TOP 5 5 BEST AND FAVOURITE LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE CHARACTERS
I love all the Last Of The Summer Wine Characters but this is a list of 5 who are my best and favourite.
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This English actor was born of humble, working class beginnings and became well-known for playing the same kind of blokes on both film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, he was the son of a tram driver and laundress. He knew early on that entertaining was the life for him. He worked in odd jobs as a printer's apprentice and band vocalist to make do and, when he became of legal age, started playing drums in London nightclubs and toured music halls with his own cabaret act to pay for acting classes. He entertained at Butlin's holiday camps and performed in repertory, joining the Unity Theatre where he attained respect as a stage producer. His career was interrupted by military service with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps and was injured in an explosion during battle training course.
Returning to acting, he was taken to post-war films after notice in a play. He started making a blue-collar character name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), Secret Flight (1946), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952), The Square Ring (1953) and PT Raiders (1955). He continued to perform in the theatre limelight and peaked in roles with Katharine Hepburn in "As You Like It" in 1950, and with "The Threepenny Opera" and "The Mikado", which made sturdy use of his musical talents. A writer at heart, he penned songs, musicals and plays over the years. Partnered with Mike Sammes, he wrote songs recorded by Pat Boone, Harry Secombe, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Sir Cliff Richard, who made a hit of his 1980 song "Marianne". In the 60s, he produced the stage musical, "The Matchgirl", and focused heavily on film slapstick with the "Carry On" series, adding also to the lowbrow fun found in the comedy On the Fiddle (1961). TV stardom and a sense of renewed career came late after landing the role of "Compo" in the BBC's Last of the Summer Wine (1973) series in 1973, his scruffy, mischievous charm endearing audiences for decades.
Bill was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his steadfast work for the National Association of Boys Clubs and for his role as chairman of the Performing Arts Advising Panel. He was also awarded an honorary degree by Bradford University in 1998. For the rest of his life, Bill would be identified with the lovable scamp "Compo", complete with woolly hat and threadbare jacket.
Most fittingly, when he died of pancreatic cancer in 1999, he asked to be buried in the Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, where the TV series was filmed and the townspeople had taken him close to their hearts. Married twice, his actor/son Tom Owen joined the "Last of the Summer Wine" series in 2000.Compo is an absolutely hilarious character. He loves and tries to get close to Nora Batty. He also has his friends Norman and Foggy who are also two great friends of his. He also makes me crack up laughing a lot and he is extremely hilarious character. Bill Owens acting as him is absolutely brilliant, he is a hilarious character and he definitely is one of my best and favourite characters in the absolutely hilarious sitcom 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Peter started off as a junior bank clerk but he had always been interested in the theatre and went every week to the Intimate Theatre in Palmers Green in London which was run by actor John Clements. Serving in the RAF as a radio instructor one of his pupils was Peter Bridge (now a theatre impresario) who later asked him to play David Bliss in his production of 'Hay Fever', He enjoyed the experience so much that he decided to make the theatre his profession.Norman Clegg is also an absolutely hilarious character. He also tries to enjoy life with his very good friends Compo and Foggy and also makes me crack up laughing and he is also a extremely hilarious character. Peter Sallises acting as him is absolutely brilliant and he definitely is one of my best and favourite characters in the absolutely hilarious sitcom 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Brian Wilde was born on 13 June 1927 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Doing Time (1979), Last of the Summer Wine (1973) and Porridge (1974). He was married to Eva Stuart. He died on 20 March 2008 in Ware, Hertfordshire, England, UK.Foggy is also an absolutely hilarious character. This tall character also tries to enjoy life with his very friends Compo and Norman, is great and makes me crack up laughing. He is an extremely hilarious character who I also really like and like seeing in the sitcom. Brian Wildes acting as him is absolutely brilliant and he definitely is one of my best and favourite characters in the absolutely hilarious sitcom 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.- Kathy Staff was born on 12 July 1928 in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Mary Reilly (1996), Last of the Summer Wine (1973) and Open All Hours (1976). She was married to John Staff. She died on 13 December 2008 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England, UK.Nora Batty is also an absolutely hilarious character. She is very insensitive, doesn't like any of the three men and hates when Compo tries to get close to her or move near her. She really isn't fond of the three men and wants to be as far away from them or Comp as she can. She also makes me crack up laughing and is an extremely hilarious character. She definitely is one of my best and favourite characters in the absolutely hilarious sitcom 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.
- Although Jane Freeman will forever be associated with the redoubtable cafe owner Ivy in Roy Clarke's long-running Last of the Summer Wine - appearing in 274 episodes over a 37-year run and a 1983 stage version - she was also an actor of considerable resources who remained steadfastly committed to the theatre.
If Clarke's BBC hit comedy overshadowed Freeman's later career, she was at pains not to be confined by it, appearing in regional rep, national tours and pantomimes throughout its long television life.
Born in Brentford, near London, she moved to Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, when her mother remarried, her father having died in an accident when she was nine. There she developed an early interest in performing at school. After graduating from the City of Cardiff [now Royal Welsh] College of Music and Drama in 1955, she moved to London before joining the Gloucestershire-based all-female Osiris Repertory Theatre touring company.
In 1958 she joined the Arena Theatre, Sutton Coldfield, where she began to attract attention, and was seen as Margaret More in the inaugural production of the Welsh Theatre Company, Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons, at the New Theatre, Cardiff in 1962.
As a member of Birmingham Rep between 1968 and 1973, she toured to Chicago and made notable appearances in Edward Bond's Saved and the musical Guys and Dolls, and as Maggie Hobson in Harold Brighouse's Hobson's Choice.
When television filming commitments allowed, she could be found playing a number of strong, usually northern, matriarchs in Billy Liar (Nottingham Playhouse, 1980), touring productions of JB Priestley's When We Are Married and Michael Frayn's Noises Off (1987) and Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke's Situation Comedy (1989).
She scored a personal success as the sharp-tongued Emma Hornett in Philip King and Falkland Carey's Sailor Beware! at the Lyric, Hammersmith (1991), subsequently touring with it in 1992 and 1993.
Later theatre appearances included Pam Gems' Deborah's Daughter (Library Theatre, Manchester, 1994) and tours of William Ash's adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights in 1995 and again in 1998.
She made her television debut in Troy Kennedy-Martin and John McGrath's Marriage, directed by Ken Loach, in 1964. Her Play for Today appearances included Peter Terson's The Fishing Party (1972) and Alan Bleasdale's Scully's New Year's Eve (1978). Other notable credits included Roy Clarke's Of Funerals and Fish (1973), Blackadder (1982) and Mrs Kimble in Silas Marner (1985).
Her few film appearances included Scrubbers (1982), directed by Mai Zetterling.
She was married to Michael Simpson, the former artistic director of Birmingham Rep, from 1971 until his death in December 2007.
Jane Freeman died of lung cancer on March 9, 2017, aged 81.Ivy is also an absolutely hilarious character, she is also the joint owner of the Cafe is also a very insensitive lady who doesn't like any of the three men Compo, Norman or Foggy and also hates their presence in her Cafe. She's quite nasty at times and if anyone misbehaves or criticizes the food she would throw them out of the Cafe or hit them on the head with a Tray. She also makes me crack up laughing and is also great to see in the sitcom. Jane Freemans acting as her is absolutely brilliant, she is an extremely hilarious character and she definitely is one of my best and favourite characters in the absolutely hilarious sitcom 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.