Stanley Baxter's spectacular musical-comedy specials, reminiscent of Hollywood's best extravaganzas, were so flamboyant and proved to be so costly that Baxter was sacked not from just one, but two TV channels, who simply couldn't afford to keep him.
His sheepish good looks and natural charm made him a hit with female audiences, while the male viewers could identify with his cheeky chappie approach to life
One of the founding fathers of Independent Television, Sidney Bernstein managed, in a small amount of time, to stamp his indelible imprint on British television to create a multi-million pound empire that thrives today.
As Cathy Gale in The Avengers, Honor Blackman not only altered public perception of women in television, she re-characterized the role and kick-started the whole 1960s 'second wave' feminist movement.
Character actor, comedian and voice artist John Bluthal was one of the most recognised faces on British television for decades with over 130 screen credits including Fireball XL5, a memorable Pink Panther movie appearance and two Beatle films
Best remembered for his appearances in Benny Hill's sketches, or a comic foil to others, Bob Todd came late into showbusiness but built a steady reputation as a mimic, stage and radio performer
On TV, movies or the theatre he has undoubtedly been regarded as one of Britain’s unsung heroes for too long. Bernard Bresslaw was one of Britain’s foremost actors who entertained us for over forty years.
A stalwart of the 'Carry On' franchise and a familiar face on television, one of Britain's favourite comedy actors, Peter Butterworth, was instantly recognisable and unquestionably admired. But before becoming an actor Butterworth was a war veteran who was involved in 'The Great Escape'.
Simon Cadell's untimely death at the age of 45 robbed us of a jewel of an actor. Brian Slade, who has written Cadell's authorised biography, takes a look back at a brief, but remarkable career.
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball were ITV's answer to Morecambe and Wise. But while they never reached the dizzy heights of Eric and Ernie, the boys were a smash hit and viewing figures soared, cementing their place as one of Britain's favourite double-acts