Siddhesh Joshi (Editor)

James Beck

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Cause of death
  
Role
  
Actor

Name
  
James Beck


Years active
  
1961–73

Occupation
  
Actor

Spouse
  
Kay Beck (m. 1959–1973)

James Beck httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenee2Jam

Full Name
  
Stanley James Carroll Beck

Born
  
21 February 1929 (
1929-02-21
)
Islington, London, England

Died
  
August 6, 1973, Roehampton, London, United Kingdom

Buried
  
Putney Vale Cemetery, London, United Kingdom

Movies and TV shows
  
Dad's Army, Romany Jones, 40 Guns to Apache Pass, Mild And Bitter

Similar People
  
Arnold Ridley, John Laurie, Ian Lavender, Clive Dunn, Arthur Lowe

james beck tribute


Stanley James Carroll Beck (21 February 1929 – 6 August 1973) was an English actor best remembered for his role as Private Walker, the cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army.

Contents

James beck tribute


Early life

James Beck Best 25 James beck ideas on Pinterest Short couples Cute couple

Stanley James Carroll Beck was born in Islington, North London and attended Popham Road Primary School. His childhood was hard, with his father frequently unemployed and his mother making artificial flowers to provide a small income.

James Beck James Beck the Dads Army star cut off in his prime Telegraph

After attending art college and doing his national service in the British Army, Beck took up acting. His early roles included Charlie Bell in an episode of Dr. Finlay's Casebook ("Conduct Unbecoming", 1962), and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice in 1963, for which he gained positive reviews. Moving to London, he concentrated on television, and was cast as a policeman in a 1967 episode of Coronation Street involving a now well-known storyline concerning a train crash. He also appeared as an uncredited policeman in Gideon's Way (1965), and was regularly seen in TV drama, with one-off roles in series such as The Troubleshooters (1965, 1967, 1970) and the BBC's Sherlock Holmes series with Peter Cushing in the lead ("The Blue Carbuncle", 1968).

In 1968 he was offered the role of Private Walker in Dad's Army, originally written by Jimmy Perry for himself. Perry approved of the casting of Beck: "He had the right mix of cheekiness and charm. He gave the role a bit of oomph." While popular in the role, Beck yearned for the challenge of other roles.

Always in demand, he continued to work on TV programmes including A Family at War (1970) and Romany Jones (1972–73), in which he played the lead character of Bert Jones. He also recorded a pilot for an uncommissioned series called Bunclarke With an E (1973), to be based on scripts originally written for Hancock's Half Hour, performing with Arthur Lowe.

Death

By 1973, Beck had already recorded five series of Dad's Army and was working on the sixth, besides working on the radio series of the show. Location filming for series six was completed when Beck suddenly fell ill whilst opening a school fete in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind. He returned home and within an hour was taken to Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton suffering from pancreatitis. He died there three weeks later at age 44 and was cremated at Putney Vale Cemetery, where a tree was planted in his memory, with a marker bearing his name.

His death was a great shock to his fellow cast members, as well as to Jimmy Perry and David Croft. Perry has said heavy drinking was common in showbusiness at the time, and that he paid little attention to Beck's habit until "I saw Jimmy’s legs and they were purple. It was the last episode he appeared in before he died."

In the sixth season, during the episode "Things that Go Bump in the Night", Walker is only present in the location scenes in the second half of the episode, as these were filmed weeks earlier than the studio scenes. In one of the videotaped sequences filmed after Beck's death, the platoon is aboard Corporal Jones' van, when Captain Mainwaring tells Sergeant Wilson to 'take Private Walker's name'. Wilson writes the name 'Walker' in the condensation on the window. In the following episode, "The Recruit" (the season finale) Mainwaring reads a note written by Walker apologising for his absence, as he has gone "up the Smoke" (to London) to conduct one of his deals. This was the last time the character was mentioned. In the radio adaptations of Dad's Army, Graham Stark stood in until Larry Martyn portrayed Walker for subsequent shows. In 1976 John Bardon played Walker in the stage production.

Filmography

Actor
1968
Dad's Army (TV Series) as
Pte. Joe Walker / Private Green
- The Recruit (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker (credit only)
- Things That Go Bump in the Night (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Honourable Man (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- We Know Our Onions (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Royal Train (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- My British Buddy (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Deadly Attachment (1973) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Time on My Hands (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- A Brush with the Law (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Brain Versus Brawn (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- When Did You Last See Your Money? (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- All Is Safely Gathered In (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The King Was in His Counting House (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- If the Cap Fits-. (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Getting the Bird (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- A Soldier's Farewell (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Keep Young and Beautiful (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Asleep in the Deep (1972) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Battle of the Giants! (1971) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Fallen Idol (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Uninvited Guests (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- A. Wilson (Manager)? (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Test (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Mum's Army (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Two and a Half Feathers (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker / Private Green
- Put That Light Out! (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Absent Friends (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Don't Fence Me In (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Sgt - Save My Boy! (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Boots, Boots, Boots (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Don't Forget the Diver (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Big Parade (1970) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Sons of the Sea (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- No Spring for Frazer (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Man Hunt (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Branded (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Menace from the Deep (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- War Dance (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Day the Balloon Went Up (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Big Guns (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Room at the Bottom (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Something Nasty in the Vault (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Bullet Is Not for Firing (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Lion Has 'Phones (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Battle School (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Under Fire (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- A Stripe for Frazer (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Operation Kilt (1969) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Shooting Pains (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Showing Up of Corporal Jones (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Enemy Within the Gates (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Command Decision (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
- Museum Piece (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
- The Man and the Hour (1968) - Pte. Joe Walker
1972
Romany Jones (TV Series) as
Bert Jones
- Pack Up Your Troubles (1973) - Bert Jones
- Not So Sweet Charity (1973) - Bert Jones
- For Better or Worse (1973) - Bert Jones
- Just the Job (1973) - Bert Jones
- The Shower (1973) - Bert Jones
- One and One Makes Three (1973) - Bert Jones
- Look After the Pennies (1973) - Bert Jones
- An Addition to the Family (1973) - Bert Jones
- The Competition (1973) - Bert Jones
- A Rough Night (1973) - Bert Jones
- Run Rabbit Run (1973) - Bert Jones
- The Ring (1973) - Bert Jones
- The More We Are Together (1973) - Bert Jones
- Pilot: Romany Jones (1972) - Bert Jones
1973
Scene (TV Series)
- A Grim Job (1973)
1973
Love Thy Neighbour as
Cyril
1972
A Couple of Beauties (Short) as
Sidney
1968
A Christmas Night with the Stars (TV Series) as
Private Joe Walker - Dad's Army segment / Private Walker - Dad's Army segment / Private Joe Walker
- Christmas Night with the Stars 1972 (1972) - Private Walker - Dad's Army segment
- Episode dated 25 December 1970 (1970) - Private Joe Walker - Dad's Army segment
- Episode dated 25 December 1969 (1969) - Private Joe Walker - Dad's Army segment
- Episode dated 25 December 1968 (1968) - Private Joe Walker
1972
My Wife Next Door (TV Series) as
Mr. Fielding
- Undesirable Residence (1972) - Mr. Fielding
1972
Scoop (TV Series) as
Corker
- The Scoop (1972) - Corker
- Stones £20 (1972) - Corker
- The War Torn Ishmaelia (1972) - Corker
- The Complete Traveller (1972) - Corker
1963
Comedy Playhouse (TV Series) as
Johnny / Policeman / Sydney - Bus Conductor
- Born Every Minute (1972) - Johnny
- The Bishop Rides Again (1966) - Policeman
- The Chars (1963) - Sydney - Bus Conductor
1972
The Fenn Street Gang (TV Series) as
Auctioneer
- Horse of the Year (1972) - Auctioneer
1971
The Trouble with Lilian (TV Series) as
Man
- The Presence (1971) - Man
1971
The Morecambe & Wise Show (TV Series) as
Captain Bligh's Crewman
- Episode #5.2 (1971) - Captain Bligh's Crewman
1971
The Dick Emery Show (TV Series)
- Episode #10.5 (1971)
1971
Dad's Army as
Pte. Walker
1970
Carry on Loving as
Mr. Roxby (scenes deleted)
1970
Jackanory (TV Series) as
Storyteller
- Humbert, Mr Firkin, and the Lord Mayor of London/The Golden Horse (1970) - Storyteller
1965
Mogul (TV Series) as
Jack Robbins / Dave Sandy / Alan Boyd
- The Price of a Bride (1970) - Jack Robbins
- Some Days You Just Can't Win (1967) - Dave Sandy
- Wildcat (1965) - Alan Boyd
1970
A Family at War (TV Series) as
Bob O'Connell
- The War Office Regrets (1970) - Bob O'Connell
1970
I Am a Groupie as
Brian
1970
Doctor in the House (TV Series) as
Mr. Wale
- What Seems to Be the Trouble? (1970) - Mr. Wale
1969
Counterstrike (TV Series) as
Gold
- Backlash (1969) - Gold
1969
Two in Clover (TV Series) as
Dr. Molineux
- Episode #1.7 (1969) - Dr. Molineux
1968
Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) as
James Ryder
- The Blue Carbuncle (1968) - James Ryder
1966
Harry Worth (TV Series) as
Flight Lieutenant Conner / Smithers
- Private Pimpernel (1968) - Flight Lieutenant Conner
- It's in the Bag (1966) - Smithers
1968
Never a Cross Word (TV Series)
- The Baldocks at Bay (1968)
1968
Dayton's Devils as
Mark Scott
1968
ITV Playhouse (TV Series) as
Police Sergeant
- There's a Hole in Your Dustbin Delilah (1968) - Police Sergeant
1968
Detective (TV Series) as
Bathwick
- The Case of the Late Pig (1968) - Bathwick
1968
Star! as
Drunken Soldier (uncredited)
1967
Champion House (TV Series) as
Frank Knight
- Go West, Young Man (1968) - Frank Knight
- Sonata for a Solo Fiddle (1967) - Frank Knight
1968
Not in Front of the Children (TV Series) as
House Agent
- Home Chat (1968) - House Agent
1966
Public Eye (TV Series) as
Tom Vowden / Marty Cornwell
- But What Good Will the Truth Do? (1968) - Tom Vowden
- No, No, Nothing Like That (1966) - Marty Cornwell
1968
Hugh and I Spy (TV Series)
- Yellow Peril (1968)
1967
Softly Softly (TV Series) as
Chief Supt. Colson
- Who's Mr. Smith? (1967) - Chief Supt. Colson
1961
Dixon of Dock Green (TV Series) as
Gordon / Tommy Preston / Jim Carter / ...
- The Step-Brother (1967) - Gordon
- Other People's Lives (1965) - Tommy Preston
- Facing the Music (1964) - Jim Carter
- The Switch (1963) - Don
- Outside the Gates (1962) - Bert Mason
- New Man in the Manor (1961) - Geoff Bastin
1967
City '68 (TV Series) as
Dave Cook
- The Shooting War (1967) - Dave Cook
1967
Trapped (TV Series) as
Deputy
- You're a Brave Man, Jack (1967) - Deputy
1967
The Gamblers (TV Series) as
Stewart
- When the Chips Are Down (1967) - Stewart
1964
Coronation Street (TV Series) as
Sergeant Bowdon / Sergeant Bowden / Policeman / ...
- Episode #1.699 (1967) - Sergeant Bowdon
- Episode #1.669 (1967) - Sergeant Bowdon
- Episode #1.668 (1967) - Sergeant Bowdon
- Episode #1.551 (1966) - Policeman
- Episode #1.493 (1965) - Police Sergeant
- Episode #1.415 (1964) - Sergeant Bowdon
- Episode #1.409 (1964) - Sergeant Bowden
- Episode #1.408 (1964) - Sergeant Bowden
1967
The Secret Agent (TV Movie) as
The Carter
1967
No Hiding Place (TV Series) as
Bill
- The Price on My Head (1967) - Bill
1967
Beggar My Neighbour (TV Series) as
Policeman
- Have Car - Won't Travel (1967) - Policeman
1967
Drama 61-67 (TV Series) as
Police sergeant
- Drama '67: Cross My Heart and Hope She'll Die (1967) - Police sergeant
1967
Theatre 625 (TV Series) as
Graves
- Sword of Honour #2: Officers and Gentlemen (1967) - Graves
1966
Blackmail (TV Series) as
Eamonn Donovan
- The Tax Man Cometh (1966) - Eamonn Donovan
1966
Foreign Affairs (TV Series) as
Burke / Waiter
- The Leak (1966) - Burke
- Can We Have Our Ball Back? (1966) - Waiter
1966
Quick Before They Catch Us (TV Series) as
Policeman
- Mark of Distinction: Part 1 (1966) - Policeman
1966
All Gas and Gaiters (TV Series) as
Policeman
- Pilot: The Bishop Rides Again (1966) - Policeman
1966
Mild and Bitter (TV Series) as
Various Roles
- Episode #1.4 (1966) - Various Roles
- Episode #1.1 (1966) - Various Roles
1966
Gideon C.I.D. (TV Series) as
Inspector Smith
- A Perfect Crime (1966) - Inspector Smith (uncredited)
1964
Here's Harry (TV Series)
- The Identification Parade (1965)
- The Worker (1964)
1965
A World of Comedy (TV Mini Series) as
Chief Laboratory Manager / Voice only - role unknown
- Sanop 409 (1965) - Chief Laboratory Manager
- The Enormous Ear (1965) - Voice only - role unknown
1965
Our Man at St. Mark's (TV Series) as
PC. Bailey
- The Yo-Yo Again (1965) - PC. Bailey
1965
You and the World (TV Series) as
Dad
- Taking a Chance (1965) - Dad
1965
Hit and Run (TV Series) as
Det. Sgt. Reece
- Trial (1965) - Det. Sgt. Reece
- Arrest (1965) - Det. Sgt. Reece
- Enquiry (1965) - Det. Sgt. Reece
- Accident (1965) - Det. Sgt. Reece
1964
Taxi! (TV Series) as
Len Gladwin
- It's a Mug's Game (1964) - Len Gladwin
- Two-Five-Two (1964) - Len Gladwin
- Will You Marry Face? (1964) - Len Gladwin
- Sunday Mornings Are for Sleeping (1964) - Len Gladwin
- It's a Long Way Home (1964) - Len Gladwin
1963
Television Club (TV Series) as
Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: A Day Trip to France - Le Havre (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: A Day Trip to France - Channel Crossing (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: How a Record Is Made (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Keeping House (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: A Visit to Grandmother (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: The Story of a Letter (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Keeping Pets (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Monday Morning (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Saturday Night (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Making a Diesel Hydraulic Locomotive (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: The Doctor (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: The Rainy Day (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Stockford Underground - The Coal Mine (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: Stockford Underground - The Sewers (1963) - Mr. Wade
- The Wade Family: The School Pantomime (1963) - Mr. Wade
1962
Compact (TV Series) as
John Hendry / Workman
- Chicken and Champagne (1963) - John Hendry
- The Winner (1963) - John Hendry
- Talent Contest (1962) - John Hendry
- Musical Evening (1962) - John Hendry
- Stormy Weather (1962) - John Hendry
- Down the Hatch (1962) - John Hendry
- The Party (1962) - Workman
1962
Z Cars (TV Series) as
Constable
- The Five Whistles (1962) - Constable
1962
Citizen James (TV Series)
- The Old People's Outing (1962)
1962
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV Series) as
Charlie Bell
- Conduct Unbecoming (1962) - Charlie Bell
1962
Outbreak of Murder (TV Series) as
Det. Sgt. David
- The End of the Hunt (1962) - Det. Sgt. David
- Thumb-Print (1962) - Det. Sgt. David
- The White Cockerel-Bird (1962) - Det. Sgt. David
1961
Jacks and Knaves (TV Series) as
Det. Con. Syd
- It Was Doing Nothing (1961) - Det. Con. Syd
- The Great Art Robbery (1961) - Det. Con. Syd
- The Master Mind (1961) - Det. Con. Syd
1961
Flower of Evil (TV Mini Series) as
Policeman
- Twelve Hours to Zero (1961) - Policeman
- Death Warrants for Six (1961) - Policeman
- The One That Got Away (1961) - Policeman
1961
Deadline Midnight (TV Series) as
Ambulance man
- One Man Went to Fly (1961) - Ambulance man
1961
Court of Mystery (TV Series) as
John Wright
- The Case of the Mary Celeste (1961) - John Wright
1961
Emergency-Ward 10 (TV Series) as
Policeman
- Episode #1.444 (1961) - Policeman
1961
The Fifth Form at St. Dominic's (TV Series) as
Roach
- The Truth (1961) - Roach
- The New Boy (1961) - Roach
Self
1971
This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) as
Self - Guest
- Clive Dunn (1971) - Self - Guest
1970
A Royal Television Gala Performance (TV Special) as
Pte. Joe Walker
Archive Footage
2021
The Secret Lives of Dad's Army (TV Special documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
2016
Dad's Army: A Stripe for Frazer, Animated (Short) as
Pte. Walker
2007
Comedy Connections (TV Series documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
- Dad's Army (2008) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
- Just Good Friends (2007) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
- It Ain't Half Hot, Mum (2007) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2008
Jonathan Ross Salutes 'Dad's Army' (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2008
Truly, Madly, Cheaply!: British B Movies (TV Movie documentary)(uncredited)
2008
The Comedy Map of Britain (TV Series documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
- Episode #2.5 (2008) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2007
The Passing Years (Video documentary short) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2007
British Film Forever (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
- Bullets, Bombs and Bridges: The Story of the War Film (2007) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2007
Hitler: The Comedy Years (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2005
Spivs (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2005
'We Are the Boys...': James Beck (Video documentary short) as
Pte. Joe Walker
2001
'Dad's Army': Missing Presumed Wiped (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
2001
The Best of Morecambe & Wise (Video) as
Self
2001
The Unforgettable John Le Mesurier (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2000
The Unforgettable Arthur Lowe (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
2000
Don't Panic! The Dad's Army Story (TV Movie documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
1997
Selection Box (TV Series) as
Pte. Joe Walker
- Dad's Army (1997) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)
1995
Omnibus (TV Series documentary) as
Pte. Joe Walker
- Perry & Croft: The Sitcoms (1995) - Pte. Joe Walker (uncredited)

References

James Beck Wikipedia