Posted on 03/08/2007 8:54:27 AM PST by rpage3
LONDON (Reuters) - Actor John Inman, best known for his role as camp shop assistant Mr Humphries in the long-running BBC comedy "Are You Being Served?" died aged 71 on Thursday.
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Inman, who later became a pantomime regular, was one of the sitcom's most memorable cast members and his catchphrase "I'm free" became part of popular culture.
In 1976, he was voted "Funniest Man On Television" by readers of TV Times magazine and was also named BBC TV's "Personality Of The Year."
He died at St Mary's Hospital in London after having been ill for some time, his manager Phil Dale said in a statement.
"John, through his character Mr Humphries of Are You Being Served? was known and loved throughout the world," Dale said.
"He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain.
"John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from London's West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA."
Inman's long-term partner Ron Lynch was "devastated" at the news, the BBC said.
Actress Wendy Richard, who played Miss Brahms in "Are You Being Served?," said she had been regularly visiting Inman who had been seriously ill with Hepatitis A.
"You just have to regard it as being an end to his suffering," a tearful Richard told BBC radio.
"I think John was one of the wittiest and most inventive actors I have ever worked with. He was a brilliant, brilliant pantomime dame. He was a very good all round actor really."
Inman's character Mr Humphries attracted criticism at the height of the department store-based sitcom's success from some gay rights groups who were upset by what they saw as his portrayal of an over-the-top homosexual.
"He never ever said Mr Humphries was gay," Richard said. "He was just a young man who was very, very good to his mother."
Don't forget The Catherine Tate Show, The Office, Coupling, Red Dwarf, Whose Line Is It Anyways?, Mr. Bean, The Thin Blue Line, Little Britain, and French and Saunders to that list.
Oh, nooo. I liked him alot. He made the show for me. Mrs. Slokum (sp?) was no slouch either.
The most memorable being, "Flowery...." well, work it out. :)
I liked "Are You Being Served", "Keeping Up Appearances", and "Black Adder" funny shows, all.
Felicity Kendall, I think. It also had the inevitable Penelope Keith; they gave her an amazing number of shows in the 70s.
"Ah, yes , yes..".
BTW the country wasn't Saudi Arabia, it was the (fictitous) nation of Kumran -- but I guess it was meant to be SA
MR HUMPHRIES: I'm not sure, but I think he'd help out if there was a rush.
Didn't she have a wonderful voice? I always wanted a voice like that.
There is no other TV show that brings as much laughter and joy to me than these.
lol.
They still show this comedy on late night TV here in virginia beach.
I used to think the humor was bad till I grew up enough to appriciate it.
MaxMax,
/Salute
I vacillate between enjoying Yes, Minister enormously and getting depressed by how true to life it seems. If I had a penny for every time I've seen an article on FreeRepublic that made me say "Gosh, wasn't that an episode of Yes, Minister", I'd have enough for an obscenely large bar of Dairy Milk.
I really liked Blak Adder and the way they moved the characters along through history.
RIP....He will be missed...i still watch that campy show....Miss Slocombe is my favorite..and i am unanimous in that ;)
"Good Neighbors"
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