Dino Shafeek

Dino Shafeek
Shafeek as Ali Nadim in Mind Your Language
Born
Gholam D. Shafeek

(1930-03-21)21 March 1930
Dacca, Bengal Province, British India
Died10 March 1984(1984-03-10) (aged 53)
London, England
Other namesDino Shafeek
Dean Francis
CitizenshipBritish
EducationUniversity of Dhaka
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1967–1983
Known forChai Wallah Muhammed in It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974–1981),
Ali Nadim in Mind Your Language (1977–1979)
PartnerLeslie Didcock (engaged)

Dino Shafeek (born Gholam D. Shafeek, 21 March 1930 – 10 March 1984) was a British Bangladeshi actor specialising in comedy roles. Born and raised in Dhaka, he moved to the United Kingdom in 1958 and appeared in several sitcoms during the 1970s and early 1980s. He is best remembered for playing the part of Chai Wallah Muhammed in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum[1] and the role of Ali Nadim in ITV sitcom Mind Your Language.

Career

Shafeek's first acting role was as an extra in the drama series Maigret in 1961 under the name Dean Francis, a name he used on occasion until 1966.[2] Most of Shafeek's early roles were uncredited; his first role credited to "Dino Shafeek" was in 1967, when he appeared in two episodes of Softly, Softly as Anwar.[3] He appeared as 'Akbar' in the film The Long Duel (1967), starring Yul Brynner.[4]

One of Shafeek's biggest roles came in the show It Ain't Half Hot Mum as "Chaiwallah Muhammad".[5] The series was broadcast by the BBC from 1974 to 1981[5] and starred Windsor Davies as the Battery sergeant-major of the troop's barracks in Deolali, Bombay Presidency.[6] During the run of It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Shafeek played the part of student Ali Nadim in the ITV/London Weekend Television sitcom Mind Your Language (1977–1979).[7][5]

Shafeek played character parts in films and TV, such as: Carry On Emmannuelle, Minder, Special Branch and The Onedin Line.[4][8] His last role was in High Road to China starring Tom Selleck.[4]

Death

Shafeek died suddenly from a heart attack whilst at home, in London, with his fiancée, Leslie Didcock, on 10 March 1984, eleven days before his 54th birthday.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1964 Man in the Middle Barman Uncredited[3]
1967 The Long Duel Akbar[3]
1968 The Charge of the Light Brigade Indian servant[3]
1972 Young Winston Sikh Soldier[3]
1976 Queen Kong Indian Uncredited[3]
1977 Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers Indian watchman[3]
1978 Carry On Emmannuelle Immigration Officer[3]
1983 High Road to China Satvinda[3] (final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1961 Maigret Extra (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: Love from Felicie (uncredited)
1963 Ghost Squad Waiter 1 episode: Death of a Sportsman (uncredited)[3]
The Desperate People Man at nightclub 1 episode: Episode 3 (uncredited)[3]
1964 Danger Man Club barman (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: The Colonel's daughter (uncredited)[3]
Drama 61-67 Gunman (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: Studio '64: The Crunch
The Midnight Men Man at cafe (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: Promise to Kill
Crane Policeman (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: Death Is a Closed Door
HMS Paradise Indian delegate (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: What Am I Offered for This Lot?
The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling Sais, driver (as Dean Francis)[2] 2 episodes: Only a Subaltern; The Bronckhurst Divorce Case
1965 The Saint Native 1 episode: The Golden Frog (uncredited)[3]
Out of the Unknown Man in mask (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: The Fox and the forest
1966 Redcap Gurkha (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: The Killer
Sergeant Cork Servant 1 episode: The Case of the Threatened Rajah (uncredited)[3]
A Farewell to Arms Passini (as Dean Francis)[2] 1 episode: The Summer There Were Many Victories
1967 Softly, Softly Anwar[3] 2 episodes: The Target: Part 1: Sighted; The Target: Part 2: Point Blank
1968 The Jazz Age Abas 1 episode: The Outstation[3]
The Champions Manservant 1 episode: The Dark Island (uncredited)[3]
1969 The Troubleshooters Abdhul[3] 1 episode: You're Not Going to Believe This, But...
Special Branch Majid 1 episode: The Promised Land
1971 The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder 2nd Priest[3] 1 episode: Man with a Strange Tattoo
Brett Filegonia[3] 1 episode: The Day of the Dead
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes Ali[3] 1 episode: The duchess of Wiltshire's diamonds
1974 ...And Mother Makes Five Gypsy[3] 1 episode: If I can help somebody
1974–1981 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Chai Wallah Muhammed[3] 56 episodes
1976 Centre Play Demonstrator[3] 1 episode: Commonwealth Season: Trinidad – Home sweet India
Down the 'Gate The postman 1 episode: The Lie[3]
1977 The Onedin Line Jaun[3] 1 episode: When Troubles Come
The Fuzz 1st Pakistani[3] 1 episode: Coppers Under the Sun
1977–1979 Mind Your Language Ali Nadim 29 episodes[3]
1979 Hazell Raiji[3] 1 episode: Hazell Bangs the Drum
1980 Minder Mini Cab Driver[3] 1 episode: All About Scoring, Innit?
1981 Into the Labyrinth Suleiman 1 episode: Shadrach[3]
1982 The Stanley Baxter Hour Various roles[3] 1 episode: Christmas special

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1967 A Touch of Brightness Pidku Royal Court Theatre, London
1968 In the Penal Colony The Prisoner Arts Laboratory, Drury Lane, London; adaptation by Steven Berkoff
1970 To Anchor a Cloud Asaf Khan King George's Theatre, London
1971 Captain Brassbound's Conversion[9] Hassan Cambridge Theatre, London
1977 A Clean Break Anwar Hassan Ravi Shankar Hall, London
1979 It Ain't Half Hot Mum Chai Wallah Muhammad Stage adaptation of TV series; regional tour commencing at Pier Theatre, Bournemouth
1980 Dick Whittington and His Cat[10] London Palladium, London
1981 Dick Whittington and His Cat
1982 Gandhi Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn, London
It Ain't Half Hot Mum[11] Chai Wallah Muhammad Stage adaptation of TV series; regional tour commencing at Futurist Theatre, Scarborough
Dick Whittington[12] Sultan of Morocco Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label/Cat No Notes
1975 It Ain't Half Hot Mum – Featuring the Artists from the Popular BBC-TV Series EMI Records EMC 3074 Appears as Chai Wallah Muhammad
1983 Tony Fayne's Back Rosie Records RR 008 Guest appearance

See also

References

  1. ^ Morgan-Russell, Simon (1988). Jimmy Perry and David Croft. Manchester University Press. p. 72. ISBN 0-7190-6555-0. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Dean Francis | Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af "Dino Shafeek | Actor, Music Department". IMDb. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Dino Shafeek". BFI. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "BFI Screenonline: Mind Your Language (1977-79, 1986)". www.screenonline.org.uk. Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  6. ^ "BFI Screenonline: It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1974-81)". www.screenonline.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Like the old times". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Dino Shafeek". www.aveleyman.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Production of Captain Brassbound's Conversion | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  10. ^ "The London Palladium pantomime history". pantoarchive. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Production of It Ain't Half Hot Mum | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Production of Dick Whittington | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
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