George Cole: A career in pictures
- Published
George Cole, the actor best known for his leading role in the TV's Minder, has died at the age of 90.
Here is his life in pictures:
George Cole - who was born in 1925 and adopted as a baby - grew up in Morden, south London
Beginning his career in musical theatre, he broke into films in the 1940s, appearing alongside mentor Alastair Sim in Bombsight Stolen, Dr Angelus, and The Anatomist (pictured) in 1949
In 1953, he took over the role of David Bliss in the BBC radio comedy, A Life of Bliss - a series that ran for 118 episodes
Cole found enduring fame as Flash Harry, the spiv trusted by the errant schoolgirls in four St Trinian's films, which also saw him reunited with guiding light Alastair Sim
That led to Hollywood roles and Cole starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra, gothic horror The Vampire Lovers and in The Last Lonely Man
But it will be his role as Arthur Daley in the hit TV show Minder, in which he starred alongside Dennis Waterman, that he will be best remembered. He took on the role aged 54 in 1979.
The role - as the scheming, camel-coated Daley - led to Cole becoming a household name, appearing on TV's Wogan in 1985
After Waterman left the popular show, Cole was joined by Gary Webster - playing his nephew Ray Daley - for a new series in 1991
He was appointed an OBE in 1992, joking at the time that it might have stood for an "Old British Entrepreneur"
In 1997, he appeared as Brian Hook, alongside Kevin McNally, in the BBC comedy Dad
In a career spanning 70 years, Cole later appeared as Stationmaster Pope, in Station Jim, a one-off BBC drama in 2001
More recently, he had guest roles in Heartbeat, Midsummer Murders, New Tricks, as well as in the 2004 drama Family Business
Cole died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital following a short illness, surrounded by his family, his agent said
- Published6 August 2015
- Published6 August 2015
- Published6 August 2015
