... JACK POPPLEWELL Jack Popplewell, who died in November at the age of 87, was one of those household names in the world of provincial theatre, repertory and amateurs, not only as a playwright but also as a composer of some note. Hardly a week went by when one of his frothy farces or thrillers could not have been seen in some small town, performed enthusiastically to large audi ences. Provincial ...

... HAZEL MALONE Hazel Maione, trie well known the atrical agent, passed away on April 2. Hazel had been in showbusi- ness all her life, starting when she was very young, working with her sister Rona and Muriel run ning a dancing school in Chiswick. They formed The Corona Babes who toured theatres all over England. After her marriage to the Irish tenor Danny Maione she travelled around the world ...

... GRAEME McDONALD Graeme McDonald, who spent his entire working life in televi sion, though he was originally destined to become a petroleum engineer, died on September 30 at the age of 67. Educated at St Paul's School, he went to Jesus College, Cambridge to read Physics and Geology on a Shell sponsorship,. He became heavily involved in the university arts scene, becoming president of Cambridge ...

... PAUL BERNARD Haul Bernard, producer, writer, director, designer, died of a heart attack on September 25, aged 68. Paul trained in painting and illustration at Ealing School of Art and began training as a production designer under Bernard Robinson. He worked at Worton Hall Studios on Shop at Sly Comer and later at Pinewood, Shepperton and MGM studios. National Service broke his progress and, ...

... JIMMY EDMUNDSON Bom in Manchester and raised in Blackpool, veteran comedian Jimmy Edmundson, who has died at the age of 70 after some years of ill-hearth, was best known for the 12 years he spent as one half of the double act Edmundson and Elliott. His former partner, Peter Elliott is now the executive admin istrator of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund. Edmundson began as a scenery ...

... BOB McALLISTER Bob McAllister, the television host and magician, who died on July 21 in New York, was a per former of Scottish descent who proudly kept his McAllister clan name rather than change it to something more showbizzy. Bom in Philadelphia in 1935 and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he owed his start in American televi sion to a bit of boyhood bravado while his parents slept during a ...

... JOAN SCOTT My wife, the actress Joan Scott, died on July 17 after a long period of poor hearth at the West Middlesex Hospital. She was born in Glasgow and began her career with Molly Urquhart's company at Rutherglen in 1939. This was followed by tours (those with Duncan Macrae providing a fund of anecdotes), an appearance in the West End with Alistair Sim in Mr Bolfry. work for BBC Radio and ...

... LES BROWN My husband Les Brown, a band leader for many showbusiness functions, died after suffering from cancer for several months. He started playing the piano in 1922 and in 1936 joined the Charlie Kunz band at Casani's Club. In 1940, he moved to the Band of the Scots Guards, writing many of its arrangements. During his time, Les accomp anied many star names, including an Australian tour ...

... HUGH MUNRO My father, the actor and televi sion director Hugh Munro, was loved by all who knew him. Bom in Edinburgh in 1916, he trained at the Modem Theatre Academy before starting his career touring the country with the Brandon Thomas Company. He performed in many plays before the Second World War, including House master, where he met my mother, Pam, daughter of the actor Ivor Barnard. ...

... Barry Burnett adds: I became close to Jimbo, as he was affectionately known to his friends, through his wife Lucy Jex, who works with me as an agent. He was the most witty and delightful person, as well as being an outstanding actor, both in serious drama and comedy. Often accused of being too upper- class, he retained his own impec cable voice and manners and was offered a lot of work in ...

... JOHN GARDNER John Gardner, who recently passed away on the Isle of Wight at the age of 76, began his work ing life as an apprentice at Westland's, Yeovil. After being invalided out of the Second World War in 1942, he returned to his profession. Later, he started his own garage and engineering busi ness in Bristol, which led to a complete change of career. His fleet of hire cars was used by ...

... LARRY NOLAN Larry Nolan was bom in Liverpool in 1929 and died on Boxing Day 1997 after a long illness. He loved theatre devotedly and unselfishly, interested not in what theatre might do for him but what he could do for theatre. As a teenager he acquired two skills which remained with him through his life carpentry and playing the drums (not to mention the spoons!). His first involvement in ...