Peter Bowles (1936-2022)

I was much saddened by the passing of Peter Bowles aged 85.

As a fan of Rumpole of the Bailey I enjoyed him as the smooth but thick Guthrie Featherstone QC, a typical John Mortimer depiction of a rich Tory.

I have a connection to the programme.

Jonathan Coy, who played the clerk Henry, is an old friend.

I texted him on Peter Bowles’ passing and he replied that he was most supportive of him (Coy) as a young actor.

Many years ago Jonathan told me that the key to Bowles was that his parents were in service.

The Bowles family worked for the Earl of Sandwich and the father of Peter was chauffeur to David Margesson, who was Winston Churchill’s Chief Whip during the war years.

The Bowles family occupied a cottage on his Warwickshire estate.

Class divide is is arguably the most popular form of TV entertainment (e.g. The Forsyte Saga; Upstairs ,Downstairs: Downton Abbey) and Bowles played the lead in the successful To The Manor Born alongside Penelope Keith.

The programme attracted 23 million viewers.

Bowles was also a considerable stage actor.

In researching an article on playwrights who had become forgotten I cited John Arden and his play The Happy Haven, a play about euthanasia in which I acted in my school.

Bowles played the lead of the mad doctor in charge of the home at the Royal Court in 1960.

He was at RADA with Alan Bates, Peter O’Toole and Albert Finney.

Though versatile he was usually cast as a superior, insincere, toff  in the style of Dennis Price.