Norman Painting Norman Painting Norman George Painting (23 April 1924 – 29 October 2009) was an English actor, broadcaster and writer. He played Phil Archer in the BBC Radio 4 soap opera "The Archers" from the pilot episodes aired on the BBC Midlands Home Service in summer 1950, after the series went national on the Light Programme on 1 January 1951, until his death in 2009, when he was the longest-serving member of the cast. His last episode, recorded two days before he died, was broadcast on 22 November 2009. The character lived on until Phil was "found dead" in his armchair
The Archers (album) The Archers (album) The Archers was the first nationally released major label album for The Archers. Originally released as Any Day Now in 1972 on their independent Charisma Records label, it garnered the group almost immediate national attention and launched them on to the national stage. Issued before radio charts for Jesus music or Contemporary Christian music were established, it included the hits, "Life In Jesus", "Jesus Is The Answer" and "God's Love". On the strength of the album, The Archers appeared at Explo '72 in the summer of that year, and on to other major concert appearances at Madison