Last Of The Summer Wine star Tom Owen dies aged 73

Tom starred alongside (Image: PA)

Final Of The Summer season Wine actor Tom Owen has died on the age of 73.

Owen performed the nomadic Tom Simmonite within the well-liked and long-running BBC sitcom for 10 years from 2000.

His look on the present continued a household custom after his father, Invoice Owen, portrayed his on-screen father, Compo Simmonite.

His different tv credit included The Invoice, The Onedin Line and Upstairs Downstairs.

He additionally appeared alongside Kirk Douglas in Queenie, and with Michael York in Nice Expectations.

His household mentioned: ‘He handed away peacefully and is survived by his two youngsters, James and William, and ex-wife, Mary.’

Owen started his profession in appearing after leaving faculty, first as an assistant stage supervisor in Surrey earlier than shifting to the same job on the Westminster Theatre.

After 4 years working in tv, Owen returned to repertory theatre in Sidmouth, Devon, and continued to work and direct within the theatre.

Tom performed Tim Simmonite whereas Peter Sallis performed Clegg and Frank Thornton performed Actually (Image: PA)

Owen was chosen to play Compo’s long-lost son simply days after the dying of his father in July 1999 from most cancers.

The primary he knew of author Roy Clarke’s search was when he acquired a cellphone name from the present’s producer, Alan Bell.

‘It was two or three days after Dad had died,’ mentioned Owen in 2000.

‘Clearly my thoughts was on different issues, like organising the funeral, and it hadn’t occurred to me in any respect that I'd be approached to play Compo’s long-lost son.

‘Alan prompt the concept to me and I thought of it for 2 seconds earlier than saying sure.’

Speaking about taking up the function, he mentioned: ‘At first once I arrived on set it was very odd.

‘It was emotional, however very early on I made a decision the one method I might deal with it was by being knowledgeable.

‘I used to be very conscious of how cautious the opposite forged members could be of me. They'd all been by way of a traumatic shock when Dad died. They'd recognized him for all these years as properly.

‘Dad beloved the present and I feel he could be very proud that it will proceed, and in a method it’s persevering with in his reminiscence. I feel he could be very joyful that I’ve taken his place.’

Tom married Mary Moylan in 1978, with whom he shared two sons.