Actor Nicholas Smith (Mr. Rumbold in "Are You Being Served?") 1934-2015 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 12-07-2015, 10:10 AM

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Nicholas Smith, the actor who played store manager Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, has died aged 81.
He had been the last surviving member of the original cast.
"It is with great sadness we can confirm that our client passed away yesterday," his agents at Michelle Braidman Associates said.
"He was a lovely man and a terrific actor. He will be much missed by all who knew him."
They added that their thoughts were with his family.
Smith, who died in hospital on Sunday, had been in hospital for seven weeks following a fall at home.

Are You Being Served was set in fictitious department store Grace Bros and ran from 1972 to 1985, often attracting audiences of more than 20 million.
It also starred John Inman, Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton and Wendy Richard alongside smith, who played Cuthbert "Jug Ears" Rumbold, the manager of the mens and ladieswear sections.

Born in 1934 in Banstead, Surrey, Smith's other TV roles included parts in Doctor Who, The Frost Report, The Saint and The Avengers.
He played PC Yates in several episodes of the BBC police series Z Cars between 1972-75.
More recently, he was the voice of the eccentric Reverend Clement Hedges in Wallace & Gromit film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).
Smith's daughter is the actress Catherine Russell, who plays Serena Campbell in Holby City.

Steve_uk · 12-07-2015, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

Link

Nicholas Smith, the actor who played store manager Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, has died aged 81.
He had been the last surviving member of the original cast.
"It is with great sadness we can confirm that our client passed away yesterday," his agents at Michelle Braidman Associates said.
"He was a lovely man and a terrific actor. He will be much missed by all who knew him."
They added that their thoughts were with his family.
Smith, who died in hospital on Sunday, had been in hospital for seven weeks following a fall at home.

Are You Being Served was set in fictitious department store Grace Bros and ran from 1972 to 1985, often attracting audiences of more than 20 million.
It also starred John Inman, Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton and Wendy Richard alongside smith, who played Cuthbert "Jug Ears" Rumbold, the manager of the mens and ladieswear sections.

Born in 1934 in Banstead, Surrey, Smith's other TV roles included parts in Doctor Who, The Frost Report, The Saint and The Avengers.
He played PC Yates in several episodes of the BBC police series Z Cars between 1972-75.
More recently, he was the voice of the eccentric Reverend Clement Hedges in Wallace & Gromit film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005).
Smith's daughter is the actress Catherine Russell, who plays Serena Campbell in Holby City.

The product of an English public school, he symbolized that certainty of the Home Counties male which ruled the Empire in bygone days and whose genetic stock formed a diaspora in America, Canada,Australia,New Zealand and other places,the progeny of whom are conspicuous in those countries today. Nicholas Smith played the buffoon in his most successful television series,Are You Being Served, but it was somehow fitting that he outlived all other members of the cast, and the episode I have chosen as his epitaph would surely meet with his approval as he advances to that great department store in the sky. https://youtu.be/MzAByqdYSOM?list=RDMzAByqdYSOM

Marvo301 · 12-07-2015, 03:18 PM

This is a very sad day. The last surviving original cast member of "Are You Being Served" has passed on. I'm so glad the show and the laughter live on on DVD.

Nicholas Smith

Steve_uk · 12-07-2015, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

This is a very sad day. The last surviving original cast member of "Are You Being Served" has passed on. I'm so glad the show and the laughter live on on DVD.

Nicholas Smith

Yes I think it must have been the actors who engendered a feeling of viewer loyalty that we stuck with them through thick and thin from 1972 to 1985:even when the scripts were lousy I felt sorry for them rather than turned the programme off.

Marvo301 · 12-07-2015, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve_uk

Yes I think it must have been the actors who engendered a feeling of viewer loyalty that we stuck with them through thick and thin from 1972 to 1985:even when the scripts were lousy I felt sorry for them rather than turned the programme off.

Absolutely. Even when the scripts weren't good the performances of the cast were. The relationships between the characters were funny and carried the show even when the scripts were poor. It was obvius this was a cast that enjoyed their work and enjoyed working with each other. It's sad that there all gone now.

Jaqui-Michel · 12-07-2015, 04:08 PM

One scene I always crack up at is the episode when the staff didn't know Mrs. Slocombe's first name. Mr. Rumbold had them practice saying Happy Birthday to you Dear Uh Uh. RIP Mr. Smith.

Steve_uk · 12-07-2015, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaqui-Michel

One scene I always crack up at is the episode when the staff didn't know Mrs. Slocombe's first name. Mr. Rumbold had them practice saying Happy Birthday to you Dear Uh Uh. RIP Mr. Smith.

Yes that was Fifty Years On: https://youtu.be/sURlKzkp2w4?list=RDsURlKzkp2w4

LeeBlue · 12-09-2015, 11:34 AM

Very sad news indeed.

It seems hard to believe the cast is gone.

At least their wonderful performances will go on with the DVDs.

R.I.P. Mr. Smith.

Steve_uk · 12-09-2015, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeBlue

Very sad news indeed.

It seems hard to believe the cast is gone.

At least their wonderful performances will go on with the DVDs.

R.I.P. Mr. Smith.

I always got the feeling there was more to Nicholas Smith the actor than just Cuthbert Rumbold, and reading this article today I confirm that there certainly was. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obit...-obituary.html

scrapple · 12-13-2015, 09:54 PM

Is Mr. Lucas gone as well? He seemed much younger than the rest of the cast.

1960'sTVfan · 12-13-2015, 10:31 PM

Sad news, I just recently bought the complete series DVD too. It's true the episodes didn't always have the greatest writing, the talented actors and funny characters they created carried the show when not given the best material to work with. Despite it's shortcomings, Are You Being Served is my favorite British sitcom. The 1977 movie version is fairly funny as well.

Zoneboy · 12-13-2015, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrapple

Is Mr. Lucas gone as well? He seemed much younger than the rest of the cast.

Yes, Trevor Bannister died April 14, 2011.

jonathan c herron · 01-17-2016, 10:39 PM

Mrs Slocombe to Mr Humphries MrHumphries leave my ***** alone

12-07-2015, 10:10 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,438	Actor Nicholas Smith (Mr. Rumbold in "Are You Being Served?") 1934-2015 Link Nicholas Smith, the actor who played store manager Mr Rumbold in the BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, has died aged 81. He had been the last surviving member of the original cast. "It is with great sadness we can confirm that our client passed away yesterday," his agents at Michelle Braidman Associates said. "He was a lovely man and a terrific actor. He will be much missed by all who knew him." They added that their thoughts were with his family. Smith, who died in hospital on Sunday, had been in hospital for seven weeks following a fall at home. Are You Being Served was set in fictitious department store Grace Bros and ran from 1972 to 1985, often attracting audiences of more than 20 million. It also starred John Inman, Molly Sugden, Frank Thornton and Wendy Richard alongside smith, who played Cuthbert "Jug Ears" Rumbold, the manager of the mens and ladieswear sections. Born in 1934 in Banstead, Surrey, Smith's other TV roles included parts in Doctor Who, The Frost Report, The Saint and The Avengers. He played PC Yates in several episodes of the BBC police series Z Cars between 1972-75. More recently, he was the voice of the eccentric Reverend Clement Hedges in Wallace & Gromit film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). Smith's daughter is the actress Catherine Russell, who plays Serena Campbell in Holby City.
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

12-07-2015, 03:18 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,460	This is a very sad day. The last surviving original cast member of "Are You Being Served" has passed on. I'm so glad the show and the laughter live on on DVD. Nicholas Smith
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

12-07-2015, 04:08 PM	#6
Jaqui-Michel Brick City Citizen Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 22, 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 355	One scene I always crack up at is the episode when the staff didn't know Mrs. Slocombe's first name. Mr. Rumbold had them practice saying Happy Birthday to you Dear Uh Uh. RIP Mr. Smith.
	__________________ Stupidity - The Silent Killer

12-09-2015, 11:34 AM	#8
LeeBlue Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 16, 2006 Location: NYS Posts: 871	Actor Nicholas Smith (Mr. Rumbold in "Are You Being Served?") 1934-2015 Very sad news indeed. It seems hard to believe the cast is gone. At least their wonderful performances will go on with the DVDs. R.I.P. Mr. Smith.

01-17-2016, 10:39 PM	#13
jonathan c herron Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 03, 2003 Location: harrisaburg illinois Posts: 57	Funniest show I ever watched Mrs Slocombe to Mr Humphries MrHumphries leave my ***** alone

12-13-2015, 09:54 PM	#10
scrapple Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 03, 2012 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 259	Is Mr. Lucas gone as well? He seemed much younger than the rest of the cast.

12-13-2015, 10:31 PM	#11
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,129	Sad news, I just recently bought the complete series DVD too. It's true the episodes didn't always have the greatest writing, the talented actors and funny characters they created carried the show when not given the best material to work with. Despite it's shortcomings, Are You Being Served is my favorite British sitcom. The 1977 movie version is fairly funny as well.