How sad.

[Del Usory]

Windsor Davies has died at the age of 88.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46931129

[Ray de Galles]

Was just going to post about this. In Wales itself he’s probably as well known and loved for the classic 1977 comedy TV movie ‘Grand Slam’ (about a trip to the France v Wales Five Nations decider) as he was for IAHHM. He later said it was his favourite work too.

Actually born in Canning Town, though to Welsh parents who took him back there when the war started at the age of nine.

[Gerontophile]

I think he was my first celebrity crush.

[Del Usory]

I think he was my first celebrity crush.

No love for George Layton or Melvyn Hayes then?

[Nocturnal Submission]

I'd have put Gero down as a Donald Hewlett man.

Hayes is still going, it seems, and then some, fathering a child in his late-60s.

[Gerontophile]

Hewlett was less featured, but yeah, he would have been up there. (And I think it actually might have been Michael Bates, but in Last of the Summer Wine, rather than brownface.)

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

At RdG's prompting I've just watched 'Grand Slam' - the whole film's on youtube. Well worth it. Good as it is though, I think I can confidently predict that there's less chance of the beeb putting that on as a tribute than an episode of IAHHM ...

[johnr]

Actually born in Canning Town, though to Welsh parents who took him back there when the war started at the age of nine.

I was born/brought up there too, and used to use the 'where was he born?' as a sort-of trick question in quizzes that I used to run.

[3 Colours Red]

At RdG's prompting I've just watched 'Grand Slam' - the whole film's on youtube. Well worth it. Good as it is though, I think I can confidently predict that there's less chance of the beeb putting that on as a tribute than an episode of IAHHM ...

I dunno, there's not much chance of seeing IAHHM even under these circumstances I'd think.
I can imagine a Never The Twain marathon on ITV3 quite easily though.

[treibeis]

My god-daughter's father's father once met Windsor Davies. Complete fucking cunt, apparently.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

If you say so, but on the other hand Windsor Davies seems to have been a decent bloke.

[Ray de Galles]

https://twitter.com/BBCSteveR/status/1086936340384632832?s=20

[Ray de Galles]

https://twitter.com/TheFastShow1/status/1086630886920110080?s=20

[wittoner]

If you say so, but on the other hand Windsor Davies seems to have been a decent bloke.

My sister-in-law did a pantomime with Windsor Davies and Don Estelle. She said they were the opposite of their screen personas.
Windsor Davies, the fierce Sergeant-Major, was a lovely man while Don Estelle, cute put-upon Lofty, was a horrible little git.

[Duncan Gardner]

I love IAHHM, admittedly the blackface was crass even for the 70s.

There's plenty on youtube for fans

[elguapo4]

A friend of mine's uncle used to live next door to Windsor Davies and across the road from Kenneth Wolstenhulme (probably spelled it wrong), very nice area near Epsom apparently.

[Ray de Galles]

My sister-in-law did a pantomime with Windsor Davies and Don Estelle. She said they were the opposite of their screen personas.
Windsor Davies, the fierce Sergeant-Major, was a lovely man while Don Estelle, cute put-upon Lofty, was a horrible little git.

Danny Baker used to regularly refer to Don Estelle's autobiography as a classic of bitter former showbiz recriminations.

[Gerontophile]

I saw Don Estelle doing a PA in a Blackpool Woolworth's when I was about 9. He didn't sign any autographs.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Robin Ince's chapter on Don Estelle in Robin Ince's Bad Book Club is worth a read.

[MsD]

Hewlett was less featured, but yeah, he would have been up there.

Cheeky.

I can add to the secondhand anecdotes, as he and Don Estelle were on the same bill as the pantomime Adam and the Ants, and WD was, I'm told, "more pissed than I've ever seen any person in my life". But, who knows, in the business of show.

[jwdd27]

I have yet another second-hand Windsor Davies anecdote: a school friend was one of the caged audience kids at an episode of Tiswas with WD as a guest, and he reported that he was very good fun. Chris Tarrant was less friendly off camera, and smelled of cigars. Sally James was very cuddly.

[ad hoc]

God, I've just remembered "Never the Twain". Enough to make one long for the casual racism of It Ain't Half Hot Mum

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Robin Ince's chapter on Don Estelle in Robin Ince's Bad Book Club is worth a read.

Scaryduck does a decent job too.