Quiz

In his final years, Lowe's alcoholism worsened and he was reduced to acting in pantomimes and touring theatre productions. Graham Lord's biography recalls that by 1979, Lowe was suffering from major health problems but continued to drink increasing amounts of alcohol, sometimes passing out on stage or at dinner. He was also a heavy smoker and his weight ballooned. Lowe had long suffered from narcolepsy.

He was interviewed live on BBC TV's lunchtime magazine programme Pebble Mill at One (1972), collapsed at 6 PM the same evening just before he was due to go on stage for a performance of Home at Seven in which he was due to appear with his wife, Joan, and died at 5 AM the following morning.

He is now best known for the role of Captain Mainwaring in the BBC's classic sitcom Dad's Army (1968), although he was not the first choice for it. Thorley Walters and Leonard Rossiter turned it down and Jon Pertwee had also been considered.

He played the same character (Leonard Swindley) in three different series: Coronation Street (1960), Pardon the Expression (1965) and Turn Out the Lights (1967).

In January 1982, Richard Burton had his private aeroplane fly Lowe to film a cameo role in the television series Wagner (1983), his last screen performance.

Three weeks into the shooting of La talpa (1979), Alec Guinness panicked and decided he couldn't play George Smiley; he suggested Lowe as a replacement.

Narrated a public information film reminding motorway drivers that the right hand lane is not a "fast lane" but is for overtaking only.

Suffered a stroke in 1979.

In 2005, he was one of the first 100 to be honoured with his name set into the pavement in London's 'Avenue of the Stars' in Convent Garden.

When touring at coastal theatres with his wife, Lowe used his distinctive 1885 former steam yacht Amazon as a floating base. He bought Amazon as a houseboat in 1968 but realised her potential and took her back to sea in 1971; this unique vessel is still operating in the Mediterranean. The ship had a bar with a semicircular notch cut halfway along, to enable both the portly figure of Lowe and his wife to serve behind the bar at the same time, acting as hosts during the parties they threw on board.

In later life, his wife Joan Cooper insisted they only work on stage together, so he turned down a lot of good theatre work to tour the country in plays that were poor, just to give her a part. He was offered a part in a Hollywood film, Il paradiso può attendere (1978), but felt obligated to turn it down because there was no part for his wife.

He had a clause in his contract for Dad's Army (1968) saying that he would not be filmed without his trousers on.

A memorial service was held for him at St Martin-in-the Fields, London on 24 May 1982.

Son of Arthur ('Big Arthur') (1888-1971) and Mary Annie ('Nan') Lowe (née Ford) (1885-1981).

He dropped out of high school at the age of 15.

Leonard Rossiter, Arthur Lowe, Sid James, Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper all died in the theatre.

He made his debut at the Manchester Repertory Theatre in 1945, where he was paid £5 per week for twice-nightly performances.

The actor enjoyed considerable success in straight television dramas, as well as in comedies.

When playing Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army (1968), Arthur Lowe refused to take his script home in order to learn his lines. The reason he gave, was that he wouldn't have "such damn rubbish" in his house. He usually studied his dialogue at the studio.

He spent 4 years in Coronation Street starting in episode 3.

In a case of life imitating art, like Captain Mainwaring, Arthur Lowe was rather dominated and burdened by his wife.

Two biographies of him have been published: Arthur Lowe - Dad's Memory by his son Stephen, which was issued in 1997; and Arthur Lowe by Graham Lord in 2002.

In 1972, he recorded the novelty songs "How I Won The War" and "My Little Girl, My Little Boy".

In an interview for a Dad's Army (1968) retrospective on BBC television in 2010, Clive Dunn, described Lowe sitting at the bar in the evenings when they were filming on location, consuming a drink which Lowe named 'Amazon' after his yacht. Dunn described the drink as comprising "gin and ginger ale, with a single slice of cucumber".

In December 2007, plans were unveiled for a statue of Lowe to be erected in Thetford, Norfolk, where the outside scenes for Dad's Army (1968) were filmed. The statue was unveiled on 19 June 2010, by the writers of the series, Jimmy Perry and David Croft. The star has also had two blue plaques unveiled, one at Maida Vale and one at his birthplace in Hayfield, Derbyshire.

Was part of a repertory company when serving in the Second World War.

He appeared in the stage musicals 'Pal Joey' and 'The Pyjama Game'.

He owned a 100 ton Victorian steam yacht built in 1885 and a vintage Daimler car.

Son, Stephen Lowe (born in January 1953).

Was reported as being dismissive toward members of the public when recognized.

He was originally cast in Royal Flash (1975) but was replaced.

In WWII he wanted to join the navy but he was turned down as his eyesight wasn't good enough so he joined the army as a trooper. In 1938 and later trained on radio and was eventually sent to the Middle East with REME to repair search lights and was promoted to Sgt Major.

He was an active supporter of the British Conservative Party.

Provided the narration for the animated series of the "Mr. Men" children's books.

Fellow "Coronation Street" actor William Roache remarked in an interview how Arthur Lowe usually kept to himself on the set during filming.

Was cast as Septimus Harding in The Barchester Chronicles (1982) at the time of his death. He was due to start filming but passed away just before principal photography began. Donald Pleasence stepped in at the last minute.

He died exactly 14 years to the day after the first episode of Dad's Army (1968) was recorded.