Are You Being Served? actor Frank Thornton dies aged 92

[Recursion]

Source: BBC

Frank Thornton, who played Captain Peacock in BBC comedy Are You Being Served? has died at the age of 92.

Thornton died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Barnes, London, on Saturday, his agent David Daly said.

Also known for his role as Truly in Last of the Summer Wine, the actor also starred in comedies such as Hancock's Half Hour and The Goodies.

Thornton is survived by Beryl, his wife of 67 years, their daughter Jane and three grandchildren.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-21828965

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Captain Peacock, are you free?

[TupperHappy]

1. Absolutely loved that show

Also loved the sequel Grace & Favour, although it didn't last as long.

[CBGLuthier]

2. Liked him as Peacock but loved him as Truly

He had a good run.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

6. yep, he was the best straight man

even though he was the one coming up with all the brilliant schemes that got them in so much trouble. RIP Truly.

[Demoiselle]

33. "He had a good run..."

That may well be my favorite stiff-upper-lip pull-up-yer-socks Brit phrase. Perfect for the occasion. I love the sweet little world he lived in...in all those Brit coms...

[Nye Bevan]

3. You know when someone dies and you go "Whoa! He was still alive?"

RIP Capt. Peacock!

[randome]

10. It's even stranger when you find someone is still alive!

My favorite sci-fi author -from way back when- Robert Silverberg is 85 years old and still living!

[Beacool]

4. I remember that show.

I used to watch it on PBS years after the original airing (wasn't the show from the 70s?). I liked it a lot. Remember the young Mr. Grace? The guys was like 100 years old. LOL!!

Rest in peace, Mr. Thornton, and thanks for the laughs.

[Rabid_Rabbit]

5. RIP

Loved the show Are you being server?
Was not aware of the Last of the Summer Wine show but will go searching for it now

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. it's brilliant

Gram and I watched reruns every Saturday on pbs until she passed. It was the one show she was excited to watch near the end. It's been filming for YEARS, start at the beginning, all the characters are adorable.

[Rabid_Rabbit]

12. Thanks

Sadly I did not find it on Netflix so I might order it from amazon.

[Indykatie]

14. I Think the DVDs are Available from Netflix but Not Streamed

I too loved the series and still watch it on DVD. I just watched some of the episodes last night. You can purchase entire series from BBC.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. YouTube

so you can check it out for free

[Rabid_Rabbit]

25. Now I know what I'll be doing over lunchbreak

Love those British shows

[AtheistCrusader]

8. That's sad. I watched that show as a kid.

Got a lot of good laughs out of it. He performed his character very well.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Very few cast members left

from that show.

[raccoon]

11. I thought that Trevor Bannister (Mr. Lucas), was still living. Just googled and found out he isn't.

Trevor Bannister - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Trevor Gordon Bannister (14 August 1934 – 14 April 2011)

[RILib]

17. I thought for sure Wendy Richard was still alive, but no.

[dipsydoodle]

13. That's it

Captain Peacock, are you free ?

RIP.

Hancock's Half Hour was oh so long ago.

[bamacrat]

15. That sucks, he was great. But he lived a long life so.. n/t

[LeftinOH]

16. Every single original AYBS cast member is gone now, except Nicholas Smith.

The follow-up series to AYBS (Are You Being Served Again/Grace and Favour) was a great showcase for all of them; we're lucky the BBC made it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

21. Thanks for the tidbit. I had no idea Mr. Rumboldt was still alive. The fact that Frank Thornton...

outlived both Wendy Richard & Trevor Bannister is just amazing to me.

[Purplehazed]

19. RIP Captain Peacock great deadpan

CAPTAIN PEACOCK: In this area we have the mechanical cuddlies.
MRS. SLOCOMBE: But they're all dogs. Is there no demand for mechanical pussies?
CAPTAIN PEACOCK: I am told that people prefer the real thing

[Le Taz Hot]

35. LOL!

Literally. It's been decades since I've watched that show -- I may have to revisit it on Netflix.

[Ron Obvious]

20. RIP

I enjoyed that show back in the seventies. I thought it would be a disappointment watching it again now, but actually the first few series held up quite well when I watched them again a few years ago.

Present day political correctness would probably cause the show to be axed. I've heard several people complaining about it being 'homophobic', but I argue that it wasn't. Mr Humphries' campness was just his particular eccentricity, like mr. Lucas' womanising, mrs. Slocombe's desire to be thought middle-class, and captain Peacock's stiffness. There was absolutely no dislike or mockery of the man, and they all seemed to like and accept each other.

Shame we couldn't make shows like that today.

[Ednahilda]

22. So very sad

Our PBS station still runs "Are You Being Served?" every Saturday night and I wouldn't miss it. I'm sure I've seen all of the episodes several times each, but it's still funny. Our oldest son drops by on Wednesday evenings to watch it on DVD with me (he works on Saturdays), because I've got him hooked on it now.

So many of the BBC programs that are broadcast on PBS ("As Time Goes By", "Doc Martin", "Death in Paradise", "Sherlock", all of the Miss Marple mysteries, etc. etc.) are so much better than anything on US television. What's wrong with us?

[Gregorian]

23. Fondest memories.

[The Magistrate]

24. Sad To Hear, Sir: A Great Old Show, That Was

[MinneapolisMatt]

26. What a loss!

I love Are You Being Served and Last of the Summer Wine.

He's such a talent.

[Liberalynn]

27. RIP

That show was hysterical.

[House of Roberts]

28. Thanks for posting this.

One of the few good things Alabama Public TV did was the Saturday night Britcoms. Just this year they replaced them with Masterpiece Theatre.
Now I have to get my Brit fix from BBC America. I wish they would run British shows instead of Star Trek TNG.

[marble falls]

29. Here's some more Capt Peacock - remembering Mrs Slocum.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8130090.stm

[SoapBox]

30. RIP Captain Peacock

I love AYBS! It ran for years (in rerun) here in Los Angeles...a fun and wonderful show.

[SoapBox]

32. p.s. to my post...

Wikipedia has a pretty good page about the show at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_you_being_served%3F

Particularly fun is the Cast list!

It's very sad that so many are gone but it certainly makes me smile to remember the laughter they gave us.

[Behind the Aegis]

31. How very sad.

I loved this show! My mom and I used to watch it all the time and just laugh out loud.

RIP.

[dipsydoodle]

36. This how Wendy Richards got started back in 1962

When we dancing back in the day that was a stock expression : Come Outside.

[daleo]

34. Didn't known he was on the Goodies

Vaguely remember it as a funny show.