Christopher Strauli

Christopher Strauli (born 13 April 1946) is an English film, television and theatre actor. He is probably most famous for appearing as Norman Binns in the British sitcom Only When I Laugh, alongside James Bolam, Peter Bowles, Richard Wilson and Derrick Branche.

Early life and education

He was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire.

Strauli was educated at Felixstowe Grammar School in Felixstowe, Suffolk. After teacher-training college he gave up a career as a mathematics and science teacher to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Career

Following his education spent some years at the Bristol Old Vic, before earning some minor and supporting television roles.

Since 1969, Strauli has appeared in at least two films and over twenty-five television productions.^[1]

Strauli played Bunny Manders, the assistant to A.J. Raffles, the gentleman thief in the Yorkshire Television series Raffles (1975–1977). He later appeared as feeble hospital patient Norman Binns in the ITV sitcom Only When I Laugh, occupying a bed in a ward next to characters played by James Bolam and Peter Bowles and attended by doctor Richard Wilson. Strauli was then recruited by the show's writer, Eric Chappell, to replace Richard Beckinsale in the film version of Rising Damp (another of Chappell's shows) as a new character, John, an art student.

He appeared as a leading character, Paul Hatfield, in ITV sitcom Full House (known as Mixed Doubles in the United States) (1985) and also featured in some of Victoria Wood's sketch shows. In recent years he has concentrated predominantly on theatre work.

Strauli also appeared in the television serial of Fortunes of War and the TV movie S.O.S. Titanic.

Notes

External links

• strauli.co.uk, Strauli's official website
• strauli.blogspot.com, Strauli's blog
• Christopher Strauli at the Internet Movie Database
• Staff writer (undated). "Christopher Strauli". Cherished Television (nostalgia television website). Accessed 23 August 2010.