An enigmatic and much loved comedy actor Arthur Mullard carved a unique niche for himself in a host of British comedy films and tv shows. The sterotype Cockney he was born in Islington, North London where he was known by locals as 'The Dook of Islington'. He left school at 14 to work as a butcher's boy. At 18 he joined the Army and became his regiment's boxing champion. After leaving the Forces he became a professional boxer for a brief period. After World War Two he took up acting, mainly as a stuntman working at Pinewood and Ealing Studios in their heyday. He then graduated to small parts in classic comedy films and on television he began to be in great demand as a straight man to a range of comics including Frankie Howerd, Spike Milligan, Tony Hancock, Tommy Cooper and Arthur Askey. In 1962 he scored a critical success in Sparrows Can't Sing with Barbara Windsor. He achieved stardom on television in the series Romany Jones which attracted more than 8 million viewers. He was regularly cast as a guest star on many other tv shows and once quipped "If the tv bosses are stuck they'll say 'Let's put Arfur on, but not too much or he'll steal the bleedin' show!'"
His wife Flo committed suicide by a sleeping pill overdose.
The tragedy of my life is, I was born 20 years too early.
Drilling troops and just being in the Army was like acting to me. It was,all an act.
