Was he the STAR of this show or what??!!!
About half way through this fasincating work I began to think that the old BBC had slipped in a professional actor on us. Mr. Edgar is an architect in real life. I loved this man in ths show!
I loved the entire show. I can't think of one thing that would have made it better.
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He's from way down south, in Surrey. Home of "BBC English", add to that years of working abroad in Jordan, Malaysia etc.
shareI just started watching the show, and I SWORE that "Mr. Edgar" was Roddy McDowall, but could not figure out how or why McDowall could appear in a show when he died in 1998! So, I did check out the site and the "who's who," and while I still think "Edgar" resembles "McDowall," Edgar is great!
Katkja
Yes, I noticed the resemblance as well. Did you also notice the the narrator sounded a lot like a young Roddy, too? Kind of reminiscent of the old Cornelius days of "Planet of the Apes". Mr. Edgar was quite a softy, really. That's why I think he let them get away with stuff so often, even though he said he was going to lay down the law. Also, he was so easily hurt by Charlie and Rob and by the "Lord", too! Speaking of Oliff-Cooper, does anyone else think that this guy was a real jerk?
shareI wouldn't characterize Mr. Olliff-Cooper as a "jerk" without taking him in the context he was required to portray. In fact, I believe that he and Mr. Edgar, and to varying extents, the rest of the "upstairs" portion of the cast actually did the best job of staying fully in character throughout the series. Of the "downstairs" lot, I'd have to say that they brought more of their 21st Century selves with them in their portrayals. In fairness however, the fact that none of the downstairs crew were actually "sacked" for their transgressions of the rigid Edwardian rules probably reflects more of a 21st Century mindset among Mr. and Mrs. Olliff-Cooper and Mr. Edgar. This, while apparently necessary to keep the project moving forward on schedule, is perhaps the only truly glaring defect in the presentation as a whole.
The fact that Mr. Edgar and Mr. Olliff-Cooper appeared to truly "keep the faith" to preserve the integrity of their roles is to their great credit. I don't know if professional actors could have done as well.
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I loved Mr. Edgar. He was just the perfect boss: firm and by the book, yet protective of his workers. And sentimental too. I loved how he hated Mr. Raj Singh or whatever the name was of the tutor.
shareI liked a lot of them and agreed with them even when they disagreed with each other. Like I loved Edgar and still felt bad for Mr. Raj Singh.
I don't think Sir John got into character as well as he might have, and I love when Dubiard told him off. He wouldn't even eat pig cheeks and got angry at them for making it, while they were the ones doing the actual work of an Edwardian age servant. Lame.
http://pencilcasebook.blogspot.com/
I'm watching it now thinking... Mr. Edgar is gay.
He keeps referring to himself as the "father" to his male servants.
Talking about how much he favors Rob.
He's wistful.
He's ineffectual. ("Let's have a dance to blow off steam below the stairs the night before an important family event")
"M. De Barier is furious. And I'm even more furious" (delivered with drained ennui)
He's overdramatic "betrayed... And I've learned a dreadful lesson. I now know understand why my grandfather was the way he was."
He's hot for the first footman, and all the household troubles stem from him indulging the footman.
And that matters how? Any childless man might see himself as a father figure.
shareHe wasn't very smart. He didn't handle the staff very well, or be their champion as he should have been.
shareYes, he was the best. And the only one with any sense.
shareI loved him too and watched "Diets That Time Forgot" just for him!!
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