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Brian George Wilde (13 June 1927 – 20 March 2008) was an English actor, best known for his roles in
television comedy Television comedy is a category of broadcasting that has been present since the early days of entertainment media. While there are several genres of comedy, some of the first ones aired were variety shows. One of the first United States television ...
, most notably Mr Barrowclough in '' Porridge'' and Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst in ''
Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of '' Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes f ...
''. His lugubrious world-weary face was a staple of British television for forty years.


Career

Though born in
Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, in the foothills of the Pennines, east of Manche ...
,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, Wilde was brought up in
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
and Hertfordshire and attended Hertford Grammar School. He trained as an actor at
RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Se ...
. He had an early uncredited role as a small-time crook in the film ''
Forbidden Cargo Forbidden Cargo may refer to: * Forbidden Cargo (1925 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1925 film), an American film starring Boris Karloff: rum-running from Bahamas to United States * Forbidden Cargo (1954 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1954 film), a Brit ...
'' (1954), starring Jack Warner and
Nigel Patrick Nigel Patrick (born Nigel Dennis Patrick Wemyss-Gorman; 2 May 1912 – 21 September 1981) was an English actor and stage director born into a theatrical family. During the late 1940s and 1950s, he became known as a debonair leading man in Brit ...
, and a small but significant dramatic part in the horror film ''
Night of the Demon ''Night of the Demon'' (in the United States, released as ''Curse of the Demon'') is a 1957 British horror film, produced by Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacG ...
'' (1957). His early television work included the series ''The Love of Mike'' (1960) and supporting
Tony Hancock Anthony John Hancock (12 May 1924 – 25 June 1968) was an English comedian and actor. High-profile during the 1950s and early 1960s, he had a major success with his BBC series ''Hancock's Half Hour'', first broadcast on radio from 1954, ...
in episodes of his ATV series in 1963. Wilde also played Detective Superintendent Halcro in a series of two-part thrillers about undercover Scotland Yard officers, ''The Men from Room Thirteen'' (
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, 1959–61). He had minor roles in films such as ''
Life for Ruth ''Life for Ruth'' is a 1962 British drama film produced by Michael Relph directed by Basil Dearden and starring Michael Craig, Patrick McGoohan and Janet Munro. It was released in the US as Walk in the Shadow. Plot John Harris finds himself o ...
'' (1962), ''
The Bargee ''The Bargee'' is a 1964 British comedy film shot in Techniscope directed by Duncan Wood, and starring Harry H. Corbett, Hugh Griffith, Eric Sykes and Ronnie Barker. The screenplay was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Plot Hemel Pike ...
'' (1964), ''
The Jokers ''The Jokers'' is a 1967 British comedy film written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and directed by Michael Winner. The film stars Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed as brothers who hatch a plot to steal the Crown Jewels. Very much of i ...
'' (1967) and ''
Carry On Doctor ''Carry On Doctor'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film serie ...
'' (1967), and on television in ''Room at the Bottom'' (1966–67) as Mr Salisbury. His first major television success was in 1970 as refuse depot manager "Bloody Delilah" in the
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
sitcom ''
The Dustbinmen ''The Dustbinmen'' is a British television sitcom made by Granada Television for ITV, which starred Bryan Pringle, Trevor Bannister, Graham Haberfield and Tim Wylton. The show was a spin-off from a one-off 90-minute television film ''There's ...
''. He showed his sinister side as the mischievous magician Mr Peacock in the children's drama series '' Ace of Wands'' between 1970 and 1972. That year he starred as a murderer in ''The Uninvited'', an episode of the BBC's supernatural thriller series ''
Out of the Unknown ''Out of the Unknown'' is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Most episodes of the first three series were a dramatisation of a science f ...
''. Also in 1971, in the television drama ''
Elizabeth R ''Elizabeth R'' is a BBC television drama serial of six 85-minute plays starring Glenda Jackson as Queen Elizabeth I of England. It was first broadcast on BBC2 from February to March 1971, through the ABC in Australia and broadcast in America ...
'', Wilde played the efficient, merciless 'rackmaster'
Richard Topcliffe Richard Topcliffe (14 November 1531 – late 1604)Richardson, William. "Topcliffe, Richard (1531–1604)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, « Oxford University Press, September 2004; online edn, January 2008. Accessed 26 July 2013. ...
, who was charged with the torture of prisoners in the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
. He played a character in the 1970s British children's series ''
The Ghosts of Motley Hall ''The Ghosts of Motley Hall'' is a British children's television series written by Richard Carpenter. It was produced and directed by Quentin Lawrence for Granada Television, and broadcast between 1976 and 1978 on the ITV network. The series ...
'', by Richard Carpenter.


''Porridge''

In 1973, he starred as a different kind of gaoler in the second episode of ''
Seven of One ''Seven of One'' was a British comedy series that aired on BBC2 in 1973. Starring Ronnie Barker, ''Seven of One'' was a series of seven separate comedies that would serve as possible pilots for sitcoms. Originally it was to be called ''Six o ...
'', a series of seven individual stories, all of which starred
Ronnie Barker Ronald William George Barker (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He was known for roles in British comedy television series such as '' Porridge'', ''The Two Ronnies'', and ''Open All Hours''. ...
. In the episode, entitled "Prisoner and Escort", Wilde played Mr Barrowclough, one of two prison officers whose job it is to escort Barker's character
Fletcher Fletcher may refer to: People * Fletcher (occupation), a person who fletches arrows, the origin of the surname * Fletcher (singer) (born 1994), American actress and singer-songwriter * Fletcher (surname) * Fletcher (given name) Places United ...
across the moors to his prison (the other was Mr Mackay, played by
Fulton Mackay William Fulton Beith Mackay (12 August 1922 – 6 June 1987) was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s television sitcom '' Porridge''. Early life Mackay was born in Paisley, Re ...
). The episode proved successful and a series was commissioned by the BBC, titled '' Porridge''. Wilde reprised his role as the timid and eager-to-please Barrowclough. ''Porridge'' which ran until 1977, was a great success, with a
film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
being made in 1979.


''Last of the Summer Wine''

Wilde gained and established another role in 1976, when he took over from Michael Bates as the third member of a trio of old men in the BBC sitcom ''
Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of '' Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first series of episodes f ...
''. The character, Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst, was a determined ex-army man who planned the group's misadventures with military precision and a painstaking eye for detail. Wilde saw the long-running series gather momentum and continue its success; he stayed with the series for nine years, before leaving in 1985 to work on other projects. Foggy was written out of the series and was replaced by
Michael Aldridge Michael William ffolliott Aldridge (9 September 1920 – 10 January 1994) was an English actor. He was known for playing Seymour Utterthwaite in the television series ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from 1986 to 1990 and he had a long career as a ...
as Seymour Utterthwaite. When Aldridge left ''Last of the Summer Wine'', Wilde returned as Foggy in 1990. He stayed until 1996, when he contracted shingles during the preparations for series 19 and decided to leave.
Frank Thornton Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? ...
was invited to join the cast to replace Wilde, making his debut in the 1997 Christmas special "There Goes The Groom!". Wilde never returned to the programme, despite several invitations to do so.


Other work

He featured in "The Fear Merchants", an episode of
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's '' The Avengers'', in January 1967. In this he played Jeremy Raven, a ceramics manufacturer caught up in a sinister plot to get rid of the competition. In 1978, Wilde voiced the
public information film Public information films (PIFs) are a series of government-commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The name is sometimes also applied, ''faute de mieux'', to similar films from other countries, ...
series '' Play Safe'', highlighting the dangers of
overhead power line An overhead power line is a structure used in electric power transmission and distribution to transmit electrical energy across large distances. It consists of one or more uninsulated electrical cables (commonly multiples of three for three-p ...
s to children. He also supplied the voice of the magician Meredith in the children's animated series ''
Alias the Jester ''Alias the Jester'' is a British animated series created by Cosgrove Hall Films, airing in 13 episodes on ITV starting on 13 November 1985. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation aired the show in 1987 during their after school timeslot and ...
'', '' Shortie the Giraffe'' in ''
Coco Pops Cocoa Krispies (also known as Choco Krispis, Choco Krispies, Coco Pops, Choco Pops depending on region) is a breakfast cereal produced by Kellogg's, coming both as a boxed cereal and as a snack bar with a 'dried milk' covered bottom. It is a c ...
'' and narrated an animated series, '' Microscopic Milton'', about a microscopic little chap who lives in a clock on the mantelpiece, in the parlour of the house that belongs to a lady called Mrs. Witherspoon. Wilde starred in his own BBC series in 1988, ''
Wyatt's Watchdogs {{Infobox television , image = Wyatt's watchdogs opening title still.jpg , caption = Opening title , runtime = 30 minutes per episode , creator = Miles Tredinnick (Writer) Alan J. W. Bell (Director, Producer) , starring = Brian ...
'', as retired soldier Major Wyatt who forms his own
neighbourhood watch Neighbourhood Watch in the United Kingdom is the largest voluntary crime prevention movement covering England and Wales with upwards of 2.3 million household members. The charity brings neighbors together to create strong, friendly and active comm ...
group. As a stuffy ex-army member who leads a motley bunch of comic characters, Wyatt was quite similar to Foggy. The programme, which co-starred
Trevor Bannister Trevor Gordon Bannister (14 August 193414 April 2011) was an English actor best known for having played the womanising junior salesman Mr Lucas in the sitcom ''Are You Being Served?'' from 1972 to 1979, and for his role as Toby Mulberry Smith i ...
, was written by
Miles Tredinnick Miles Tredinnick, also known as Riff Regan, (born Warrington 18 February 1955) is a rock musician, songwriter and a stage and screenwriter. In the 1970s, he was the lead singer with the British rock band London.Spicer, Al, (2006) ''The Rough Gui ...
and ran for one series of six episodes.


Death

Wilde suffered a fall in January 2008 from which he never recovered. He died in his sleep on the morning of 20 March 2008 at his home in
Ware Ware may refer to: People * Ware (surname) * William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian Places Canada * Fort Ware, British Columbia United Kingdom * Ware, Devon *Ware, Hertfordshire * Ware, Kent United States * Ware, Elmore County ...
, Hertfordshire and was survived by his wife Eva, their son Andrew and daughter Sarah. His son, Andrew Wilde, had been film editor on ''Last of the Summer Wine'' from the mid-1990s until the final episode in 2010, working initially on many of the episodes that had starred his father and later on the Frank Thornton editions.


Partial filmography


Film

* '' Street Corner'' (1953) – Pinky – Bogus Detective Sgt (uncredited) * '' Will Any Gentleman...?'' (1953) – 1st Clerk * ''
Forbidden Cargo Forbidden Cargo may refer to: * Forbidden Cargo (1925 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1925 film), an American film starring Boris Karloff: rum-running from Bahamas to United States * Forbidden Cargo (1954 film), ''Forbidden Cargo'' (1954 film), a Brit ...
'' (1954) – Smuggler at Airfield (uncredited) * ''
Simon and Laura ''Simon and Laura'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by Muriel Box and starring Peter Finch and Kay Kendall. Play Satirising the early days of BBC Television, ''Simon and Laura'' focuses on an argumentative theatrical couple called Simon a ...
'' (1955) – Peter Harbottle * '' Now and Forever'' (1956) – Policeman (uncredited) * ''
Tiger in the Smoke ''Tiger in the Smoke'' is a 1956 British crime film directed by Roy Ward Baker (billed as Roy Baker) and starring Donald Sinden, Muriel Pavlow, Tony Wright, Bernard Miles and Christopher Rhodes. It is based on the 1952 novel '' The Tiger in the ...
'' (1956) – Trumps * ''
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
'' (1957) – The Monk * ''
Night of the Demon ''Night of the Demon'' (in the United States, released as ''Curse of the Demon'') is a 1957 British horror film, produced by Hal E. Chester and Frank Bevis, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacG ...
'' (1957) – Rand Hobart * ''
The Gypsy and the Gentleman ''The Gypsy and the Gentleman'' is a 1958 British costume drama film directed by Joseph Losey. It stars Melina Mercouri and Keith Michell Keith Joseph Michell (1 December 1926 – 20 November 2015) was an Australian actor who worked primaril ...
'' (1958) – (uncredited) * '' Girls at Sea'' (1958) – Bill * ''
Corridors of Blood ''Corridors of Blood'' (aka ''Doctor from Seven Dials'')Tom Weaver, ''The Horror Hits of Richard Gordon'', Bear Manor Media 2011 p 80-95 is a 1958 British-American period drama film directed by Robert Day and starring Boris Karloff and Christo ...
'' (1958) – Man in Operating Theatre Audience (uncredited) * ''
Subway in the Sky ''Subway in the Sky'' is a 1959 British crime film directed by Muriel Box and starring Van Johnson, Hildegard Knef and Albert Lieven. Hildegard Knef, who changed career in the 1960s to become a cabaret singer and songwriter, sings one song in t ...
'' (1959) * ''
Beyond the Curtain ''Beyond the Curtain'' is a 1960 British drama film written and directed by Compton Bennett, and starring Richard Greene and Eva Bartok. Plot A refugee from East Germany finds herself trapped in her home city of Dresden when a plane she is t ...
'' (1960) – Bill Seddon * ''
Scotland Yard (film series) ''Scotland Yard'' is a series of 39 half-hour episodes produced by Anglo-Amalgamated. Produced between 1953 and 1961, they are short films, originally made to support the main feature in a cinema double-bill. Each film focuses on a true crime cas ...
'' (1961) - The Never Never Murder - Porter * ''
Life for Ruth ''Life for Ruth'' is a 1962 British drama film produced by Michael Relph directed by Basil Dearden and starring Michael Craig, Patrick McGoohan and Janet Munro. It was released in the US as Walk in the Shadow. Plot John Harris finds himself o ...
'' (1962) – Newspaper Photographer (uncredited) * ''
We Joined the Navy ''We Joined the Navy'' is a 1962 British comedy film directed by Wendy Toye and starring Kenneth More, Lloyd Nolan, Joan O'Brien, Derek Fowlds, Graham Crowden, Esma Cannon and John Le Mesurier. Produced by Daniel M. Angel, it was based on th ...
'' (1962) – Petty Officer Gibbons * ''
West 11 ''West 11'' is a 1963 British crime film directed by Michael Winner and starring Alfred Lynch, Kathleen Breck, Eric Portman, Diana Dors, and Kathleen Harrison. It is based on ''The Furnished Room'' (1961), Laura Del-Rivo's debut novel, which ...
'' (1963) – Speaker * ''
The Informers ''The Informers'' is a collection of short stories, linked by the same continuity, written by American author Bret Easton Ellis. The collection was first published as a whole in 1994. Chapters 6 and 7, "Water from the Sun" and "Discovering Jap ...
'' (1963) – Lipson * ''
The Man Who Finally Died ''The Man Who Finally Died '' is a 1963 British CinemaScope thriller film directed by Quentin Lawrence and starring Stanley Baker, Peter Cushing, Mai Zetterling and Eric Portman. It was based on a 1959 ITV series of the same name. The scree ...
'' (1963) – Cemetery Superintendent (uncredited) * ''
The Bargee ''The Bargee'' is a 1964 British comedy film shot in Techniscope directed by Duncan Wood, and starring Harry H. Corbett, Hugh Griffith, Eric Sykes and Ronnie Barker. The screenplay was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Plot Hemel Pike ...
'' (1964) – Policeman * ''
Rattle of a Simple Man ''Rattle of a Simple Man'' is a 1964 British comedy-drama film directed by Muriel Box and starring Diane Cilento, Harry H. Corbett and Michael Medwin, based on the 1963 play by Charles Dyer. The screenplay is about a naive man who becomes i ...
'' (1964) – Fred * '' Darling'' (1965) – Willett * '' Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment'' (1966) – Mr. Gilbert (uncredited) * ''
Rasputin the Mad Monk ''Rasputin the Mad Monk'' is a 1966 Hammer horror film directed by Don Sharp and starring Christopher Lee as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant- mystic who gained great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution. It also ...
'' (1966) – Vassily's Father (uncredited) * ''
The Jokers ''The Jokers'' is a 1967 British comedy film written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, and directed by Michael Winner. The film stars Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed as brothers who hatch a plot to steal the Crown Jewels. Very much of i ...
'' (1967) – Sgt. Catchpole * '' You Only Live Twice'' (1967) – 1st Policeman (uncredited) * ''
Carry On Doctor ''Carry On Doctor'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film serie ...
'' (1967) – Man from Cox & Carter * ''
Connecting Rooms ''Connecting Rooms'' is a 1970 British drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Franklin Gollings. The screenplay is based on the play ''The Cellist'' by Marion Hart. The film stars Bette Davis, Michael Redgrave, and Leo ...
'' (1970) – Ellerman * ''
Goodbye Gemini ''Goodbye Gemini'' (also released as ''Twinsanity'') is a 1970 British psychological horror film directed by Alan Gibson and starring Judy Geeson, Michael Redgrave, and Martin Potter. Based on the novel ''Ask Agamemnon'' by Jenni Hall, it conce ...
'' (1970) – Taxi Driver * ''
Carry On Henry ''Carry On Henry'' is a 1971 British historical comedy film, the 21st release in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It tells a fictionalised story involving Sid James as Henry VIII, who chases after Barbara Windsor's charact ...
'' (1971) – Warder (scenes deleted) * ''
One Brief Summer ''One Brief Summer'' is a 1970 British drama film directed by John Mackenzie. It stars Felicity Gibson and Clifford Evans. It was made at Twickenham Studios. Cast * Felicity Gibson as Susan Long * Clifford Evans as Mark Stevens * Jennifer Hi ...
'' (1971) – Lambert * ''
No Sex Please, We're British ''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a British farce written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, which premiered in London's West End on 3 June 1971 at the Strand Theatre. It was panned by critics, but ran until 5 September 1987, transferri ...
'' (1973) – Policeman * ''
Alfie Darling ''Alfie Darling'' is a 1975 British comedy drama film directed by Ken Hughes. The film premiered at the Universal Cinema in London on 6 March 1975. It is the sequel to the film '' Alfie'' (1966), with Alan Price taking over Michael Caine's rol ...
'' (1975) – Doctor * '' To the Devil a Daughter'' (1976) – Black Room Attendant * ''
Adventures of a Taxi Driver ''Adventures of a Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 British sex comedy film directed by Stanley Long and starring Barry Evans, Judy Geeson and Adrienne Posta. There were two sequels, ''Adventures of a Private Eye'' and '' Adventures of a Plumber's Mate ...
'' (1976) – Harold * ''
Porridge Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...
'' (1979) – Barrowclough


Television


References


External links

* *
Wyatt's Watchdogs site

Photos on Pinterest
;Obituaries *

21 March 2008 *
''The Times''
21 March 2008 *
''The Guardian''
24 March 2008 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilde, Brian 1927 births 2008 deaths People from Ashton-under-Lyne English male television actors English male film actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Male actors from Lancashire 20th-century English male actors People educated at Hertford Grammar School British male comedy actors