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Bill Owen

Bill Owen

Known For Acting
Birthday Mar 14, 1914
Died Jul 12, 1999 (85)
Birthplace Acton, London, England, UK
Popularity 1 (history)
Updated Aug 10, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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

Filmography

The Entertainer

The Entertainer

1993

as Billy Rice

Laughterhouse

Laughterhouse

1984

as Amos

Getting Sam Home

Getting Sam Home

1983

as Compo

The Comeback

The Comeback

1978

as Mr. B

In Celebration

In Celebration

1975

as Mr. Shaw

O Lucky Man!

O Lucky Man!

1973

as Supt. Barlow / Insp. Carding

Unfair!

Unfair!

1970

as Worker

Georgy Girl

Georgy Girl

1966

as Ted

The Fighting Prince of Donegal

The Fighting Prince of Donegal

1966

as Officer Powell

The Secret of Blood Island

The Secret of Blood Island

1964

as George Bludgin

Kiss Me Kate

Kiss Me Kate

1964

as Gangster

Carry On Cabby

Carry On Cabby

1963

as Smiley Sims

Carry On Regardless

Carry On Regardless

1961

as Mike Weston

The Hellfire Club

The Hellfire Club

1961

as Martin

On the Fiddle

On the Fiddle

1961

as Cpl. Gittens

The Shakedown

The Shakedown

1960

as David Spettigue

Carry On Nurse

Carry On Nurse

1959

as Percy 'Perc' Hickson

Davy

Davy

1958

as Eric

Carry On Sergeant

Carry On Sergeant

1958

as Corporal Bill Copping

Carve Her Name with Pride

Carve Her Name with Pride

1958

as NCO Instructor

The Rainbow Jacket

The Rainbow Jacket

1954

as Sam

The Square Ring

The Square Ring

1953

as Happy Burns

A Day to Remember

A Day to Remember

1953

as Shorty Sharpe

Hotel Sahara

Hotel Sahara

1951

as Private Binns

Once a Jolly Swagman

Once a Jolly Swagman

1949

as Lag Gibbon

Diamond City

Diamond City

1949

as Pinto

Trottie True

Trottie True

1949

as Joe Jugg

Daybreak

Daybreak

1948

as Ron

My Brother's Keeper

My Brother's Keeper

1948

as Syd Evans

The Weaker Sex

The Weaker Sex

1948

as Soldier with Chicken

Easy Money

Easy Money

1948

as Mr. Lee

When The Bough Breaks

When The Bough Breaks

1947

as Bill Collins

Dancing with Crime

Dancing with Crime

1947

as Dave Robinson

School for Secrets

School for Secrets

1946

as Paratroop Sergeant

The Way to the Stars

The Way to the Stars

1945

as Sgt. 'Nobby' Clarke

Tank Patrol

Tank Patrol

1941

as Geordie

No data available

No data available

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Last of the Summer Wine

as Compo

Episodes: 193

First Aired: Jan 04, 1973

Brideshead Revisited

as Lunt

Episodes: 11

First Aired: Oct 12, 1981

Sherlock Holmes

as Inspector Lestrade

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Oct 20, 1951

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

as George Chambers

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Jan 09, 1973

Tales of the Unexpected

as Meakins

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 24, 1979

Last of the Summer Wine

as Compo (archive footage)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 04, 1973

The Buccaneers

as Clip West

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1956

Catweazle

as Pickle

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 15, 1970

Performance

as Billy Rice

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 22, 1991

Noel's House Party

as Compo

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 23, 1991

Coppers End

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Feb 19, 1971

Shirley's World

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 07, 1972

Angels

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 01, 1975

Man in a Suitcase

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 27, 1967

Blankety Blank

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 18, 1979

Cilla

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 30, 1968

Last of the Summer Wine

as Himself (archive footage)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 04, 1973

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 11 15 5
2024 7 16 23 6
2024 8 12 30 7
2024 9 8 19 4
2024 10 4 7 2
2024 11 4 7 2
2024 12 6 10 2
2025 1 8 15 4
2025 2 3 9 1
2025 3 3 5 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 1 1
2025 7 0 1 0
2025 8 1 7 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 1 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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