The character actor Clive Swift has been celebrating his 70th birthday all week and intends to carry on doing so over the weekend. Many old friends turned up for a show at a small theatre in Swiss Cottage, several of them doing turns especially for the celebrations. His stage partner, Patricia Routledge, was there from the hit comedy Keeping up Appearances, which ran for five series until 1995. It remains his best-known television part though he has numerous stage and film credits. Playing Richard Bucket, the long-suffering husband of Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet), he says: “Alas and alack that is what I’ll be remembered for.” He adds: “It was an enormous stroke of luck and has kept me solvent for the last ten years, something I barely was before. But having reached this grand age I’m now brave enough to be able to try a little show on my own, reaching back to my Cambridge days, where I’ll be singing songs with an accompanist. I love playing the piano but I can’t sing and play at the same time. How I envy Victoria Wood.” Clive Swift is 70 today. RGT
Brian Bennett, the Shadows drummer, 66; J. M. Coetzee, writer, 66; Ryland Davies, tenor, 63; Air Commandant Barbara Ducat-Amos, director of RAF Nursing Service, 1972-78, 85; Mia Farrow, actress, 61; Dr Garret FitzGerald, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, 1981-82 and 1982-87, 80; Bernard Gallacher, professional golfer, 57; Sir Robert Johnson, a Justice of the High Court, Family Division, 1989-2004, 73; Ben E. King, singer, 64; Sandy Lyle, professional golfer, 48; Sir Donald Miller, chairman of ScottishPower, 1982-92, 79; Dame Annette Penhaligon, charity worker, 60; Sir Hayden Phillips, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Constitutional Affairs, 1998-2004, 63; Amanda Roocroft, opera singer, 40; Professor Michael Sterling, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University, 60; Gordon Strachan, manager of Celtic Football Club, 49; Janet Suzman, actress, 67; Lord Williams of Elvel, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, House of Lords, 1989-92, 73.