Philip Walter Archer is a fictional character from the British BBC
Radio 4 soap opera The Archers, played by Norman Painting. 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
'patriarch' in Ambridge.Norman Painting joined the cast as Phil
Archer, the "handsome" son of Dan (Harry Oakes) and Doris Archer (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 The Archers,
Painting wrote a best-selling book entitled Forever Ambridge and wrote
over a thousand scripts for the show between 1966 and 1982. Painting
was later inducted into the Guinness World Records 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.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 decades earlier as a young
romantic hero." 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, Jill (Patricia Greene), discovered
Phil had died at home.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 squire George Fairbrother. During this time he met and married
the squire's daughter Grace. 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.
Radio 4 soap opera The Archers, played by Norman Painting. 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
'patriarch' in Ambridge.Norman Painting joined the cast as Phil
Archer, the "handsome" son of Dan (Harry Oakes) and Doris Archer (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 The Archers,
Painting wrote a best-selling book entitled Forever Ambridge and wrote
over a thousand scripts for the show between 1966 and 1982. Painting
was later inducted into the Guinness World Records 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.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 decades earlier as a young
romantic hero." 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, Jill (Patricia Greene), discovered
Phil had died at home.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 squire George Fairbrother. During this time he met and married
the squire's daughter Grace. 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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