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1-7 of 7
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Lowe, rotund and professionally indefatigable, rightly gained acclaim as an accomplished comedy character actor; fondly remembered as the irascible "Captain Mainwaring" in the Home Guard comedy series Dad's Army (1968-1977), and as Coronation Street (1960)'s "Leonard Swindley". The only child of a Derbyshire railworker, Lowe gained valuable experience by organising shows for a British army field entertainment unit, in the Middle East, during World War Two, before commencing his professional acting career, at the age of 30, in 1945, upon joining the "Manchester Repertory Theatre Company".
In between endless tours for repertory and in major stage performances, Lowe utilised his character actor status - which writers identify as being aided by his bald head - in bit-parts for films including: the inspired "Ealing" black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) and The Green Man (1956). Later, whilst gathering fame - with the reputedly observational realist soap opera Coronation Street (1960) - he cemented a professional relationship with maverick film director Lindsay Anderson; using left-wing sensibilities for some of his films: including If.... (1968) and several characters in the avant-garde O Lucky Man! (1973) (the latter earning Lowe an SFTA Award, for best supporting performance).
As his son, and biographer, Stephen Lowe, intimated, finances governed and perpetuated his career, in the final stages of his life, in the 1970s; appearing in over 100, and possibly very lucrative, television advertisements and, not surprisingly, a surfeit of comedies including the sit-com Potter (1979) (1979-1983), the ribald film No Sex Please - We're British (1973) and to rave reviews for his stage performance as "Stephano", in "The Tempest" (1974), at the "National Theatre". Although Lowe received excellent notices for straight roles and appearances in plays such as John Osborne's "Inadmissible Evidence" (1963) at the "Royal Court", Dad's Army (1968) assured Lowe enduring appeal, as his character acting skills seamlessly compliment the show's comfortable sit-com structure.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Riccardo Billi was born on 22 April 1906 in Siena, Tuscany, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Pink Panther (1963), Miseria e nobiltà (1940) and Accidenti alle tasse!! (1951). He died on 15 April 1982 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.- Gunnar Ekwall was born on 24 May 1910 in Högsby, Kalmar län, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Ta hand om Ulla (1942), Det är min musik (1942) and En vår i vapen (1943). He died on 15 April 1982.
- Richard Jamieson was born on 27 July 1943 in New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Cruising (1980), Slow Dancing in the Big City (1978) and Another World (1964). He was married to Lynn Rudner. He died on 15 April 1982 in Miami, Florida, USA.
- Khaled Ahmed El Islambouly died on 15 April 1982 in Egypt.
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Art Sarno was born on 14 December 1920 in Massachusetts, USA. He was a writer, known for The Cannonball Run (1981), Airplane! (1980) and Looker (1981). He died on 15 April 1982 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Bart Wadham was born on 20 March 1912 in Halland, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Western Approaches (1944) and A House in the Square (1949). He died on 15 April 1982 in Hove, East Sussex, England, UK.