The History of
Flash Harry
George
Cole was born in South London in 1925, but was abandoned by his natural mother
and adopted by the Cole family. They were not well off, and George joined the
acting profession as a means of escaping a life of drudgery. This upbringing in
downtown Tooting served him well – he specialised in playing the kind of
character that dodges and cheats his way out of trouble or into a bit of cash.
No doubt he came into contact with several people like this as he was growing
up. In the 1950s, if the role called for a spiv, George Cole was called in. For
a great example of this, see the 1955 film ‘Where There’s a Will’.
George
was 29 years old when he first played the role of Flash Harry, and he stuck with
this character longer than Alastair Sim or Joyce Grenfell stuck with theirs. I
get the feeling that this was more for financial reasons than dedication – he wasn’t
hugely famous and handsomely paid. Every
role is a gift to a jobbing actor who is worried about falling back into the
poverty he once knew.
In
a television interview given to Michael Aspel in the 1980s, George acknowledges
the direct line travelling from Flash Harry to Arthur Daley, his most famous spiv
role of all. And he is on record as stating that although Arthur Daley served
him well, he personally found him an abhorrent character, pitying anyone who
has someone like him as a husband or father.
You could say the same about Flash Harry. Flash is a funny character –
as long as you don’t analyse his actions. If this sort of person was to appear
on screen today, there would be questions asked. On paper, he is a sleaze -
hanging around a girls’ school, selling on their contraband and arranging
lucrative weddings for the sixth formers. But of course, in a film from times
that are considered to be more innocent and with the loveable George Cole in
the part, you have to like him. When you hear that lopsided music hall tune and
see the shrubbery tremble, you know you’re in for a chuckle.
I
recently wrote a blog on some of my film and theatre favourites for the delightful Carry on
Blogging – have a look here:
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