Arthur William Pentelow (14 February 1924 – 6 August 1991) was an English actor who was best known for playing Henry Wilks in Emmerdale Farm, appearing from the first episode in 1972 until 1991.
Born in Rochdale, Lancashire, Pentelow's love of drama began while he was studying Shakespeare at grammar school, but he started his working life as a cadet clerk in the local police force.
He later went on to work in repertory theatre at the Bristol Old Vic,[1] Guildford and Northampton, before joining the company at Birmingham, where his fellow actors included Derek Jacobi, Rosemary Leach and Albert Finney.
After Pentelow's unexpected death, the programme had Wilks die off-screen; due to the advanced schedule of production this was not aired until October 1991.
Pentelow died from a heart attack in 1991, at the age of 67, whilst driving from his family home in Birmingham to commence filming Emmerdale in Bradford and Leeds.