Cause of death Heart attack Role Actor Name Edward Sinclair | Years active 1931–77 Occupation Comedy actor | |
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Full Name Edward Sinclair Perry Born 3 February 1914 Oldham, England Died August 29, 1977, Cheddar, Somerset, United Kingdom Spouse Gladys Sinclair (m. 1940–1977) Movies and TV shows Dad's Army, David Copperfield, Tower of Terror, The Bells Similar People Frank Williams, Colin Bean, Janet Davies, Arnold Ridley, Jimmy Perry | ||
Edward "Teddy" Sinclair Perry, known as Edward Sinclair (3 February 1914 – 29 August 1977) was an English actor best remembered for his role as the verger Maurice Yeatman in Dad's Army. He also made appearances in Z-Cars and Danger Man.
Sinclair was born in Oldham, Lancashire, the son of a stage actor. His father died when he was 14. Drama school was too expensive so he worked for amateur theatre companies. He served in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in the Second World War, and was a salesman before deciding to become a professional actor in his late forties. Although born into a theatrical family, Edward had to resist the temptation to turn professional until he had safely brought up his family. In the meantime, he continued to perform with amateur dramatics societies, enjoying the experience while continuing to earn a living from being a salesman.
The earliest work in his belated main career was in radio before being noticed and offered small parts on TV. His first appearance in Dad's Army was in the fifth episode (before audiences had been introduced to the Vicar) as the caretaker, playing the verger from the second series. He also appeared in several films and theatre productions, and was being offered work in panto just as the series finished, but died soon after from a heart attack while living in Cheddar, Somerset. This came as a shock to all the cast members, and it was Arthur Lowe, who stated at his funeral service, "With the loss of Teddy, it is now quite clear that there will be no more Dad's Army."