CineScope
Bill Owen picture

Bill Owen

Acting
Known For

85 Years Old

British born actor known for playing working class characters on film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, the son of a tram driver and laundress, he 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 where he was injured in an explosion during a battle training course. Returning to acting, he started making a name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), and The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). 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 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 had a hit with 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. TV stardom came late, in the role of Compo in the BBC's 1973 series "Last of the Summer Wine". 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. Owen 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.

Born

Acton, London, England, UK on 14th March 1914

Died

12th July 1999

All Credits

Last of the Summer Wine Image
Last of the Summer Wine
Compo
Last of the Summer Wine Image
Last of the Summer Wine
Compo (archive footage)
Angels Image
Angels
Blankety Blank Image
Blankety Blank
No Image
Noel's House Party
Compo
Tales of the Unexpected Image
Tales of the Unexpected
Meakins
The Buccaneers Image
The Buccaneers
Clip West
Cilla Image
Cilla
Self
Performance Image
Performance
Billy Rice
Brideshead Revisited Image
Brideshead Revisited
Lunt
Man in a Suitcase Image
Man in a Suitcase
Catweazle Image
Catweazle
Pickle
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? Image
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
George Chambers
Shirley's World Image
Shirley's World
No Image
Sherlock Holmes
Inspector Lestrade
Coppers End Image
Coppers End
Sgt. Sam Short
No Image
The Kids International Show
Compo
Carve Her Name with Pride Image
Carve Her Name with Pride
NCO Instructor
Taxi! Image
Taxi!
Fred Cuddell
Carry On Nurse Image
Carry On Nurse
Percy 'Perc' Hickson
Carry On Sergeant Image
Carry On Sergeant
Corporal Bill Copping
Carry On Regardless Image
Carry On Regardless
Mike Weston
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men Image
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
Stutely
The Ship That Died of Shame Image
The Ship That Died of Shame
Birdie
O Lucky Man! Image
O Lucky Man!
Supt. Barlow / Insp. Carding
Carry On Cabby Image
Carry On Cabby
Smiley Sims
Trottie True Image
Trottie True
Joe Jugg
On the Fiddle Image
On the Fiddle
Cpl. Gittens
The Way to the Stars Image
The Way to the Stars
Sgt. 'Nobby' Clarke
The Fighting Prince of Donegal Image
The Fighting Prince of Donegal
Officer Powell
School for Secrets Image
School for Secrets
Paratroop Sergeant
Georgy Girl Image
Georgy Girl
Ted
Dancing with Crime Image
Dancing with Crime
Dave Robinson
The Square Ring Image
The Square Ring
Happy Burns
The Weaker Sex Image
The Weaker Sex
Soldier with Chicken
The Comeback Image
The Comeback
Mr. B
Hotel Sahara Image
Hotel Sahara
Private Binns
No Image
When The Bough Breaks
Bill Collins
The Hellfire Club Image
The Hellfire Club
Martin
Trouble in the Air Image
Trouble in the Air
The Rainbow Jacket Image
The Rainbow Jacket
Sam
Daybreak Image
Daybreak
Ron
A Day to Remember Image
A Day to Remember
Shorty Sharpe
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs Image
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
Self (archive)
Once a Jolly Swagman Image
Once a Jolly Swagman
Lag Gibbon
Davy Image
Davy
Eric
Diamond City Image
Diamond City
Pinto
My Brother's Keeper Image
My Brother's Keeper
Syd Evans
Easy Money Image
Easy Money
Mr. Lee
There Was a Young Lady Image
There Was a Young Lady
Joe
In Celebration Image
In Celebration
Mr. Shaw
The Secret of Blood Island Image
The Secret of Blood Island
George Bludgin
Laughterhouse Image
Laughterhouse
Amos
No Image
Taxi!
Fred Cuddel
Breathing Space Image
Breathing Space
(uncredited)
Kiss Me, Kate Image
Kiss Me, Kate
Gangster
A City Reborn Image
A City Reborn
No Image
That's Television Television
Compo
The Shakedown Image
The Shakedown
David Spettigue
Getting Sam Home Image
Getting Sam Home
Compo
The Entertainer Image
The Entertainer
Billy Rice
Not So Dusty Image
Not So Dusty
The Girl Who Couldn't Quite Image
The Girl Who Couldn't Quite
Tim
No Image
Unfair!
Worker
No Image
Mischief
No Image
Tank Patrol
Geordie
No Image
Headline Hunters
No Image
The Last Word on Julie
Ray