View source for Arthur Lowe

{{Short description|English actor (1915–1982)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Arthur Lowe
| image              = Arthur Lowe.jpg
| caption            = Lowe as Captain Mainwaring in ''[[Dad's Army]]''
| birth_date         = {{Birth date|df=yes|1915|09|22}}
| birth_place        = [[Hayfield, Derbyshire]], England<ref>GRO Register of Births: DEC 1915 7b 1413 HAYFIELD&nbsp;– Arthur Lowe, mmn = Ford</ref>
| death_date         = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1982|04|15|1915|09|22}}
| death_place        = [[Birmingham]], England<ref>GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 1982 32 0628 BIRMINGHAM&nbsp;– Arthur Lowe, DoB = 22 September 1915</ref>
| resting_place      = Sutton Coldfield Crematorium, Birmingham, England
| occupation         = Actor
| years_active       = 1945–1982
| known_for = ''[[Coronation Street]]''<br>''[[Dad's Army]]''
| spouse             = {{marriage|[[Joan Cooper]]|1948}}<ref name="ReferenceA">GRO Register of Marriages: MAR 1948 5d 800 MARYLEBONE&nbsp;– Arthur Lowe = Gatehouse or Cooper</ref>
| children           = 1
| module             = {{Infobox military person
   |embed        = yes
   |allegiance   = United Kingdom
   |branch       = [[British Army]] [[Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]]
   |serviceyears = 1939–1945
   |rank         = [[Sergeant Major]]
   |battles      = [[Second World War]]
  }}
}}

'''Arthur Lowe''' (22 September 1915&nbsp;– 15 April 1982) was an English actor. His acting career spanned 37 years, including starring roles in numerous theatre and television productions. He played [[Captain Mainwaring]] in the [[British sitcom]] ''[[Dad's Army]]'' from 1968 until 1977, was nominated for seven [[BAFTA]]s and became one of the most recognised faces on UK television. He won his only BAFTA, the [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role]], for his performance in ''[[O Lucky Man!]]'' (1973).

Lowe began acting professionally in England in 1945, after army service in the [[Second World War]]. He worked in theatre, film and television throughout the 1950s but it was not until he landed the part of [[Leonard Swindley]] in the television soap ''[[Coronation Street]]'' in 1960 that he came to national attention. He played the character until 1965, while continuing theatre and other acting work.

In 1968, he took on his role in ''Dad's Army'', written by [[Jimmy Perry]] and [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]. The profile he gained from the role led to further character roles. Despite increasingly poor health in his final years, he maintained a busy professional schedule until his death from a stroke on 15 April 1982, aged 66.

==Early life==
Lowe was born on 22 September 1915 in [[Hayfield, Derbyshire]], the only child of Arthur Lowe and his wife, Nan ({{nee}} Mary Annie Ford). Lowe's father, a tall man known as "Big Arthur", worked for the [[Great Central Railway]], which was absorbed into the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] in 1923.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=3}} In 1916, Big Arthur took up a job as clerk at [[Manchester Piccadilly station|London Road Station, Manchester]], shortly before being called up for [[First World War]] service. The family rented a house in Hemmons Road, in the Manchester suburb of [[Levenshulme]],{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=6}} where Little Arthur (as he was known) attended Chapel Street School.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=2}}{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=11}} From about 1927 he went to Alma Park School,{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=24}}{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=6}} where one of his first stage performances was in a school production of ''The Grand Cham's Diamond'' in December 1929.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=6}}

Lowe's intention to join the [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|Merchant Navy]] was thwarted by his poor eyesight. His first job after leaving school was as a [[barrow boy]] for the Manchester branch of motor accessory company Brown Brothers. After progressing to the role of clerk within the firm{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=17–18}} he took up a job at the aircraft factory of the [[Fairey Aviation Company]] in 1936. He described his job of progress chaser as "a sort of time and motion man chivvying the fellows along and seeing that they produced a certain amount of work each day". He also had to check that the parts for building the planes were where they needed to be on the production line.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=22}}

==War service==
In February 1939, Lowe joined the [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]], which meant several months later he was among the first men called up to serve in the [[Second World War]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=22}} He served with the [[Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry]]. Initially training with horses, the regiment soon became a mechanised unit of the [[Royal Artillery]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=27}} Lowe was medically regraded due to his poor eyesight and after training in wireless and as a [[radar]] technician transferred to the [[Royal Army Ordnance Corps]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=31–32}} After working on searchlights in [[Lincolnshire]] he was sent out to Egypt in 1942, where he soon transferred to the [[Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=32}}<ref name="Oliver">John Oliver [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/523136/index.html "Lowe, Arthur (1915–1982)"], BFI Screenonline</ref> He was a good horseman and learned to speak Arabic.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=36}} After a period in the Suez Canal Zone he was stationed at the REME's 15th Radio Repair Workshops at [[Rafah]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=36}}

Lowe soon found outlets for developing his talents in entertainment. He was known among the troopers for his impressions of officers and crooners, and when radio equipment was stolen, he read the [[BBC News]] over his camp's PA system.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=26, 36}} In January 1943 he called a meeting to form an amateur dramatics group, the REME No. 1 Welfare Club Dramatic Society.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=37}} "It was sheer bloody boredom that did it", he said later, "and after that I was hooked".{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=36}} He took his first appearance on stage in ''[[The Monkey's Paw]]'' on 8 February 1943 and continued both to organise and act in plays, as well as a Christmas revue.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=37–38}} His efforts led to a posting with the No. 2 Field Entertainment Unit, promoted to the rank of sergeant major. In this role he helped outlying units to produce their own shows. He assisted [[Martin Benson (actor)|Martin Benson]] in establishing the Mercury Theatre in [[Alexandria]], including in production and management, but not as an actor.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=42–44, 47}}

Following the end of the war, Lowe returned to Britain in November 1945, although he was not officially demobbed until March 1946.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=47–49}}

==Acting career==
===Early career===
In 1945, Lowe's father was organising special railway trips and excursions, including private trains for circuses and theatre companies.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=49}} He arranged an audition for Lowe with Eric Norman for the Frank H. Fortescue Famous Players repertory company. Lowe was immediately offered a trial in the comedy play ''Bedtime Story'', in which he took the part of Dickson. In this role he made his professional acting debut at the [[Hulme Hippodrome|Manchester Repertory Theatre]] on 17 December 1945.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=50}} He was paid £5 per week for twice-nightly performances.<ref name="TV Times">"Arthur Lowe&nbsp;– The Proud Father", ''TV Times'', 14–20 October 1978</ref> In eight months with Fortescue's he appeared in 33 plays and gave 396 performances.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=61}}

During this time Lowe began a romantic relationship with [[Joan Cooper]] (1922–1989), a married actress in the company whose husband also began an affair at about the same time.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=62–63, 73}} Arthur and Joan were engaged in June 1946 and lived together from August. After Joan's divorce came through they married at a registry office in Robert Adam Street, The Strand, London, on 10 January 1948.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=72}}<ref name="ReferenceA">GRO Register of Marriages: MAR 1948 5d 800 MARYLEBONE&nbsp;– Arthur Lowe = Gatehouse or Cooper</ref> Joan had a son, David Gatehouse, from her first marriage.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=58}} Another son, Stephen Lowe, was born on 23 January 1953.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=93}} The couple remained together until Lowe's death.

Lowe worked with [[repertory]] companies around the country. After a year at the County Theatre, [[Hereford]], 1946–1947, he moved to London in 1948{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=64}} and for the next three years mostly worked in South London theatres.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=72–73}} An early brief film role was as a reporter for the ''[[Tit-Bits]]'' magazine, near the end of the [[Ealing Studios]] dark comedy classic ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]'' (1949). His first [[West End theatre|West End]] role came in 1950, as Wilson the butler in Guy Bolton's ''Larger Than Life''.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=82}} Lowe became known for his character roles, which in 1952 included a breakthrough part as Senator Brockbank in the musical ''[[Call Me Madam]]'' at the [[London Coliseum]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=91}} Other roles in musicals included a part in the 1954 London revival of ''[[Pal Joey (musical)|Pal Joey]]'' and eighteen months as the salesman in the first West End production of ''[[The Pajama Game]]'', from 1955 to 1957.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=95–96}} His name first appeared in lights in 1957, at the Piccadilly Theatre, with the part of Bert Vokes in the murder melodrama ''[[A Dead Secret]]''. This also brought his first West End reviews.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=100}}

Lowe first appeared on television in 1951, in an episode of the BBC series ''I Made News''.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=52}} He would work in television every year afterwards, until his death.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|pp=201–208}} 1950s roles included various minor parts in dramas, including the crime series ''[[Murder Bag (TV series)|Murder Bag]]''. He played the role of the gunsmith in ''[[Leave It to Todhunter]]'' (1958), appeared in the comedy series ''[[Time Out for Peggy]]'',{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=203}} and played a fussy, nervous character in an episode of ''[[Dial 999 (TV series)|Dial 999]]''. His first regular television part was as ship steward Sydney Barker in the ABC-TV series ''All Aboard'' (1958–1959).{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=111}}

In 1960 Lowe took up a regular role as draper and lay preacher [[Leonard Swindley]] in the [[Northern England|northern]] [[soap opera]] ''[[Coronation Street]]'', in which he appeared until 1965. He negotiated a contract through which he only had to work six months of the year, three months on and three months off.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=123}} During the months he was not playing Swindley, he remained busy on stage or making one-off guest appearances in other TV series such as ''[[Z-Cars]]'' (1962) and ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (1967) (episode entitled "Dead Man's Treasure"). His most acclaimed stage roles during this period included pompous north-country alderman Michael Oglethorpe in Henry Livings's ''Stop It, Whoever You Are'' at the [[Arts Theatre]] (1961),{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=124–125}} and Sir Davey Dunce in ''The Soldier's Fortune'' at the [[Royal Court Theatre]] (1966).{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=149–150}}

Lowe did not relish work on ''Coronation Street'' and was happy to give it up,{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=141}} but viewer responses to his character led to him reprising Swindley for starring roles in the spin-off series ''[[Pardon the Expression]]'' (1966) and its sequel ''[[Turn Out the Lights (TV series)|Turn Out the Lights]]'' (1967).

===Stardom===
In 1968, Lowe was cast in his best remembered role, as [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)|Home Guard]] platoon leader [[Captain Mainwaring]] in the BBC sitcom ''[[Dad's Army]]'' (1968–1977). Some colleagues on the show later remarked that the role resembled him: pompous and bumbling. [[Frank Williams (actor)|Frank Williams]] said he felt this perception was unfair: "He certainly didn't suffer fools gladly and always knew his own mind, but he also had an ability to laugh at himself. Personally, I found him to be a most kind and generous man".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1459031/Dads-Army-Frank-Williams-comedy-vicar-captain-mainwaring-corporal-jones| title=Dad's Army star Frank Williams on life after the show that made him famous|access-date=11 July 2021 | work=Daily Express| first=Richard| last=Webber| date=6 July 2021}}</ref> David Croft said Lowe had to be treated with kid gloves. He had firm ideas on what he was willing to do and never took his script home, which resulted in uncertainty over his lines.<ref name="Croft EADT">{{cite news| url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/things-to-do/scriptwriter-david-croft-talks-about-the-birth-of-dad-s-2466678| title=Reliving the birth of TV classic Dad's Army with scriptwriter David Croft|access-date=5 September 2021 | work=East Anglian Daily Times| first=Andrew| last=Clarke| date=23 June 2018}}</ref> He could be pompous and over time his part was written so there was a blurring of the line between actor and character.<ref name="Croft EADT"/> An oddity of his contract was that he would never have to remove his trousers.<ref name="Independent">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/dads-army-the-story-of-a-classic-television-show-by-graham-mccann-747678.html |title=Dad's Army: the story of a classic television show by Graham McCann |last=Sale |first=Jonathan |date=15 November 2000 |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent.co.uk |access-date=20 September 2010 |location=London |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308123940/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/dads-army-the-story-of-a-classic-television-show-by-graham-mccann-747678.html |archive-date=8 March 2010 }}</ref>

Lowe held [[Conservative Party (UK)|conservative]] political views and disapproved of the [[left-wing politics]] of his co-star [[Clive Dunn]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=183}} Dunn, in turn, described some of Lowe's opinions as outrageous, but as an actor rated him "ten out of ten in his field". Despite some tensions, Jimmy Perry described the cast as a "marvellous bunch of pros" with "no sort of volatile animosity between anybody".{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=183}} He rarely made public political statements, but his face appeared on posters and other advertising in support of the "Voting Yes" campaign for the [[1975 United Kingdom European Communities membership referendum]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://flashbak.com/ephemera-from-the-1975-european-referendum-63088/ |title=Ephemera from the 1975 European Referendum |website=flashbak.com |date=23 June 2016 |access-date=17 October 2021}}</ref> He also appeared at a [[Conservative Party (United Kingdom)|Conservative Party]] fundraiser in [[Edward Heath]]'s constituency.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=256}}

Lowe also played Mainwaring in a radio version of ''Dad's Army'', a stage play and a [[Dad's Army (1971 film)|feature-length film]] released in 1971. He played Mainwaring's drunken brother [[Barry Mainwaring]], in the series' 1975 Christmas episode "[[My Brother and I]]".

While ''Dad's Army'' was not in production, Lowe's work continued to include stage roles. In 1968, he was invited by Sir [[Laurence Olivier]] to join the [[Royal National Theatre|National Theatre]] at the [[Old Vic]], to play divorce solicitor A.B. Raham in [[Somerset Maugham]]'s ''Home and Beauty''.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=198–198}} He returned to the company in 1974 to play Stephano in [[Peter Hall (director)|Peter Hall]]'s production of ''[[The Tempest]]'', starring Sir [[John Gielgud]]. In the same year he appeared as Ben Jonson alongside Gielgud's Shakespeare in Edward Bond's ''[[Bingo (play)|Bingo]]'' at the [[Royal Court Theatre]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=224–226}}

Lowe also had prominent parts in several films directed by [[Lindsay Anderson]], including ''[[if....]]'' (1968) and ''[[O Lucky Man!]]'' (1973), for which he won a BAFTA for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His other film parts during this period included [[Spike Milligan]]'s surreal ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]'' (1969), in which he mutates into a parrot. He played a drunken butler in ''[[The Ruling Class (film)|The Ruling Class]]'' (1972) with [[Peter O'Toole]], and theatre critic Horace Sprout in the horror film ''[[Theatre of Blood]]'' (1973), in which the character is murdered by a deranged actor played by [[Vincent Price]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=218}}

On television, Lowe appeared twice as a guest performer on ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968–1977)|The Morecambe and Wise Show]]'' (1971 and 1977), alongside [[Richard Briers]] in a [[Ben Travers' Farces|series of Ben Travers farces]] for the [[BBC]], as the pompous Dr Maxwell in the ITV comedy ''[[Doctor at Large (TV series)|Doctor at Large]]'' (1971) and as Redvers Bodkin, a snooty, old-fashioned butler, in the short-lived sitcom ''[[The Last of the Baskets]]'' (1971–72). Between 1971 and 1973 Lowe joined ''Dad's Army'' colleague [[Ian Lavender]], on the BBC radio comedy ''[[Parsley Sidings]]'' and he played [[Wilkins Micawber|Mr Micawber]] in a BBC television serial of ''[[David Copperfield (1974 TV serial)|David Copperfield]]'' (1974). He employed a multitude of voices on the BBC animated television series ''[[Mr. Men]]'' (1974), in which he was the narrator.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6557177.stm "Mr Men to return in new TV series"], BBC News, 15 April 2007.</ref>

In 1972, Lowe also recorded the [[novelty song]]s "How I Won The War" and "My Little Girl, My Little Boy".<ref name="Lowesingle">{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Arthur-Lowe-with-Mike-Sammes-Singers-How-I-Won-The-War-My-Little-Girl-My-Little-Boy/master/862981|title=Arthur Lowe with Mike Sammes Singers – How I Won The War|website=[[Discogs]] |date=1972 |access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Gloucester Docks Tall Ship Festival 2013 (3736).jpg|thumb|''Amazon'' in 2013]]
While touring at coastal theatres with his wife, Lowe used his 1885 former steam yacht ''[[Amazon (yacht)|Amazon]]'' as a floating base. He bought ''Amazon'' as a houseboat in 1968, but realised her potential and took her back to sea in 1971; this vessel is still operating in the [[Mediterranean]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldshiptrust.org/memberslinks.htm |title=Links with our members:Museums and Vessels:Amazon |work=World ship trust |access-date=1 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913170409/http://www.worldshiptrust.org/memberslinks.htm |archive-date=13 September 2011 }}</ref> The ship had a bar with a semicircular notch cut halfway along, to enable both the portly figure of Lowe and his wife to serve behind the bar at the same time, acting as hosts during the parties they threw on board.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/dads-navy-as-captain-mainwaring-he-entertained-millions-with-his-pomposity-and-his-delusions-of-grandeur-but-the-real-arthur-lowe-fancied-himself-as-a-different-sort-of-captain-1445756.html|title=Dad's Navy: As Captain Mainwaring, he entertained millions with his pomposity and his delusions of grandeur. But the real Arthur Lowe fancied himself as a different sort of captain |access-date=12 January 2012 | work=The Independent|first=Charles|last=Nevin|date=30 October 1994}}</ref>

In an interview for a ''Dad's Army'' retrospective on [[BBC]] television in 2010, Clive Dunn described him sitting at the bar in the evenings when they were filming on location, consuming a drink which Lowe named 'Amazon' after his yacht. Dunn described the drink as comprising "[[gin]] and [[ginger ale]], with a single slice of [[cucumber]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://makemeacocktail.com/recipes/s/?s=amazon|title=Amazon&nbsp;– Cocktail Recipe|website=Makemeacocktail.com|access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

===Declining health and later career===
By the mid-1970s Lowe suffered from [[narcolepsy]], which caused him to fall asleep during rehearsals, performances, and at other unintended times – sometimes in the middle of a sentence.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=237–238}} Stephen Lowe said that although he was often mistaken for drunk, he very rarely was.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=148}} While both biographies of Lowe acknowledge his high consumption of alcohol, neither claim it extended to [[alcoholism]].{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|pp=145–146}}{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=205}} Lowe was also unfit, a [[Chain smoking|smoker]], and increasingly [[overweight]]. In 1979, he suffered a mild stroke.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=254, 262}} Despite his generally declining health, including worsening narcolepsy, he maintained a busy professional life;{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=188}} [[Derek Benfield]] described him as a [[workaholic]].{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=266}}

When ''Dad's Army'' ended in 1977, Lowe remained in demand, taking starring roles in television comedies such as ''[[Bless Me, Father]]'' (1978–1981), as the mischievous Catholic priest Father Charles Clement Duddleswell{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=250}} and in ''[[Potter (TV series)|Potter]]'' (1979–80) as the busybody Redvers Potter.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=256}} In 1980 he toured [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] with a production of Derek Benfield's play ''Beyond a Joke''. Around this time Lowe was making many television commercials, with no fewer than nineteen in 1981 alone.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=264}}

His later stage career mainly involved touring the English provinces with his wife. He seldom took on a stage play unless it included a role for Joan and this saw some opportunities fall through.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=244–446}} Lowe's agent Peter Campbell said the last ten years of his theatre career were "blown" by this condition, and Stephen Lowe thought his mother placed unreasonable pressure on his father to find her roles.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=154}} Frank Williams said the couple shared a great love story, and if the arrangement held Lowe back it was only because he chose to be held back.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=246}} [[Ian Lavender]] thought Lowe's narcolepsy led him to pull back from his range and choose safer roles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p032r0cj|title=Ian Lavender on Arthur Lowe: "He fell asleep in the middle of the soup"|publisher=BBC|access-date=11 September 2021}}</ref>

In 1981 Lowe reprised his role as Captain Mainwaring for the pilot episode of ''[[It Sticks Out Half a Mile]]'', a radio sequel to ''Dad's Army''.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=267}} At Christmas that year he and Joan appeared in the pantomime ''Mother Goose'' at [[Victoria Palace Theatre|Victoria Palace]], London.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=269}} In January 1982, [[Richard Burton]] had his private aeroplane fly Lowe to [[Venice]] to film a cameo role in the television miniseries ''[[Wagner (film)|Wagner]]''.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}}

===Death and last released works===
On 14 April 1982, Lowe gave a live televised interview on ''[[Pebble Mill at One]]''.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/bOdJrZ9uS30 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160208052525/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOdJrZ9uS30 Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOdJrZ9uS30 |title=Arthur Lowe – Pebble Mill at One – BBC – 1982 Last interview Complete |publisher=YouTube |date=16 July 2014 |access-date=22 December 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At just after 6 pm the same day, he collapsed from the onset of a stroke in his dressing room at the [[Alexandra Theatre (Birmingham)|Alexandra Theatre]], Birmingham.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=191}} This was before a performance of ''[[Home at Seven (play)|Home at Seven]]'' in which he was due to appear with his wife, Joan.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=274}}  He was taken, unconscious, to [[Birmingham General Hospital]], where he died at about 5 am, at the age of 66.{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=191}}{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=275}}

Lowe was [[cremated]] and his ashes were scattered at [[Sutton Coldfield]] Crematorium, following a small funeral of which few people were notified and fewer than a dozen attended.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=277}} Joan did not attend, as she refused to miss a performance of ''[[Home at Seven (play)|Home at Seven]]'' and was appearing in [[Belfast]] at the time. According to her friend Phyllis Bateman, the couple had a pact that neither would go to the other's funeral.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=277}} Stephen said his parents were not sentimental or religious and Joan's coping mechanism was summed up in the adage, "the show must go on".<ref name="Telegraph 2015">{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11736402/arthur-lowe-son-dads-army.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11736402/arthur-lowe-son-dads-army.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live| title=Stupid Boy! The son of Arthur Lowe on growing up with Capt Mainwaring| access-date=5 September 2021 | work=The Telegraph| first=Richard| last=Webber| date=17 July 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> A memorial service was held on 24 May 1982 at [[St Martin-in-the-Fields]], attended by Lowe's wife and family, former colleagues and many friends.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=280}}

Lowe's final film and television performances premiered after his death. His last feature film was Lindsay Anderson's ''[[Britannia Hospital]]'' (1982).{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=268}} In his final sitcom, {{nowrap|''[[A.J. Wentworth, B.A.]]''}} (1982), he starred as a boys' [[Preparatory school (United Kingdom)|preparatory school]] master.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|pp=271–272}} ''Wagner'' was Lowe's last screen role, released in December 1983.

==Recognition==
[[Tom Cole]] wrote in the ''[[Radio Times]]'': "There are few actors who charmed viewers both young and old with such ease, and fewer still who could be trusted with the task of bringing classic literary characters like [[Charles Pooter]] and A.J. Wentworth to life." [[Graham Lord]] wrote, in his 2002 biography, that "almost every actor who worked with Arthur considered him to be outstanding".{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=292}} He gave as an exception Martin Benson, who said Lowe did not have a lot of vocal skill in his rep days, "and I don't think he had afterwards either...A lot of his success came from this oddball personality that he had and the fact that later in his career he had some very good writers."{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=71}}

In 2002, [[Paul Scofield]] described Lowe as a rare talent and "seriously brilliant actor", and said it was his timing that set him apart.{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=102}} [[Jimmy Perry]] agreed about his timing: "It was faultless. He could get huge laughs with such simple lines as 'Just a moment,' 'how dare you,' and 'you stupid boy'" – all catchphrases from ''Dad's Army''. Perry also described Lowe as a kind man who went out of his way to help actors less fortunate than himself.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/apr/16/dads-army-arthur-lowe-jimmy-perry| title=From the archive, 16 April 1982: Arthur Lowe, captain of comedy|access-date=1 September 2021 | work=The Guardian| first=Jimmy| last=Perry| date=16 April 2013}}</ref>

==Approach to acting==
In the 1970s, Lowe said he had "simply wanted to be the best character actor going" and it was only television that brought him stardom.{{sfnp|Hughes|1976|p=138}} Of his preferred style of comic acting he said: "Anybody could get a laugh if they pissed into the pit. But it wouldn't be the right laugh."{{sfnp|Lowe|1997|p=105}} He claimed to treat every comic part as a straight part, saying: "The more seriously you play the part, the funnier it is. You see, people are only funny to other people, never to themselves."{{sfnp|Lord|2002|p=239}}

==Biographies==
Two biographies of Arthur Lowe have been published: ''Arthur Lowe&nbsp;– Dad's Memory'' by his son Stephen, in 1997; and ''Arthur Lowe'' by Graham Lord in 2002. In 2000, ''The Unforgettable Arthur Lowe'' was part of ''[[The Unforgettable]]'' series of TV biographies of comedy performers.

==Memorials==
In December 2007 plans were announced for a statue of Lowe to be erected in [[Thetford]], Norfolk, where the outside scenes for ''Dad's Army'' were filmed.<ref>Steven Nolan Show [[BBC Radio 5 Live]], 1 December 2007</ref> Series co-writer [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]] unveiled the statue on 19 June 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10359953|date=20 June 2010|title=Dad's Army captain statue unveiled in Thetford|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/6UrobbTXW7Q Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130527124344/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UrobbTXW7Q&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UrobbTXW7Q |title=Anglia News – Dad's Army Statue Unveiling |publisher=YouTube |date=20 June 2010 |access-date=11 July 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It depicts Lowe in the character of Captain Mainwaring, sitting upright on a simple bench in Home Guard uniform, with his swagger stick across his knees.

[[File:Dads35.JPG|thumb|Statue of Captain Mainwaring, Arthur Lowe's ''Dad's Army'' character in Thetford]]
The star has also had two [[blue plaque]]s unveiled, one at [[Maida Vale]] and one at his birthplace in [[Hayfield, Derbyshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openplaques.org/plaques/2198 |title=Arthur Lowe blue plaque |website=Openplaques.org |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/blue_plaques/default.asp |title=Blue plaques: Leisure and culture – Derbyshire County Council |website=Derbyshire.gov.uk |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-14717464 | work=BBC News | title=Dad's Army star Arthur Lowe honoured with blue plaque | date=30 August 2011}}</ref>

==Portrayals==
[[Robert Daws]] portrayed Lowe in the BBC Radio 4 drama ''Dear Arthur, Love John'' by Roy Smiles, first broadcast in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01h6463|title=Roy Smiles – Dear Arthur, Love John|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 September 2021}}</ref> The play charts the relationship between Lowe and John Le Mesurier. [[John Sessions]] played him in the 2015 television movie ''We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06t3m7t|title=We're Doomed! The Dad's Army Story!|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref>

The character of Edward Lowe in the book series ''The Lowe and Le Breton Mysteries'' by [[Stuart Douglas (writer)|Stuart Douglas]] is based on Arthur Lowe at the time he was making ''Dads Army''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cundle |first=Tim |date=2024-07-25 |title=Geek-O-Rama Meets Nev Fountain and Stuart Douglas |url=https://massmovement.co.uk/geek-o-rama-meets-nev-fountain-and-stuart-douglas/ |access-date=2025-06-28 |website=Bringing Madness to the Masses since 1998 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Television===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1958
| ''Murder Bag''
|
| 2 episodes
|-
| ''[[Time Out for Peggy]]''
|
| 
|-
| ''[[Leave It to Todhunter]]''
| Gunsmith
| 2 episodes
|-
|1958-1963
|''[[ITV Television Playhouse]]''
| rowspan="2" |Various 
| rowspan="2" |4 episodes
|-
|1958-1964
|''[[ITV Play of the Week]]''
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1959
| ''All Aboard''
| Sydney Barker
| 26 episodes
|-
| ''[[Dial 999 (TV series)|Dial 999]]''
| Samuel Finch<br>(uncredited)
| Episode: "The Mechanical Watchman"
|-
|1960–65
| ''[[Coronation Street]]''
| rowspan="3"|[[Leonard Swindley]]
| 197 episodes
|-
| 1965–66
| ''[[Pardon the Expression]]''
| 37 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2"|1967
| ''[[Turn Out the Lights (TV series)|Turn Out the Lights]]''
| 6 episodes
|-
| ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]''
| Sir George Benstead
| Episode: "Dead Man's Treasure"
|-
|1968–77
| ''[[Dad's Army]]''
| [[Captain Mainwaring]]
| 80 episodes
|-
|1968
|''[[The Wednesday Play]]''
|Colonel Harrup
|Episode: "A Night with Mrs. Da Tanka"
|-
|1969
|''[[ITV Playhouse]]''
|Mr. Cakebread
|Episode: "The Wicked Stage"
|-
| rowspan="4" |1970
|''[[The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens]]''
|[[John Dickens]]
|TV film
|-
|''[[Jackanory]]''
|Storyteller
|Episode: "The Emperor's Oblong Pancake"
|-
| ''[[Rookery Nook (1970 TV drama)|Rookery Nook]]''
| Harold Twine
|
|-
| ''[[Turkey Time (1970 TV drama)|Turkey Time]]''
| Edwin Stoatt
|
|-
|1971
| ''[[Doctor at Large (TV series)|Doctor at Large]]''
| Dr Maxwell
| 5 episodes
|-
|1971–72
| ''[[The Last of the Baskets]]''
| Redvers Bodkin
| 13 episodes
|-
|1972
| ''It's Murder, But Is It Art?''
| Phineas Drake
|
|-
|1974
| ''Microbes and Men''
| [[Louis Pasteur]]
|3 episodes
|-
|1974–75
| ''[[David Copperfield (1974 TV serial)|David Copperfield]]''
| Wilkins Micawber
|5 episodes
|-
|1974–76
|[[Mr Men#Original TV series (1974-78)|''Mr Men'']] 
| Narrator and character voices 
| 28 episodes
|-
|1975
| ''[[Churchill's People]]''
| Epillicus, the butler
| Episode: "The Lost Island"
|-
|rowspan="2"|1977
| ''The Galton & Simpson Playhouse''
| Henry Duckworth
| Episode: "Car Along the Pass"
|-
| ''[[The Morecambe & Wise Show (1968 TV series)|The Morecambe & Wise Show]]''
| [[Captain Mainwaring]]
|Christmas Special
|-
|1978–81
| ''[[Bless Me, Father]]''
| Father Charles Clement Duddleswell
| 21 episodes
|-
|1979
| ''[[The Plank (1979 film)|The Plank]]''
| Smaller workman
| TV film
|-
|1979–80<br/>
| ''[[Potter (TV series)|Potter]]''
| Redvers Potter
| 13 episodes
|-
|1982
| ''[[A.J. Wentworth, BA]]''
| Arthur James Wentworth, B.A.
| 6 episodes; broadcast posthumously
|-
|1983
| ''Wagner''
| Meser
| 2 episodes; broadcast posthumously
|}

===Films===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1948
| ''[[London Belongs to Me]]''
| Commuter on Train
| rowspan="3" | Uncredited
|-
|rowspan=7|1949
| ''[[Floodtide]]''
| Pianist
|-
| ''[[Stop Press Girl]]''
| Archibald
|-
| ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]''
| The Reporter
|
|-
| ''[[Poet's Pub]]''
| Coach Guide
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[The Spider and the Fly (1949 film)|The Spider and the Fly]]''
| Town Clerk
|
|-
| ''[[Cage of Gold]]''
| Short Man
| Uncredited
|-
| ''Gilbert Harding Speaking of Murder''
| 3rd Drama critic
|
|-
|1954
| ''[[Final Appointment]]''
| Mr. Barrett
|
|-
|rowspan=5|1955
| ''[[Reluctant Bride]]''
| Mr. Fogarty
|
|-
| ''[[The Woman for Joe]]''
| George's Agent
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[One Way Out (film)|One Way Out]]''
| Sam
|
|-
| ''[[Murder Anonymous]]''
| Fingerprint Expert
| rowspan="3" | Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Windfall (1955 film)|Windfall]]''
|
|-
|rowspan=4|1956
| ''[[Who Done It? (1956 film)|Who Done It?]]''
| Bit Part
|-
| ''[[Breakaway (1955 film)|Breakaway]]''
| Mitchell
|
|-
| ''[[The Green Man (film)|The Green Man]]''
| Radio Salesman
|
|-
| ''[[High Terrace]]''
|
| Uncredited
|-
|rowspan=2|1957
| ''[[Hour of Decision (film)|Hour of Decision]]''
| Calligraphy Expert
|
|-
| ''[[Stranger in Town (1957 film)|Stranger in Town]]''
| Jeweller
| 
|-
|rowspan=2|1958
| ''[[Blind Spot (1958 film)|Blind Spot]]''
| Garage Mechanic
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Stormy Crossing]]''
| Garage Owner
|
|-
|1959
| ''[[The Boy and the Bridge]]''
| Bridge Mechanic
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1960
| ''[[The Day They Robbed the Bank of England]]''
| Bank Official
| rowspan="2" | Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Follow That Horse]]''
| Auctioneer
|-
|1962
| ''[[Go to Blazes (1962 film)|Go to Blazes]]''
| Warder
|
|-
|1963
| ''[[This Sporting Life]]''
| Charles Slomer
|
|-
|1965
| ''[[You Must Be Joking! (1965 film)|You Must Be Joking!]]''
| Husband
|
|-
|1967
| ''[[The White Bus]]''
| Mayor
|
|-
|1968
| ''[[If....]]''
| Mr. Kemp: Staff
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1969
| ''[[It All Goes to Show]]''
| Councillor Henry Parker
| Short
|-
| ''[[The Bed Sitting Room (film)|The Bed Sitting Room]]''
| Father
|
|-
|rowspan=5|1970
| ''[[Spring and Port Wine (film)|Spring and Port Wine]]''
| Mr. Aspinall
|
|-
| ''[[Some Will, Some Won't]]''
| Police Sergeant
|
|-
| ''[[The Great Inimitable Mr. Dickens]]''
| John Dickens
|
|-
| ''[[Fragment of Fear]]''
| Mr. Nugent
|
|-
| ''[[The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer]]''
| Ferret
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1971
| ''[[A Hole Lot of Trouble]]''
| Whitehouse
|
|-
| ''[[Dad's Army (1971 film)|Dad's Army]]''
| [[Captain Mainwaring]]
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1972
| ''[[The Ruling Class (film)|The Ruling Class]]''
| Daniel Tucker
|
|-
| ''[[Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall (film)|Adolf Hitler&nbsp;– My Part in His Downfall]]''
| Major Drysdale
|
|-
|rowspan=3|1973
| ''[[Theatre of Blood]]''
| Horace Sprout
|
|-
| ''[[O Lucky Man!]]''
| Mr. Duff / Charlie Johnson / Dr. Munda
|
|-
| ''[[No Sex Please, We're British (film)|No Sex Please, We're British]]''
| Mr. Bromley
|
|-
|1974
| ''[[Man About the House (film)|Man About the House]]''
| Spiros
|
|-
|1976
| ''[[The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones]]''
| Dr. Thwackum
|
|-
|1977
| ''[[The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It]]''
| Dr. William Watson, M.D.
|
|-
|1979
| ''[[The Lady Vanishes (1979 film)|The Lady Vanishes]]''
| Charters
|
|-
|1980
| ''[[Sweet William (film)|Sweet William]]''
| Captain Walton
|
|-
|1982
| ''[[Britannia Hospital]]''
| Guest Patient
|
|}

===Radio===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1971–73
| ''[[Parsley Sidings]]''
| Horace Hepplewhite
| 21 episodes
|-
| 1974–76
| ''[[Dad's Army]]''
| rowspan="2"|[[Captain Mainwaring]]
| 67 episodes
|-
|1981
|''[[It Sticks Out Half a Mile]]'' 
| 1 episode
|}

==Discography==
* 'Vocal Gems from [[Call Me Madam]]', (1952), ([[78rpm]]), [[Columbia Records]] D.B. 3067
* ''Bless 'em All'' (1969). LP, [[World Record Club]] (ST108). Performed with the Richmond Orchestra and Chorus under [[Malcolm Lockyer]]. Produced by Bob Barrett. Songs: "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr Hitler?", "This is the Army Mr Jones", "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major", "I'll Be Seeing You", "Lili Marlene", "Mairzy Doats and Dozy Doats", "The Army, the Navy and the Air Force", "Bless 'em All", "Run, Rabbit, Run!", "(We're Gonna Hang Out) The Washing on the Siegfried Line", "That Lovely Weekend", "Underneath the Arches", "Alouette", "Waltzing Matilda" and "Now is the Hour".
* ''Home Town'' (1975). 45rpm, [[Warner Bros. Records]] (K16670). B side to "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" performed by John Le Mesurier.
* 'The [[Mr. Men]] with Arthur Lowe ', (1976) [[LP record|L.P.]]: Epic: SEPC 81184
(Re-released 1979 by BBC as 'The Mr. Men Songs', and 'The Mr. Men Songs with Arthur Lowe').

==Awards==
===BAFTAs===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Title
! Result
|-
|1969
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| ''[[Dad's Army]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1970
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|Best Light Entertainment Performance]]
| ''Dad's Army''
| {{nom}}
|-
|1972
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|Best Light Entertainment Performance]]
| ''Dad's Army''
| {{nom}}
|-
|[[27th British Academy Film Awards|1973]]
| [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA Film Awards]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[O Lucky Man!]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |1974
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|Best Light Entertainment Performance]]
| ''Dad's Army''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]
| ''Microbes and Men'' and ''[[David Copperfield (1974 TV serial)|David Copperfield]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
|1977
| [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA TV Awards]]
| [[British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance|Best Light Entertainment Performance]]
| ''Dad's Army''
| {{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Hughes |first=John Graven |title= The Greasepaint War: Show Business 1939–1945.  |location= London |publisher=[[New English Library]] |year=1976 |isbn= 9780450030642}}
*{{cite book |last=Lord |first=Graham |author-link=Graham Lord |date=2002 |title=Arthur Lowe |location= London |publisher=Orion |isbn=0-75284-229-3}}
* {{cite book |author=Jacobs, David |year=1980 |title=David Jacob's Book of Celebrities' Jokes & Anecdotes |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Robson Books]] |contributor-last=Lowe |contributor-first=Arthur |contribution=Contributor |page= 100|isbn=0860511251 |author-link=David Jacobs (broadcaster)}}
*{{cite book |last=Lowe |first=Stephen |date=1997 |title=Arthur Lowe: Dad's Memory |location= London |publisher=Virgin |isbn=0753501708}}
* {{cite book |last=McCann |first=Graham |title=Dad's Army: The story of a classic television show |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Fourth Estate]] |year=2001 |isbn=978-1-84115-308-7}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|0522884}}
* {{Screenonline name|id=523136|name=Arthur Lowe}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|arthur_lowe}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p009ndgt BBC Desert Island Discs episode – 14 December 1970]
* [http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Arthur&surname=LOWE&job=Actor&pid=14686&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17 Performances in the Theatre Archive University of Bristol]

{{BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor 1968-1984}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Arthur}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actor BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:English male voice actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Derbyshire]]
[[Category:People from Hayfield, Derbyshire]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:People with narcolepsy]]
[[Category:Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry soldiers]]
[[Category:British novelty song performers]]
[[Category:Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers soldiers]]
[[Category:Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Derbyshire]]
[[Category:Actors from High Peak, Derbyshire]]