... MICHAEL MILLS, one of the most in fluential figures in British television com edy, particularly during the sixties, has died aged 68 His most successful prog rammes included The World of Wooster, Up Pompeii (during the production of which he met his wife, Valerie Leon). Misleading Cases and, most notably. Some Mothers Do Ave Em, which introduced Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer As Head of ...

... Actress WYNNE CLARK died at the end of November on her 80th birthday, after a long career that stretched back to 1927. when she made her first professional appearance at Broadstairs with Grant Anderson's repertory company Pre viously she had some amateur concert party experience, specialising in mono loques and comic songs Following her season at Broadstairs. she had further rep experience at ...

... 31 After the theatre closed in 1959. following four years of management by Cheltenham Corporation, she called a protest meeting at her Ellenborough Hotel and was one of the founders of the Cheltenham Theatre Association, which eventually obtained a lease on the theatre, at that time called the Opera House. She offered generous hospitality to all who worked at the theatre and also looked after ...

... Obituary Richard Hearne RICHARD HEARNE. the beloved Mr Pastry, died peacefully, at the age of 70. on August 24 following a heart attack at his home in Bearsled. Kent Born at Norwich on January 30. 1909, Richard was the son of Frederick and Ida Hearne. both of whom were the third generation of music hall and circus performers His father owned and headed the Crazy Kirks, comedy cycling act. ...

... WILLIE DUNLOP. 80, veteran fiddler, died recently after a concert in East Kilbride, near Glasgow. Leader of the Scottish Fiddlers Orchestra since 1972, he had been playing with The Strings of Scotland Orchestra at the Olympia in the Scottish new town. He became a TV favourite after his appearances in the Fiddlers' Rally. FRANK CRAWSHAW. who in recent years was best known as the founding ...

... It is announced with sadness the death of CARA STEPHENS on 28th OCTOBER. 1980 R IP RICHARD SHELT0N Passed away November 3rd 1980 Husband of Ursula (White) and father of Mark 4 Singleton Drive Slade Farm Estate Embury Park, Bournemouth Remembered by his friends Helen Lambert and John Turtle ...

... MARGARET McCONNEU. who toured the wortd with her skating comedian hus band Jock McConnell. has died of cancer at Christchurch Hospital, aged 54, just three months after performing in front of former United States President Jimmy Carter. During a matinee performance at the While House last December, at the Carter Christmas party, she fell, fracturing her spine in 12 places and breaking a rib. ...

... Molly Veness (MOLLY VENESS, a veteran actress and a vice-president of the Catholic Stage Guild, of which she had been a staunch member for many years, died on Decem ber 23. She was in her eighties During the twenties she played a significant role in London theatre through the creation of the Gate Theatre with her husband Peter Godfrey This top floor playhouse in Floral Street, Covent Garden ...

... Dennis Vance DENNIS VANCE, one of the pioneers of ITV drama, died last week at the age of 59. In 1956 he had joined ABC as executive producer of drama and was responsible for setting up Armchair Theatre, the Sunday night drama slot which remained part of the ITV schedule for a decade. He then left mainstream television in this country for a number of years, but returned as a drama producer and ...

... Phil Silvers PHIL SILVERS, who died aged 73 in Century City, California on November 1. may have been known best for his portrayal of Sergeant Bilko in the long- running television series, but he had a hugely successful stage and screen career which went back to 1 925, when he was 13. Brooklyn-born, he toured with Gus Edwards' juvenile troupe for three years, and at 1 6 was in two-a-day ...

... Eric Morecambe ERIC MORECAMBE who with Ernie Wise formed probably the most outstanding act in the history of British television comedy, died early on Monday morning. Eric was a comedian held in considerable affection by the pub lic, by the television industry and the world of entertainment as a whole. Apart from being a very funny man he came across as a person of warmth and vulnerability. ...

... Sir Peter Pears SIR PETER PEARS died suddenly on April 3 at the home in Aldeburgh, Suffolk which he had shared with Sir Benjamin Britten, who died in 1976 Pears, who was 75, was one of the most notable singers of his generation, and although he had virtually retired from performing for several years, he remained in the forefront of British musical activity, parti cularly in connection with the ...