date with him. Ralph's appearance on a newscast soon proves his claim.
Sir Cedric then gives Ralph pointers in cricket
, explaining the differences between it and baseball
. Ralph hits the ball a long way and pretends to will it fair (much like Carlton Fisk
did in Game Six of the 1975 World Series
). He then rounds imaginary bases and when he gets to "home plate" he does an imaginary "Bash Brothers" greeting (like Jose Canseco
and Mark McGwire
of the Oakland Athletics
).
Meanwhile, Lord Percival Graves, Prime Minister
Geoffrey Hale, and Willingham meet to discuss Ralph's selection as King. Graves is opposed to the idea of an American
on the throne, and he proposes to declare the Wyndham line at an end and replace it with the House of Stuart
, putting himself next in line for the throne. Hale states that Jones has royal blood ("no matter how badly diluted"), and that unless Jones commits a grievous error the country will have to live with him. Graves decides to use Miranda as a way to cause embarrassment to Ralph and provide the excuse needed to remove him from the throne. Being offered money to maneuver Ralph into a compromising position, Miranda initially accepts. She and Ralph continue their relationship, soon beginning to fall in love. Miranda returns the money to Graves, telling him she wants no part of his scheme, not knowing Graves already has pictures of them. In order to protect Ralph, Miranda decides to break off the relationship.
Despite Ralph's initial reluctance to accept British culture, and his general ineptness in formal affairs, he does manage to make a strong positive impression on King Mulambon of Zambezi during the latter's state visit. The two monarchs share their concerns about both the role of leadership that they have assumed and the economic interests of their respective nations. Having turned his blue-collar background into an advantage, Ralph begins accumulating a small but loyal and compassionate following.
Ralph's staff arrange for him to marry Princess Anna of Finland
; Ralph soon receives her and her parents on an official state visit
. He then discovers that she has an unusually deep voice. "We have nothing in common and she has a voice like a tuba
. If she had her way, we'd have sex on a bed of nails on national television, but at least the party stinks", says Ralph. However, Graves has photos of Miranda and Ralph passed around at the royal ball, which, along with Ralph's wild rendition of "Good Golly Miss Molly" on a harpsichord
, ruin any chance of a Royal marriage and causes a Finnish company to award a coveted contract to the Japanese. Having failed to realize that the role of King comes with formal expectations, and that he cannot rely entirely on his charm or blue-collar background, Ralph accepts a stern rebuke from Sir Cedric Willingham and endeavors to set things right. The palace staff begins an investigation and soon realizes that Ralph was set up through Gordon Halliwell, the Palace butler; Miranda confesses to Ralph her role in the scandal. Ralph starts developing his suspicions about the heir to the throne. His suspicions are confirmed when he gets Duncan to confess and learns that Willingham is another heir to the throne and had initially refused to accept the role.
The next day Ralph addresses Parliament
. Finally adopting the dignified manner and composure befitting a monarch, he publicly apologizes for his recent actions and then informs Parliament that he has helped work out a deal with the King of Zambezi that will create British jobs. He then reveals that Graves has been working to sabotage his succession to the throne and has him arrested for violating the Treason Act of 1702
. Finally, he tells the British people that while he tried his best to be a good king, he admits that his best will never be good enough and that he believes the British people deserve a better monarch. Thus, he has decided to abdicate his throne, and reveals that Willingham will succeed him.
Willingham becomes King Cedric I, and Ralph is free to pursue his romantic relationship with Miranda, along with his dreams of being a rock star. Ralph bids a tearful goodbye to his friends and his newly discovered relative. King Cedric creates Ralph the third Duke of Warren, with a lucrative annual salary, a palace in the country, and a state-of-the-art recording studio. A few years later, Miranda (now Miranda, Duchess of Warren) is sitting with her and Ralph's young son, watching her husband perform with his musical group (Ralph and the Dukettes). The child is identified in the credits as Baby Ralph II, suggesting that he might someday succeed the childless Cedric as monarch.
1991 in film
The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
starring John Goodman
John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
in the title role of Ralph Jones. The movie also stars Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
as the King's private secretary, Sir Cedric Willingham, Camille Coduri
Camille Coduri
Camille Coduri is an English actress. She is best known for her role in Doctor Who as Jackie Tyler.-Career:She featured in the film comedies Nuns on the Run and King Ralph...
as Ralph's girlfriend Miranda Greene, and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
as the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
peer Percival Graves, who schemes to get Ralph removed in order to claim the throne himself.
The story is loosely based on the novel Headlong
Headlong (Williams novel)
- Plot summary :The story takes place in England in the mid-1930s.In May 1935, the entire British Royal Family is killed in a freak accident after the explosion of a large dirigible , and the search is on to find a surviving heir of British blood...
by Emlyn Williams
Emlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE , known as Emlyn Williams, was a Welsh dramatist and actor.-Biography:He was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family in Mostyn, Flintshire....
. Very little of the story survived the transition to the screen; characters were changed and the story made into a comedy. The film was a minor box office hit.
Synopsis
The entire House of Wyndham (based on the House of WindsorHouse of Windsor
The House of Windsor is the royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom...
), the ruling family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the film, is electrocuted in a freak accident while standing on for a family photograph, after a cable has become wet during a storm. The British government immediately begins a search led by courtier Sir Cedric Willingham to look for any surviving heirs to whom to pass the crown
British monarchy
The monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
. A researcher finally locates a living heir named Ralph Jones, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
Ralph, an easygoing slob, works as a lounge singer/piano player in one of the main casinos. Duncan Phipps and Inspector McGuire watch the performance and applaud with enthusiasm, while Ralph discovers that he has been fired and replaced by a chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
. Ralph meets Phipps and McGuire, who inform him that he is now king, though at first Ralph is skeptical over their claims. Phipps explains that Ralph's grandfather, the first Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Warren, had had a brief affair with a hotel maid while visiting the States, and this affair produced a child, Ralph's father. But since his father and grandfather have died, Ralph is the only surviving Wyndham heir. Ralph is finally convinced when seeing the Duke's ring, an exact copy of a ring his grandmother claimed to have been given "by a prince".
Ralph is flown to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he meets Willingham for the first time and begins the long period of adjustment instruction intended to turn him into a proper British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
monarch. He is schooled by Willingham in English history and culture and is shown a variety of traditional English dishes, including bangers and mash
Bangers and mash
Bangers and mash, also known as sausages and mash, is a traditional English dish made of mashed potatoes and sausages, the latter of which may be one of a variety of flavoured sausage made of pork or beef or a Cumberland sausage....
. When he is shown spotted dick
Spotted dick
Spotted dick is a British steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit commonly served with custard. Spotted refers to the dried fruit and dick may be a contraction or corruption of the word pudding or possibly a corruption of the word dough or dog, as "spotted dog" is another name for the same...
, a traditional English dessert for which he mistakes the bangers, he replies, "Spotted dick? Dick of what?" Ralph also learns the hard way that the British monarch does not just "smile and wave"
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
.
Shortly after his arrival, Ralph heads for a local strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
, meeting the exotic dancer Miranda Greene. When she is unable to perform and leaves the stage in embarrassment, Ralph decides he wants to meet her. She is skeptical of his claim to be king, but Ralph proposes that if he can prove he is, Miranda will go on at least one date with him. Ralph's appearance on a newscast soon proves his claim.
Sir Cedric then gives Ralph pointers in cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, explaining the differences between it and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Ralph hits the ball a long way and pretends to will it fair (much like Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
did in Game Six of the 1975 World Series
1975 World Series
The 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
). He then rounds imaginary bases and when he gets to "home plate" he does an imaginary "Bash Brothers" greeting (like Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
and Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
).
Meanwhile, Lord Percival Graves, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Geoffrey Hale, and Willingham meet to discuss Ralph's selection as King. Graves is opposed to the idea of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the throne, and he proposes to declare the Wyndham line at an end and replace it with the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, putting himself next in line for the throne. Hale states that Jones has royal blood ("no matter how badly diluted"), and that unless Jones commits a grievous error the country will have to live with him. Graves decides to use Miranda as a way to cause embarrassment to Ralph and provide the excuse needed to remove him from the throne. Being offered money to maneuver Ralph into a compromising position, Miranda initially accepts. She and Ralph continue their relationship, soon beginning to fall in love. Miranda returns the money to Graves, telling him she wants no part of his scheme, not knowing Graves already has pictures of them. In order to protect Ralph, Miranda decides to break off the relationship.
Despite Ralph's initial reluctance to accept British culture, and his general ineptness in formal affairs, he does manage to make a strong positive impression on King Mulambon of Zambezi during the latter's state visit. The two monarchs share their concerns about both the role of leadership that they have assumed and the economic interests of their respective nations. Having turned his blue-collar background into an advantage, Ralph begins accumulating a small but loyal and compassionate following.
Ralph's staff arrange for him to marry Princess Anna of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
; Ralph soon receives her and her parents on an official state visit
State visit
A state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
. He then discovers that she has an unusually deep voice. "We have nothing in common and she has a voice like a tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
. If she had her way, we'd have sex on a bed of nails on national television, but at least the party stinks", says Ralph. However, Graves has photos of Miranda and Ralph passed around at the royal ball, which, along with Ralph's wild rendition of "Good Golly Miss Molly" on a harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, ruin any chance of a Royal marriage and causes a Finnish company to award a coveted contract to the Japanese. Having failed to realize that the role of King comes with formal expectations, and that he cannot rely entirely on his charm or blue-collar background, Ralph accepts a stern rebuke from Sir Cedric Willingham and endeavors to set things right. The palace staff begins an investigation and soon realizes that Ralph was set up through Gordon Halliwell, the Palace butler; Miranda confesses to Ralph her role in the scandal. Ralph starts developing his suspicions about the heir to the throne. His suspicions are confirmed when he gets Duncan to confess and learns that Willingham is another heir to the throne and had initially refused to accept the role.
The next day Ralph addresses Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. Finally adopting the dignified manner and composure befitting a monarch, he publicly apologizes for his recent actions and then informs Parliament that he has helped work out a deal with the King of Zambezi that will create British jobs. He then reveals that Graves has been working to sabotage his succession to the throne and has him arrested for violating the Treason Act of 1702
Treason Act 1702
The Treason Act 1702 is an Act of the Parliament of England, passed to enforce the line of succession to the English throne, previously established by the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701....
. Finally, he tells the British people that while he tried his best to be a good king, he admits that his best will never be good enough and that he believes the British people deserve a better monarch. Thus, he has decided to abdicate his throne, and reveals that Willingham will succeed him.
Willingham becomes King Cedric I, and Ralph is free to pursue his romantic relationship with Miranda, along with his dreams of being a rock star. Ralph bids a tearful goodbye to his friends and his newly discovered relative. King Cedric creates Ralph the third Duke of Warren, with a lucrative annual salary, a palace in the country, and a state-of-the-art recording studio. A few years later, Miranda (now Miranda, Duchess of Warren) is sitting with her and Ralph's young son, watching her husband perform with his musical group (Ralph and the Dukettes). The child is identified in the credits as Baby Ralph II, suggesting that he might someday succeed the childless Cedric as monarch.
Errors
- When citing the Treason Act of 1702 as his justification in ordering the arrest of Lord Graves on the grounds that Graves had interfered with King Ralph's succession to the throne, King Ralph mentioned (after silently going through the Mnemonic VerseMnemonic verse of monarchs in EnglandA mnemonic verse listing the monarchs ruling in England since William the Conqueror was traditionally used by English schoolchildren in the era when rote learning formed a major part of the curriculum....
), that it was passed by William IIIWilliam III of EnglandWilliam III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, when in fact it was passed in the first year of Queen Anne'sAnne of Great BritainAnne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
reign. - The film incorrectly portrays FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
as being a monarchyMonarchyA monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
. From 1249-1809, Finland was a part of the Kingdom of Sweden, then became a Duchy when Russia won the Finnish War. Finland declared her independence in 1917, and adopted a republican constitution in 1919. However, it is likely that the makers of the film chose a country without a real-life monarchy to avoid causing offence by portraying a real royal family. - The name of Finland's King is Gustav. "Gustav" is typically a Swedish name. This is not necessarily a mistake as most Swedish-speaking Finns have Swedish names. However among ethnic Finns, the Swedish version of the name Gustav is not used. The FinnishFinnish languageFinnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
version of the name is "Kustaa", but this name is rare. - John Hurt's character is called 'Lord Percival Graves', but sits in the House of Lords and is thus a peer in his own right. British peers never use the style 'Lord' followed by first name and surname; this style is used only by a younger son of a duke or marquess.
Cast
- John GoodmanJohn GoodmanJohn Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
... Ralph Hampton Gainesworth Jones - Peter O'ToolePeter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
... Sir Cedric Charles Willingham - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
... Lord Percival Graves - Camille CoduriCamille CoduriCamille Coduri is an English actress. She is best known for her role in Doctor Who as Jackie Tyler.-Career:She featured in the film comedies Nuns on the Run and King Ralph...
... Miranda Greene - Ann BeachAnn BeachAnn Beach is a British actress.She is the mother of Charlotte Coleman and Lisa Coleman. She is perhaps best remembered for her supporting role as Sonia Barrett, the quirky next-door neighbour on the British comedy Fresh Fields, starring Julia McKenzie and Anton Rodgers...
... Miranda's Mother - Jack SmethurstJack SmethurstJack Smethurst is an English TV and film comic actor whose career dates back to the 1950s.-Career:Smethurst made his film debut in 1958's Carry On Sergeant...
... Miranda's Father - Richard GriffithsRichard GriffithsRichard Griffiths, OBE is an English actor of stage, film and television. He has received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actor and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor...
... Duncan Phillips - Leslie PhillipsLeslie PhillipsLeslie Samuel Phillips, CBE is an English actor with a highly recognisable upper class accent. Originally known for his work as a comedy actor, Phillips subsequently made the transition to character roles.-Early life:...
... Gordon Halliwell - James VilliersJames VilliersJames Michael Hyde Villiers was a British character actor and a familiar face on British television...
... Prime Minister Geoffrey Haile - Joely RichardsonJoely RichardsonJoely Kim Richardson is an English actress, most known recently for her role as Queen Catherine Parr in the Showtime television show The Tudors and Julia McNamara in the television drama Nip/Tuck...
... Princess Anna - Niall O'BrienNiall O'Brien (actor)Niall O'Brien was an Irish-born actor and member of the Abbey Theatre company. He was born in Dalkey village, Co. Dublin, and grew up in nearby Glasthule. He was educated at Presentation College at Westland Row, Dublin, before going on to join the Abbey School of acting.-Personal life:O'Brien...
... Tommy McGuire - Julian GloverJulian GloverJulian Wyatt Glover is a British actor best known for such roles as General Maximilian Veers in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, the Bond villain Aristotle Kristatos in For Your Eyes Only, and Walter Donovan in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.-Personal life:Glover was born in...
... King Gustav of FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... - Judy ParfittJudy ParfittJudy Parfitt is a BAFTA-nominated English theatre, film and television actress who began her career on stage in 1954.-Life and work:...
... Queen Katherine - Leo Jean ... Grampy
- Ed Stobart ... DysenteryDysenteryDysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
- Gedren Heller ... Punk Girl
- Rudolph WalkerRudolph WalkerRudolph Walker, OBE is a British character actor. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Walker came to the United Kingdom in 1960....
... King Mulambon of Zambezi - Michael Johnson ... Hamilton