Kenneth Waller

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For American bodybuilder, see Ken Waller.
Kenneth Waller
Waller in The Optimist (1985)
Born(1927-11-05)5 November 1927
Huddersfield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England[1][2]
Died28 January 2000(2000-01-28) (aged 72)
London, England
OccupationTelevision actor
Years active1959–1998

Kenneth Waller (5 November 1927 – 28 January 2000)

Old Mr. Grace in Are You Being Served?

Early life

Kenneth Waller was born in

National Service
.

In 1949, he was a member of the Christ Church Woodhouse men's choir.[5]

After serving in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Mechanic, Waller worked for a firm of auctioneers.[2]

Career

Experience in local rep at the

Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, but always looked forward to the times when his work took him on location further afield, including Rome, India and Scandinavia.[2]

An excellent pianist and an ardent lover of classical and choral music, Waller was extremely knowledgeable on the subject of oratorio and sang with Anthony Bowles' Actors' choir and the BBC Chorus. He also appeared as the Narrator in Peter and the Wolf, and Carl Davis wrote a special concert piece, "Duck's Diary," for him.[2]

From the fifties to the seventies, his career as an actor saw him appear on both television and film. On the big screen, he had modest roles in

Crossroads, The Fenn Street Gang, Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, The Professionals, Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small, Terry and June and Juliet Bravo.[1][2] Waller also portrayed the father of Curly Watts in Coronation Street.[2]

In 1981, he joined the cast of Are You Being Served? as Old Mr. Grace; ironically he was 29 years younger than Harold Bennett, who played Young Mr. Grace.[2]

Waller also made an appearance in the

Series 5 episode, "Boxing Day Social", on On the Buses, as well appearing in the 1984 miniseries, Ellis Island and even lending his voice for Romuald the Reindeer.[1][6] In 1985 he appeared in an episode of The Optimist
.

In 1986, Waller became a household name as Grandad in Carla Lane's Liverpool sitcom, Bread and his catchphrase, "Where's my tea?", quickly caught on with the viewing public.[2]

Waller continued to stay in touch with the theatre during the final years of his life, touring successfully with Barbara Windsor in Joe Orton's classic black comedy, Entertaining Mr Sloane and appearing in a musical version of Beauty and the Beast at the Manchester Opera House, in 1998.[2]

Personal life and death

Despite his television fame, Waller never lost his affection for Yorkshire, taking great pride in retaining both his accent and his many friends within the Huddersfield Choral Society.[2]

Kenneth Waller died on 28 January 2000 in London, England at the age of 72, after a brief illness.[1][2] He never married.[2]

Filmography

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9781908382849
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kenneth Waller obituary
  3. ^ Kenneth Waller
  4. ^ Huddersfield Daily Examiner - 27 February 1989
  5. ^ "Family history: Alan and Elaine Danielson's memories of Christ Church, Woodhouse men's choir". 29 June 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  6. ^ Hollywood.com

External links

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