Reginald Albert Saltmarsh, known by the stage name Reginald Marsh (17 September 1926 – 9 February 2001), was an English actor who is best remembered for supporting roles in many television sitcoms from the 1970s onwards.

Early life and career Marsh was born in London in 1926 and he grew up on the Sussex coast at Worthing. After he left school he worked in a bank. After realising how serious he was about acting, his father introduced him to a retired actress, who introduced him to an agent who got his first acting role, at the age of 16, as a juvenile in Eden End by J. B. Priestley. He then worked in rep.

In 1958, he started working behind the scenes of Granada Television, but he soon went back to acting. From the 1960s he appeared in many films, including The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), Jigsaw (1962), Berserk! (1967), The Ragman's Daughter (1972), Young Winston (1972) and The Best Pair of Legs in the Business (1973), and on television, in such series as Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars and The Persuaders!. He also played bookie Dave Smith in Coronation Street on and off from 1962 to 1976.

Marsh played works general manager Arthur Sugden in the boardroom drama The Plane Makers (1963–64). He also appeared in The Champions (1968), Hine (1971), The Stone Tape (1972), Emmerdale Farm (1973), Crown Court (1973–74), QB VII (1974), Bless This House (1974), The Sweeney (1975), and The Duchess of Duke Street (1976). From 1975, Marsh played Jerry Leadbetter's boss, managing director of JJM, in several episodes of The Good Life. He played a similar role in George and Mildred from 1976 to 1979, as Humphrey Pumphrey, Mildred's brother-in-law. From 1979 to 1987, Marsh played another similar role, Sir Dennis Hodge, Terry's boss, in Terry and June later reuniting with June Whitfield in the 1992 sitcom Terry and Julian, where he played Terry's boss George Wilson. From 1981 to 1985, Marsh played Reg Lamont in the soap opera Crossroads.

His play The Death is Announced ("A Murder Play") was produced in Leeds in 1964. He played Inspector Cullen. He described the play as a "comedy who-dun-it" and said that he wrote it "because he could never find a good 'copper' part for himself."Information and quotes from "The Death is Announced" by Reginald Marsh, published by Evans Plays, London and New York.

Later life In the 1980s and 1990s, Marsh had many small roles on television, including appearing in Only When I Laugh, Home to Roost, Bergerac, Boon, Minder, Alleyn Mysteries and Terry and June. One of his last television roles was in an episode of Paul Merton in Galton & Simpson's... aired on 14 October 1997.

Reginald Marsh was married to actress Rosemary Murray, and they had four children. Marsh had two other children by his first marriage, to actress Jenifer Coverdale. One of his sons had Down’s Syndrome, and during his retirement on the Isle of Wight Reginald Marsh supported MENCAP. Marsh died at his home in Ryde on 9 February 2001, aged 74.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes1959 The Ugly Duckling Reporter Uncredited1961 The Day the Earth Caught Fire Picture Editor Uncredited1961 The Pursuers Inspector 1962 Two Letter Alibi Salcombe 1962 Two and Two Make Six Plainclothes Policeman Uncredited1962 Jigsaw Hilders Uncredited1964 Shadow of Fear Oliver 1964 The Sicilians Inspector Webb 1965 It Happened Here IA Medical Officer 1967 Berserk! Sgt. Hutchins 1968 Headline Hunters Bogshot 1972 The Ragman's Daughter George 1972 Young Winston Prince of Wales 1973 The Best Pair of Legs in the Business Fred 1976 No Longer Alone Producer 1977 Sky Pirates Eddie 1987 Three Kinds of Heat Sir Hugh

Selected television

Year Title Role Notes 1947 The Man Who Came to Dinner Westcott Television film. First screen role 1957-66 ITV Play of the Week Various 6 episodes 1959 The Army Game Newspaper Reporter/Professor Steinberg 2 episodes 1959-61 Crime Sheet Inspector Nicholson 3 episodes 1960-65 Here's Harry Various 9 episodes 1961-62 The Cheaters Inspector Martin 5 episodes 1961-63 BBC Sunday-Night Play Murphy/Jack Vaughan 2 episodes 1962 Compact Harry Kane 6 episodes. Also played Mr Connelly in one episode (1965) 1962-1973 Z-Cars Various 6 episodes 1962-76 Coronation Street Dave Smith 110 episodes. Also played Mr Lawther (1 episode, 1961) 1963 The Avengers Higby 1 episode 1963 The Handy Gang Colonel Capp-Fitzwearitt 9 episodes 1963-64 The Plane Makers Arthur Sugden 18 episodes. Also played Wally in one episode (1963) 1964-65 Dixon of Dock Green Frank Rogers/Mr Bellamy 2 episodes 1965 Armchair Theatre Detective Inspector Wadcot 1 episode 1965 Emergency Ward 10 Councillor Vallance 3 episodes 1965 The Wednesday Play Arthur 1 episode, "A Designing Woman" 1965 Scales of Justice Harry Turner 1 episode "The Material Witness" 1965 Pardon the Expression Mr Granger 1 episode 1966 The New Forest Rustlers Inspector Foster 4 episodes 1966-67 The Baron Chief Inspector Filmer/Captain Brenner Filmer, 1 episode; Brenner, 2 episodes 1966-67 The Rat Catchers Arthur Dent/Barlow Barlow, 1 episode; Dent, 3 episodes 1967 Mrs Thursday Herbert Blakey 3 episodes 1967 The Big M Seymour Tancred 6 episodes 1968 The Newcomers Jack Stebbings 6 episodes 1968 The Saint Ed Brown 1 episode 1968 The Champions Captain Conrad Schultz 1 episode 1968-69 The Old Campaigner L.B. 6 episodes 1969 Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) James Laker 1 episode: When Did You Start to Stop Seeing Things? 1970 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Inspector Pennycuick 1 episode 1970 Never Say Die Mr Hebden 6 episodes 1970 Thirty-Minute Theatre Mr Wilson 1 episode 1971 Hine Charles Bulfitt 1 episode 1971 The Persuaders! Dr Fowler 1 episode 1972 The Stone Tape William Crawshaw Television film 1972-73 Harriet's Back in Town Harvey Tyler 8 episodes 1973 Emmerdale Farm Bob Molesworth 6 episodes 1973 Crown Court (TV series) Charles Baker/ John Stainsby 3 episodes of each, in 1973/'74. 1973 ITV Sunday Night Theatre Jack Cooper 1 episode 1974 Bless This House Mr Parker 1 episode 1974 Comedy Playhouse Arnold Episode "A Girl's Best Friend" 1974 My Name is Harry Worth George Bailey 2 episodes 1974 QB VII Inspector Henderson 1 episode 1974 Whodunnit? Det.Insp. Frank Dell Episode: "It's Quicker By Train" 1974-75 How's Your Father? Mr Winterbottom 8 episodes 1975 The Sweeney Arnold Foss 1 episode 1975-77 The Good Life Sir Andrew 6 episodes 1976 Rogue's Rock Scoop 3 episodes 1976 The Duchess of Duke Street Mr Atkinson 1 episode 1976-78 George & Mildred Humphrey Pumphrey 7 episodes 1977 Midnight is a Place Silas Hobday 5 episodes 1978 Rumpole of the Bailey Mr Myers 1 episode 1979-80 The Ravelled Thread Higby 6 episodes 1979-87 Terry and June Sir Dennis Hodge 25 episodes 1980 The Two Ronnies Cheryl 2 episodes 1980-85 The Setbacks Mr Everybody 21 episodes 1981 Only When I Laugh Sir Julian Briggs 1 episode 1981 Scarf Jack Sir William Wynne 6 episodes 1981-82 Crossroads Reg Lamont 59 episodes. Also played Noel Lamont (5 episodes, 1980) 1984 Minder Johnny Winstanley 1 episode 1985 Mann's Best Friends Mr. Beasley 1 episode 1986 Home to Roost Jim Brown 1 episode 1988-90 Bread Doctor 5 episodes. Also played Mr Rachel (1 episode, 1987) 1989 Bergerac Arnold Trowbridge 1 episode 1989 Boon George Boxall 1 episode 1990 The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries Colonel Pascoe 1 episode 1992 Terry and Julian Mr Wilson 1 episode 1993 KYTV Undertaker 1 episode 1995 Searching Chancy's father 3 episodes 1997 Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's... Uncle George 1 episode: "Being Sound of Mind" 1997-98 Mr Wymi Henry 29 episodes. Final screen role

Radio

Year Title Role Notes 1951 Richard II Keeper First radio role 1962 Saturday Night Theatre Jack Vaughan "The Mather Story" 1963 Every Pebble on the Beach Willie Smith 1965 Afternoon Theatre Tom Walker "Border of Barbarity" 1972 Afternoon Theatre Joe "And You, Arnold" 1977 Albert and Me Mr Simpson Episode: "Spanner in the Works" 1978 Malcolm Mr Parker "Malcolm and a House" 1978 Share and Share Alike Managing Director 2 episodes 1978 Wireless Wonderland Himself 1979 Rush Hour Himself 1981 The Monday Play Allenby "Ross" 1984 It Sticks Out Half a Mile Sir Wensley Smithers Episode: "War Damage" 1985 Saturday-Night Theatre Dr Elston "A Bumper Year for Dahlias" 1987-89 Blandings Sir Gregory Parsloe Various 1987 Crime at Christmas Chief-Inspector Mitchell "Inspector French and the Starvel Tragedy" 1989 Saturday-Night Theatre Desmond Dean "The Deep End" 1989 The Hedge Priest Sir Philip Bowfounder 1992 Butterflies Don't Count Peter First of two-part drama 1992 The Broken Butterfly Peter Second of two-part drama 1992 Thirty-Minute Theatre Sir George "The Rhino and the Love Pavilion" 1998 The Saturday Play Major Crowe "The Black Spectacles"

References

External links