Ian Lavender

Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946) is an English stage, film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC sitcom ''Dad's Army'', and is the last surviving major cast member of the series following the death of Frank Williams in 2022.

Early life

Lavender was born in Birmingham, England. He attended Bournville Boys Technical School (later Bournville Grammar-Technical School for Boys) where he appeared in many school dramatic productions. From there he went to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, with the assistance of a grant from the City of Birmingham. Following his graduation in 1967 he appeared on stage in Canterbury.

Career

His first television appearance was as the lead in a Rediffusion play entitled ''Half Hour Story: Flowers at my Feet'' in 1968.

''Dad's Army''

In 1968, aged 22, Lavender was cast as Private Frank Pike, the youngest member and “stupid boy” of the platoon in the BBC sitcom ''Dad's Army''. This made him a household name and gave him the great advantage of working alongside a number of experienced actors during his formative years, helping him to hone his acting skills. He appeared in the entire run of the series, and in the spinoff film released in 1971. He appeared in 1974 in one episode of ''Man About the House'' (While The Cat's Away) as Mark, an aspiring actor consumed by his own vanity. He reprised the part of Pike in the BBC Radio sitcom ''It Sticks Out Half a Mile''. The sitcom was a radio sequel to ''Dad's Army'', but ran for only one series. Lavender has continued to be associated with ''Dad's Army'', and still takes part in occasional fan conventions and cast reunions. He made a variety of appearances during 2008 in connection with the 40th anniversary of the series. These included a reunion with surviving cast members in July, 2008, and an appearance on BBC1's ''Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army'' in August.

Lavender also recorded a special introduction for the 'lost' colour episode of ''Dad's Army'' entitled " Room at the Bottom" which was broadcast on 13 December 2008. In 2014 Lavender appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in a show with Steven Mcnicoll entitled ''Don't tell him, Pike!'', where Lavender talked about his time on ''Dad's Army'' and the subsequent effect it had on his career.

He makes a cameo appearance as Brigadier Pritchard in the 2016 ''Dad's Army'' film, providing a link with the original series.

After ''Dad's Army''

After ''Dad's Army'', Lavender returned to the theatre, including a role in a production of Shakespeare's ''The Merchant of Venice'' starring Dustin Hoffman. Between 1971 and 1973 Lavender joined ''Dad's Army'' colleague Arthur Lowe on the BBC radio comedy '' Parsley Sidings''. From 1982 to 1983, he was in the BBC radio comedy series, a spin-off from ''Dad's Army'' called ''It Sticks Out Half a Mile.'' Lavender also appeared in films and television series, one of which (''Mr Big'', 1977) featured him starring alongside Peter Jones and Prunella Scales. During the 1970s he appeared as a supporting actor in a number of British 'low farce' films, including one ''Carry On'' film – ''Carry On Behind'' (1975).

He was reunited with producer David Croft for the television series '' Come Back Mrs. Noah'' (1977–78, co-written by Croft with Jeremy Lloyd), though it was unsuccessful. A revival of ''The Glums'' (1978–79), at first as part of a Bruce Forsyth variety series, proved rather more satisfactory, being adapted from scripts for the 1950s radio series ''Take It From Here'' that were written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden.

Lavender then appeared in several other TV comedy shows during the 1980s, including two episodes of ''Yes Minister'', as Richard Cartwright, and a lead role in the short-lived ''The Hello Goodbye Man'' (1984), as the inept salesman Denis Ailing. He also appeared on ITV's television game show ''Cluedo'' (1990), based on the board game. During the 1990s Lavender continued to appear occasionally in television comedy roles including a bit-part as a burglar alarm salesman in the BBC sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances''. He made an appearance in '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' as two different parallel universe versions of the time-travelling lead character's son Michael. He also provided the lead voice of BBC children's animation ''PC Pinkerton'' in 1988.

In 2001 Lavender joined the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', playing the role of Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler. He continued in ''EastEnders'' for four years, with storylines mainly involving the Fowler family, before leaving the serial in 2005. On 4 November 2016, it was announced that Lavender would make a brief return to the show.

Lavender then toured with ''The Rocky Horror Show'' musical, playing the Narrator. He also played the part of a patient in the 5 May 2007 episode of ''Casualty'' on BBC. In late 2007, he toured in the comedy play '' Donkey's Years''. In May 2008, Lavender appeared in the BBC
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