Albert Moses


Albert Moses KStJ was a Sri Lankan actor based in the United Kingdom. He is best known for playing the role of Ranjeet Singh, a student in Jeremy Brown's EFL class in the British sitcom Mind Your Language and one of four students to appear in all four series.

Early life

He was born on 19 December 1937 in Gampola, Kandy. He started to work at the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. Then he moved to Africa for employment and finally to London to learn drama and theatre.

Career

He had begun to act by the 1960s in India where he appeared in several Bollywood films, then produced and directed his first. From India, he moved to Africa, where he undertook work on documentaries. From the early 1970s, in Britain, Moses played small parts in several television series before being cast as Ranjeet Singh, a Sikh from Punjab, India, in the ITV sitcom Mind Your Language. He acted in many theater productions such as Freeway at National Theatre, Phædra Britannica with Dame Diana Rigg and Long March to Jerusalem at Watford Theater. He also produced 13 episodes of Mind Your Language.
His final film was The Snarling, in which he played tribute to his role in An American Werewolf in London. The Snarling is dedicated to his memory.

Personal life

He was fluent in English, Arabic, Tamil, Sinhalese, moderate German and Sanskrit and excellent in fencing, dancing, singing, motor-cycle stunts, karate and judo.

Death

Moses died in September 2017 in London at the age of 79. He was buried at St. Andrew's Church in his native Gampola, Sri Lanka.

Selected credits

Theatre

  • Freeway - National Theatre;
  • Phædra Britannica - National Theatre ;
  • Long March to Jerusalem - Watford Palace Theatre

    Film

  • White Cargo - Arab
  • The Man Who Would Be King - Ghulam
  • Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers - Indian shopkeeper
  • The Spy Who Loved Me - Barman
  • What's Up Nurse! - 1st Asian
  • Carry On Emmannuelle - Doctor
  • The Awakening -
  • An American Werewolf in London - Hospital Porter
  • The Great Quest - with Oliver Reed;
  • Pink Floyd: The Wall - Janitor
  • Octopussy - Saddrudin - undercover British agent in India
  • Al-mas' Ala Al-Kubra - Indian officer
  • Scandalous - Vishnu
  • The Little Drummer Girl - Green Grocer
  • Foreign Body - Paramedic #2
  • The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli and Baloo - Conductor
  • East Is East - Abdul Karim
  • The Snarling - Hospital Patient

    Television

  • Queenie - Hollywood mini-series with Kirk Douglas;
  • On the Buses - London Weekend Television;
  • Warship - BBC television drama;
  • Robin's Nest - Thames Television sitcom;
  • Mind Your Language - London Weekend Television sitcom ;
  • Juliet Bravo - BBC television drama;
  • The Jewel in the Crown - Granada Television ;
  • The Little and Large Show - BBC television comedy;
  • The Benny Hill Show - Thames Television comedy;
  • Boon - ITV Central drama;
  • The Bill - talkbackTHAMES television drama ;
  • Never the Twain - Thames Television sitcom;
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Man With The Twisted Lip - Granada Television;
  • London's Burning - London Weekend Television drama;
  • Tandoori Nights - Channel 4
  • Crocodile Shoes

    Other

  • Produced 13 episodes of Mind Your Language;
  • Produced and directed Gabriella, a television film produced on location in Malta;
  • Hosted, produced and directed a talent contest variety show
  • Wrote The Seventh Commandment, a television drama;
  • Wrote Side by side, a television comedy;
  • Wrote Don't talk to strangers, a television thriller;
  • Wrote The Jokers, a television drama;
  • Published children's books Tales from India, The hawk and the turtles, and Mustapha Mouse goes to the city;
  • Published a book of 87 poems
  • Past chairman of the Asian, Caribbean, Oriental and Asian Artistes of EQUITY.
  • Ex-governor of a St Albans school.
  • Was on board of directors for a St Albans theatre company.
  • Past member of the London regional committee of ITV under the chairmanship of Lord Lipsey.
  • Past chairman of the St Albans Film Society.
  • Trustee and patron of the Ivy Trust, a children's charity.
  • Volunteered at a local hospital.
  • Volunteered at a local school, running a film workshop for children.
  • Volunteered at a local retirement home.
  • Retired voluntary teacher from a local college, teaching English to foreign students.
  • Moses was a Knight of the Order of St John.