Ian Lavender facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ian Lavender
Lavender in Hayfield, Derbyshire, to unveil a plaque to Arthur Lowe in 2011
Born	Arthur Ian Lavender (1946-02-16)16 February 1946 Birmingham, England
Died	2 February 2024(2024-02-02) (aged 77)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1967–2024
Spouse(s)	Suzanne Kerchiss ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1976)​ Miki Hardy ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	2

Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946 – died 2 February 2024) was an English actor. He was famous for his roles in plays, films, and TV shows. Ian Lavender was best known for playing Private Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army. He was the last main actor from the show to pass away.

Early Life and Acting Start

Growing Up in Birmingham

Ian Lavender was born in Birmingham, England. He went to Bournville Boys Technical School. There, he often acted in school plays.

Training to Be an Actor

After school, Ian went to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He received help from the City of Birmingham to attend. He finished his training in 1967. His first stage role was in Canterbury.

Acting Career Highlights

First TV Appearances

Ian Lavender first appeared on television in 1968. He played the main character in a play called Half Hour Story: Flowers at my Feet.

Starring in Dad's Army

In 1968, when he was 22, Ian got a big role. He was cast as Private Frank Pike in Dad's Army. This was a popular BBC comedy series. Private Pike was the youngest member of the Home Guard platoon. His character was often called a "stupid boy" by Captain Mainwaring. This role made Ian Lavender a household name. It also helped him learn from experienced actors. He appeared in every episode of the series. He was also in the 1971 spinoff film.

Continuing the Dad's Army Legacy

Ian Lavender stayed connected to Dad's Army for many years. He attended fan events and cast reunions. In 2008, he took part in events for the show's 40th anniversary. He appeared on a BBC show called Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army. He also recorded an introduction for a "lost" episode. This episode was called "Room at the Bottom". In 2014, he performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His show was called Don't tell him, Pike!. In it, he shared stories about his time on Dad's Army. He also talked about how the show affected his career. In 2016, he had a small role in the new Dad's Army film. He played Brigadier Pritchard. This linked the new film to the original series.

Other TV Shows and Films

After Dad's Army, Ian Lavender worked in theatre again. He acted in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. From 1971 to 1973, he was in a BBC radio comedy. It was called Parsley Sidings. This show was about a rural railway station. He also appeared in films and TV series. In 1977, he starred in Mr Big. He was also in a Carry On film called Carry On Behind in 1975.

He worked with producer David Croft again. This was for the TV series Come Back Mrs. Noah (1977–78). Ian also appeared in other TV comedies in the 1980s. He was in two episodes of Yes Minister. He played Richard Cartwright. He also had a main role in The Hello Goodbye Man (1984). He played Denis Ailing, a clumsy salesman. In the 1990s, he continued to appear in TV comedies. He had a small part in Keeping Up Appearances. He also played two different versions of a character in Goodnight Sweetheart. He was the voice of PC Pinkerton in a children's animation in 1988.

Later Career and EastEnders

In 2001, Ian Lavender joined the BBC soap opera EastEnders. He played Derek Harkinson, a gay friend of Pauline Fowler. He stayed on the show for four years. His storylines mostly involved the Fowler family. He left in 2005 but returned briefly in 2016.

Ian also toured with The Rocky Horror Show musical. He played the Narrator. He appeared in an episode of Casualty in 2007. In late 2007, he toured in the play Donkey's Years. In 2008, he was on Celebrity Mastermind. Another contestant, Rick Wakeman, famously shouted "Don't tell him, Pike!" This was a funny reference to Dad's Army. In 2009, he was a guest on the CBBC sitcom The Legend of Dick and Dom. He also starred in the film 31 North 62 East.

In 2009, Ian appeared in the musical Sister Act the Musical in London. In 2011, he introduced a silent film. It was Sherlock Jr. by Buster Keaton. In 2013, he performed in the opera The Mikado. He also made his Edinburgh Fringe debut. This was in a stage version of The Shawshank Redemption. In 2015, he received an "Oldie of the Year Award". He gave a reading at a VE Day celebration in London.

In 2017, Ian filmed a reality show called A Celebrity Taste Of Italy. During filming, he became very ill with sepsis. He recovered in an Italian hospital. In 2019, he appeared in a radio series. It was called Talking Taboos. His piece was about mental health.

Personal Life

Ian Lavender was married twice. His first wife was Suzanne Kerchiss. He married his second wife, Miki Hardy, in 1993. This was shortly after he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He said that the cancer made him see what was important in life. He had successful surgery for the cancer. Ian also survived a heart attack in 2004. He was colourblind.

Ian supported the football team Aston Villa. When filming Dad's Army, he chose Pike's scarf. He picked a claret and blue scarf. These are the colours of Aston Villa, reminding him of his home city. He was also a big cricket fan. In 2015, he received a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars. Ian Lavender passed away on 2 February 2024.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Radio Roles

• Rookery Nook, BBC Radio 4, Saturday Night Theatre, Saturday 24 August 1985 - Gerald Popkiss