Reginald Marsh

Reginald Marsh has enjoyed a long career in television since his first appearance in a production of The Man Who Came To Dinner, which was broadcast from the Victoria Palace in 1947: but it wasn't until 1958 that he began to make regular appearances on the small screen, in plays and series, before securing the starring role fo Arthur Sugden in The Planemakers. His long association with Coronation Street, as Bookie Dave Smith and Reg Lamont in Crossroads are two more notable performances in what is a rich and varied acting life. Comedy has always been an important part of Reg's work and over the years he has appeared with Harry Worth, Eric Sykes, Dick Emery, Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson and Kelly Monteith. Situation comedies have also claimed him a variety of roles: Bless This House, Rings On Their Fingers, George and Mildred, Only When I Laugh, Home To Roost, Bread and of course The Good Life, but it is the character of Sir Dennis Hodge, Terry Scott's boss in Terry and Jane that is his most recent and probably best known role.

Reginald has also had a long and distinguished theatrical career, which began in repertory in 1942 and included two seasons with the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and continued until television took him out of the ranks of the unknown. He has appeared at the National Theatre in W.S. Gilbert's Engaged, at The Royal Court in One At Night and the Globe Theatre in The Chairman. He has toured extensively for the Oxford Playhouse Company in several productions including Relatively Speaking, The Dance of Death and as Falstaff in Henry IV Part One. Other toures include Bedroom Farce, The Boundary, An Inspector Calls and The Last Gamble He spent 1991 playing Richard in the national tour of this production of The Phantom Of The Opera. His hobby, he says, is enjoying his home, although he hasn't seen much of it recently!

Reginald Marsh died at his home in Ryde, Isle of Wight on 9th February 2001, aged 74, where he had lived since the late eighties. Whilst there he did a great deal of work for local charities, especially Haylands Farm, a project for young people with learning difficulties, and the local branch of MENCAP. He is survived by his wife, former actress Rosemary Murray, twin daughters, Rebecca and Alison, sons Adam and Alexander, and son John and daughter Kate from his first marriage.