The Archers Ysanne Churchman, who played Grace, sent them a congratulatory card signed "Grace Archer". In 1996, William Smethurst recounted a conversation with Baseley in which he reveals his real motivation for killing off Grace Archer: Churchman was encouraging the other actors to join a trade union. The actor Norman Painting played Phil Archer continuously from the first trial series in 1950 until his death on 29 October 2009. His last "Archers" performance was recorded just two days before his death, and was broadcast on 22 November. He is cited in "Guinness World Records" as the longest-serving actor in a single soap
Gleason Archer Sr. first network program was "Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse." The series aired until 1934. On October 6, 1906 Archer married Elizabeth Snyder (1884-1961), daughter of Rev. Henry S. Snyder, pastor of the Gilbertville Congregational Church. The Archers were the parents of the prominent Reformed theologian and author Gleason Archer Jr. and two other children, Allan F. Archer and Marian G. Archer. Archer's wife, Elizabeth Archer died in 1961, and he married Pauline (Polly) Clark in 1963. Archer was a descendant of John Archer who came to America from England prior to 1775 and fought for the American cause