324:." Following Painting's death, the producers and scriptwriters met to plan Phil's exit storyline. They decided not to kill him off straight away and let him spend Christmas with his family. Painting's final appearance featuring his voice was broadcast on 22 November 2009. Phil was referred to, but never heard since then. On 12 February 2010, Phil's wife,
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placed Phil at number one on her list of best soap opera characters of the month. Of Phil and
Painting she said "One of the characters at the very heart of the soap, Phil's death will hopefully be written in a very moving way, and it'll no doubt have a profound effect on the whole Ambridge community.
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On 29 October 2009, two days after he had gone to the recording studio, Painting died. BBC Radio 4 controller, Mark
Damazer, said "Norman Painting was for almost 60 years a central figure in one of Radio 4's hallmark programmes. As Phil Archer, he became a wonderful patriarch yet he had started
349:, but she died from injuries sustained in a fire in an episode broadcast on 22 September 1955. Two years later, he met Jill Patterson, to whom he was married for over 50 years. Phil and Jill had four children – the twins, Shula and Kenton, and David and Elizabeth.
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Phil Archer was born on 23 April 1928, the second of three children of Dan and Doris Archer (the oldest being Jack and the youngest being
Christine Barford). He attended the Farm Institute to train, but he disappointed Dan by returning to work for local
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at St
Stephen's Church. In spite of nearly suffering eye damage, after a lead-acid battery had accidentally exploded in his face, he also took up astronomy in his retirement and enjoyed cooking, though this was often to the irritation of Jill.
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said Phil's death was "beautifully done, in seven scenes, three intersecting plot lines and all in 13 minutes. You knew it was coming. That very morning, in a preview, I'd even predicted it. Yet, when it did, I shed a tear. Any
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280:. He made his first appearance on 29 May 1950, the show's pilot episode. The character later became the longest serving male character in the series. His longevity gave him something of the status of a '
304:(Gwen Berryman), for the show's pilot episode broadcast on the BBC Midlands Home Service on 29 May 1950, he stayed on when the show began airing nationally on 1 January 1951. During his time with
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operation, and in 2001 he handed the farm over to David and his wife; Phil and Jill moved to Glebe
Cottage. Having retired from farming, Phil still helped out at Brookfield. He was also a
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for being the longest-serving actor, without a break, in a single soap opera. In later years, Painting's appearances on the show became limited due to his ill health.
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A recording of Norman
Painting playing Phil Archer was played in the episode of 19 February 2015; in the episode his words were being remembered by David Archer.
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Phil helps Jill and his grandchildren make
Christmas cakes. A few days later, Jill returns home to find Phil has died in his armchair while listening to
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The longest-serving actor in any soap, Painting had also written over a thousand scripts for the show. He and Phil will both be sorely missed."
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and wrote over a thousand scripts for the show between 1966 and 1982. Painting was later inducted into the
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George
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Norman
Painting joined the cast as Phil Archer, the "handsome" son of
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591:"Phil Archer bows out from Ambridge after death of Norman Painting"
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892:Radio characters introduced in 1950
521:"Voice of Phil Archer dies aged 85"
459:. London: Independent Print Limited
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382:, with a cup of tea at his side.
624:Deller, Ruth (31 October 2009).
589:Teeman, Tim (13 February 2010).
557:Singh, Anita (30 October 2009).
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320:decades earlier as a young
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887:Male characters in radio
877:Fictional British people
665:. London. Archived from
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93:In-universe information
872:The Archers characters
314:Guinness World Records
569:Telegraph Media Group
55:First appearance
398:Gillian Reynolds of
356:. In 1991, he had a
264:Philip Walter Archer
63:Last appearance
18:Soap opera character
669:on 19 February 2010
662:The Daily Telegraph
401:The Daily Telegraph
195:Daniel Hebden Lloyd
186:Elizabeth Pargetter
801:Shula Hebden-Lloyd
703:at Archers Addicts
379:Dream of Gerontius
300:(Harry Oakes) and
182:Shula Hebden Lloyd
882:Fictional farmers
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756:Jennifer Aldridge
701:Character profile
692:Character profile
636:on 20 August 2011
533:. 29 October 2009
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671:. Retrieved
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302:Doris Archer
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276:, played by
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249:Frank Archer
239:Lisa Forrest
234:Grandmothers
224:Grandfathers
172:David Archer
122:Doris Archer
29:
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846:Borsetshire
806:Mike Tucker
791:Neil Carter
781:Ruth Archer
776:Phil Archer
766:Jill Archer
739:The Archers
696:BBC Radio 4
409:fan will."
306:The Archers
273:The Archers
270:soap opera
268:BBC Radio 4
253:Tom Forrest
251:Ted Forrest
227:John Archer
199:Josh Archer
159:(1957–2010)
132:Jack Archer
58:29 May 1950
30:The Archers
24:Phil Archer
866:Categories
841:Borchester
771:Pat Archer
748:Characters
630:Lowculture
599:. London:
567:. London:
491:. London:
433:References
392:Lowculture
336:Storylines
247:Ben Archer
214:Pip Archer
197:Ben Archer
112:Dan Archer
98:Occupation
851:Inkberrow
673:2 January
640:5 January
606:2 January
596:The Times
574:3 January
537:2 January
498:3 January
463:2 January
386:Reception
282:patriarch
192:Grandsons
178:Daughters
50:1950–2009
32:character
820:See also
526:BBC News
286:Ambridge
128:Brothers
47:Duration
407:Archers
362:pianist
292:Casting
138:Sisters
103:Retired
343:squire
244:Uncles
154:(1955)
118:Mother
108:Father
101:Farmer
413:Notes
374:Elgar
366:organ
347:Grace
284:' in
675:2011
642:2011
608:2011
576:2011
539:2011
500:2011
465:2011
354:pigs
326:Jill
164:Sons
148:Wife
694:at
531:BBC
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298:Dan
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