John Bluthal was born on March 28, 1929, and is a British film and television actor and voice artist, primarily known for his work in comedy. He is best recognized for his collaborations with Spike Milligan and his roles in the TV series Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width and The Vicar of Dibley.
Bluthal moved to England in 1959 and began his career in television, appearing in Citizen James for BBC television and in the long-running UK TV series Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width, where he played Manny Cohen, a Jewish tailor in business with an Irishman in London.
He also worked with Spike Milligan over several years, appearing with him in a 1958 Australian television special, The Gladys Half-Hour, and in the stage play The Bed-Sitting Room. Bluthal is a man of many voices, like Milligan's former radio colleague Peter Sellers, and he was used somewhat like Sellers in Milligan's later work.
Some of his other television appearances include: the Sykes and a... episode "Sykes and a Bath", 'Allo 'Allo!, Hancock, Minder, The Saint, The Avengers, Rumpole of the Bailey, Jonathan Creek, Lovejoy, Bergerac, and Inspector Morse, as well as appearing as Major Cheeseburger in The Goodies' episode "Clown Virus".
He also appeared on the Australian comedy/satire series The Mavis Bramston Show and as "Enzo Pacelli" in the ABC-TV comedy television series Home Sweet Home. Bluthal also appeared as Leonid Krassin in episodes of the Thames TV series Reilly, Ace of Spies.
In addition to his television work, Bluthal has appeared in numerous films, including The Knack...and How to Get It, three Carry On films, two of the Doctor films, and also The Beatles' films A Hard Day's Night and Help!, three roles in Casino Royale, and two of the Pink Panther films.
His stage work includes roles in Tales from Hollywood, Entertaining Strangers, Antony and Cleopatra, Yonaadab, The Tempest, Winters Tale, and Cymbeline, as well as an early episode of One Foot In The Grave and later appearances in The Vicar of Dibley and Spirited.
Bluthal's more recent film appearances include Love's Brother and Hail, Caesar!.
