Joseph Anthony Capstick (27 July 1944 – 23 October 2003) was an English comedian, actor, musician and broadcaster.
Life and career First son of Joe Capstick, a wireless operator in the RAF, and his wife, June, née Duncan, he was born in Rotherham, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, and spent most of his childhood in Swinton, near Mexborough. For over thirty years he was a presenter on BBC Radio Sheffield. In the 1970s he presented Folkweave for BBC Radio 2 and continued to work for that station sporadically until the early 1990s. Outside Sheffield, he is perhaps better known as one of the policemen in the long-running British sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine, where he played the role until his death in October 2003, with his final appearance on the show broadcast in April 2004.
Biography
A regular performer on the folk circuit, he recorded many albums. The first was for the Newcastle based record label Rubber Records (His Round with Hedgehog Pie, Punch and Judy Man, Tony Capstick Does a Turn, Songs of Ewan MacColl with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland and There Was This Bloke with Mike Harding, Derek Brimstone and Bill Barclay). In 1981, he unexpectedly reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart with "The Sheffield Grinder" / "Capstick Comes Home". It was recorded with the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. His recitation, "Capstick Comes Home", was based on the well-known Hovis wholemeal bread television commercials directed by Ridley Scott. "Capstick Comes Home" also peaked at number 92 in Australia in July 1981.
As a comedian, he had an eight-part television series, Capstick's Capers, on Channel 4 in 1983. Capstick was also a prolific bit-part actor, with a career including minor roles in the soap operas Emmerdale and Coronation Street. In the latter he played the recurring character of the brewer Harvey Nuttall.
His career at Radio Sheffield came to an end in January 2003. He continued to write a regular column in a local weekly newspaper, the Rotherham Advertiser.
Capstick was an author, with Paul Donoghue, of a book on the Appleby Horse Fair.
Death On 23 October 2003, Capstick was found dead at his cottage in Hoober, near Wentworth, South Yorkshire, he had suffered an aneurysm following a bout of pneumonia. He was survived by wife Gillian and his two children from his first marriage.
Discography His Round (with Hedgehog Pie), 1971 Punch and Judy Man (with Hedgehog Pie), 1974 Does a Turn, 1978 Songs of Ewan MacColl (with Dick Gaughan and Dave Burland), 1978 "Capstick Comes Home" / "The Sheffield Grinder, No. 3 UK Singles Chart, 1981
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1989 Resurrected Photographer
Television Year Title Role Notes1984 Punters Man in Bookie's TV movie1985–1989All Creatures Great & SmallFred Allan / Clem Hudson2 episodes1986Screen TwoFiremanEpisode: "Song of Experience"1987TruckersGarry BrownEpisode: "Hired Guns"1987–2004Last of the Summer Wine2nd PC / Policeman33 episodes1988–1999Coronation StreetHarvey Nuttall / Gas Board Official / Reg6 episodes1989Stay LuckyTaxi DriverEpisode: "A1 Rain Dancer"1993–1995HeartbeatAlfie Alker / Harold2 episodes1994EarthfastsStranger at InquestEpisode: "Episode #1.4"Common as MuckMr. AdlardEpisode: "Keeping the Refuse Tender"1995Band of GoldCouncillor Baker3 episodesOut of the BlueDesEpisode: "Survivor"1998City CentralDelivery ManEpisode: "Throwing It All Away"1998–1999The CopsMalcolm Rowley / Chip Shop Owner2 episodes
References
External links BBC Obituary BBC list of his work