Bernard Cribbins(1928-2022)

Born in Oldham, Lancashire, he got interested in acting through his father who was an amateur actor. It was thus no surprise that he should take part in school plays, particularly during drama festivals. He left school at 13thirteen and was offered the part of Ash in a play at Oldham Rep where the female juvenile lead was Dora Broadbent, who would become better known as Dora Bryan. Bernard did his National Service in the Parachute Regiment in Palastine in 1947. On being demobbed, he returned to Oldham Rep, appearing in such as A Streetcar Named Desire. He left in 1952 and joined the troupe at Weston Super Mare for two years, then moved to a company in Manchester. By 1955, he had married actress Gillian Charles and appeared in London's West End in Salad Days. He made his film debut in 1957 in Yangtse Incident, then was back in the West End spending a year in the comedy Not Now Darling. He recorded a couple of songs from the show which sold some 20.000 copies, persuading EMI to record him singing A Hole in the Ground. His favourite role was as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre in 1982. He had heart by pass in 1998.