Phil Archer Phil Archer 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
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