Warren Clarke, star of Dalziel and Pascoe, dies aged 67

[muriel_volestrangler]

British actor Warren Clarke, best known for TV role in Dalziel And Pascoe, has died aged 67 after a short illness, his agent has confirmed.

Clarke, who was born in Oldham, starred in the controversial 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, by Stanley Kubrick.

He recently appeared in the BBC One dramas Call the Midwife and Down to Earth, about a family moving to rural Devon.

The actor is due to appear in a remake of Poldark.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30023012

[CBGLuthier]

1. Not Dim, not dear old Dim.

The most memorable of Alex's droogs. Damn, that's a shame.

[edbermac]

2. Great scene from Clockwork Orange

Alex released from prison on his murder charge and who does he run into but his old gang members.

They'd fit right in with today's law enforcement officials, wouldn't they?

[shenmue]

3. Rest in peace

Good actor. I've read some of the Reginald Hill books on which "Dalziel and Pascoe" was based. They're really good.

[Blue_Tires]

4. He was also in the Red Riding Trilogy

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. Funny, I was watching an old Dalziel and Pascoe last night.

Clarke was perfect in that role. I also thought he did a terrific job as Sophie Dixon in The Jewel in the Crown.

[elleng]

6. Sorry.

Glad it was a short illness.

[Matilda]

7. While I enjoyed Dalziel and Pascoe

(I particularly liked that an overweight, racist bigot could be the lead in a series - very brave), there were two works that I particularly enjoyed from him.

One was a series made back in 1989, called "Sleepers", made just as the Cold War was ending, and it featured Clarke and Nigel Havers as two Russian agents who were planted in England as "sleepers" - they would live normal English lives until such time as they might be needed for active duty. Twenty-five years later, they receive a message saying they're required back in Russia, but they've become so Anglicised they don't want to go back, ever. Very funny, beautifully written. Yet it was only screened once in Australia, and it has never been released on DVD, for some unfathomable reason. I've always wanted to see it again, but doomed to disappointment; you can't buy or rent it.

The other was his performance as the Mayor in "Blow Dry" - he was playing second fiddle to Alan Rickman and Natasha Richardson, yet the gradual unfolding of his character was a joy to watch, culminating in a superb mimed performance of "I Just Can't Help Believing", sequins and all. It's no mean feat to even hold your own in the company of stars like that, but Clarke stole every scene he appeared in.

A very, very fine actor, and a great loss.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. I remember 'Sleepers', and thought it was really good

Also 'Nice Work', co-starring with Haydn Gwynne; she was a right-on English lecturer, and he was a chauvinist head of an engineering firm who had to shadow each other at work (an adaptation of a David Lodge novel).

[Matilda]

10. I checked out "Nice Work" on IMDb,

and it seems it has also never been released on DVD.

What is the matter with these people?

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Coming out on 24/11/2014 (in the UK, anyway)

following a link from a discussion on IMDB (planned before his death):

http://www.simplyhe.co.uk/tv-drama/139260-nice-work-tv-mini-series-1989-5019322392606.html

There's also this place, which has transferred a VHS cassette to DVD: http://uktelly.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=68 (I have my suspicions about the copyright status of that one ...)

[Ron Obvious]

9. Sad... I was a big Dalziel and Pascoe fan...

I loved him more than any pig and that's saying summat.