R.I.P.

Richard Briers (1934-2013), one of England's best light comedy actors, died at 79, after years of smoking .... The hit BBC series THE GOOD LIFE which ran from 1975 to 1978 featured him (left) as the hapless Tom Good who retires from the business grind at 40 and decides to become self-sufficient. This series caught the 70s perfectly as Tom and Barbara (Felicity Kendal) and their posh neighbours the Leadbeaters, Margo (Penelope Keith) and Jerry (Paul Eddington) find lots of fun with their contrasted lifestyles, particuarly that marvellous Christmas episode, which we enjoy every year. 

Briars was also the Laird in the 2000-2005 Scottish series MONARCH OF THE GLEN, teamed with Susan Hampshire and Julian (DOWNTON ABBEY) Fellowes, and in other popular series like EVER DECREASING CIRCLES. On stage he excelled in Alan Ayckbourn productions - I remember seeing him and Lynn Redgrave being blissfully funny playing several characters between them in THE TWO OF US in the '70s.  He also appeared in several Kenneth Branagh films including Polonius in HAMLET.

John Kerr (1931-2013), actor. Kerr was never the most charistmatic of actors, but had a few good roles, before he later took up law. His best known film must be SOUTH PACIFIC in 1958, as Lieut. Cable. He was also in Minnelli's TEA AND SYMPATHY, and THE COBWEB. He was also in THE CROWDED SKY, GIRL OF THE NIGHT and the juvenile in the Vincent Price Poe THE PIT AND THE PENDELUM. among lots of television work.

Merry Anders (1934-2012), a pleasant blonde starlet, who had some movie roles in the '50s - a model in the 1953 HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE, the girl interested in Rock Hudson in ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS, one of Katharine Hepburn's DESK SET, and on the plane in AIRPORT, in a long career of small parts and television roles.