David Lodge (actor)

David William Frederick Lodge (19 August 1921 – 18 October 2003) was an English character actor.

During the Second World War, Lodge served in the RAF.

Before turning to acting he worked as a circus clown.

He also appeared in Gang Shows and variety before making his screen debut in The Cockleshell Heroes and going on to feature in many British films usually portraying military types, and often comedic roles.

He was a close friend of Peter Sellers and appeared as part of Spike Milligan's team on his Q programmes (a running gag being that in each episode he or Spike would mention his role in The Cockleshell Heroes).

Lodge was very prolific during the 1950s and in 1958 alone he appeared in ten films.

In 1967 he was in The Avengers episode entitled ("Epic") in which he played the actor policeman killed by Peter Wyngarde.

He appeared in a 1969 episode of Randall and Hopkirk Deceased ("Who Killed Cock Robin?"), and continuing with his military-type roles as Company Sergeant-Major Sharp in an episode of It Ain't Half Hot Mum in 1976.

Lodge appeared in Carry On England.

He played the role of drunk Captain Bull who is replaced as Captain of the Battery by Captain S. Melly (Kenneth Connor).

He appeared in five Carry On films and several of the TV series episodes.

He appeared as a policeman in the opening episode of the legal drama The Main Chance and again in a later episode.

He also appeared in two of the On the Buses films playing smaller roles.

Lodge appeared as 'Pop Garret' in episode 1 series 2 Chalk and Cheese of The Sweeney, and as 'Soldier Atkins' in the Minder episode Rocky Eight and a Half (both characters being boxing trainers).

He was a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats, and served as its "King Rat".