John Carlin obit

Obituary - John Carlin, Scottish actor known for Carry On and The Darling Buds of May

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Scottish actor known for Carry Ons and The Darling Buds of May

Born: November 6, 1929;

Died: November 19, 2017

JOHN Carlin, who has died aged 88, was a Scottish actor known for his supporting roles in TV dramas and comedies of the 1970s and 80s. He had a recurring role in the sit-com Man About the House and was part of the ensemble cast of the television series Carry On Laughing, based on the popular films, with Barbara Windsor, Sid James and Hattie Jacques.

He was a master of shooting a disapproving glance, and conveying prim indignation, with a refined, mellifluous voice capable of switching easily between an English accent and his native Scots. An experienced player in the now disappeared repertory theatre system, where he displayed a wide range of characterisations, his stocky frame also lent itself to scene-stealing television roles, most notably in the sitcom Man About The House.

Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Carlin studied at the Glasgow College of Dramatic Art, now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where his work in the Borders comedy Toom Byres was a highlight of the students’ diploma performance in May 1955. Another was his winning of the James Bridie Gold Medal, and being awarded a contract with the Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre, where his cast mates included Fulton Mackay and Andrew Keir. He also made his radio debut on Children’s Hour the same year, in the title role of a newspaper copyboy in The Adventures of Deadline Donovan.

Writing in The Stage in 1963, Carlin said he was very proud of his four years at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre; “there were such opportunities afforded to 'serve an art' and at the same time develop oneself,” he said. He began there in 1958, as Banquo to the Macbeth of the emergent Albert Finney, directed, as were most of his plays there, by Bernard Hepton, later a noted actor himself. Lady Macbeth was June Brown, who was still decades away from becoming Dot Cotton on EastEnders; by an odd coincidence, two of Carlin’s Birmingham colleagues, Thelma Barlow and Arthur Pentelow, would attain soap success on Coronation Street and Emmerdale, respectively. Carlin was Horatio to fellow Scot Ian Richardson’s Hamlet there, in 1959.

He remembered that at Birmingham, there was never any type-casting and actors were allowed a great variety of parts; he played in one season Henry IV in Parts One and Two, Joseph Surface in The School For Scandal and Trefimov in The Cherry Orchard. This was in 1960, and the following year Carlin and Hepton read Shakespeare's Fear no more the heat o’ the sun at the theatre founder Sir Barry Jackson’s memorial concert. Carlin’s fellow actors at Birmingham also included Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, Elizabeth Spriggs, Rosemary Leach and John Standing.

Taking steps to avoid what he termed “the twice-weekly journey to the Labour Exchange”, Carlin was a disc jockey on the BBC Light Programme in 1964, hosting Music To Midnight and Songs From The Shows, both characteristic of pre-Radio 1 programming. He also reviewed books and lectures for The Stage.

He acted at Leatherhead rep in 1963, and then, with comedy writer-performer John Junkin, he played a gay couple in the now dated Staircase at the Phoenix, Leicester in 1969. In Blithe Spirit (Watford Palace Theatre, 1977) he was Charles Condomine to Irene Handl’s Madame Arcati, undertaking another repertory season at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury three years later, where he scored a particular success in Alan Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular.

His sitcom career had a false start when he began making an ATV effort about an incompetent police force, Coppers End, in 1971. When illness forced Joan Sims to leave, due to the cast having been “picked to work as a team” the episodes were scrapped and recast, with Carlin replaced by the better-known Richard Wattis.

After playing a picky landlord on Man About The House in a 1974 episode, the Thames sitcom had him in a recurring role in its 1975 and 1976 runs, as a bow-tied barman called Percy Strapp, who objected to being called Jock.

In 1975, Carlin also starred in Carry On Laughing, an ITV attempt to echo the film series’ bawdy success, with Carlin part of the ensemble; his foot-stamping servants and campy disdain attempted to compensate for the absences of Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey. Carlin was retained for the last two, pitiful, films in the original series, Carry On England (1976) and Carry On Emmannuelle (1978), as minor authority figures.

He was personally fond of The First Churchills (BBC, 1969), making the most of some sardonic moments as the playwright and architect Sir John Vanburgh. Perhaps inevitably for a Scottish actor, his other TV appearances included an adaptation of Kidnapped (BBC, 1963), and episodes of Dr Finlay’s Casebook (BBC, 1963, 1965 and 1970) and Taggart (STV, 1985 and 1990). He also appeared in Poirot and the Darling Buds of May.

In later years, he lived at Thrupp in Gloucestershire, where he would learn lines out load while walking along the banks of the Stroudwater Canal, happily feeding ducks and swans along the way.

Actor

David Suchet in Poirot (1989)

Poirot

8.6

TV Series

Dr Bennett

1992

1 episode

 

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Pam Ferris, Philip Franks, and David Jason in The Darling Buds of May (1991)

The Darling Buds of May

7.8

TV Series

Rev. Spink

Reverend Spink

1991

3 episodes

 

Gerard Kelly in City Lights (1984)

City Lights

7.5

TV Series

Mr. Churchill

1991

1 episode

 

The Upper Hand (1990)

The Upper Hand

6.5

TV Series

Surgeon

1991

1 episode

 

She-Wolf of London (1990)

She-Wolf of London

7.2

TV Series

Rev. Parfray

1990

1 episode

 

A Ghost in Monte Carlo (1990)

A Ghost in Monte Carlo

5.9

TV Movie

Concierge

1990

 

Mark McManus in Taggart (1983)

Taggart

7.4

TV Series

Paul Cooper

George Cunningham

1985–1990

6 episodes

 

Hard Cases (1988)

Hard Cases

TV Series

Roger

1989

1 episode

 

Pierce Brosnan, Eric Idle, and Julia Nickson in Around the World in 80 Days (1989)

Around the World in 80 Days

7.1

TV Mini Series

Forster

1989

3 episodes

 

Rumpole of the Bailey (1978)

Rumpole of the Bailey

8.4

TV Series

Hector Vellacott Q.C.

1988

1 episode

 

Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith in The Bourne Identity (1988)

The Bourne Identity

6.8

TV Mini Series

Stossel

1988

2 episodes

 

Screen Two (1984)

Screen Two

6.4

TV Series

Hotel manager

1988

1 episode

 

Chelmsford 123 (1988)

Chelmsford 123

7.7

TV Series

Poet

1988

2 episodes

 

After Henry (1988)

After Henry

7.0

TV Series

the Valuer

1988

1 episode

 

Rik Mayall in The New Statesman (1987)

The New Statesman

7.8

TV Series

House of Commons Speaker

1987

3 episodes

 

Slinger's Day (1986)

Slinger's Day

6.0

TV Series

Auditor

1987

1 episode

 

Kirk Douglas and Mia Sara in Queenie (1987)

Queenie

6.7

TV Mini Series

James

1987

1 episode

 

Pam Ferris, Tony Haygarth, Roy Kinnear, Duncan Preston, Gavin Richards, Granville Saxton, Roger Sloman, and Nick Wilton in Hardwicke House (1987)

Hardwicke House

6.6

TV Series

Vicar

1987

2 episodes

 

Ann-Margret and Claudette Colbert in The Two Mrs. Grenvilles (1987)

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles

7.5

TV Mini Series

Forbes

1987

2 episodes

 

Fresh Fields (1984)

Fresh Fields

6.6

TV Series

Mr. Galloway

1986

1 episode

 

Mapp & Lucia (1985)

Mapp & Lucia

8.4

TV Series

Mayberry

1986

1 episode

 

Boon (1986)

Boon

6.4

TV Series

Ted Michaels

1986

1 episode

 

All in Good Faith (1985)

All in Good Faith

5.7

TV Series

Bishop of Luton

1986

1 episode

 

Starting Out (1973)

Starting Out

TV Series

Mr. Thompson

1986

1 episode

 

Brian Capron, Natalie Forbes, Sabina Franklyn, and Christopher Strauli in Mixed Doubles (1985)

Mixed Doubles

6.0

TV Series

Shop assistant

1985

1 episode

 

Big Deal (1984)

Big Deal

8.1

TV Series

Carey

1984

1 episode

 

Windsor Davies and Donald Sinden in Never the Twain (1981)

Never the Twain

6.6

TV Series

Mr Fortescue

Mr Neville

1982–1984

2 episodes

 

Andrew Robertson and Michael Wynne in Cold Warrior (1984)

Cold Warrior

7.0

TV Series

Hotel Manager

1984

1 episode

 

Pat Heywood and James Trelfa in I Thought You'd Gone (1984)

I Thought You'd Gone

7.0

TV Series

Council Official

1984

1 episode

 

Michael Moor and Julie Walters in Love and Marriage (1984)

Love and Marriage

7.5

TV Series

Malcolm

1984

1 episode

 

George Cole in Minder (1979)

Minder

7.8

TV Series

Derek

1984

1 episode

 

Keep It in the Family (1980)

Keep It in the Family

7.4

TV Series

Stanley Barlow

Ed Barber

Theatre Manager

1980–1983

4 episodes

 

Bill Maynard in The Gaffer (1981)

The Gaffer

6.9

TV Series

Everard

1983

1 episode

 

Pictures (1983)

Pictures

8.3

TV Mini Series

Cockburn

1983

5 episodes

 

Patsy Kensit in Luna (1983)

Luna

7.3

TV Series

Asst. Galactic Co-ordinator

1983

1 episode

 

John Nettles in Bergerac (1981)

Bergerac

6.9

TV Series

Frazer

1983

1 episode

 

Gerald James and Philip Madoc in Ennal's Point (1982)

Ennal's Point

TV Series

Mr. Yeoman

1982

1 episode

 

Wendy Craig in Nanny (1981)

Nanny

8.1

TV Series

Webster

1981

1 episode

 

Trevor Eve in Shoestring (1979)

Shoestring

7.5

TV Series

Florist

1980

1 episode

 

Leap in the Dark (1973)

Leap in the Dark

7.5

TV Series

Doctor Stuart

1980

1 episode

 

George and Mildred (1980)

George and Mildred

5.9

Casino Supervisor

1980

 

Between the Covers

TV Movie

Charles

1980

 

Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy in George & Mildred (1976)

George & Mildred

7.2

TV Series

Antique Shop Owner

Petshop Owner

Funeral Director

1976–1979

3 episodes

 

Michael Gough and Wensley Pithey in Suez 1956 (1979)

Suez 1956

8.1

TV Movie

The Speaker

1979

 

The Losers (1978)

The Losers

6.8

TV Series

Brian

1978

1 episode

 

Lynette Davies in The Foundation (1977)

The Foundation

7.7

TV Series

George Briscoe

1978

3 episodes

 

John Thaw in The Sweeney (1975)

The Sweeney

8.1

TV Series

Pierce

1978

1 episode

 

Carry on Emmannuelle (1978)

Carry on Emmannuelle

3.2

French Parson

1978

 

Tony Britton, David Kelly, Richard O'Sullivan, and Tessa Wyatt in Robin's Nest (1977)

Robin's Nest

6.4

TV Series

Sidney Watkins

1978

1 episode

 

Sexton Blake and the Demon God (1978)

Sexton Blake and the Demon God

6.2

TV Series

Dr. Paterson

1978

1 episode

 

Liza Goddard, Nerys Hughes, Joanna Lumley, Bill Maynard, Patrick Mower, Jon Pertwee, Magnus Pyke, Victor Spinetti, and Mollie Sugden in Whodunnit? (1972)

Whodunnit?

7.9

TV Series

Leo

1978

1 episode

 

Jackanory Playhouse

8.3

TV Series

Lionel

1978

1 episode

 

Kirk Douglas in The Chosen (1977)

The Chosen

5.5

Robertson

1977

 

Paula Wilcox in Miss Jones and Son (1977)

Miss Jones and Son

6.6

TV Series

Shop Assistant

1977

1 episode

 

Carry on England (1976)

Carry on England

4.0

Officer

1976

 

Reg Varney in Down the 'Gate (1975)

Down the 'Gate

6.6

TV Series

The Estate Agent

1976

1 episode

 

Richard O'Sullivan, Sally Thomsett, and Paula Wilcox in Man About the House (1973)

Man About the House

7.2

TV Series

Barman

Mr. Gideon

1974–1976

7 episodes

 

Carry on Laughing (1975)

Carry on Laughing

5.9

TV Series

Old Man

Major Merridick

Vicar ...

1975

6 episodes

 

Comedy Premiere (1975)

Comedy Premiere

TV Series

Hugh

1975

1 episode

 

Helen Ryan and Timothy West in Edward the King (1975)

Edward the King

8.2

TV Mini Series

George Lewis

1975

1 episode

 

Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker in Love Thy Neighbour (1972)

Love Thy Neighbour

7.0

TV Series

Julian

1975

1 episode

 

Norman Wisdom in A Little Bit of Wisdom (1974)

A Little Bit of Wisdom

7.1

TV Series

Smithers

1974

1 episode

 

Fulton Mackay, Patrick Mower, Derren Nesbitt, Wensley Pithey, and George Sewell in Special Branch (1969)

Special Branch

7.4

TV Series

Hotel Manager

1974

1 episode

 

...And Mother Makes Three (1971)

...And Mother Makes Three

7.3

TV Series

The Hotel Receptionist

Jeweller's Assistant

Pet Shop Assistant

1971–1973

3 episodes

 

Anthony Valentine, Margaret Lockwood, and John Stone in Justice (1971)

Justice

7.5

TV Series

Hugh

1973

1 episode

 

Roddy McMillan in The View from Daniel Pike (1971)

The View from Daniel Pike

8.4

TV Series

Sinclair

1973

1 episode

 

Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Paul Scofield, and Anna Calder-Marshall in ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

5.9

TV Series

Zanger

1973

1 episode

 

Armchair Theatre (1956)

Armchair Theatre

7.5

TV Series

Crown Prince

1972

1 episode

 

Spyder's Web (1972)

Spyder's Web

7.1

TV Series

Wickering

1972

1 episode

 

Frankie Howerd's Hour

TV Mini Series

1971

1 episode

 

Gerald Harper in Hadleigh (1969)

Hadleigh

7.7

TV Series

Dr. Phillips

1971

1 episode

 

Horizon (1964)

Horizon

8.5

TV Series

Witness

1970

1 episode

 

Ian Hendry in The Adventures of Don Quick (1970)

The Adventures of Don Quick

7.7

TV Series

TV Announcer

1970

1 episode

 

Play for Today (1970)

Play for Today

7.8

TV Series

Sir James Brenton

1970

1 episode

 

Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962)

Dr. Finlay's Casebook

7.6

TV Series

Dr. Reid

Gellatly

Radiologist

1963–1970

3 episodes

 

David Bauer and Robert Hardy in Big Brother (1970)

Big Brother

8.5

TV Mini Series

Dr. Stockoe

1970

1 episode

 

Out of the Past

TV Series

Granville Sharp

1970

1 episode

 

Rembrandt

TV Movie

Kemp

1969

 

Susan Hampshire and John Neville in The First Churchills (1969)

The First Churchills

8.0

TV Mini Series

Vanbrugh

1969

2 episodes

 

Patrick O'Connell and Joanna Van Gyseghem in Fraud Squad (1969)

Fraud Squad

7.0

TV Series

Russell Yarwood

1969

1 episode

 

Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965)

Thirty-Minute Theatre

7.1

TV Series

Captain Hinchcliffe

Agostino Pirelli

Ambrose Charnock

1967–1968

3 episodes

 

Michael Goodliffe and June Ritchie in Pere Goriot (1968)

Pere Goriot

6.8

TV Mini Series

Maxime

1968

1 episode

 

Richard Beckinsale, Freddie Fletcher, Arthur Lowe, Jack Rosenthal, and Paula Wilcox in ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

7.3

TV Series

Sir Peter

1968

1 episode

 

Charles Hyatt and William Lucas in City '68 (1967)

City '68

7.6

TV Series

TV Interviewer

1968

1 episode

 

Barbara Jefford and Hayward B. Morse in Trapped (1967)

Trapped

TV Series

Springer

1967

1 episode

 

Baker's Half-Dozen

TV Series

Alex

Reverend Brett

Lefter ...

1967

5 episodes

 

Claire Nielson and Calum Mill in The Revenue Men (1967)

The Revenue Men

7.5

TV Series

Hayes

1967

1 episode

 

Donald Pleasence and Betsy Blair in Love Story (1963)

Love Story

7.1

TV Series

Cinema manager

1967

1 episode

 

Conflict

TV Series

Mosca

Joseph Surface

1967

2 episodes

 

Write a Play

TV Series

1967

1 episode

 

Mr. Rose (1967)

Mr. Rose

8.0

TV Series

Danethorpe

1967

1 episode

 

No Hiding Place (1959)

No Hiding Place

7.4

TV Series

Charlie White

Barber

1964–1967

2 episodes

 

John Cairney in This Man Craig (1966)

This Man Craig

8.0

TV Series

Mr. Harris

1966

1 episode

 

The Three Musketeers (1966)

The Three Musketeers

7.3

TV Series

King Louis XIII

1966

4 episodes

 

George and the Dragon (1966)

George and the Dragon

7.0

TV Series

Taxi Driver

1966

1 episode

 

Edward Judd and Caroline Mortimer in Intrigue (1966)

Intrigue

TV Series

Ranklin

1966

1 episode

 

Marius Goring in The Suspect (1966)

Thirteen Against Fate

TV Series

Sauvegrain

1966

1 episode

 

The Wednesday Play (1964)

The Wednesday Play

7.2

TV Series

Evangelist

1966

1 episode

 

A Game of Murder (1966)

A Game of Murder

8.0

TV Series

Leonard Lincoln

1966

4 episodes

 

Theatre 625 (1964)

Theatre 625

7.4

TV Series

Medvedenko

Simon

1965–1966

2 episodes

 

The Liars

8.9

TV Series

Butler

1966

1 episode

 

The Idiot (1966)

The Idiot

8.7

TV Mini Series

Baron S.

1966

2 episodes

 

The Scales of Justice (1962)

The Scales of Justice

7.8

TV Series

Waiter

1965

1 episode

 

Ray Barrett, Geoffrey Keen, and Philip Latham in Mogul (1965)

Mogul

7.0

TV Series

Actor

1965

1 episode

 

Julia Lockwood and Margaret Lockwood in The Flying Swan (1965)

The Flying Swan

6.9

TV Series

Rogers, of The Sunday Star

1965

1 episode

 

Compact (1962)

Compact

6.7

TV Series

Ross Bennett

1965

2 episodes

 

Peter Cushing in The Caves of Steel (1964)

Story Parade

5.5

TV Series

Basil Jaraby

1965

1 episode

 

Z Cars (1962)

Z Cars

7.0

TV Series

Factory Worker

1964

1 episode

 

Taxi! (1963)

Taxi!

7.1

TV Series

George

1964

1 episode

 

Kidnapped

TV Mini Series

Lieutenant

1963

1 episode

 

Suspense (1962)

Suspense

5.9

TV Series

Philip Hale

1963

1 episode

 

Reginald Marsh, Barbara Murray, and Patrick Wymark in The Plane Makers (1963)

The Plane Makers

7.6

TV Series

Rowland Jessup

1963

1 episode

 

24-Hour Call

TV Series

Jeweller

1963

1 episode

 

Michael Quinn and Donald Wolfit in Ghost Squad (1961)

Ghost Squad

7.2

TV Series

Tim Casey

1962

1 episode

 

Emergency-Ward 10 (1957)

Emergency-Ward 10

6.2

TV Series

Angus MacGregor

1962

6 episodes

 

Jack Warner in Dixon of Dock Green (1955)

Dixon of Dock Green

6.9

TV Series

Ken Crocker

1962

1 episode

 

Probation Officer (1959)

Probation Officer

6.7

TV Series

Peter

1962

1 episode

 

The Piper of Orde

TV Movie

Colin

1957

 

Self

The Man Shakespeare (1964)

The Man Shakespeare

TV Movie

1964

 

The Full Man

TV Series

1964

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

What a Carry On (1983)

What a Carry On

6.8

TV Series

Officer (archive footage, uncredited)

1984

1 episode