Richard Beckinsale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Beckinsale
Beckinsale as Lennie Godber
Born	Richard Arthur Beckinsale (1947-07-06)6 July 1947 Carlton, Nottinghamshire, England
Died	19 March 1979(1979-03-19) (aged 31) Sunningdale, Berkshire, England
Resting place	Mortlake Crematorium, Kew, London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1962–1979
Spouse(s)	Margaret Bradley ​ ​ (m. 1965; div. 1971)​ Judy Loe ​ (m. 1977)​
Children	Samantha Beckinsale Kate Beckinsale

Richard Arthur Beckinsale (born July 6, 1947 – died March 19, 1979) was a famous English actor. He was well-known for his roles in popular TV shows. He played Lennie Godber in the BBC comedy Porridge and its follow-up Going Straight. He also starred as Alan Moore in the ITV comedy Rising Damp. Richard Beckinsale is the father of actresses Samantha and Kate Beckinsale.

Early Life and Acting Start

Richard Beckinsale was born in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, England. He was the youngest of three children. His father was Anglo-Burmese, and his mother was English.

Richard loved acting from a young age. He performed in many school plays. When he was 15, he left school. He wanted to become a professional actor. However, he was too young for drama school. For a year, he worked in different jobs. He was an upholsterer's helper and a pipe inspector.

At 16, he joined Nottingham College. He studied to become a drama teacher. After two years, he tried out for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He got in on his second try. Only 31 people out of 12,500 were accepted. While at RADA, Richard won an award for comedy.

After graduating in 1968, he started working in repertory theatre. This meant he performed in many different plays. He acted in cities like Crewe, Hull, and London. He played famous roles like the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. He also played Hamlet in Shakespeare's play.

Television Career

Richard Beckinsale made his first TV appearance in 1969. He played a police officer in the show Coronation Street. He also had a small role in A Family at War.

The Lovers

Richard got his first main role in the sitcom The Lovers. He played Geoffrey from 1970 to 1971. He starred alongside Paula Wilcox. This show made both actors very popular. A movie version of The Lovers was also made in 1973.

Porridge

From 1974 to 1977, Richard starred in the BBC sitcom Porridge. He played Lennie Godber, a prison inmate. He acted alongside the famous Ronnie Barker. Richard was happy to get this role. He worried about only playing characters like Geoffrey from The Lovers.

Rising Damp

While working on Porridge, Richard also starred in another popular sitcom. This was Rising Damp on ITV. He played Alan Moore, a kind medical student. This show also ran from 1974 to 1977. Richard was the only main actor who hadn't been in the play that Rising Damp was based on.

Going Straight

In 1977, Porridge ended. Richard's character, Godber, was released from prison. Richard then starred with Ronnie Barker in Going Straight (1978). This show was a spin-off from Porridge. It showed the characters trying to live normal lives after prison. There were plans for more episodes, but they were stopped after Richard's death.

Bloomers

Richard's last TV comedy was Bloomers. He played Stan, an actor who works in a flower shop. This was the first sitcom where Richard had the main role. Five episodes were filmed before he passed away. They were shown in 1979.

Other Acting Work

Richard also appeared in a children's show called Elephant's Eggs in a Rhubarb Tree. He had a lead role in the TV film Detective Waiting in 1971. He also appeared in the movies Rentadick (1972) and Three for All (1975).

Richard also performed in a play called Funny Peculiar in London's West End. He was nominated for an award for his performance. He later starred in the musical I Love My Wife.

In 1977, Richard was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life. Many of his co-stars appeared to pay tribute to him. He also acted in a radio comedy series and an advertisement for Asda. His last completed work was the 1979 Porridge film.

After his death, a book of his poetry called "With Love" was published in 1980.

Personal Life

Richard Beckinsale was married twice. In 1965, he married Margaret Bradley. Their daughter, actress Samantha Beckinsale, was born in 1966. They later divorced in 1971. Richard reconnected with Samantha before his death.

Richard met actress Judy Loe in 1968. They had a daughter, actress Kate Beckinsale, born in 1973. They got married in 1977.

Richard enjoyed playing the guitar and singing. He also loved playing football. He often played in charity matches. He was a big fan of the Manchester United football team.

Richard was very popular and received a lot of fan mail. He enjoyed his comedy roles. However, he also wanted to play more serious characters as he got older.

Death

Richard Beckinsale was filming the sitcom Bloomers in late 1978. His co-stars noticed he seemed tired. He also mentioned feeling dizzy sometimes. He saw a doctor, but nothing serious was found.

In January 1979, Richard passed a full medical check-up for a film. His heart and lungs were fine. He then worked on the Porridge movie. He was also preparing for a new film called Bloody Kids.

A week before he died, Richard told his wife, Judy Loe, that he felt unwell. On Sunday, March 18, 1979, he worked on Bloomers. He then took his daughter Kate to visit Judy in the hospital. Later that day, he talked to his older daughter Samantha and made plans to see her. Before going to bed, he called some friends. He mentioned feeling unwell and having some pain in his chest and arms.

The next morning, March 19, Richard did not arrive for rehearsal. A friend staying at his house found he could not be woken up. It was confirmed that he had died during the night. The cause was a sudden heart attack. A medical examination showed he had a heart condition.

Richard's death was a great shock to many people. His co-stars and friends were very sad. They remembered him as a talented and kind actor.

Richard was cremated in a private service. A memorial service was held for him in London. Many actors and writers attended to pay their respects. A special plaque was placed in St Paul's Church in his honor.

Unfinished Work

At the time of his death, Richard had almost finished filming Bloomers. The five completed episodes were shown later that year.

There were also plans to make a movie version of Rising Damp. The film was made in 1980, but a different actor played a new character instead of Richard's role.

Richard was also working on the film Bloody Kids. This role was different for him. He played a tough detective. Some small parts of Richard's filming were shown in later TV documentaries about him.

Legacy and Tributes

Three days after Richard's death, Going Straight won a BAFTA award. Ronnie Barker, his co-star, gave a moving speech in tribute to Richard. Richard Beckinsale had starred in three different sitcoms that won the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy in three years in a row: Porridge (1977), Rising Damp (1978), and Going Straight (1979).

In 2000, a documentary called The Unforgettable Richard Beckinsale was shown on ITV. It included interviews with his family and co-stars. Ronnie Barker said that Richard was "so loved" and that there was "universal grief" when he died.

In 2007, Richard's life and career were discussed on the BBC Radio 4 series Great Lives. A book about him, The Richard Beckinsale Story, was published in 2008.

In 2013, a special blue plaque was put up at his old school in Chilwell. His daughters, Kate and Samantha, and other actors attended the ceremony.

Documentaries about Porridge and Rising Damp have also featured tributes to Richard. In 2018, a mural of Richard was painted in his hometown of Beeston.

His Rising Damp co-star, Frances de la Tour, said Richard was a "brilliant young actor." She said his comedy was "based on the truth," which made his acting believable and funny.

Filmography

Film

Television

Images for kids

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  Richard Beckinsale's memorial plaque in St Paul's in Covent Garden

See also

In Spanish: Richard Beckinsale para niños