Arthur John Stainer, born to Ferdinand (Frank) Steiner and Lilian Blumberg, was the younger son with a brother, the renowned film actor Leslie Howard, and a sister, the accomplished casting director Irene Howard. His uncle, Wilfrid Noy, was a respected film director. Arthur married Jean Compton Mackenzie, a talented actress and daughter of the notable actor Frank Compton, in 1936, and they had a son, the gifted stage actor Alan Howard.
Throughout his career, Arthur appeared in a range of television programs, including the popular school comedy 'Whack-O!', where he played the hapless assistant headmaster Pettigrew opposite Jimmy Edwards's headmaster. He also appeared in the 1959 film adaptation of 'Bottoms Up'. Arthur's extensive filmography includes 'American Friends', 'The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins', and a small but notable role as Cavendish in the James Bond film 'Moonraker'.
Notably, Arthur was a balding, worried-looking London-born comic actor who initially gained widespread recognition as Jimmy Edwards's long-suffering headmaster in the BBC radio show 'Whack-O!'. The program was later adapted for television by BBC TV and aired from 1956 to 1960 in its original format.
