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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.

Are You Being Served? actor Nicholas Smith dies aged 81 - BBC News

The idea that there's none of them left is very saddening.

The writers are both gone, Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft. Molly Sugden and Wendy Richard, John Inman and Frank Thornton, Trevor Bannister and Harold Bennett, and now Nicholas Smith. It was a startling combination, I'm still surprised the BBC managed to get away with such a magnificent and sustained display of innuendo. England was never quite the same again. I think it's quite reasonable to say English society shifted as a direct result a few programs of which this was one, and they ought to be remembered for it.

I really loved that show. I did not realize that so many had already died, & now Everyone. Sad.

spot;1490310 wrote: I think it's quite reasonable to say English society shifted as a direct result a few programs of which this was one, and they ought to be remembered for it.


I would have said the programs reflected rather than were responsible for the shift.

Are you being served.

It seems weird that one of the elder characters should be the last to die.

Edit:

I've just found that he's not the last to go. Viviene Johnson, who played Mr Grace's nurse is still going.

FourPart;1490320 wrote: I've just found that he's not the last to go. Viviene Johnson, who played Mr Grace's nurse is still going.


From Series 6?

I suspect there may be two definitions of the term "original cast" going the rounds.

Nicholas Smith was an actor. He acted being old in the series - he played a far younger part as a vicar years later in Last of the Summer Wine. The only younger main cast member was Wendy Richard. Nicholas Smith was the same age as John Inman and Trevor Bannister, everyone else mentioned in the OP was older by at least a decade.

I loved the show.