... Gary Olsen He will be remembered mostly as Ben Porter, the reluctant self- employed central heating engineer in the popular BBC television sit com, 2 Point 4 Children, although Gary Olsen continually demon strated his comic skills in several other series on the small screen, as well as appearing frequently on stage and in feature films. He died recently in Australia at the age of only 42, ...

... JANICE SMITH Best known as one half of the dance duo Kenet Jani, dancer Janice Smith has died. Bom in Tasmania, Janice, nee Ingles, went to school in Launceston where, to the surprise of her teachers, she achieved the distinction of 'dux' (leader) and a scholarship to Melbourne University to study physical edu cation. It was there at the age of 18 that she first discovered ballet and through ...

... Desmond Wilcox He was renowned for producing and writing award-winning televi sion documentaries which dealt with the problems and tragedies of ordinary people's lives. So vivid are some of those images, that they still linger in the mind years after the original programmes have been shown. Desmond Wilcox, who has died aged 69, was a truly innovative film-maker. He had a sensitive, human touch ...

... BILL WADDINGTON rui if id Mdi ui vuiumciuuii oncei, Bill Waddington, has died aged 84. Although already 67 when he established himself on the prog ramme, Waddington's character of Percy Sugden became an impor tant one, and lasted for 14 years. Bom in Oldham, Lancashire, as a boy worked in one of his mother's butcher's shops, and had several other jobs before serving in the Army during the ...

... AUBREY RICHARDS Aubrey Richards was born in Swansea on June 6, 1920. Having served in the RAF during the Second World War, he started his acting career in The Brothers Karamazov, directed by Alec Guinness at the Lyric Theatre. He joined Laurence Olivier Produc tions, where he met stage man ager Diana Boddington whom he married in 1950. Aubrey is probably best remembered for his connection with ...

... JACK GILL A famous name in the early days of ATV, Jack Gill died on May 31, aged 81. He was born in Blackpool, son of a joiner and a seaside landlady, qualifying as a chartered accountant and setting up in practice in his home town. After the Second World War he moved to London and joined the large accountancy firm of Binder Hamlyn, which carried out many audits in the entertainment business, ...

... JOHN COLICOS Best known for his work in Shakespearean productions, stage and screen actor John Colicos has died aged 71. He was bom in Toronto, Canada, on December 10, 1928, and after making his professional debut with the Montreal Repertory Company, moved to Britain and joined the Old Vic in 1951. While the company was on tour, he became, at the age of 22, its youngest actor to play King Lear ...

... JOHNNY GEDDES One of Scotland's best-known magicians, with a career spanning more than 50 years, Johnny Geddes has died at Dundee, aged 81. He was inspired to study the art of magic after seeing a show in a church hall during his school days. Starting out as a straight magician, he gradually introduced comedy into his act, and was soon presenting hundreds of shows a year in theatres, clubs and ...

... JAMES MARSLAND James Marsland, known as Jimmie, who spent almost all of his professional career with the original D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, died peacefully in hospital, aged 87, after a short illness. Although he served an apprenticeship as a carpenter, when he left school in his native Hyde, Cheshire, Jimmie spent almost all of his spare time with various local amateur dramatic and operatic ...

... TERRY GARDENER One of the most redoubtable female impersonators of his generation and a link between post-war variety to present day club entertainment, Terry Gardener died on August 15 at the age of 80. Best known for his onstage partnership with Barri Chatt, they were a classic drag partnership and in pantomime were a formi dable pair of Ugly Sisters. Gardener was bom on December 13, 1919 ...

... Sylvia Young writes: Peter's talent, energy and enor mous kindness will be sadly missed. The affection he had for our students was ocean deep and this was mutual. He was an inspirational and skilled teacher who instilled an enthusiasm for dance even in those students who did not see their future in dance. Peter was unique. He was special. In the years that I knew him, I never heard him say a ...

... CARMEN DILLON Carmen Dillon, who has died aged 91, was the first woman art director in the British film industry. During a career spanning more than 40 years, she worked with many of the country's leading actors, directors and technicians, and won an Oscar in 1948 for her contribution to Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. Bom in Cricklewood, north west London, Dillon was the youngest of six children. ...