Carry on star great escape actor

Carry On star Peter Butterworth has been revealed as a World War Two hero after helping to free 76 airmen from a Polish prison by secretly passing messages to British Intelligence. According to the National Archives, Carry on star great escape actor, who was best known for his cheeky one-liners, was a POW [a prisoner of war] who helped 76 airmen flee Poland on March 24 pron.hd full, one year before the war ended.

The Great Escape and The Wooden Horse are two classic British World War II escape films, but what is perhaps less well known is that one of the team involved in both of the escapes that inspired them would go on to become a star of the Carry On movies. Now, 80 years on, Peter Butterworth's recently discovered German prison identity card is going on display as part of an exhibition telling the story of his life as a prisoner of war. Butterworth served in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm during the war but was shot down in , spending the rest of it as a prisoner of war. Butterworth, who appeared in 16 Carry On films, helped hide the sand for the escape tunnels featured in the Great Escape and was on the organising committee for the tunnels featured in The Wooden Horse, but it has taken decades for the full story to emerge. It was his wartime role - working alongside Carry On screenwriter Talbot Rothwell whose plane was also shot down - that helped birth the Carry On humour Butterworth later became famous for.

Carry on star great escape actor

We have more newsletters. Lt Butterworth took advantage of prisoners being allowed to write letters home to loved ones and managed to pass vital coded messages to British intelligence. Funnyman Pete died in January, Daily Star has just the thing for you! As an airman with the Fleet Air Arm, Butterworth was shot down at the beginning of the conflict and ended up spending the remainder of it as a prisoner of war. In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood film, Butterworth staged an elaborate escape through tunnels and managed to get out for three days before being spotted by a member of the Hitler Youth. He had suffered a suspected heart attack. Despite the cheeky puns and saucy gags, it appears things were not as fun behind the scenes of the iconic Carry On films. The long-running films brought laughter to British homes for more than 60 years and are among the most beloved of any movie series. But docu-series, Carry On — Secrets and Scandals, is lifted the lid on the darker side of the bawdy comedy films. According to The Mirror , the new documentary will feature an unseen interview with the late Barbara who claimed the cast never saw a penny from the repeats of the films. Peter Rogers produced the hit franchise and was notorious for being frugal and not paying his stars as expected.

Brother Belcher. Peter Butterworth standing at the back with the theatre company at Stalag Luft 3.

But now his part in two famous World War Two escapes has emerged because Butterworth's German prisoner identity card has gone on display as part of an exhibition in London about life as a prisoner of war. The release of new documents from German archives has given more detail to the events. Butterwoth was a Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy, but he was shot down over Holland in and taken to the infamous prison run by the Luftwaffe. The National Archives describes how he established a camp theatre that put on noisy productions that acted as cover for the prisoners digging the tunnels. It's also been revealed that Butterworth would help hide the soil from the digging in the camp theatre. Amazingly, Butterworth was also part of another famous escape plan, The Wooden Horse, which was also made into a movie. He helped organise the escape, which took place on 29 October

By Chris Brooke. He was a household name playing bumbling buffoons in the Carry On films. But behind Peter Butterworth was an extraordinary wartime backstory that can now be revealed in full for the first time. As a prisoner of war, not only was Lieutenant Butterworth closely involved in organising the famous Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, but he also played a vital role in passing coded messages back to British intelligence in apparently innocent letters to home. He was supposed to have been the last man in the tunnel, but ended up staying behind when 76 airmen famously escaped the Nazi POW camp on March 24, Researchers who uncovered new details of his Second World War exploits in the National Archives believe he may have remained in the camp to carry on his vital coding work.

Carry on star great escape actor

Peter Butterworth and his son, Tyler, who knew nothing about his father's war history when he was younger. The Great Escape and The Wooden Horse are two classic British World War II escape films, but what is perhaps less well known is that one of the team involved in both of the escapes that inspired them would go on to become a star of the Carry On movies. Now, 80 years on, Peter Butterworth's recently discovered German prison identity card is going on display as part of an exhibition telling the story of his life as a prisoner of war. Butterworth served in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm during the war but was shot down in , spending the rest of it as a prisoner of war. Butterworth, who appeared in 16 Carry On films, helped hide the sand for the escape tunnels featured in the Great Escape and was on the organising committee for the tunnels featured in The Wooden Horse, but it has taken decades for the full story to emerge.

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While there Peter, along with a few others, used soup spoons to dig an escape tunnel from under a bed, which took them six months. EastEnders and James Bond actress dies as tributes pour in for 'dear friend'. We have more newsletters. In the escape immortalised in the classic film The Great Escape, Butterworth helped hide the soil from the tunnels in the camp theatre. The documentary showed an unseen interview with Barbara Windsor where she exposed the fact the cast did not get paid for any repeats of the films. A cache of prisoner of war documents recently released from a German archive is now going on display at the National Archives in London, which adds new detail to the gradually unfolding story. Get the What to Watch Newsletter The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Related Topics. Learn more about contributing. Go to your list. He was married to impressionist Janet Brown , who he met while doing a Summer show at Scarborough and their son, Tyler Butterworth , also became an actor. Reviewer reduced me to tears of happiness.

But now his part in two famous World War Two escapes has emerged because Butterworth's German prisoner identity card has gone on display as part of an exhibition in London about life as a prisoner of war. The release of new documents from German archives has given more detail to the events.

This sparked his enthusiasm to enter show business after the war and Talbot helped and encouraged him and he soon became a familiar character actor in both films and television. Hollywood Power Couples. His failure to return for the following day's matinee show caused alarm, and he was found dead in his room from a heart attack. British tourist 'is raped' in Argentina by fellow backpacker before suspect is arrested 'trying to flee Ben Shephard's This Morning start date confirmed - and sooner than he thought. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. See our Privacy Notice. Peter William Shorrocks Butterworth 4 February [1] — 17 January was an British actor and comedian best known for his appearances in the Carry On film series. Janet Brown November 4, - January 16, his death, 2 children. Tools Tools. The Daily Telegraph. POLL: Have your say.