Clive Swift

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox comedian Clive Walter Swift (9 February 1936 – 1 February 2019) was an English actor and songwriter. A classically trained actor, his stage work included performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but he was best known to television viewers for his role as Richard Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He played many other television and film roles.

Life and career

Swift was born in Liverpool on 9 February 1936,<ref name=barker/> the son of Abram Sampson Swift, who owned a furniture shop in Bootle, and Lily Rebecca, née Greenman.<ref name=obit>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Clive Swift profile, filmreference.com; accessed 12 October 2016.</ref> He was educated at Clifton College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge reading English literature. He was previously a teacher at LAMDA and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His family was Jewish.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He appeared as Snug in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1968 film production of A Midsummer Night's Dream as part of a cast that included Diana Rigg, Helen Mirren and Ian Richardson.<ref name="GUAR">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the 1970s, he appeared as Doctor Black in two of the BBC's M. R. James adaptations: The Stalls of Barchester and in A Warning to the Curious, as well as the BBC adaptation of The Barchester Chronicles.<ref name="GUAR" /> He is best known for his role on Keeping Up Appearances as Richard Bucket, the long-suffering husband of Hyacinth.<ref name="GUAR" /> Swift made two appearances in Doctor Who, in the 1985 story Revelation of the Daleks and the 2007 Christmas special. Around the time of his second appearance, he gave a "grumpy" interview to Doctor Who Magazine in which he bemoaned "not getting paid" to promote his episode, and belittled the show.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also played Sir Ector, the adoptive father of King Arthur in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur.<ref name="GUAR" />

In addition to acting, he was a songwriter. Many of his songs were included in his shows Richard Bucket Overflows: An Audience with Clive Swift, which toured the UK in 2007,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Clive Swift Entertains, in which he performed his own music and lyrics, which toured the UK in 2009.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also played the part of the Reverend Eustacius Brewer in Born and Bred, which aired on BBC One from 2002 to 2005.<ref name=barker>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His last performance was in an episode of Midsomer Murders in 2017, after which he retired.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life and death

Swift was married to novelist Margaret Drabble from 1960 until their divorce in 1975.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He was the father of one daughter, Rebecca (who died in April 2017), known for running The Literary Consultancy in London, and two sons, Adam Swift, an academic, and Joe Swift, a garden designer, journalist and television presenter.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Swift's elder brother, David, was also an actor.

Swift died at home on 1 February 2019, at the age of 82.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Paying tribute to Swift, fellow actor James Dreyfus said he "loved this extremely talented, subtle actor".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His Keeping Up Appearances co-star Patricia Routledge said: "Clive was a skillful and inventive actor with wide experience, as his successful career proved", and that she was very sad to hear of her former co-star's death.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1961	Johnny Nobody	Courtroom Official	Uncredited role
1965	Catch Us If You Can<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Duffie
1968	A Midsummer Night's Dream<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Snug
1972	Frenzy<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Johnny Porter
	Death Line<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Inspector Richardson
1973	The National Health<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Ash
	Man at the Top<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Massey
1978	The Sailor's Return<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Reverend Pottock
1981	Excalibur<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Ector
1984	Memed My Hawk<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Magistrate
	A Passage to India<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Major Callendar
1988	Young Toscanini<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Comparsa	Uncredited role
1990	Othello<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Brabantio	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1997	Gaston's War<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	General James
2003	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	AJ Johnson	AKA: Stealing Bess (video title)

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1961	Theatre Night	The King	Episode: "Ondine"
1963	Love Story	Mervyn	Series 1; episode 11: "Dome Grist from Mervyn's Mill"
	Compact	Mr. Perrett	Episode 172: "On the Run"
1965	Knock on Any Door	Arkwright	Series 1; episode 2: "The Knife"
1966	Armchair Theatre	The Camp Doctor	Series 6; episode 4: "The Sweet War Man"
	Public Eye	West	Series 2; episode 11: "There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth"
1968	All's Well That Ends Well	Captain Parolles, a follower of Bertram	Television film
	The Expert	Graham Richards	Series 1; episode 10: "He's Good for It"
1969	Dombey and Son	Major Bagstock	Mini-series; 7 episodes
	Canterbury Tales	The Pardoner's Tale First Rioter	Episode 4: "The Friar's Tale / The Pardoner's Tale"
	The Wednesday Play	Neil	Series 8; episode 18: "Birthday"
1970		Adjutant	Series 9; episode 16: "Mad Jack"
	Ryan International	Inspector Jenet	Episode 6: "Evidence of Murder"
	ITV Sunday Night Theatre	Max Fielder	Series 3; episode 5: "Roll on Four O'Clock"
1970–1971	Thirty-Minute Theatre	Inspector Waugh	Series 6 (Waugh on Crime); episodes 8–13
1971	The Misfit	Gerald	Series 2; episode 5: "On the New Establishment"
	A Ghost Story for Christmas	Dr. Black	Series 1; episode 1: "The Stalls of Barchester"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1972	The Liver Birds<ref name=mumford>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Jim Royle	Series 3; episode 4: "Birds on Strike"
	Villains	Mr. Clough	Episode 5: "Alice Sheree"
	Dead of Night<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Dan	Episode 1: "The Exorcism"
	A Ghost Story for Christmas	Dr. Black	Series 2; episode 1: "A Warning to the Curious"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1973	The Moon Shines Bright on Charlie Chaplin	Captain	Television film
	The Pearcross Girls	Frank Pledger	Episode 1: "Sweet Julia"
	The Frighteners	James Machen	Episode 11: "The Classroom"
1974	South Riding	Alfred E. Higgins	Mini-series; 9 episodes
1975	BBC2 Playhouse	Robbie	Series 2; episode 1: "The Breakthrough"
	Whodunnit?	Commander Blade	Series 3; episode 7: "Too Many Cooks"
	Willow Cabins	Matthew	Television film
	Play for Today	Savory	Series 5; episode 14: "Goodbye"
1976		Air Steward	Series 7; episode 7: "Buffet"
	The Brothers	Griffith Trevelyan	Series 6; episodes 6 & 7: "Tender" & "The Mole"
	Goodbye America	Lord North, the Prime Minister	Television film
	Clayhanger	Albert Benbow	Recurring role. 10 episodes
	Romeo and Juliet<ref name=barker/>	Friar Lawrence	Television film. Also shown across 8 episodes of The English Programme in 1978
	Victorian Scandals	William Hepworth-Dixon	Episode 7: "Beloved"
	Beasts	'Bunny' Nettleton	Mini-series; episode 6: "The Dummy"
1977	The Game	Edmund Whitworth	Television film
	BBC2 Play of the Week	Frank	Series 1; episode 7: "The Kitchen"
1978		Adamson	Series 1; episode 12: "Foreign Affairs"
	1990	Tony Doran	Series 2; episodes 1, 2 & 4
	Jackanory Playhouse	Professor Marvel	Series 6; episode 4: "Big Pete, Little Pete"
	Send in the Girls	Mr. Fenton	Episode 7: "Goosepimples"
	Shadows	Devine	Series 3; episode 3: "And Now for My Next Trick..."
	Bless Me, Father<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Fred Dobie	Series 1; episode 5: "Father and Mother"
	A Horseman Riding By	Watkins	Episode 6: "1905: The Hollow Victory"
1979	Hazell	Neville Fitch	Series 2; episode 1: "Hazell and the Baker Street Sleuth"
	A Family Affair	Sir Charles Byford	Mini-series; episode 10: "Finding the Words..."
	The First Part of King Henry the Forth<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester	Television film
	BBC2 Playhouse	Alec Thorne	Series 6; episode 5: "Home Movies"
1980		Director of Austrian State Radio	Series 6; episode 25: "An Ordered Life"
	The Nesbitts Are Coming	Ernie Nesbitt	Episodes 1–6
	Cribb	Dr. Probert	Series 1; episode 8: "A Case of Spirits"
	Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde	Hastie Lanyon	Television film
1981	BBC2 Playhouse	Aaron Green	Series 7; episode 18: "The Potsdam Quartet"
	Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Sir Horace Wilson	Mini-series; episodes 7 & 8
1982	Tales of the Unexpected<ref name=barker/>	Latham	Series 5; episode 5 "Stranger in Town"
	The Gentle Touch	Dalziel	Series 4; episode 1: "Right of Entry"
	Praying Mantis	Dr. Faure	Television film
	The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim	Lord Davenport	Episode 5: "Eckersley Revisited"
	The Barchester Chronicles<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Dr. Proudie	Mini-series; episodes 3–7
1983	Martin Luther, Heretic	Johann Tetzel	Television films
	Events in a Museum	Mr. Sloane
1984	Pericles, Prince of Tyre	Lord Cerimon
1985	The Pickwick Papers<ref name=tvguide/>	Tracy Tupman	Episodes 1–12
	Doctor Who	Professor Jobel	Series 22; episodes 12 & 13: "Revelation of the Daleks: Parts 1 & 2"<ref name=tvguide/>
	Black Silk	Oliver Hollingsworth	Episode 3: "Barrister on Trial"
	What Mad Pursuit?	Bonwit Steinhauser	Television film
1986	ScreenPlay	James	Series 1; episode 1: "All Together Now"
	First Among Equals<ref name=barker/>	Alec Pimkin	Mini-series; episodes 1–10
1987	Pack of Lies<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Ellis	Television film
	Inspector Morse<ref name=tvguide/>	Dr. Bartlett	Series 1; episode 2: "The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn"
	Cause célèbre	R.P. Croom Johnson K.C.	Television film
1988	A Very Peculiar Practice	Prof. Piers Platt	Series 2; episode 2: "Art and Illusion"
	The Ray Bradbury Theater	St. John Court	Season 2; episode 9: "The Coffin"
	Les Girls	Mr. Tobler	Episode 2: "Spanners"
	Double First	Mr. Swift	Episodes 3 & 4
	Minder	Chisholm's Director	Series 7; episode: "An Officer and a Car Salesman"
	Journey's End<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Captain Hardy	Television film
1989	Laura and Disorder	Barry Page	Episode 6: "The Metal Detector"
	Storyboard	Hewes	Series 4; episode 4: "Hunted Down"
	Gentlemen and Players	Sammy	Series 2; episode 6: "Another Square Mile"
	Hard Cases	Judge	Series 2; episode 5
	British Telecom	Cyril (Beatie's brother-in-law in Australia)	Television advertisement<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
1990	The Return of Shelley	Robson	Series 2; episode 12: "A Problem Aired"
	Theatre Night	Brabantio / Gratiano	Series 5; episode 1: "Othello"
	This Is David Harper	Parapope Joshua	Episode 6: "Born Again Testerday"
1990–1995	Keeping Up Appearances<ref name=tvguide/>	Richard Bucket	Main role. Series 1–5; 44 episodes
1991	The War That Never Ends	Athenagoras	Television film
1992	Boon	Charles Hastings	Series 7; episode 2: "Queen's Gambit"
1993	Noel's House Party	Richard Bucket	Series 3; episode 2
	Heartbeat<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Victor Kellerman	Series 3; episode 4: "Going Home"
1994	Woof!	Alex Pardoe	Series 7; episode 3: "Doggy Business"
1997	The Famous Five<ref name=tvguide>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Mr. Pottersham	Series 2; episodes 7 & 8: "Five Have a Wonderful Time: Parts 1 & 2"
	The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket	Richard Bucket	Television film (archive footage only)
1998	Peak Practice<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Norman Shorthose	Recurring role. Series 6; 10 episodes
1999	Aristocrats<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	King George II	Mini-series; episodes 1–3
2002	Young Arthur	Illtud	Television film. Pilot for cancelled series
2002–2005	Born and Bred<ref name=tvguide/>	Reverend Eustacius Brewer	Series 1–4; 36 episodes
2007	Doctor Who	Mr. Copper	Series 4; Christmas Special episode: "Voyage of the Damned"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Keeping Up Appearances: Life Lessons from Onslow	Richard Bucket	Television film (archive footage only)
2009–2010	The Old Guys<ref name=tvguide/><ref name=barker/>	Roy	Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes
2010	Little Crackers	Real Father Christmas	Series 1; episode 2: "Chris O'Dowd's Little Cracker: Capturing Santa"
2011	Hustle<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Yusef	Series 7; episode 6: "The Delivery"
2014	Cuckoo<ref name=barker/>	Dr. Rafferty	Series 2; episode 4: "Funeral"
2015	Rosamunde Pilcher	Edward Whiteley	Episode: "Valentine's Kiss"<ref>https://letterboxd.com/film/rosamunde-pilcher-fighting-for-her-family/</ref>
	SunTrap	Colin	Episode 2: "In the Line of Fire"
2017	Midsomer Murders<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Felix Hope	Series 19; episode 2: "Crime and Punishment" (final appearance)

Radio

• "Vivat Rex" as Lord Talbot in "Henry VI" by William Shakespeare, in episodes 15–16, BBC (1977)
• Souvenirs of Chabrier - five-part series on the life and music of Emmanuel Chabrier, with Swift as the composer (1981)<ref>Souvenirs of Chabrier BBC Radio 3 (From Radio Times) accessed 21 December 2024.</ref>
• Measure for Measure as Escalus (2004)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Oblomov as the Doctor (2005)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• The Right Time (2008)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities as Nash (2011)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• The Price of Fear – Remains to be Seen as Fred Treiber (2012)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Stage

• Cymbeline (1962) as Cloten<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• The Physicists (1963) as Inspector Richard Voss (Aldwych Theatre)<ref name=barker/>
• The Tempest (1966) as Caliban (Prospect Theatre Company)<ref name=filmref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

External links

• Clive Swift at the British Film Institute
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 842578

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• Obituary at Bbc.co.uk