Warren Clarke

Warren Clarke (born Alan James Clarke; 26 April 1947 – 12 November 2014) was an English film, television and stage actor. He appeared in several films after a significant role as Dim in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. His television appearances included Dalziel and Pascoe (as Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel), The Manageress and Sleepers.

Early life Clarke was born in Oldham, Lancashire. His father worked as a stained-glass maker and his mother as a secretary. He left Barlow Hall Secondary Modern School, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, aged 15 and began work at the Manchester Evening News as a copy boy. During this period he also decided to change his first name to Warren, a name he chose as his girlfriend of the time had a crush on Warren Beatty. Between 2000 and 2003, Clarke played Brian Addis, a father who moved his family from the bustle of London to a Devon farm, in the BBC TV series Down to Earth. He appeared as Mr Boythorn in the BBC One dramatisation of Bleak House (2005) and starred alongside Anthony Head in the BBC Drama The Invisibles (2008) and in the Channel 4 trilogy Red Riding (2009).

Around the same time, Clarke appeared as Commander Peters in the ITV production of Agatha Christie's Marple Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (2009). In 2010 he guested in ITV series Lewis ("Dark Matter"), Chuggington (2010), as a former SAS soldier now college porter in the BBC series Inspector George Gently ("Peace and Love", 2010) and played Mr Bott in the BBC's Just William. He guested as Robert Trevanion, the father of Stephen Tompkinson's character Danny Trevanion, in Wild at Heart in 2011, as innkeeper Samuel Quested in Midsomer Murders ("The Night of the Stag", 2011) and as John Lacey in Call the Midwife (also 2011).

His radio credits include Johnny Hardcastle in Love on the Dole (Home Service, 1965) and Henry Weldon in Lord Peter Wimsey (BBC Radio 4, 1981).

In 2014 he began filming Poldark as Charles Poldark. The character's final scene in the series, in episode four, in which he lies on his deathbed before dying, was also Clarke's final scene as an actor: he was very ill at the time of filming and died a few weeks later; the first episode of the television series was then dedicated to his memory.

Personal life Clarke was a keen golfer and had been a Manchester City supporter from the age of seven.

Clarke's marriage to his first wife ended in divorce a few years after his parents died. They had a son together, Rowan. He had a daughter, Georgia, by his second wife, Michelle.

He lived in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

On 12 November 2014 Clarke died in his sleep after a short illness. He reportedly died almost destitute; his estate being worth just over £13,000 at his death. Amongst his financial problems, Clarke had apparently lost money investing in the 2013 action film The Numbers Station.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1969 The Virgin Soldiers Soldier Uncredited 1970 The Breaking of Bumbo Guardsman Andrews 1971 A Clockwork Orange "Dim" 1972 Antony and Cleopatra Scarus 1973 O Lucky Man! Master of Ceremonies (Nightspot) / Warner / Male Nurse 1977 The Hunchback of Notre Dame Quasimodo TV movie 1979 S.O.S. Titanic 4th Officer Joseph G. Boxhall TV movie 1979 The Great Riviera Bank Robbery Jean 1980 Hawk the Slayer "Scar" 1981 From a Far Country Wladek 1982 Firefox Pavel Upenskoy 1982 Enigma Konstantin 1984 Real Life Gerry 1984 Lassiter Max Hofer 1984 Top Secret! Colonel Von Horst 1985 De flyvende djævle Arno 1985 Gulag HookerTV movie 1987 Ishtar English Gunrunner 1988 Crusoe Captain Lee 1995 I.D. Bob 2000 Greenfingers Governor Hodge 2001 Blow Dry Tony 2001 Arthur's Dyke Doug Manley 2010 The Man Who Married Himself Bishop Zatarga Short

Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1965 - 1982Crown CourtDet. Sgt. Ralph McCovey/ William Johnson/