History Creator / TerryThomas

* TypeCasting: He so defined the role of the upper-class scoundrel that most actors portraying the type today are essentially doing a parody of him.

[[folder:Selective filmography]]
* ''Film/TheAbominableDrPhibes'': Dr. Longstreet
** The sequel, ''Dr. Phibes Rises Again'', in a cameo
* ''Blue Murder at Film/StTrinians'': Captain Romney Carlton-Ricketts
* ''Carlton-Browne of the F.O.'' (a.k.a. ''Man in a Cocked Hat''): Cadogan De Vere Carlton-Browne
* ''The Green Man'': Charles Boughtflower
* ''A Guide for the Married Man'': Harry, aka "Tiger"
* ''I'm All Right Jack'': Major Hitchcock
* ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld'': Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne
* ''Kill or Cure'': Captain J. (Jeroboam) Barker-Rynde PI
* ''Film/LaGrandeVadrouille'' (a.k.a. ''Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!''): Sir Reginald Brook
* ''Film/AtlanticWall'': Commander Perry
* ''Film/TheLastRemakeOfBeauGeste'': Warden
* ''Film/ThoseMagnificentMenInTheirFlyingMachines'': Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
** ''In Monte Carlo or Bust'' (a.k.a. ''Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies''), he plays Sir Percy's equally devious son, Sir Cuthbert Ware-Armitage.
* ''Film/TheNakedTruth'': Lord Henry Mayley
* ''The Persuaders'': Archibald Sinclair Beachum
* ''Disney/RobinHood'': Sir Hiss
* ''Rocket To the Moon'': Sir Harry Washington-Smythe
* ''School For Scoundrels'': Raymond Delauney
* ''Spanish Fly'': Sir Percy de Courcy
* ''Too Many Crooks'': William Delany Gordon
* ''Film/VaultOfHorror'': Arthur Critchit
* ''Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?'': Ladislaus Walichek
[[/folder]]

!! Tropes he displayed:

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens, July 10, 1911 -- January 8, 1990) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the British upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

[[folder:Selective filmography:]]

** I say!
** You’re an absolute shower.
** Jolly good show!
** Hard cheese.

!! Films he starred in include:
* ''Film/TheAbominableDrPhibes'': Dr. Longstreet
** The sequel, ''Dr. Phibes Rises Again'', in a cameo
* ''Blue Murder at Film/StTrinians'': Captain Romney Carlton-Ricketts
* ''Carlton-Browne of the F.O.'' (a.k.a. ''Man in a Cocked Hat''): Cadogan De Vere Carlton-Browne
* ''The Green Man'': Charles Boughtflower
* ''A Guide for the Married Man'': Harry, aka "Tiger"
* ''I'm All Right Jack'': Major Hitchcock
* ''Film/ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld'': Lt. Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne
* ''Kill or Cure'': Captain J. (Jeroboam) Barker-Rynde PI
* ''Film/LaGrandeVadrouille'' (a.k.a. ''Don't Look Now... We're Being Shot At!''): Sir Reginald Brook
* ''Film/AtlanticWall'': Commander Perry
* ''Film/TheLastRemakeOfBeauGeste'': Warden
* ''Film/ThoseMagnificentMenInTheirFlyingMachines'': Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
** ''In Monte Carlo or Bust'' (a.k.a. ''Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies''), he plays Sir Percy's equally devious son, Sir Cuthbert Ware-Armitage.
* ''Film/TheNakedTruth'': Lord Henry Mayley
* ''The Persuaders'': Archibald Sinclair Beachum
* ''Disney/RobinHood'': Sir Hiss
* ''Rocket To the Moon'': Sir Harry Washington-Smythe
* ''School For Scoundrels'': Raymond Delauney
* ''Spanish Fly'': Sir Percy de Courcy
* ''Too Many Crooks'': William Delany Gordon
* ''Film/VaultOfHorror'': Arthur Critchit
* ''Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?'': Ladislaus Walichek

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]'''Terry-Thomas''' (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens, July 10, 1911 -- January 8, 1990) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the British upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

* PreppyName: Hyphenated - like the gap in his teeth.

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]'''Terry-Thomas''' (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens, July 10, 1911 -- January 8, 1990) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

* ''[[Film/ECComics The Vault of Horror]]'': Arthur Critchit

* ''Film/AtlanticWall'': Commander Perry

* TypeCasting: He so defined the role of the upper-class scoundrel that most actors portraying the type today are essentially doing a parody of him.

* AristocratsAreEvil
* BadassMustache
* UsefulNotes/BritishAccents: Received Pronunciation
* {{Catch Phrase}}s:

* CheshireCatGrin
* DastardlyDapperDerby

* GentlemanSnarker

* LoveableRogue

* QuintessentialBritishGentleman (though generally just a veneer of it). Just take a look at some of his character's outrageously British names below.
* SharpDressedMan

* TwoFirstNames

* WaistcoatOfStyle
* WickedCultured

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens, July 10, 1911 -- January 8, 1990) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

* QuintessentialBritishGentleman (though generally just a veneer of it)

* EvilBrit: In addition to Dick Dastardly (see above) he is also said to be the inspiration for James "Mad Jim" Jaspers, a PsychopathicManChild with vast reality-warping powers and the main villain in Creator/AlanMoore's run in the comic ''Captain Britain''.

* EvilBrit: In addition to Dick Dastardly(see above) he is also said to be the inspiration for James "Mad Jim" Jaspers, a PsychopathicManChild with vast reality-warping powers and the main villain in Creator/AlanMoore's run on Captain Britain.

* EvilBrit
** In addition to Dick Dastardly(see above) he is also said to be the inspiration for James "Mad Jim" Jaspers, a PsychopathicManChild with vast reality-warping powers and the main villain in Creator/AlanMoore's run on Captain Britain.

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

* IAmVeryBritish: Quite possibly the trope codifier; most people that pretend a RP accent these days are doing an impression of him.

[[caption-width-right:350:"A page about me? [[CatchPhrase I say! Jolly good show!]]"]]Actor Terry-Thomas (born Thomas Terry Hoar Stevens) was an English comedian and character actor who became known to a worldwide audience through his many films during the 1950s and '60s. He often portrayed disreputable members of the upper classes, especially cads, toffs and bounders, using his distinctive voice; his costume and props tended to include a bowler, waistcoat and cigarette holder. He was perhaps most well-known for the large gap between his front teeth.

* DastardlyWhiplash: Said to be the inspiration behind the visual appearance of ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces''' Dick Dastardly. Also obviously the inspiration for ''WesternAnimation/GeorgeOfTheJungle'' villain "Tiger" Titherage (even down to the nickname: "Tiger" was the nickname of Terry-Thomas' character in ''A Guide for the Married Man'').

* ManOfWealthAndTaste

* DastardlyWhiplash (said to be the inspiration behind the visual appearance of ''WackyRaces''' Dick Dastardly)

* StiffUpperLip: As a con artist, he's cool as a cucumber.

* UpperClassTwit: When he wasn't doing the scoundrel, his comedic skills led him into this role.