John Inman 1935 - 2007
March 10th, 2007 Posted in Obituaries
Tributes pour in for John Inman
Tributes are pouring in for John Inman, most famous for the BBC comedy Are You Being Served?, who has died aged 71.
Inman, who passed away in a London hospital, made his name in the 1970s show as Mr Humphries and coined the catchphrase “I’m free!”
His former co-star Wendy Richard said he was “the funniest and most inventive actor” she had ever worked with.
The Preston-born actor had been suffering from a hepatitis A infection for a number of years.
The infection, usually caused by eating contaminated food, forced him to cancel the opening of a pantomime in London in December 2004.
“He will always be remembered for making us laugh,” said Richard.
“He will be greatly missed not just by his friends, who loved him dearly, but also by his legion of fans on both sides of the Atlantic,” she added.
The former EastEnders actress visited him on Tuesday and said she had found it “upsetting” to see him look so “frail”.
‘Tremendous admiration’
Nicholas Smith, who played store manager Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served? said: “I always had tremendous admiration for him. He had a wonderful precision of movement and his comedy timing was impeccable.”
Another co-star, Trevor Bannister, who played Mr Lucas in the series, told BBC News 24: “The ‘I’m free!’ was something put in because that is what people in those stores really said.
“We didn’t realise it would become a running catchphrase.”
Veteran actress and co-star Mollie Sugden, who played Mrs Slocombe, told the BBC: “It’s a very sad day. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the end of an era.”
In recent years Inman became a pantomime regular, most often taking the role of the dame.
Fellow panto dame Danny La Rue had been close friends with him for more than 40 years.
‘Confidant comedian’
“He was such a fantastic and inventive actor,” he said. “He is utterly irreplaceable. The world has lost a star and I have lost a dear friend.”
In the last four series, Mr Humphries was given an assistant, Mr Spooner, played by Mike Berry.
“I felt like going home at the end of the day and ironing my face, he made me laugh so much! As funny as he was in front of the camera, he was funnier off.
“And he was a confident comedian, which made him generous. He would help you in delivering a line to get the most out of it, he liked to work in a good team.”
Inman’s manager Phil Dale said: “John was known and loved throughout the world. He was one of the best and finest pantomime dames working to capacity audiences throughout Britain.
“John was known for his comedy plays and farces which were enjoyed from London’s West End throughout the country and as far as Australia, Canada and the USA.”
‘Charming and funny’
Actress Rula Lenska, who worked with Inman on TV and in pantomime, paid tribute to his comic style.
“It was suggestive but never in your face or aggressive. It had an innocent quality that you rarely find today,” she said.
“He was a joy to work with and even after an exhausting day in pantomime he would have time for the fans who crowded round the stage door.”
The BBC’s head of comedy, Jon Plowman, said: “He was one of our great comedy actors who was responsible for one of the best loved TV sitcom characters of the last 40 years.”
Inman devoted a lot of his raising money for the Variety Club, which helps disabled and disadvantaged children.
The charity’s chief barker, DJ Russ Kane remembers him as being “charming, always polite and always funny”.
Inman’s long-term partner, Ron Lynch, is said to be “devastated” at his death.
9 Responses to “John Inman 1935 - 2007”
By Joy Routledge on Mar 12, 2007
John and is partner lived next door to my mother in the early 70s in Ladbroke Gardens W11 I spoke to him a couple of times and he left a lasting impression of a really kind decent man. We had our first labrador than (and still have labradors) John made a great fuss of our Glen and said labs were is favourite dog. We moved to Berwick upon Tweed in 1979 and our Glen loved the country life. I wonder did he ever get a dog. My thought and prayers are with his partner I am truly sorry for his loss
By Gatsby on Mar 12, 2007
I wish I would have had the chance to meet him. Everybody who had seems to say exactly what you have, a decent gentleman through and through. I’m sad to see him go.
By Gatsby's Crazy Uncle on Mar 12, 2007
A truly sad day indeed. He was wonderful to watch on Are You Being Served.
By Phil Black on Mar 13, 2007
I had the great pleasure of met John on the island of Jersey. The World has lost one of the best comic actors. I’m sure John is in heaven and making sure he is the only one that is FREE.
Although its a sad day for his family and his many fans around the would’ thankfullly’ John left us the many of his recordings on television we can all watch and remember just how great he was.
Phil.
By Jacqueline on Mar 14, 2007
I will miss John so much. I love his comedy and the faultless way he delivered his lines. Even though I never had the chance to meet him in person he touched my heart everyday I watched Are You Being Served. After a hard day at work I looked forward to coming home and watching John on DVD. I hope John is at peace now and out of pain. Still saying that I will really miss him.
By Joan Lubben on Mar 14, 2007
I introduced “Are You Being Served” to many friends and collegues when I came across it by accident on TV one evening. It was so popular that
some of my fondest memories was watching the show during my lunch hour with a particular friend who
taped the show. We laughed through our lunch and went back to work happier than when we laughed. I
had the pleasure of meeting this amazing man at the Orland Park shopping maul one Saturday afternoon and getting his autograph on his famous tape measure and picture. That was the funnies show on TV and the cast was outstanding. His antics made that show famous. Between Mr.Humphries
and Mrs. Slocom you would laugh hysterically. He will surely be missed for there is no talent, timing, and persona like him. He is now saying “I’m free”. He will be missed.
By Christopher Danelutti on Mar 15, 2007
What a tremendous loss. From here in the United States, we have a great respect for his comedic style. John Inman was a cult favorite here in Are You Being Served as well as Take A Letter Mr. Jones. I had the pleasure to speak with John Inman during a PBS pledge drive in Philadelphia, PA. He was quite funny and charming. It didn’t seem like an act. It seemed comedy just came forth naturally.
God called John Inman, and he answered with, “I’m free.”
By marjan de groot on Mar 17, 2007
I will miss this sweet funny man. I always thought: if only he would be my next door neighbour. What great fun we should have.
I hope he is so so happy in the place he is now.
Rest in peace dear sweet man.
love marjan.
By Duane W. Wheeler on May 4, 2007
Both my wife and I had the pleasure of having dinner with John and his manager years ago in San Diego, California. He was in California on a PBS tour. He was a find gentleman and what wonderful ablities he had for humor acting. We was a great perfomer and I would watch the program ” Are you being served” over and over and never be tired of his performance. We spent over and hour with him and will always treasure that hour. England and the world has lost a real jewel of a person.