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@3 listen to me.
francis matthews (born 2 september 1927, york) is an english film, tv and stage actor.
he attended st michael's jesuit college, leeds and started his acting career with leeds repertory theatre before service in the royal navy.
his roles for hammer studios during the 1950s and '60s included the baron's assistant in the revenge of frankenstein (1958), and as the dashing heroes of dracula, prince of darkness and rasputin, the mad monk (both 1965).
on television he played francis durbridge's amateur sleuth paul temple in paul temple (tv series) six series during 1969-71. his co-star was ros drinkwater, who played temple's wife steve. indeed so popular was the series in west germany that later series were co-productions between the bbc and taurus films of munich.
a superb light comedian, matthews not only appeared with morecambe and wise in the intelligence men (1965) and that riviera touch (1966) - forging a close friendship with morecambe - but also appeared throughout the 1960s and 1970s in a variety of comedy roles. he appeared on the morecambe and wise christmas show in 1977. he starred alongside george cole in charles woods' highly regarded tv sitcom don't forget to write (1977) as a successful writer.
in 1967, matthews provided the voice of captain scarlet in the gerry and sylvia anderson television series and was the narrator and host in the bbc-produced english crash course follow me!.
it is sometimes reported that in 1977, matthews embarked on abba's european and australian tours, playing the part of a mephisto-like narrator for the mini-musical "the girl with the golden hair". this was not the case. the part of the narrator was played by the then 24-year-old frances matthews (note the spelling).
in 2000 matthews and his wife angela browne appeared in two ray cooney plays on the cruise ship marco polo which cruised to the antarctic: run for your wife and funny money.
he has continued to appear on the small screen into the 21st century.
he is also a theatre director. in november 2010, he directed the world premiere performance of the musical 'the three musketeers' at the rose theatre in kingston upon thames.
francis matthews married angela browne in 1963. the couple had two sons who became actors: damien matthews and paul rattigan, and another son dominic who is an artist and musician. brown died in 2001. his brother paul shelley is also an actor.
