RICHARD MCNEFF Snr - ACTOR

(27 February 1921- 7 January 2006)

 Biography

Richard McNeff was born in London in 1921. He had two sisters and five brothers. The eldest brother, Samuel Valentine, became a major in the Intelligence and fought with Tito and the partisans in Yugoslavia.

Samuel Valentine McNeff

Richard left school at fourteen and worked as a clerk in Notting Hill Gate. When the Second World War came he saw action in the North African desert with the Eighth Army. Subsequently, he fought on the Italian Front and in Germany.

Richard McNeff in the army (from The World at War)

He was demobbed in 1946 and married Lynne Munn in the same year. They lived in Brighton where he studied accountancy at night school and started teacher training. Realising teaching was not for him, he acted with the Little Theatre, an amateur company, which led on to professional engagements and the gaining of an Equity card. He then became part of the repertory theatre circuit, acting in Bognor, Bexhill, Seaford, Ayr, Swanage, Margate and Brighton's Theatre Royal. 

After this he worked in the British Film Industry at Pinewood and Elstree, appearing in such films as Heaven's Above with Peter Sellers and the musical Oliver, frequently playing policemen. He also broke into television resisting the Dalek invasion of the earth with the first Doctor Who, William Hartnell, as well as appearing in the Saint, Up Pompeii and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em. In the sixties he wrote a play called The Room They Left, which was put on by the BBC. 

 Filmography

1. "Chance in a Million".... Policeman (1 episode, 1984)
    - Plumstones(1984) TV episode .... Policeman
2. "Cowboys".... Police Inspector (1 episode, 1980)
    - Remember Honky Stubbs(1980) TV episode .... Police Inspector
3. "Born and Bred".... Buffet tramp (1 episode, 1980)
    - C'est Si Bon(1980) TV episode .... Buffet tramp
4. "Armchair Thriller".... Chief prison officer (1 episode, 1980)
   - The Victim(1980) TV episode .... Chief prison officer
5. "Hazell".... Cabbie (1 episode, 1979)
   - Hazell and the Deptford Virgin(1979) TV episode .... Cabbie
6. "London Belongs to Me".... Fire officer (1 episode, 1977)
    - Episode #1.7(1977) TV episode .... Fire officer
7. "Three Piece Suite".... Chauffeur - This Situation (1 episode, 1977) 
8.  - Come in, No.1/This Situation/All in the Mind(1977) TV episode .... Chauffeur - This Situation
9. "Warship".... Admiral's Secretary (1 episode, 1977)
   - Robertson Crusoe(1977) TV episode .... Admiral's Secretary
10. "The Rough with the Smooth".... Policeman (1 episode, 1975)
    - Episode #1.3(1975) TV episode .... Policeman
11. "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em".... Squadron Leader (1 episode, 1973)
     - The RAF Reunion(1973) TV episode .... Squadron Leader
12. "And Mother Makes Three".... Attendant (1 episode, 1971)
    - A Hard Day Out(1971) TV episode .... Attendant
13. "Softly Softly".... C / ... (1 episode, 1971)
    ... aka "Softly, Softly: Task Force" (UK: new title) 
     - An Inside Job(1971) TV episode .... C/R Duty Officer
14. "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes".... The Driver (1 episode, 1971)
     - The Missing Witness Sensation(1971) TV episode .... The Driver
15. "Comedy Playhouse"(1 episode, 1971)
     - The Rough with the Smooth(1971) TV episode
16. The Laughing Stock of Television(1971) (TV)
    ... aka Frankie Howerd: The Laughing Stock of Television (UK)
17. "Callan".... Det. Sgt. Wheeler (1 episode, 1970)
    - Where Else Could I Go?(1970) TV episode .... Det. Sgt. Wheeler
18. "Dixon of Dock Green".... Station Sgt. Duggan (1 episode, 1969)
      - Copper's Luck(1969) TV episode .... Station Sgt. Duggan
19. "Special Branch".... Radio Operator (1 episode, 1969)
      - Troika(1969) TV episode .... Radio Operator
20. "Oliver" (1968) Chief Peeler
21. "Up Pompeii".... Senator (1 episode, 1969)
      - Up Pompeii!(1969) TV episode .... Senator
22. "Z Cars".... Doctor / ... (2 episodes, 1964-1968)
        - Punch-Up: Part 1(1968) TV episode .... Henderson
        - Cage Until Tame(1964) TV episode .... Doctor
23. "ITV Playhouse".... 1st Man (1 episode, 1968)
        - Funeral Games  by Joe Orton   (1968) TV episode .... 1st Man
24. "Redcap".... Sgt Neswick (1 episode, 1966)
        - Crime Passionel(1966) TV episode .... Sgt Neswick
25. "The Big Spender"(1965) TV series .... Mr. Stewart (unknown episodes)
26. "No Hiding Place".... Local Sergeant / ... (3 episodes, 1960-1965)
        - Truth or Dare(1965) TV episode .... Police Sergeant
        - Statement to the Press(1963) TV episode .... Prison officer
        - Point of Release(1960) TV episode .... Local Sergeant
27. "Doctor Who".... Baker (2 episodes, 1964)
        - Day of Reckoning(1964) TV episode .... Baker
        - The Daleks(1964) TV episode .... Baker
28. "Heaven's Above" (1963) Police Inspector
29. "The Saint".... Guard (1 episode, 1963)
        - The Fellow Traveller(1963) TV episode (uncredited) .... Guard
30. The Marked One(1963) .... Inspector Rogers
31. The Brain(1962) (uncredited) .... Parkin (valet)
    ... aka A Dead Man Seeks His Murderer
    ... aka Ein Toter sucht seinen Mörder (West Germany)
    ... aka Over My Dead Body
32. The Painted Smile(1962) .... Police Inspector
    ... aka Murder Can Be Deadly (USA)
33. Emergency(1962)
34. "Our House"(1 episode, 1961)
        - A Quiet Time(1961) TV episode
35. Jungle Street(1961) .... Policeman
    ... aka Jungle Street Girls (USA)
36. "Precious Bane"(1 episode, 1957)
        - Episode #1.4(1957) TV episode
37. "ITV Play of the Week".... Pitt (1 episode, 1956)
    ... aka "Play of the Week" (UK: short title)
        - Shooting Star(1956) TV episode .... Pitt
38. Suspended Alibi(1956) .... Police Constable
    ... aka Suspected Alibi (USA: reissue title)