Bernard Miles - Over The Gate

Knighted in 1969, and created Lord Miles in 1978 - Bernard Miles's character acting roles in countless British films began in the early 1930s. He also enjoyed a successful career on the Variety theatre stages, including the London Palladium - delivering earthy tales of village life, dressed as a yokel and leaning on a farm cartwheel. Many of these humorous monologues were put on record from the 1930s, through into the 1950s - and examples of those can be found on youtube. Here at last, however, Bernard can be seen delivering this popular routine.
Lord Miles was founder of London's Mermaid Theatre, where he revived his rustic character, as well as appearing in the role of Long John Silver in the Theatre's production of 'Treasure Island'. He died in 1991.

[@Thesecretgarden15]

Bernard Miles was my great grandad! I never knew him but I think he was just incredible!

[@Itscoldupnorth]

You are right to be proud of him.

[@edcampion3998]

Bess love him in the film great expectations played that character brillantly love that movie you shiuld be very proud.

[@mrsblobbielife4842]

god bless him , 2019 and for over 25 years , i still say , when folks ask me how i am , " I'M BETTER NOW THAN WHAT I WAS , BEFORE I GOT AS BAD AS WHAT I AM ! "

[@aalexjohna]

He was a perverted NONCE

[@jrgboy]

He was created a life peer as Baron Miles, of Blackfriars in the City of London on 7 February 1979. He was only the second British actor to be given a peerage (the first was Laurence Olivier

[@glennyskavanagh3070]

I remember Listening to Bernard Miles on the Wireless during the War and wondering at my father laughing at his over the Garden Gate and Ahr that 'ad 'er. Such Fun for those sad and worrying days.

[@michaelknights5277]

My dear old auntie Evelyn used to play these old records of his to me 60 years ago and finally a few years ago I picked up 3 of these amazing stories. Lovely stuff.

[@robwilde855]

Very reminiscent of the characters in the village where I grew up, in Derbyshire. Rural English humour is distinct, very dry, and clever. A story I remember my grandad [a farmer] telling, sometime in the fifties: George was a farm labourer. He took his dinner with the other men in the big kitchen of the farmhouse [as was usual years ago]. One day the farmer's wife said, 'It's dumplings today. How many do you want, George?' 'Ooh, I'll have three, missus.' 'Are you sure, George? They're big 'uns.' But he wanted three, so three were put on his plate. When everyone else had finished, George was still strugging with his last one. 'I told you three would be too much', said the farmer's wife. 'No', replied George, 'it isn't that. But I should have eaten this one first.'

[@Corey-zg3bc]

thanks for uploading this -what a brilliant man…

[@Hypnocarrie]

I have always loved Bernard MIles - I just watched him last night in The Man Who Knew Too Much. What a great great actor. First time I saw him was in David Lean's Great Expectations, a great classic.

[@martinchandler71]

the Way Ahead I remember Bernard for. Recruiting film for ww2. See it if you haven't. He also narrated "A Christmas Carol" back in the 70s which I listened to every December night after school from age 7 upwards...to now 48!! True British acting talent.

[@charlesoleary5110]

If I remember rightly he was a man of many talents and acting roles,

[@maggs224]

What a fabulous bit of video, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Thank you so much for posting this

[@explosemum]

Marvellous! My dad made a puppet leaning on a gate and he spoke the words...oooargh!

[@JimTLonW6]

I love the stories about this new 'Natural Health' with the old boys in the pub trying on a set of dentures! Many people had appalling (or no) teeth, and it has a distinct 'ring of truth' about it.

[@TheLouise24]

I loved Miles in "Great Expectations." Thanks for posting the monologues. Miles is so smooth and funny in telling his stories. I love "Over the Gate." Sincerely, Louise from North Carolina, USA.

[@kevibuster]

This man inspired me to go solo on stage.

[@dlanorsmada1]

I perform his monologues, being a farm-labourer's son from Whitchurch, Bucks. They go down just as well today. He lived in Ivinghoe Aston on the Bucks / Herts border and also, at one time, in Bierton near Aylesbury. I was lent a 78rpm record of a live performance 40 years ago and transcripted it. The record was even pressed in Bucks at Oriole Records, Aston Clinton.

[@aidanwhitehall]

Just saw him in First of the Few (on BBC TWO), and instantly recognised him from David Lean's Great Expectations. A few Google searches lead here. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. What a lovely man.

[@sw210756]

reminds me of my great uncle bert

[@Itscoldupnorth]

Am I right in thinking I use to hear Bernard Miles perform his 'Over the Gate' monologues' on 'Workers Playtime' broadcasts? If I did it was well over fifty years ago. However I heard them I recall always being delighted by them. Much thanks for posting this!

[@dlanorsmada1]

Yes, you're right, Clarence.

[@jrgboy]

He also appeared in a radio series Just Perfick with Betty Marden, he was Pop Larkin, it was based on The Darling Buds of May, that was in 1969

[@timsan55]

Adding my thanks to others for your posting ! Great stuff !

[@00000alm]

Thanks for uploading!

[@ildertonmann4086]

He was also a much underrated Director and Writer 'Chance of a Lifetime' is a terrific film and his screenplay for 'The Guinea Pig' is masterful. If the account in Wikipedia is correct, what happened to him towards the end of his life is both tragic and immoral for such a great man.

[@jnohiofats7732]

Excellent

[@algernon4444]

I was led to believe that his accent is Buckinghamshire. Having been brought up there, I wouldn't disagree.

[@1946nimrod]

East Bucks - West Herts, not much difference!

[@kester1940]

According to Wikipedia and IMDb websites, Bernard Miles was born in Uxbridge, Middlesex.

[@TheLouise24]

According to one source I found, Miles was born in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, England.

[@johnnye3160]

Didn't he come from Uxbridge? It fascinates me about this accent as there are people I know over the age of 60 who have it, or at least tinged with it, but now it likely a more London accent you hear.

[@JimTLonW6]

Great story about the false teeth - 'we all tried 'em!'. My favourite is the church statue 'what was defaced by roundheads at the time of the revelation!'

[@tonycrowson2755]

He played a character called Nathaniel titlark in a tv series in the fifties.

[@anthonywernham4774]

I've come across a reel-to-reel audio recording of an episode of that series that my Dad at the time. I am going to digitise it, if I can.

[@jimford8108]

Sadly missed!

[@johnathanryan2117]

When was this filmed ? Great bloke.

[@1946nimrod]

I wonder if you can still hear that accent round Aston, Tring way?

[@Insperato62]

Yes, my cousins farm at Eggington. Still got an accent, but sadly the London "accent" is creeping everywhere.

[@douglasboreland5638]

Feel like a milk stout now don’t now why

[@mrsblobbielife4842]

it looks good , it tastes good , and by jolly it does you good ! MAKESON ! :)

[@DavidLee-qh9bp]

If they are trying to clarify the commentary with this new text they are making it twice as bad- and unintentionally funny as well!

[@happy2listen1]

Where was Bernard Miles born

[@jrgboy]

He was born in Uxbrdige and went to Pembroke College, Oxford

[@Insperato62]

@@jrgboy He also went to my old grammar school - Bishopshalt.

[@DavidLee-qh9bp]

This is humour through malapropism and such like-impossible to interpret.

[@duckpuddles]

Bernard here on old 78 rpm. Bit scratchy but still good! Over The Gate kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4nFaJysjNeMaNk kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn_Whn5_Zsx6odE

[@DavidLee-qh9bp]

Not that it is meant to be funny of course!

[@paulcarroll1598]

He was wonderful IN GREAT EXPECTATIONS WITH JOHN MILLS, Paul CARROLL.