Roy Clarke

[2] His jobs before becoming a writer included a teacher, a policeman, a taxi driver and a salesman, in addition to being a soldier in the Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army.

The first in January 1968, The 17-Jewelled Shockproof Swiss-Made Bomb, featured Peter Coke, Ben Kingsley, Bob Grant and Anne Stallybrass.

A couple of months later, Clarke wrote The Events at Black Tor, which was a police thriller which also featured Bob Grant, along with James Beck.

Clarke was the sole writer of the long-running Last of the Summer Wine, which at its peak had an audience of over 18 million viewers.

It featured Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, Kathy Staff and Dame Thora Hird in leading roles.

In 2003, Clarke adapted his Last of the Summer Wine chronicle The Moonbather for a world premiere performance at the Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club.