John Inman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Inman
Inman as Mr. Humphries in Are You Being Served?
Born	Frederick John Inman (1935-06-28)28 June 1935 Preston, Lancashire, England
Died	8 March 2007(2007-03-08) (aged 71) Paddington, London, England
Nationality	British
Education	Claridge House
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1948–2004
Television	Odd Man Out Are You Being Served? Take a Letter, Mr. Jones Grace & Favour
Partner(s)	Ron Lynch (1972–2007)

Frederick John Inman (born 28 June 1935 – died 8 March 2007) was an English actor and singer. He is best known for playing Mr. Humphries in the popular British TV show Are You Being Served?. This comedy show was on TV from 1972 to 1985. John Inman was the only actor from the original show to also appear in the Australian version.

In 1976, John Inman was named BBC TV Personality of the Year. TV Times readers also voted him the Funniest Man on Television. He was also famous for playing a pantomime dame in theatre shows across the United Kingdom.

John Inman's Early Life and Education

John Inman was born in June 1935 in Preston, Lancashire, England. When he was 12, he moved with his parents to Blackpool. His mother ran a boarding house there, and his father owned a hairdressing business. As a child, John enjoyed dressmaking. He went to school at Cambridge House in Preston, and then a secondary modern school.

John always dreamed of becoming an actor. His parents helped him by paying for elocution lessons. These lessons helped him learn to speak clearly for the stage.

First Steps in Acting

At 13, John Inman performed on stage for the first time. This was at the Pavilion on Blackpool's South Pier. The play was called Freda. When he was 15, he got a job at the pier. He made tea, cleaned up, and played small parts in plays.

After leaving school, John worked for two years at Fox's. This was a shop in Blackpool that sold men's clothes. He was very good at window dressing, making the shop windows look appealing. At 17, he moved to London to work for a clothing store called Austin Reed. Four years later, he left Austin Reed. He became a scenic artist for a touring theatre company. This job helped him get his Equity Card. This card was needed at the time to be a professional actor.

John Inman's Theatre Career

John Inman made his first appearance in London's West End in the 1960s. He was in a play called Ann Veronica at the Cambridge Theatre. He also appeared in other plays like What a Racket and How Now Brown Cow. By 1975, he was so famous from TV that he starred in Let's Get Laid at London's Windmill Theatre. That same year, he was in Salad Days and later Charley's Aunt in 1979.

Pantomime Performances

During the 1960s, John Inman became well-known for playing the Ugly Sister in pantomime shows. He often performed with Barry Howard. Later, he became one of the country's most loved dames. He played these roles in popular pantomimes such as Mother Goose, Babes in the Wood, Aladdin, and Jack and the Beanstalk.

His other stage shows included many summer performances. He also had his own show called Fancy Free. He appeared in plays like Pyjama Tops, My Fat Friend, and Bedside Manners.

John Inman's Television and Film Career

John Inman first appeared on television in 1965 in a comedy show called A Slight Case Of.... In 1966, he was in two episodes of the BBC show Hugh and I. In 1970, he acted in one episode of the ITV comedy Two in Clover.

Becoming Mr. Humphries

In 1972, TV producer David Croft asked John Inman to be in a pilot episode for a new comedy show. The show was called Are You Being Served?. It was set in a department store and was written by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. The story was based on Jeremy Lloyd's own experiences working in a store.

John Inman played a small role at first, but he was soon asked to make his character more lively and unique. The pilot show was shown in September 1972. The first full series started in early 1973. At first, it didn't get much attention, but later repeats became very popular.

John Inman played Mr Wilberforce Claybourne Humphries. He was a sales assistant in the menswear department. John's earlier job in clothes retail helped him play this role well. He created a special walk and a famous high-pitched catchphrase: "I'm free!" This phrase quickly became very popular.

John Inman continued to perform in live shows even after becoming famous as Mr. Humphries. He often used some of Mr. Humphries' unique ways of speaking and moving in his other performances too. He once said that if he didn't, the audience would be disappointed.

Are You Being Served? ran for 10 series until 1985. At its most popular in 1979, it had 22 million viewers in Britain. John Inman's portrayal of Mr. Humphries made him a household name. The show also became popular in the United States.

Music and Other TV Shows

Between 1975 and 1977, John Inman released five songs. His song "Are You Being Served, Sir?" reached number 39 in the UK music charts. He also released an album with the same name, and two more albums: I'm Free in 1977 and With a Bit of Brass in 1978. His song "Teddy Bears' Picnic" was often played on the BBC Radio 1/2 children's show Ed Stewart's Junior Choice.

From 1980 to 1981, John Inman also played Mr. Humphries in the Australian version of Are You Being Served?. He was the only actor from the original British show to do this. He also appeared many times on the BBC TV show, The Good Old Days.

Film Roles and Later Appearances

During the 13 years that Are You Being Served? was on TV, John Inman also appeared in the 1977 film based on the series. In the film, the characters go on holiday to a made-up Spanish resort.

John Inman starred in his own comedy show called Odd Man Out (1977). In this show, he played the owner of a fish and chip shop who inherits half of a candy factory. He also starred in Take a Letter, Mr. Jones (1981). In this comedy, he played Graham Jones, who was a secretary to Joan Warner, played by Rula Lenska.

He had a small role in the film The Tall Guy (1989). He was also one of five actors from Are You Being Served? to return for the comedy show Grace & Favour (also known as Are You Being Served? Again! in the United States). This show had twelve episodes in 1992 and 1993. John Inman had a small part in the film Shakespeare in Love (1998) and appeared in a Christmas special of French and Saunders in 1999. He played Father Chinwag in the film The Mumbo Jumbo (2000).

Later Years and Health

In his later years, John Inman toured Australia. He starred in shows like Bedside Manners (2003) and a stage version of Are You Being Served? (2001) in Brisbane. In 2004, he made more TV appearances in shows like Doctors and Revolver.

He lived in a house in Little Venice in central London for 30 years. On 23 December 2005, John Inman entered into a civil partnership with his partner of 33 years, Ron Lynch.

John Inman had some health problems in his later years. He was in the hospital with bronchitis in 1993. He also collapsed on stage in 1995. In 2001, he had trouble breathing and spent three days in intensive care at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

In December 2004, John Inman had to cancel a pantomime show. He had an infection called hepatitis A, which he got from contaminated food.

John Inman passed away on 8 March 2007, at the age of 71. He died from an infection at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. His body was cremated after a funeral on 23 March 2007. John Inman left most of his money, worth over £2.8 million, to his civil partner Ron Lynch.

Filmography