Brian Wilde, Actor

Published on Monday 24 March 2008 20:56

Born: 13 June, 1927, in Lancashire. Died: 19 March, 2008, in London, aged 80.

WITH his lugubrious face and rather slight, over-polite voice, Brian Wilde made two instantly recognisable television characters very much his own. First there was prison officer Mr Barrowclough coping with the wise-cracking Fletcher, played famously by Ronnie Barker, in Porridge. Then Wilde took over in that other dearly loved BBC regular Last of the Summer Wine. In that he played Foggy, the gentle, mild and quiet member of the trio of elderly rogues who recapture their youth in some wildcap schemes in the Yorkshire dales. Wilde succeeded in bringing to both characters a resolute charm. The public took his side against the curmudgeonly (but never seen) Mrs Barrowclough ("It's either the officer's club or back at home with Mrs Barrowclough" he once mused into his pint) or the bullying of Fulton Mackay's wonderful sergeant-major-type Mr Mackay.

Brian Wilde's early career was none too promising. He played small parts in repertory theatres and was seen in television's The Love of Mike, The Avengers and supported Tony Hancock in episodes of his ATV series in 1963. He was in the BBC's Halcro and appeared in films such as Carry On Doctor. Wilde won praise when, in 1970, he took over from John Woodvine in ITV's The Dustbinmen, and then played a merciless gaoler in Elizabeth R with Glenda Jackson.

In 1973, Wilde starred in the second episode of Seven of One, a series of seven individual stories, all of which starred Barker. In the episode, entitled "Prisoner and Escort", Wilde played the timid Mr Barrowclough, a prison warder whose job it was to escort Barker across the moors to Slade Prison. The episode proved so popular, a series was commissioned and the BBC had Porridge – one of the most popular sitcoms of the Seventies. The series ran until 1977 and two years later a feature film was made.

The film proved successful with a football match against some minor celebrities allowing for a breakout with some fine comic touches. At half time, Mr Barrowclough dashes to the loo to discover a hostage: Wilde's double-take is a classic. He gave such scenes an extra credibility with his straight-faced and wonderfully bewildered delivery.

The Christmas specials attracted big audiences and the one from 1976 was a particular favourite (The Desperate Hours) when a seriously rattled Mr Barrowclough, Fletcher and the governor's secretary are held hostage.

Wilde's other – perhaps more – famous role arose in 1976, when he took over from Michael Bates as the third member of a trio of old men in the delightful sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. He played "Foggy" Dewhurst, a determined ex-army man who planned the group's wild adventures with military precision and a painstaking eye for detail. Wilde saw the series gather momentum, become greatly successful and he stayed with the series for nine years. Audiences grew to almost 20 million, making it one of the BBC's most popular shows.

He left in 1985 and it was thought Wilde had a somewhat uncomfortable relationship with his co-star Bill Owen, who played the straight-talking Compo. They were very different characters: Owen a staunch socialist and Wilde a rather middle-of-the road Tory.

Wilde starred in another BBC series (Wyatt's Watchdogs) in 1988, but that didn't work and he returned to Summer Wine in 1990, reuniting the series most popular and enduring line-up. He remained until 1997, leaving due to ill health. But their exploits provided excellent Sunday evening entertainment and Wilde made a considerable contribution to ensuring the series' lasting popularity.

Brian Wilde is survived by his wife, the actress Eva Stuart, and their son and daughter.