Harold Bennett

Harold Frank Bennett (17 November 1898 – 11 September 1981) was an English actor, active in stage, television and film best remembered for being in sitcoms written and produced by David Croft, having played 'Young Mr. Grace' in the 1970s British sitcom Are You Being Served?, as well as minor character Sidney Bluett in Dad's Army.

Biography Bennett was born in Hastings, Sussex. After leaving school at the age of twelve, in his early life he toured America as a clown with a circus, and later taught English at the Working Men's College in London. During World War I he served as a courier, initially on horseback, then on motorcycle. After the war he took up acting and eventually worked as stage producer in the Tower Theatre, London. He subsequently pursued a career as a draughtsman for an electric company, only taking up his acting career again following retirement.

Harold Bennett died of a heart attack on 11 September 1981, aged 82. His wife predeceased him in the 1930s; he was survived by their three children. One of his children, John, was also an actor.

Acting career

He played the recurring character Mr (Sidney) Bluett in Dad's Army from 1969 to 1977, but it was as Young Mr Grace, the ancient, amiably callous owner of Grace Brothers department store in British sitcom Are You Being Served? that he achieved his greatest fame. His last appearance in Are You Being Served? aired some three months after his death, having been recorded earlier in the year.

Bennett also played the role of the aged Archdeacon Pulteney in The Stalls of Barchester, the BBC A Ghost Story for Christmas broadcast 24 December 1971 and adapted from M.R. James's story of the same title. Bennett also appeared in Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton (1965), and in several films, including as a photographer in Games That Lovers Play (1971) and as the aged odd-job man Gasper in The Ups and Downs of a Handyman (1975).

On the stage, he appeared in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of London Assurance (1972) as Martin, and in an Open University production of Chekhov's The Three Sisters.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1965 Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton Old man TV play by Dennis Potter 1969–1977 Dad's Army Sidney Bluett 13 episodes 1971 Whack-O! Mr Dinwiddie 13 episodes The Stalls of Barchester Archdeacon Pulteney 1972 Upstairs Downstairs Bookshop assistant Episode: "Magic Casements" 1972–1981 Are You Being Served? "Young" Mr Grace 46 episodes 1973 Thriller Second old man Episodes: "A Place To Die" 1976 Thriller Blind man Episode: "The Next Victim" 1976–1977 Clayhanger Mr Shushions 4 episodes 1977 Jesus of Nazareth Elder (uncredited) TV mini-series1978 Come Back Mrs Noah The Priest Episode: "Who Goes Home?" 1980 Oh Happy Band! Vicar 4 episodes