Richard Coleman appeared in four episodes of Season 4 as Alan-a-Dale, the character having been previously played in one episode by John Schlesinger. In his first 3 film appearances, Richard played naval officers. While the first one ’Yangtse Incident’ was a tense, factually based cold war thriller, the next two ‘Girls at Sea’ and ‘The Navy Lark’ were both light comedies. He went on to make an uncredited appearance in the Academy Award winning film epic ‘Ben Hur’. Although occasionally having small roles in films, Richard worked more in TV and the theatre. He appeared in episodes of ‘Dixon of Dock Green’, ‘No Hiding Place’ and ‘The Avengers’ in the mid-1960s, and had a regular role in the Birmingham based soap opera ‘Weaver’s Green’ in 1966. He featured in the sitcom ‘And Mother Makes Three’ from 1972 -73 and, when his character married Wendy Craig’s, the series became ‘And Mother Makes Five’. Richard later had a small film role in the Lewis Collins vehicle ‘Who Dares Wins’ and continued with theatre work, plus making the occasional TV and film appearance. Richard Coleman’s career involved both comedy and dramatic roles from start to finish and, as his brief stint playing Alan-a-Dale demonstrated, he had proved his ability in both.

Episodes Featuring Richard Coleman - all as Alan-a-Dale: -

Series 4

The Devil You Don’t Know

Six Strings to His Bow

A Bushel of Apples (uncredited)

Hostage for a Hangman

Film Roles: -

Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (aka Battle Hell) (1957) ... Lt. Commander Skinner

Girls at Sea (1958) ... Captain Robert ‘Bobby’ Randall

The Adventures of Ben Gunn (1958) (TV Series) ... Nick Allardyce

All Aboard (1958-59) (TV Series) ... Mark Rogers, Radio Officer

The Navy Lark (1959) ... Lieutenant Bates RN

Ben-Hur (1959) ... Metellus

Plateau of Fear (TV Series) (1961) ... Ralph Morton

Secret Beneath the Sea (1963) (TV Series) ... Dr. Deraad

80,000 Suspects (1963) ... Scott James

Rotten to the Core (1965) ... Inspector Hewlett

Naked Evil (aka Exorcism at Midnight) (1966) ... Hollis

Weavers Green (1966) (TV Series) ... Jack Royston

Countdown to Danger (1967) .... Captain Wright

Letters from the Dead (1969) (TV Series) ... Herrick

10 Rillington Place (1971) ... Constable

And Mother Makes Three (1972-73) (TV Series) ... David Redway

Hide and Seek (1972) ... Police Sergeant

And Mother Makes Five (1974-76) (TV Series) ... David Redway

The Comoedia (1981)

Who Dares Wins (aka The Final Option) (1982) .... Mr. Martin

Down Rusty Down (1996) ... Bo

TV Guest Appearances: -

Dimensions of Fear - ‘Thoughts of Death’ (1963) ... Inspector Truick

Zero One - ‘Hurricane’ (1963) ... Pilot

Dixon of Dock Green - ‘The Switch’ (1963) ... Mr. Holdsworth

No Hiding Place - ‘One Redeeming Feature’ (1964) ... Detective Sergeant Anstey  

It's a Woman's World - ‘Jean’ (1964) ... Holmes

Dixon of Dock Green - ‘Web of Lies’ (1964) ... Mr. Dykes

No Hiding Place - ‘The Link’ (1965) ... Pat Jenkins

Armchair Theatre - ‘A Voice in the Sky’ (1965) ... Colonel Orsett

The Man in Room 17 - ‘The Seat of Power’ (1965) ... Jaroslav Brunewski

Armchair Theatre - ‘The Paraffin Season’ (1965) ... Mr. Wetherly

Redcap - ‘The Man They Did’ (1965) ... Corporal Scott

Theatre 625 - ‘Yob and Nabob’ (1965) ... 1^st Policeman

Redcap - ‘The Killer’ (1966) ... Corporal Edge

The Avengers - ‘The Danger Makers’ (1966) ... RAF Officer

Champion House - episode unknown (1967) ... Kevin Flinders

ITV Playhouse - ‘The Confession’ (1967) ... Detective Inspector Sullivan

Z Cars - ‘Defection’ (1973) ... Corder

Thriller - ‘A Coffin for the Bride’ (1974) ... Weston

Looks Familiar (1974) ... Himself - Panellist

George and Mildred - ‘All Around the Clock’ (1977) ... Charles Newman

Wings - ‘The Price’ (1978) ... Samuel Triggers

Robin’s Nest - ‘Sorry Partner’ (1979) ... Fanthorpe

Private Schulz - ‘Part 6’ (1981) ... Policeman

Playhouse - ‘The Gardens of the Caliph’ (1982) ... King Zenebi of Balsora

She-Wolf of London - ‘The Bogman of Letchmoor Heath’ (1990) ... PC Leary

Freddie and Max - ‘Part 4’ (1990) ... ‘Canon Chasuble’

Surgical Spirit - ‘Making News’ (1991) ... Charles

Police Rescue - ‘Up a Tree’ (1991) ... 2^nd Business Man

Virtual Murder - ‘A Bone to Pick’ (1992) ... Chief Inspector Trusscott