Reginald Marsh

Reginald Albert Saltmarsh, known by the stage name Reginald Marsh (17 September 1926 – 9 February 2001), was an English actor who is best remembered for supporting roles in many television sitcoms from the 1970s onwards.

Early life and career Marsh was born in London in 1926 and he grew up on the Sussex coast at Worthing. After he left school he worked in a bank. After realising how serious he was about acting, his father introduced him to a retired actress, who introduced him to an agent who got his first acting role, at the age of 16, as a juvenile in Eden End by J. B. Priestley. He also played bookie Dave Smith in Coronation Street on and off from 1962 to 1976.

Marsh played works general manager Arthur Sugden in the boardroom drama The Plane Makers (1963–64). He also appeared in The Champions (1968), Hine (1971), The Stone Tape (1972), Emmerdale Farm (1973), Crown Court (1973–74), QB VII (1974), Bless This House (1974), The Sweeney (1975), and The Duchess of Duke Street (1976). From 1975, Marsh played Jerry Leadbetter's boss, managing director of JJM, in several episodes of The Good Life. later reuniting with June Whitfield in the 1992 sitcom Terry and Julian, where he played Terry's boss George Wilson. From 1981 to 1985, Marsh played Reg Lamont in the soap opera Crossroads.

His play The Death is Announced ("A Murder Play") was produced in Leeds in 1964. He played Inspector Cullen. He described the play as a "comedy who-dun-it" and said that he wrote it "because he could never find a good 'copper' part for himself."

Later life In the 1980s and 1990s, Marsh had many small roles on television, including appearing in Only When I Laugh, Home to Roost, Bergerac, Boon, Minder, Alleyn Mysteries and Terry and June. One of his last television roles was in an episode of Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's... aired on 14 October 1997.

Reginald Marsh was married to actress Rosemary Murray, and they had four children. Marsh had two other children by his first marriage, to actress Jenifer Coverdale. One of his sons had Down’s Syndrome, and during his retirement on the Isle of Wight Reginald Marsh supported MENCAP.

| 1 episode

Radio

Year Title Role Notes 1951 Richard II Keeper First radio role 1962 Saturday Night Theatre Jack Vaughan "The Mather Story" 1963 Every Pebble on the Beach Willie Smith 1965 Afternoon Theatre Tom Walker "Border of Barbarity" 1972 Afternoon Theatre Joe "And You, Arnold" 1977 Albert and Me Mr Simpson Episode: "Spanner in the Works" 1978 Malcolm Mr Parker "Malcolm and a House" 1978 Share and Share Alike Managing Director 2 episodes 1978 Wireless Wonderland Himself 1979 Rush Hour Himself 1981 The Monday Play Allenby "Ross" 1984 It Sticks Out Half a Mile Sir Wensley Smithers Episode: "War Damage" 1985 Saturday-Night Theatre Dr Elston "A Bumper Year for Dahlias" 1987-89 Blandings Sir Gregory Parsloe Various 1987 Crime at Christmas Chief-Inspector Mitchell "Inspector French and the Starvel Tragedy" 1989 Saturday-Night Theatre Desmond Dean "The Deep End" 1989 The Hedge Priest Sir Philip Bowfounder 1992 Butterflies Don't Count Peter First of two-part drama 1992 The Broken Butterfly Peter Second of two-part drama 1992 Thirty-Minute Theatre Sir George "The Rhino and the Love Pavilion" 1998 The Saturday Play Major Crowe "The Black Spectacles"