Derek Griffiths
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Derek Griffiths (born Woking, Surrey, UK, July 15, 1946) is an actor who appeared in numerous British children's television programmes in the 1960s to 1980s and more recently has played parts in TV drama.
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[edit] Career
A trained Royal Shakespearean actor, Derek was best known in his early years for his Play School appearances alongside the likes of Chloe Ashcroft, Johnny Ball and Brian Cant. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he also voiced over and sang the theme tune to 'Heads And Tails', a series of short animal films for children produced by BBC Television, and also sang and played the theme tune to the cartoon "Bod". He first came to adult national recognition with a performance on Crown Court, an appearance as an accused fraudster Raoul Lapointe, from the Belgian Congo.
Derek's distinctive vocal talents can currently be heard voicing the CBeebies program Little Red Tractor alongside Stephen Tompkinson
[edit] Children's TV Work
- "Mia Mio" (current) as narrator
- The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1993) as Simpkin
Animated short stories based on the popular book series.
- Various Look and Read stories as Singer, including:
- "Cloud Burst" (1974) as Singer
- "Heads And Tails" (1975) as Voice-Over and SInger
- "The King's Dragon" (1977) as Singer
- "Sky Hunter" (1978) as Singer
- "The Boy From Space (1980) as Singer.
- "Dark Towers" (1981) as Singer
- "Fair Ground!" (1983) as Singer
- "Geordie Racer" (1988) as Singer
- "Through The Dragon's Eye" (1989) as Singer
- SuperTed (1983) as Voice of SuperTed
- Bod (1975) as Theme Music Composer
Theme Music for each of the main 5 characters composed by Griffiths.
- Cabbages and Kings (1972)
- Play Away (1971)
- Play School (1964)
- King Greenfingers (1989) as Narrator/voice of King Greenfingers/Queen Climbing Rose/Princess Potted Palm
- Heads and Tails
- Film Fun
- Little Red Tractor
[edit] Comedy TV Work
- Porkpie (1995) as Benji
- The Funny Side (1985)
- Terry and June (1985) as The Prince
- The Young Ones (1984)
- Hi! Summer (1977)
- Battle of the Sexes (1976)
- Don't Drink the Water (1974) as Carlos
- Marty Back Together Again (1974)
- The Cobblers of Umbridge (1973) as The People of Umbridge
- Please Sir! (1968)
[edit] Other TV Work
- Holby City (2004) as Greg Martin
- Casualty (1999) as Duke Baines
- Don't Ask Me (1974)
- Crown Court (1972) As Raoul Lapointe, the accused, in the three-part courtroom drama. Lapointe was found not guilty of fraud and obtaining monies by deception.
[edit] Advertising Work
Derek Griffiths is also used frequently in advertising:
- Baker's Dog Food
- Disneyland
- Hasbro
- Quaker
- Airtours
He also does the voices for the current jamjar.com adverts. In the past he has won the Italian advertising Oscar for a series of comedy commercials.
[edit] Movie Work
- Fierce Creatures (1997) as Garry Ungulates
- Rising Damp (1980) as Alec
- Watership Down (1978) as Voice of Chervil
- The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977) as Bus Conductor
- Are You Being Served? (1977) as The Emir
- All I Want Is You... and You... and You (1974) as Taxi Driver
- Don't Just Lie There, Say Something! (1973) as Johnny
- The Alf Garnett Saga (1972) as Rex
- Rentadick (1972) as Henson
- Up the Front (1972) as El Puncturo
- Up Pompeii! (1971) as Steam Slave
- Up the Chastity Belt (1971) as Saladin
- Frankie Howerd's bawdy historical trilogy.
