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Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
March 14, 1914
Died
July 12, 1999
Place of Birth
Acton, London, England, UK
Also Known As
- Билл Оуэн
- William John Owen Rowbotham
Bill Owen
0.6 Popularity
Biography
British born actor known for playing working class characters on film and TV. Born William Rowbotham, the son of a tram driver and laundress, he started playing drums in London nightclubs and toured music halls with his own cabaret act to pay for acting classes. He entertained at Butlin's holiday camps and performed in repertory, joining the Unity Theatre where he attained respect as a stage producer. His career was interrupted by military service with the Royal Army Ordinance Corps where he was injured in an explosion during a battle training course. Returning to acting, he started making a name for himself in such films as Johnny in the Clouds (1945), When the Bough Breaks (1947), Maniacs on Wheels (1949), and The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952). He continued to perform in the theatre limelight and peaked in roles with Katharine Hepburn in "As You Like It" in 1950, and with "The Threepenny Opera" and "The Mikado", which made use of his musical talents. A writer at heart, he penned songs, musicals and plays over the years. Partnered with Mike Sammes, he wrote songs recorded by Pat Boone, Harry Secombe, Engelbert Humperdinck and Sir Cliff Richard, who had a hit with his 1980 song "Marianne". In the 60s he produced the stage musical, "The Matchgirl", and focused heavily on film slapstick with the 'Carry On' series. TV stardom came late, in the role of Compo in the BBC's 1973 series "Last of the Summer Wine". When he died of pancreatic cancer in 1999, he asked to be buried in the Yorkshire village of Holmfirth, where the TV series was filmed. Owen was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his steadfast work for the National Association of Boys Clubs and for his role as chairman of the Performing Arts Advising Panel.
Known For
0.0
Self (archive)
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
2022
7.8
Corporal Bill Copping / Perc Hickson / Mike Weston (archive footage) (uncredited)
What's a Carry On?
1998
🎬
0.0
Self
Smillie's People
1996
7.0
Billy Rice
The Entertainer
1993
7.2
Compo
Noel's House Party
1991
6.0
Billy Rice
Performance
1991
0.0
Compo
Royal Variety Performance 1984
1984
5.0
Amos
Laughterhouse
1984
8.0
Compo Simmonite
Getting Sam Home
1983
0.0
Compo
The Funny Side of Christmas
1982
Credits
Last Of The Summer Wine: 30 Years Of Laughs
as Self (archive)
2022
0.0
What's a Carry On?
as Corporal Bill Copping / Perc Hickson / Mike Weston (archive footage) (uncredited)
1998
7.8
🎬
Smillie's People
as Self
1996
0.0
The Entertainer
as Billy Rice
1993
7.0
Noel's House Party
as Compo
1991
7.2
Performance
as Billy Rice
1991
6.0
Royal Variety Performance 1984
as Compo
1984
0.0
Laughterhouse
as Amos
1984
5.0
Getting Sam Home
as Compo Simmonite
1983
8.0
The Funny Side of Christmas
as Compo
1982
0.0
🎬
The Kids International Show
as Compo
1982
0.0
Tales of the Unexpected
as Meakins
1979
6.7
Blankety Blank
1979
4.6
🎬
Last of the Summer Wine Christmas Specials 1978-1982
as Compo
1978
4.0
The Comeback
as Mr. B
1978
5.6
That's Carry On!
as Corporal Bill Copping (archive footage) (uncredited)
1977
5.7
🎬
The Val Doonican Music Show
as Self
1977
0.0
Angels
1975
3.7
In Celebration
as Mr. Shaw
1975
4.8
O Lucky Man!
as Supt. Barlow / Insp. Carding
1973
6.8
Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
as George Chambers
1973
7.7
Last of the Summer Wine
as Compo (archive footage)
1973
7.1
Last of the Summer Wine
as Compo
1973
7.1
Shirley's World
1972
5.0
🎬
Coppers End
as Sgt. Sam Short
1971
0.0
🎬
Unfair!
as Worker
1970
0.0
Catweazle
as Pickle
1970
7.6
🎬
Mischief
1969
0.0
🎬
Headline Hunters
1968
0.0
Cilla
as Self
1968
10.0
Man in a Suitcase
1967
7.0
The Fighting Prince of Donegal
as Officer Powell
1966
5.3
Georgy Girl
as Ted
1966
6.2
The Secret of Blood Island
as George Bludgin
1964
0.0
Kiss Me, Kate
as Gangster
1964
0.0
🎬
The Last Word on Julie
as Ray
1964
0.0
🎬
Taxi!
as Fred Cuddell
1963
0.0
🎬
Taxi!
as Fred Cuddel
1963
0.0
Carry On Cabby
as "Smiley" Sims
1963
6.4
On the Fiddle
as Cpl. Gittens
1961
5.3
Carry On Regardless
as Mike Weston
1961
6.2
🎬
Drama 61-67
as Bailey
1961
0.0
The Hellfire Club
as Martin
1961
4.7
The Shakedown
as David Spettigue
1960
5.7
Carry On Nurse
as Percy "Perc" Hickson
1959
6.4
Carry On Sergeant
as Corporal Bill Copping
1958
6.4
Carve Her Name with Pride
as NCO Instructor
1958
6.0
Davy
as Eric
1958
5.0
The Buccaneers
as Clip West
1956
5.5
Not So Dusty
1956
6.3
This Is Your Life
as Self
1955
6.4
The Ship That Died of Shame
as Birdie
1955
7.0
The Rainbow Jacket
as Sam
1954
6.9
A Day to Remember
as Shorty Sharpe
1953
6.9
The Square Ring
as Happy Burns
1953
7.1
There Was a Young Lady
as Joe
1953
6.0
The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men
as Stutely
1952
6.2
🎬
Sherlock Holmes
as Inspector Lestrade
1951
0.0
Hotel Sahara
as Private Binns
1951
5.3
The Girl Who Couldn't Quite
as Tim
1950
6.0
Trottie True
as Joe Jugg
1949
7.0
Diamond City
as Pinto
1949
5.2
Once a Jolly Swagman
as Lag Gibbon
1949
5.6
Trouble in the Air
1948
7.0
The Weaker Sex
as Soldier with Chicken
1948
6.0
My Brother's Keeper
as Syd Evans
1948
6.1
Daybreak
as Ron
1948
6.0
Easy Money
as Mr. Lee
1948
6.0
🎬
When The Bough Breaks
as Bill Collins
1947
6.3
Dancing with Crime
as Dave Robinson
1947
5.9
School for Secrets
as Paratroop Sergeant (as Bill Rowbotham)
1946
7.0
The Way to the Stars
as Sgt. 'Nobby' Clarke
1945
6.0
A City Reborn
1945
0.0
Breathing Space
as (uncredited)
1943
0.0
🎬
Tank Patrol
as Geordie
1941
0.0