From an acting family

Press, 13 May 1988, Page 15

From an acting family

Simon Cadell, who plays the love-lorn Larry in “Life Without George” has been surrounded by theatre all his life. “Because of that, I was careful about telling my parents I wanted to be an actor,” he says. “It came out in the open when I was 14, but they already knew damn well.

“At least you do go into it with your eyes open,” he adds. “My parents (both actors) said I’d be out of work and penniless all my life; and I didn’t, in fact, make a living for six years. But my father was very supportive and I borrowed money from my very nice bank manager.” Cadell, aged 37, is probably best remembered for

his foolish Jeffrey Fairbrother role in “Hi-de-Hil,” although people still write to him about his grim Nazi officer Hauptman Reinicke in “Enemy at the Door.” While he has come to the end of the road with "Hi-de-Hi!,” he still regards Fairbrother fondly — being the fall guy is very enjoyable.

“I was the only one who didn’t have any jokes. That's the most difficult way to be funny and that’s why I got a kick out of it,” he says. “I like to do difficult things and move on. I don’t like routine.”

“Life Without George” screens Wednesdays at 9.30 p.m. on One.