Peter Bryant

Prolific television producer Peter Bryant appeared on television first as an actor as Jack Grove, a character in Britain's first Soap Opera for adults; 'The Grove Family'. Nine million viewers tuned in regularly to see the day-to-day life of a lower middle-class family living in a neat double-fronted house in the London suburb of Hendon. Even the Queen Mother declared herself to be a fan when she visited the set, telling the cast that she found them 'so English-so real.'
Peter Bryant was born in London on 27th October 1923 and began his acting career in rep before landing several small screen roles and then moving into television in 1953 as Edgar in a BBC production of 'Wuthering Heights'. After 'The Grove Family' Peter turned to broadcasting as a radio announcer whilst at the same time submitting a number of radio scripts. This led to him becoming an accomplished script editor for the BBC radio drama department of which he eventually became head. In the 1960s he returned to television and began a succesful association with 'Doctor Who', joining the series with the story "The Faceless Ones" as associate producer under Innes Lloyd, then producing the serial "Tomb of the Cybermen" before becoming script editor for three series during the show's fifth season. He became the series producer again with "The Web of Fear" and did so through Patrick Troughton's penultimate story. He was also influential in casting Jon Pertwee as Troughton's successor. After leaving 'Doctor Who' Bryant produced the successful BBC detective series 'Paul Temple' starring Francis Matthews. Later in his career Peter Bryant became a successful literary agent specialising in children's books. He passed away after a 12 month battle with cancer on May 19th 2006 aged 82.

Val Guest

Val Guest worked in the British film industry for over 50 years and as both screenwriter and director was responsible for some of the cinema's most popular movies not only spanning the generations but also several genres including comedy, drama and science fiction.
Born in London on December 11th 1911, Guest tried his hand at acting but when he found nobody wanted to employ him he turned to film journalism. He moved to Hollywood and got a job with the 'Hollywood Reporter' before returning to England where he began writing film scripts. In 1935 he got his first screen credit co-writing the comedy 'No Monkey Business'. In 1937 he was co-credited (alongside John Orton) with the screenplay for the classic Will Hay comedy 'Oh, Mr Porter!'. He also wrote material for the Crazy Gang and Arthur Askey and helped launch Frankie Howerd's film career with 'The Runaway Bus'. In 1955 he directed the classic British TV series 'The Quatermass Xperiment' before co-writing and directing one of Britain's best remembered dramatic science fiction movies, 'The Day The Earth Caught Fire', a film about the disastrous consequences that befall our planet when two nuclear bombs are detonated simultaneously.
In 1967 he directed the spoof James Bond movie 'Casino Royale' and later turned to directing television series such as 'The Persuaders' and 'Space 1999'. He retired in 1990 and in 2001 wrote his autobiography, 'So You Want To Be In Pictures'. Val Guest passed away on May 10th 2006, aged 94.

Peter Cadbury

Peter Cadbury was the founder of Westward Television and one of the original campaigners for the introduction of commercial broadcasting. Born on February 6th 1918, the son of Sir Egbert Cadbury, a managing director of Cadbury Brothers, the confectionary empire, Peter was educated at Leighton Park, a Quaker school, and later at Trinity College, Cambridge. He joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1940 and served as an experimental test pilot. The legendary Spitfire pilot Douglas Bader was best man at Cadbury’s first wedding. After the war he joined the Liberal Party but was soon called to the bar and appeared as a junior prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials. Following this, he joined the Keith Prowse Ticket Agency before convincing his father to lend him £75,000 in order to buy the company. This was in 1954. The company went public in 1960. When ITV began to spread around the country, Cadbury took the chairmanship of Tyne-Tees Television and invested heavily in other companies becoming a staunch supporter of commercial television, and making himself heard throughout the country. In 1961 he won the franchise against 11 competing bids and founded Westward Television, based in Plymouth. He remained chairman and director of Keith Prowse, which became a subsidary of Westward TV until the agency was sold in 1970. For many years, Westward was administratively joined to Channel Television in an effort to maximise advertising potential for the two stations. But in 1980 a major boardroom upheavel led to Westward losing its franchise to TSW, which then purchased Westward’s Plymouth studios. Cadbury was also chairman of the George Cadbury Trust and directed its funds to his favourite animal charities. He married three times. He died on April 17th 2006 aged 88 and leaves his third wife Jane and five children.

John Junkin

Veteran actor, comedian and scriptwriter John Junkin died on March 7th 2006, aged 76. The comedian worked with stars such as Morecambe and Wise, Marty Feldman, Ronnie Barker and Spike Milligan and acted in many television dramas, including 'Penmarric,' 'Out' and 'All Creatures Great and Small.' Five years ago he starred in 'EastEnders,' playing Ernie, a mysterious stranger who suddenly appeared at the Queen Vic. His own television comedy series 'Junkin' ran for four seasons and his cult radio show, 'Hello Cheeky,' also transferred to television. In 1969 he hosted the panel game 'Give Me Your Word.' An influential figure in the world of comedy during the sixties and seventies, he wrote scripts for shows such as 'The Army Game,' 'The World of Beachcomber,' 'Queenie’s Castle,' plus scripts for many top comedians, including Ted Ray, Jim Davidson, Bob Monkhouse and Mike Yarwood.

John Junkin was born in Ealing, west London on January 29th 1930. Educated locally, he worked as a teacher in the East End of London but said he hated the job. In 1960 he joined Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop at Stratford East and was in the original cast of Littlewood’s production of 'Sparrers Can’t Sing' with Barbara Windsor. Throughout the sixties and seventies he was one of the busiest men on television, both as performer and scriptwriter. He appeared in 'Till Death Us Do Part' (1966-75), 'Sam and Janet' (1967/8), 'On the House' (1970/1) and together, with writing partner Tim Brooke-Taylor, wrote and appeared in the BBC series 'The Rough and the Smooth.' The comedian Marty Feldman won the Golden Rose of Montreux Award with a Junkin script in 1972 and with Barry Cryer and others, Junkin contributed to many of the Morecambe and Wise specials for the BBC. He also wrote, with Bill Tidy, The Fosdyke Saga, and The Grumbleweeds for radio. For many years he voiced ‘Mr Shifter’, one of the Brooke Bond PG Tips chimps, which gained an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest running television commercial. He had a prolific career in the cinema playing a variety of straight and comic roles and described himself as easy to cast: “I look like the bloke next door,” he said. “I always seem to be wearing one of those sheepskin coats.” His many film credits included 'Doctor in Love' (1960), 'Heavens Above!' (1963), with Peter Sellers, 'The Knack' (1965), 'A Handful of Dust' (1988) and 'Chicago Joe and the Showgirl' (1990). But his most famous appearance was as one of the Beatles' tour managers in the 1964 hit 'A Hard Day's Night'.

In the latter part of his career, Junkin became disillusioned with showbusiness, particularly television. He spoke out publicly against ‘alternative’ comedy He said: “The new generation running television today has forgotten how to make people laugh.” He fell out with a producer - he never revealed which one - over the writing of a game show for which he had devised the format. Litigation cost him £70,000 and he was also in debt to the taxman to the tune of £120,000. He did, however, return to scriptwriting and contributed to 'The Crazy World of Joe Pasquale' (1998) and 'The Impressionable Jon Culshaw' (2004) and he was much in demand as an after dinner speaker. Junkin had been suffering from lung cancer, emphysema and asthma and died at the Florence Nightingale House in Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Close friend, former Radio 1 disc jockey Dave Lee Travis, said: “If you were in conversation with John, you were always in a state of hilarity. He had no airs and graces.” John Junkin married Jenny Clayburn in 1977, who survives him with their daughter. (source The Stage: visit The Stage Online)

Dennis Weaver

Dennis Weaver became a household name back in the 1950s and 1960s on both sides of the Atlantic for playing the loyal deputy to Marshall Matt Dillon on US TV's 'Gunsmoke.' Born in Missouri on 4 June 1924, Weaver served with American forces in World War II before becoming an actor whose career would span 50 years. After studying at the University of Oklahoma - where he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympic decathlon - Weaver went to the Actors Studio in New York, landing roles in a number of stage plays. He appeared in 'A Streetcar Named Desire,' opposite Shelley Winters, and toured in 'Come Back, Little Sheba' with Shirley Booth before (in 1952) switching his attention to film after signing a deal with Universal Studios. But Universal only managed to give him a handful of roles over the next three years and Weaver was forced to take a job as a flower deliveryman to supplement his TV freelance work. But he got the break he needed in 1955 after an early appearance in an episode of the classic TV series 'Dragnet' when he was offered the part of Deputy Chester Goode in 'Gunsmoke,' opposite James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon. At first Weaver considered his role "inane", but his slow-drawling character with a limp gave him a memorable on-screen presence and the role, which he played until 1964, earned him an Emmy award in the late 1950s. More TV series followed 'Gunsmoke,' including 'Gentle Ben' in the mid-1960s, 'Kentucky Jones,' 'Emerald Point NAS,' 'Stone and Buck James.' He also starred in Steven Spielberg's memorable 1971 made-for-tv movie 'Duel' as a motorist terrorised by a psychopathic truck driver.

Weaver's most personally satisfying role came in 1977 when he was cast as (Sam) 'McCloud' - a New Mexico policeman on the streets of New York with a horse, a cowboy hat and a sheepskin coat. The series was based on Clint Eastwood's 1968 movie 'Coogan's Bluff.' Off-screen, Weaver served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, and was a committed vegetarian and environmentalist, working actively for charitable causes. He was president of Love Is Feeding Everyone - a food scheme that fed 150,000 needy people from the Los Angeles area every week. And in 1993, he founded Institute of Ecolonomics, which sought solutions to economic and environmental problems. Weaver believed passionately in promoting the economic growth of all cultures while using sustainable natural resources. He spoke at the United Nations, the US government, university students and school children about fighting pollution. He cared pationately about his causes and lived by example by building a solar-powered home in Colorado - nicknamed Earthship - out of recycled tyres and cans where he and his wife lived since 1989. Weaver continued acting until 2005 and recently appeared in an episode of 'The Simpsons.' Last year he starred as the eccentric owner of a thoroughbred racing ranch in 'Wildfire.' "His performance never ceased to dazzle us," a statement from the ABC network, which broadcasts Wildfire, said. "He was an American legend not only for his contribution to the acting community but for his extensive and inspirational environmental work." Weaver died in Colorado in February 2006 from complications of cancer. He is survived by his wife and three sons. "He was a wonderful man and a fine actor, and we will all miss him," said former 'Gunsmoke' co-star Burt Reynolds.

Linda Smith

Comedian Linda Smith was one of the sharpest performers on the stand-up circuit, but in recent years had become a favourite of diverse audiences on BBC radio and television. Her roots, in Erith, south-east London, were working-class, but she stubbornly refused to fit any stereotype, her deadpan diatribes about everyday irritations resonating with millions. She studied English and Drama at Sheffield University and joined a professional touring theatre company in 1983, where she met her partner, Warren Lakin. Turning to stand-up comedy, she won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year in 1987. Throughout the 1990s, she made the annual pilgrimage to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performing her own show and collaborating with others. And the mid-90s saw the start of her prolific career on BBC radio, as a regular panellist on the former Radio Five's weekly news satire programme, 'The Treatment.' From there she graduated to writing and performing in two critically-acclaimed series of her own Radio 4 sitcom, 'A Brief History of Time Wasting.' She was the first woman team captain and regular on the network's 'News Quiz' and a frequent panel guest on two long-running Radio 4 favourites, 'Just a Minute' and 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.' Smith also presented 'Home Truths' and 'Pick of the Week' and in 2002 was voted Wittiest Person in a poll of Radio 4 listeners. She also won a following on television through several appearances on 'Have I Got News For You,' along with 'Room 101,' 'Q.I.,' 'Mock the Week,' 'They Think It's All Over' and 'Call My Bluff,' while she contributed her own take on current affairs as a panellist on 'Question Time.' She had a wealth of subjects to grumble about: motorway service stations, the trains, inane daytime television commercials for sun awnings or loans, all delivered in a downbeat fashion that belied a penetrating insight to social trends. Besides this, Smith was a great fan of the rock musician and actor, Ian Dury, and president of the British Humanist Association. Radio 4 Controller Mark Damazer said Linda Smith was a Radio 4 giant. "She was incredibly funny, but also generated energy and warmth in every programme she ever did", he said. Linda Smith died of cancer at the age of 48. (source BBC Website)

Jack Wild

Jack Wild, who died of cancer in March 2006 became a star in his early teens, playing the Artful Dodger in both the stage and screen version of 'Oliver!' He had success in America, too, but was later beset by health problems. Wild's star burned bright and early. Born near Oldham in the north of England, he was playing football in a London park with Phil Collins - who was a child actor before he was a musician - when he was spotted by Collins' mother, a talent agent. She suggested her son's friend go into showbusiness too. Some 18 months later, Wild was on stage as the Artful Dodger in 'Oliver!,' alongside Ron Moody and Oliver Reed. The Dickensian romp, with its dark London settings, wistful storylines and Lionel Bart's memorable score - songs such as Food Glorious Food and the Dodger's own Consider Yourself At Home - became an instant classic, and made stars of everyone involved. Wild, along with Moody and Reed, went on to the make the 1968 film version of the musical. Although it was Mark Lester as Oliver who famously got to ask for more, Jack Wild caught the imagination as the amoral street urchin, gaining international attention and earning an Oscar nomination. Still only 16, he went on to star in an American television series, 'HR PufnStuff,' and also a feature film based on the show. Wild co-starred with puppets and elaborately-frocked actors as a marooned boy on an enchanted land. Other roles followed in 'Melody' and 'Flight of the Doves,' and Wild also made three albums including 'Everything's Coming Up Roses.' He was an established worldwide teen idol but, within a few years, had succumbed to a destructive lifestyle. Alcoholism and cancer took their physical toll

His career fell away rapidly as he embarked on a routine of heavy drinking and smoking. By the age of 21, he was a diagnosed alcoholic, diabetic and out of favour with audiences. Despite this, he appeared in another Dickens epic in 1976, this time the BBC production of 'Our Mutual Friend,' and later made occasional film appearances. He stopped drinking in 1988 but said his early behaviour had made him a walking time bomb. Sure enough, he was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2000. In July 2004, he had his tongue and voice box removed, leaving him unable to speak, eat or drink. Despite this, he managed to fulfil further acting roles, often at the side of his partner, Claire Harding, who was able to lip-read and speak for him. In later life, Wild campaigned for more awareness of the symptoms of mouth cancer, and urged others to be aware of the risk factors. He reflected: "I went through the 1970s and 80s in a drunken haze. I was a heavy smoker and heavy drinker, and apparently together they are a deadly mixture." (source BBC Website)

2005

Avril Angers

Once dubbed Britain's Answer to Lucille Ball and regarded as one of Britain’s finest comedy actresses, Avril Angers has died at the age of 87. The daughter of the comedian Harry Angers, she was born in Liverpool on April 18 1918, and educated at schools in England and Australia before making her first appearance at the Palace Pier, Brighton, at the age of 14.

After stints as a Tiller Girl and in assorted pre-war summer shows, cabaret, pantomime and Fol-de-Rols revues she joined ENSA in the Second World War and was one of it's hardest working members touring the remotest parts of West Africa. She was awarded the Africa Star for her work and during the forties and fifties was rarely off the West End stage or the cinema screen.

In a career that spanned six decades she won critical praise for her role as Liz Piper in Roy Boulting’s film The Family Way and was cast opposite Richard Burton and Rex Harrison in the off-beat comedy Staircase. Her success in acting led her to becoming one of the first women to have a television series with a proper storyline, Dear Dotty, in 1954. She also partnered TV comedians such as Arthur Askey, Dick Emery and a young Bob Monkhouse.

In 1964 she stole the notices in the hit musical Little Me, in which she appeared with Bruce Forsyth, and she headlined in numerous West End comedies and thrillers such as Blithe Spirit and Murder at the Vicarage. In 1975 she played Eleanor Hunter in the long running farce, No Sex Please, We’re British, at the Strand Theatre and in the eighties appeared in two of Coward’s one-act plays, Easy Virtue and Post-Mortem, at the King’s Head Theatre, Islington.

Among her numerous television credits were Dad’s Army, Are You Being Served?, Minder, The Tomorrow People and Coronation Street. Her last public appearance was in October this year when she was a guest of honour at the Max Wall Society in London. She had been suffering from pneumonia and died in the University College Hospital, London on November 9th. (further info: www.thestage.co.uk)

Ralph Edwards: The Great-Great Grandfather Of Reality Television

Few television producers have had the long and successful career of Ralph Edwards, who died November 16th at his West Hollywood, California home. Even at 92, Edwards was still busy with the current edition of “The People’s Court”–a revamp of the syndicated show that first aired in 1981. Ralph Edwards was in many ways the great-grandfather of today’s reality genre, specializing in programs that used real people as entertainment. Many of today’s reality TV producers should tip a hat to this pioneer.

The Colorado-born Edwards moved to California with his family at the age of 12, and worked in radio stations while still in high school. He became a CBS staff announcer in 1936. Four years later, he launched the audience participation show “Truth or Consequences” on the NBC radio network. As host, Edwards asked studio audience members a question; if they answered wrong they had to pay the “consequences”–by taking part in a studio stunt. Yet at the same time, “Truth or Consequences” did good work for charities and groups during World War Two by raising money for the war effort and for various causes. After failing with several different hosts, the show made a successful transition to television in 1956 when a young announcer named Bob Barker was tapped to host the video version; it ran until 1971 on both NBC and in syndication. The idea of an entertainment show doing good deeds set “Truth or Consequences” apart from other programs. It was so successful, the town of Hot Springs, New Mexico changed its name to Truth Or Consequences in 1950!

Edwards’ biggest hit came with the debut of “This Is Your Life.” Originally a radio show, the program became a smash when it began airing on NBC television in October 1952. As host, Edwards would surprise an individual who just happened to be near the studio, and told him or her “So and so, this is your life!” The subject would then be escorted into the studio, where Edwards told his or life story, complete with reunions from long-lost friends and family members. While average individuals were profiled, it was the celebrity versions that remain familiar to Americans who watched. Most were overjoyed; a few (such as the celebrated journalist Lowell Thomas) were visibly dismayed. But then, that was live television. Edwards would have filmed versions ready to go in case the subject of the night was not cooperative. A few people were told beforehand they would be profiled; one of those was the singer Lillian Roth, because of her successful bout against alcoholism. Roth’s show proved to be so popular, it was rebroadcast and recreated for the 1955 film “I’ll Cry Tomorrow.” Edwards himself was never profiled on “This Is Your Life.” That was by design; he warned his staff that everyone would be fired if they made him the subject. And he meant it. Despite that, “This Is Your Life” ran until 1961 and was briefly brought back several times in syndication. (As this is being written, ABC has signed Regis Philbin to host a new version of “This Is Your Life” that will air in prime time.)

Edwards kept busy in later years producing other programs, including such game shows as “Name That Tune,” “It Could Be You” and “Cross-Wits,” along with “The People’s Court.” Another Edwards innovation came in 1950 and lives on today: When “Truth or Consequences” made the move to television, Edwards shot the game show live on film with multiple cameras before a live studio audience. That system–with some modifications–was used a year later by Desi Arnaz for the now-legendary “I Love Lucy;” the multi-camera/live audience format is still used by sitcoms to this day.

Ralph Edwards succeeded by showcasing the average person and making him or her the star. He realized John and Mary Doe had interesting personalities and good stories to tell. That was the secret of his success–and for better or worse, the basis of reality television today. (MS)

Gretchen Franklin

Born in Covent Garden on July 7, 1911, Franklin Franklin began working as a £2.00 a-week chorus girl in panto. Her first West End break came during the war when she landed a part in the first of a series of reviews at the Ambassadors Theatre in 'Sweet and Low.' She made her big screen debut in 1954 in 'Before I wake' and went on to be one of the most recognisable 'walk on' actresses of the British film industry making one of her short appearances in the Beatles film 'Help!'.

On television she appeared as Warren Mitchell's wife Elsie, in the pilot episode of 'Till Death Us Do Part', before being replaced for the full series by Dandy Nicholls. She also starred in the early evening soap 'Crossroads' before landing her most celebrated role, in another soap opera, EastEnders. As Ethel Skinner, Franklin was one of the original members of cast for the long-running BBC series and almost formed something of a double-act with June Brown who played the part of Dot Cotton. In one of the series most dramatic and contraversial storylines she persuaded her best friend to administer an overdose of morphine tablets to save her from the pain of dying from cancer.

Off screen Franklin devoted much of her time to charity and gave away all the royalties she had recieved from EastEnders repeats to her favourite animal charities. “At my age one isn’t buying new fur coats and diamonds,” she said. “If you get that lot of repeat fees four times a year you can afford to be a bit more generous to other people.”
She died at her home in Barnes on July 11, 2005 aged 94.

Derek Hilton

Derek Hilton was musical director for Granada Television having arranged over 200 television theme tunes. He composed the music for All Our Yesterdays, A Family at War, A Kind of Loving, Criss Cross Quiz and, most famously, he arranged the theme music for Coronation Street, for which he also supplied incidental music. Hilton was born on February 3, 1927 in Whitefield, Manchester. During the Second World War he served with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and performed in Stars in Battledress with up and coming names such as Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. In 1956 he was asked by Granada TV to play the piano for two afternoon shows, Sharp at Four and People and Places. He went on to compose numerous theme tunes for the company and won an Ivor Novello Certificate of Honour Award in 1973.
Hilton died on July 11, aged 78.

James Doohan

James Montgomery Doohan was born March 3, 1920, in Vancouver, British Columbia, youngest of four children of William Doohan and his wife Sarah. He wrote in his autobiography, "Beam Me Up, Scotty," that his father was a drunk who made life miserable for his wife and children. So, at 19, James escaped the turmoil at home by joining the Canadian army, becoming a lieutenant in artillery. He was among the Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach on D-Day. The Canadians crossed a minefield laid for tanks; the soldiers weren't heavy enough to detonate the bombs. At 11:30 that night, he was machine-gunned, taking six hits: one that took off his middle right finger, four in his leg and one in the chest. The chest bullet was stopped by his silver cigarette case.

Returning from the war, Doohan worked as an actor on Canadian radio, before heading off to New York, where he studied drama alongside Leslie Nielsen and Tony Randall. He was a regular on the Canadian kids' science fiction series, 'Space Command'. and his early American television work included episodes of Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Daniel Boone, The FBI, Hazel, The Virginian, and The Outer Limits. But he will always be remembered as the engineer on the Starship Enterprise on the original Star Trek. He auditioned for the role as an engineer in a new space adventure on NBC in 1966. A master of dialects from his early years in radio, he tried seven different accents. "The producers asked me which one I preferred. I believed the Scot voice was the most commanding. So I told them, 'If this character is going to be an engineer, you'd better make him a Scotsman.'"

His performance as the miracle-worker on board the galactic spacecraft inspired many young people to choose that career. So many, in fact, that when Doohan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and announced that he would be withdrawing from public life, the news was mentioned with sincere sadness in NASA newsletters and publications like Aviation Week and Space Technology. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, paid his own personal tribute when he said: "I am an engineer," he said, "...and I want a Chief Engineering officer like Montgomery Scott, because I know Scotty will get the job done, and do it right. Even if I often hear him say, 'But Ceptain, I donna have enough time!' So from one old engineer to another, thanks Scotty." James Doohan passed away on 20th July, 2005 aged 85.

Eddie Albert

Academy Award-nominated actor Eddie Albert died of pneumonia May 26th at his Southern California home, surrounded by care givers and his son, Edward Albert, who had put his own acting career on hold to care for his father, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Eddie Albert was 99 years old. But his biggest fame didn’t come from the big screen. It was due to his role in the very popular 1960's series “Green Acres” that television fans came to know Eddie Albert.
Edward Albert Heimburger was born in Rock Island, Illinois, attended the University of Minnesota, and began working on stage and in the theater. He later moved to New York and appeared on Broadway. But it was in a role in the stage comedy “Brother Rat”–which depicted life at a military institute–that he was spotted by Warner Brothers and given a contract. (Albert appeared in the film version of “Brother Rat” along with another Warner contract player, Ronald Reagan.) But gossip at the time indicated Albert was allowed to ride out his contract, after he was caught “fooling around” with the wife of studio chief Jack Warner. He joined the Navy in World War Two, and soon after, his film career got back on track with a number of well-regarded roles in such films as “Smash-up” and “Oklahoma!”. He was nominated for Oscars for his roles in 1953's “Roman Holiday” and 1973's “The Heartbreak Kid”.

Albert also accepted television roles in the 1950's and 60's, but it was his portrayal as lawyer turned farmer Oliver Wendell Douglas on “Green Acres” that leapfrogged the actor into stardom. Based on the 1940's radio series “Granby’s Green Acres”, that show’s creator Jay Sommers teamed up with television producer Paul Henning to bring viewers a comedy that ran for five straight years on CBS. Albert played the straight man to Eva Gabor as wife Lisa, and a bevy of talented regulars who watched and commented as Oliver tried to turn a run-down farm near fictional Hooterville into a success. “Green Acres” was truly a surrealistic sitcom, with a talking pig and a town that defied reality. (What other series would feature a 250 pound pig named Arnold who loved television and fell in love with a basset hound?) It was probably the most interesting creation of Henning, who achieved comedy success with “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Petticoat Junction”. (Indeed, the three series would occasionally interlap during their runs.) And like all gifted series, “Green Acres” was blessed with a wonderful theme song, written by the late, great Vic Mizzy, performed by Albert and Gabor in the opening credits.

“Green Acres” was still riding high in the ratings when CBS cancelled the show in 1971–an attempt to “modernize” its schedule by purging it of rural comedies. (“Hillbillies” also died that year; “Junction” was given the ax a year earlier.) After “Green Acres’” cancellation, Albert continued to be featured in both film and on television; he co-starred with Robert Wagner in the comedy-drama “Switch”, which ran for three seasons; he also appeared briefly on the 1980's prime-time soap “Falcon Crest”.
His role as a farmer on “Green Acres” was an extension of Albert’s concern about the environment and farming; he fought hard for the ban of the pesticide DDT and spoke out on other key ecological issues after the show’s run. Eddie Albert may have played a farmer on television, but his love of the earth was even deeper than his “Green Acres” role. (ms)

David Kossoff

David Kossoff became a familiar and well-loved figure on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s thanks to playing the hen-pecked husband of Peggy Mount in the hugely successful sitcom "The Larkins". Born on November 24th 1919 to Russian parents in the East End of London, he made his first stage appearance in 1942. In 1945 he joined the BBC Repertory Company, where he remained for six years, appearing in hundreds of radio plays. Often taking on roles older than his true age, Kossoff made many memorable film appearances, one of which won him a BAFTA for 'A Kid For Two Farthings' and had great success on stage creating the Jewish tailor in Wolf Mankowitz's 'The Bespoke Overcoat' as well as his own one-man show, 'With One Eyebrow Slightly Up' which he also took to Broadway. In 1976 tragedy struck when his younger son, Paul, lead guitarist with the rock group Free, died of drug-induced heart failure at the age of 25. Kossoff went on to campaign passionately against the danger of drug taking and performed a critically acclaimed one-man show, 'The Late Great Paul', at the Queen Elizabeth Hall before taking it on a tour of schools and universities. In 1956 he appeared in the very first 'Armchair Theatre' production; 'The Outsider'. But it was as put-upon husband Alf Larkin that David Kossoff won the affections of the British television-viewing public before moving on to another successful sitcom, 'A Little Big Business' in the 1960s. His warm and sincere voice meant that he became a huge hit in the 1960s reading bible stories on BBC radio, a success that spawned a Sunday evening TV series and a host of bestselling books. He wrote a prayer book entitled "You've Got A Moment, Lord?" and in the 1980s he published "Stories From A Small Town", based on folk stories of 19th-century Jewish Russia. David Kossoff passed away on March 23rd 2005, aged 85.

Willis Hall

Born on April 6th 1929 in Leeds and educated at Cockburn High School, Willis Hall met his lifelong collaborator, Keith Waterhouse at the age of 12 at a local youth club. The partnership resulted in some of the best remembered works on Britsh stage, screen and television including Billy Liar, Whistle Down the Wind, A Kind of Loving, Hitchcock's Torn Curtain, as well as collaborations on Worzel Gummidge, The Frost Report, That Was The Week That Was and Budgie. They also wrote sketches for Dick Emery, Roy Hudd and other leading comedians of the day.

Gerard Glaister

One of Britain's foremost television producers, Gerard Glaister was responsible for over 30 series since joining the BBC as a director in 1957. His biggest success on BBC was the road-haulage family drama "The Brothers" which he devised and produced and ran on TV from 1972-1976. John Leslie Glaister was born on December 21st 1915 and studied at RADA before making his West End debut in 1939. At the outbreak of war he served in the RAF where he was first the skipper of a Blenheim bomber and then a photo reconnaisance pilot in the Western Desert, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After the war he worked at Chesterfield rep before joining the BBC where one of his earliest credits as producer was the series "The Men from Room 13" (1959-61). In 1963 he produced "Moonstrike", a drama about an RAF squadron which ferried agents in and out of occupied Europe. He then did a nine-year stint on "Doctor Finlay's Casebook" as well as producing BBC2's "The Expert" starring Marius Goring as a police pathologist. After "The Brothers", Glaister co-devised the classic BBC series "Colditz" with Brian Degas before joining forces with Wilfred Greatorex for another wartime drama "Secret Army" (1977-79). In 1991 he retired from television following his last series, "Trainer". Glaister passed away on February 5th aged 89. (ms)

Christopher Blake

Christopher Blake became a household name to British TV viewers in two succesful sitcoms "That's My Boy" and "Mixed Blessings" before turning to writing where he listed under his credits Sky One's "Dream Team" and ITV's "A Touch of Frost". Born Peter Ronald Gray on August 23rd 1949 in Chingford, East London, he emmigrated to Australia with his parents who made several abortive attemps to settle there before ultimately returning to England in 1966. In 1969 he was accepted to the Central School of Speech and Drama where he adopted his stage name. In 1997 he married actress and theatrical producer Victoria Little and it was whilst putting the finishing touches to a house they renovated in Spain that Blake was diagnosed with a rare form of Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Christopher Blake passed away on December 11th 2004 aged 55 years.

Paul Henning

The creator of the successful 1960’s sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies”, died March 25th at a Burbank, California hospital of natural causes. He was 93. A writer for radio and television, Henning penned such programs as “Burns & Allen” and “The Bob Cummings Show”. In 1962, his concept about a poor Ozark family that strikes oil and moves to California was purchased by CBS. “The Beverly Hillbillies” quickly became television’s top-rated series and held the number one slot for two straight seasons, despite critics who hated the concept and the show itself. Henning gave CBS another hit with “Petticoat Junction” in 1963 and “Green Acres” two years later. In 1970, CBS cancelled “Petticoat” in an attempt to clear out shows aimed at older, poorer audiences. “Green Acres” and “The Beverly Hillbillies” left the CBS schedule in 1971. Henning also wrote the 1964 film “Bedtime Story” with David Niven and Marlon Brando; it was later remade with Steve Martin with a new title: “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”. “The Beverly Hillbillies” was also made into a film; it was a success after being released in 1993. (ms)

Sandra Dee

Born Alexandra Zuck on 23rd April 1942 in New Jersey, Sandra Dee went on to become one of the biggest teen idols of the fifties and sixties, her name becoming the byword for cute, glamorous, virginal teenagers on the threshold of romantic maturity -to the point that she became immortalised in song -'Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee', from the show 'Grease', will ensure that Dee is remembered by future generations. In truth though, Dee's public persona hid a deeper and sinister truth. She claimed to have been sexually abused as a child by her stepfather and pushed reluctantly into stardom by her mother. She became a model whilst still at high school before breaking into television and making her movie debut before her 15th birthday. She appeared in the 1959 film 'Gidget', which was later turned into a TV series starring Sally Field. The following year she famously married the singer Bobby Darin although they were divorced six years later. After her appearance in the 1968 movie 'Rosie' alongside Rosalind Russell her career began to take a down turn. Later on she turned to pills and alcohol and following the death of her mother in 1988 suffered from deep depression. In 2004 Bobby Darin's life was made into a movie, 'Beyond The Sea', in which Kevin Spacey played Darin whilst Dee was portrayed by Kate Bosworth. Sandra Dee died on February 20th 2005 aged 62.

Departures Since November 2004

Basil Hoskins was a familiar face on British TV throughout the 1960s. He played Dr Rex Lane in the long running hospital drama 'Emergency Ward 10' and made appearances in cult classics such as 'The Prisoner' and 'The Avengers', 'The New Avengers', 'The Professionals' and 'The Return Of Sherlock Holmes'. He passed away on January 17th aged 75.

Stan Richards was familiar to British TV audiences as the poacher turned gamekeeper Seth Armstrong in the soap opera 'Emmerdale'. Born Stanley Richardson in Barnsley, South Yorkshire on December 8th 1930 he bagan singing and telling jokes as a teenager in local nightclubs and pubs at night whilst holding down a job with the Ministry of Labour during the day. At 21 years of age he formed his own group called The Melody Maniacs. He was talent spotted by a BBC producer who cast him in a leading role in a 1977 'Play For Today' entitled 'The Price Of Coal', which was directed by Ken Loach. His other television credits included 'Coronation Street', 'All Creatures Great And Small' and 'Crown Court'. But it was as Seth, with his distinctive woolly hat and handlebar moustache that Richards left his most lasting impression. He passed away on February 11th 2005 aged 74.

Patsy Rowlands was a much loved comedy actress who was known by millions for her regular appearances in the 'Carry On' series of films of which she starred in no less than nine. The ex-convent schoolgirl, born on January 19th 1934 in Palmers Green, London won a scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and began her professional career in 1951. She bacame a long-standing member of the Players Theatre Company appearing with another 'Carry On' stalwart, Hattie Jacques and Clive Dunn and in 1961 appeared in the Saville Theatre with Laurence Olivier. On television in the early 1960s she was seen in cult classics like 'The Avengers' and 'Danger Man'. Her best remembered roles on TV were that of Sid James neighbour in 'Bless This House', 'the Salavation Army comedy 'Hallelujah' with Thora Hird and the children's comedy 'Supergran.' She didn't make her first 'Carry On' until 1969 with 'Carry On Again Doctor' in which she played Miss Fosdick, but in later years, with the release of the series on DVD Rowlands became almost a cult figure with younger audiences. Attempts were made to lure her back to the 'Carry On' fold in later years but she declined saying that without the stars who made the series what it was it would never be possible to recapture the spirit of the originals. Rowlands was diagnosed with breast cancer whilst appearing in the recent Theatre Royal revival of 'My Fair Lady' but she never told her fellow performers. Patsy Rowlands passed away on January 22 2005, just two days after her 71st birthday.

Cyril Fletcher who passed away on January 2nd was known to TV audiences for his appearances on the Esther Rantzen series 'That's Life' in which he recited his self-penned idiosyncratic poems. Johnny Downes was a veteran BBC producer who worked on series such as 'Call My Bluff', 'Basil Brush' and various 'David Nixon' shows. But his most lasting legacy was that he created the hugely popular 'Crackerjack' for the BBC in 1955. Peter McCahon was a magician who appeared in Channel 5's 'Monkey Magic' series. He died on December 15th aged just 39.

Geoffrey Lancashire
Award winning scriptwriter Geoffrey Lancashire died at Watford General Hospital on October 3rd, aged 71. Lancashire was a freelance reporter when Sidney Bernstein's Granada won one of the first Independent Television franchises in the UK in 1955. He originally began by writing broadcast links and continuity announcements in the same department that employed the likes of Jack Rosenthal and Tony Warren. Lancashire got his breakthrough as a writer on the Warren created 'Coronation Street' and ended up writing almost 200 episodes. At the same time he also contributed to Granada's output with a six-part adaptation of Howards Spring's 'Shabby Tiger' as well as numerous other adaptations and his own play 'Purple Twilight'. Among his other credits were contributions to the BBC series' 'United' and 'All Creatures Great and Small'. In 1970 Lancashire joined forces with John G. Temple to create the comedy series 'The Cuckoo Waltz' starring Diane King and Lewis Collins. This was followed by 'Foxy Lady' another starring vehicle for Keen, and a collaboration with Jack Rosenthal produced 'The Lovers' starring Richard Beckinsale and Paula Wilcox. Sadly, a series he had written six episodes for -to be made by TVS, was lost when the company had their franchise taken away from them in the 1980s.

Following in her father's footsteps, Lancashire's daughter, Sarah took a starring role in 'Coronation Street' as Raquel Wolstenhulme and went on to be one of the series all-time favourite characters. His former partner, Temple (himself an ex-'Corrie' producer) says that Lancashire was cheered by Sarah's success and even though suffering from ill health in later years his passion for television never diminished. "I will always remember their fond frienship, his good humour, our shared love of cricket and his loud, distinctive laugh in the studio audience."

Recent losses since the summer of 2004
Max Geldray, who passed away in California on 2nd October aged 88 was best known for his long association with The Goons. For nine years he provided one of the musical interludes for 'The Goon Show' on BBC Radio and occasionally was given a line or two as well.

Hugh Manning who passed away on August 8th one day before his 84th birthday was a well known face on television having starred in 'The Sullavan Brothers', 'Mrs Thursday', 'Poldark' and 'Emmerdale'. Manning was born in Birmingham in 1920 and educated a Mosley Grammar School before training as an accountant. He then studied acting at the Birmingham School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art and made his stage debut in 1940. He appeared in the movies 'The Dam Buster', 'Our Man In Havana' and 'The Elephant Man' to name but a few. Off screen, Manning was also a former president of the actors union, Equity.

Jeillo Edwards who passed away in July aged 61 was the first black actress to appear on British television. She arrived in the UK in the 1960s from Sierra Leone and became the first African to appear on the long running police drama 'Dixon of Dock Green'. Possessing a beautiful speaking voice she found herself much in demand on radio, TV, stage and films for more than four decades and appeared in 'The Bill', 'Casualty', 'Black Roots', 'Red Dwarf' and the latest cult hit comedy series 'Little Britain'. Edwards was a regular on the BBC World Service and her most famous radio role was as 'Cash Madam', a rich sugar mammy whose catchphrase was "No sweat -only perspiration."

Bill Pilkington passed away in August aged 87. He appeared in numerous TV series including 'Z Cars', 'Till Death Us Do Part' and 'Coronation Street'. In 1989 he was awarded the British Empire Medal for having raised more than £1 million for charity.

Glyn Owen was a prolific British character actor who appeared in numerous TV series beginning in 1956 in 'The Trollenberg Terror'. However, it wasn't until he landed a part in 'Emergency Ward 10' in 1959 that he came to the attention of casting directors. He soon became a regular face on British TV screens with supporting roles in 'The Saint', 'Danger Man' and Richard The Lionheart'. In 1985 he starred in the BBC series 'Howard's Way'. He passed away on September 10th aged 76.

Rodney Dangerfield

For a man who claimed to get no respect, Rodney Dangerfield’s death has proved otherwise. The 82-year-old stand-up comic, who died October 5th from heart surgery complications, left his mark on the stage, the TV screen—and film.

Dangerfield was one of the last of the so-called “Borscht Belt” Jewish comics, sharpening his skills in the Catskills, playing to live audiences. He used his unhappy childhood (born Jacob Cohen on New York’s Long Island in November 1921) as the basis for his comedy. His father left the family when he was young; he faced anti-Semitic slurs as a teenager, and had a low self worth. Comedy helped as he played in clubs while in his early 20’s. But after a few years playing “dumps”, he married a singer, had two kids, and left show business to sell aluminum siding. That changed in 1962 when he divorced and decided to return to stand-up comedy. A club owner gave Cohen a new name: Rodney Dangerfield. His big break came on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1967, where the reborn comic brought the house down, telling audiences “I get no respect…no respect at all!” Not from his wife, his parents, his friends. With his hounddog looks and distinctive voice, he found his comic niche. Television appearances kept Dangerfield popular with audiences, but he really exploded in the 1980’s, as a new generation discovered him in films such as “Caddyshack”, “Easy Money” and his biggest hit, “Back To School”. The young loved him in commercials for Miller Lite beer. His comedy specials on cable television did well, as he showcased up-and-coming comedy talents such as Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, Jim Carrey, Roseanne and Sam Kinison.

Dangerfield was a fixture on the Las Vegas Strip (he sued Caesars Palace in the late 1980’s, claiming he injured his eye in the hotel’s sauna; the resort had to give him back pay). But he was worth every penny. It’s hard not to laugh when you heard a Dangerfield one-liner. But behind the joke was the life of a man who had been beaten down, got back up on the canvas, went down again—and kept coming back for more.

Rodney Dangerfield was wrong: He did get respect—from his peers and his audiences. And he got it the old-fashioned way: He earned it. (Mike Spadoni)

Recent Departures Losses to the entertainment world this summer:

John Barron

John enjoyed a 60 year career on stage and television but will almost certainly be remembered as Reggie Perrin's boss 'CJ' who he once described as 'the perfect gift for an actor quite simply because he was so appalling." John Barron was born on Christmas Eve 1920 and studied at RADA before serving in the Royal Navy, following in the footsteps of his father who was a naval officer. But after the war he followed his mother's example and worked in rep at Croydon, Leicester and Brighton. He appeared in several West End productions and came to the notice of TV producers when he was spotted in televised plays from the Intimate Theatre in Palmers Green. One of his first TV roles was in the medical drama Emergency Ward 10 before going on to roles in All Gas And Gaiters, Timeslip, Doomwatch and Potter. From 1972 until 1976 he became a permanent fixture in the courtroom drama Crown Court. It was whilst filming an episode of this that he was offered the part of Perrin's boss in The Rise And Fall Of Reginald Perrin, and CJ's catchphrase "I didn't get where I am today..." was copied all around the country. Among his film credits were the wartime drama Sink The Bismark! and the classic British sci-fi The Day The Earth Caught Fire. A past president of the actors union Equity and a member of the Garrick Club, John Barron died on July 3rd 2004 aged 83.(LM)

Pat Roach

Former British heavyweight wrestling champion turned actor Pat Roach became known to millions of TV fans as the loveable giant bricklayer, Bomber in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. At the age of 16 Roach gave up his job of delivering sacks of coal to be trained for the wrestling ring by Alf Kent. Throughout the 1960s he became a household favourite appearing on Saturday afternoon television fighting the likes of British Bulldog and Giant Haystacks. Whilst wrestling he was spotted by Stanley Kubrick who cast him in his 1975 film Barry Lyndon. Small film and television parts followed including Raiders of the Lost Ark and Clash of the Titans both in 1981. More film parts were offered and Roach appeared alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sean Connery. Following his success on 'Auf Wiedersehen' he also appeared in the drama The Last Place On Earth as 'Taff' Evans, companion to Captain Scott on his ill-fated North Pole expedition. In 2002 Roach was diagnosed with cancer although he continued to work until earlier this year appearing in the Auf Wiedersehen Pet revival which pulled in 16 million viewers for its first episode. Pat Roach died on July 17th 2004 aged 67.(LM)

Bernard Levin

Journalist and broadcaster Bernard Levin became a household name in the 1960s as a regular on the satirical news programme That Was The Week That Was. Born on August 19th 1928 Levin was the son of a North London tailor. He made his name in the fifties as a parliamentary sketch writer on The Spectator before becoming a full time theatre critic. His reviews were cutting to say the least and along with Robert Miller of the Daily Mail he was known as 'the kosher butcher'. His brutal review of the musical Belle led it's author, Wolf Mankowitz, to bring a coffin to the Daily Express office in Fleet Street and Levin was thrown out of a Blackpool hotel for likening the town to an 'elephant's anus.' Most famously, Levin was attacked on live television following his brutal review of a play starring Agnes Bernelle. The following week her husband arrived at the TV studios and during the broadcast of That Was The Week That Was he walked onto the set and punched Levin in front of 11 million viewers.

Levin reviewed television for The Guardian who most consider the first newspaper to take the medium seriously. Fellow theatre critic Herbert Kretzmer claimed that Levin was completely opposite from his public image. "He had an innate kindness and unspoken generosity and he had a wide circle of friends.' Levin published numerous books based on television series he made and continued as a critic until 1997 when ill-health forced him to scale back on his work. He continued to contribute the odd column until 1998 but was in decline suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Ned Sherrin paid tribute to Levin, who passed away on August 8th 2004 aged 75: "Bernard was one of the most challenging, interesting and affectionate people. It was an extraordinary delight that he could manage to be so sharp and yet such fun and so loyal. He was very special." (LM)