Edward Sinclair

Edward Sinclair
Born	Edward Sinclair Perry 3 February 1914 Oldham, England
Died	29 August 1977(1977-08-29) (aged 63) Cheddar, Somerset, England
Occupation	Comedy actor
Years active	1931–77
Spouse	Gladys (?–1977) (his death)

Edward "Teddy" Sinclair (born 3 February 1914 in Oldham, Lancashire – died 29 August 1977 in Cheddar, Somerset) was a British actor most famous for his role as the verger Maurice Yeatman in Dad's Army. He also made appearances in Z Cars and Danger Man.

Edward's father was the son of a stage actor who died when he was 14. Drama school was too expensive so he worked for amateur theatre companies. He served in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in the Second World War, and was a salesman before deciding to become a professional actor in his late forties. Although born into a theatrical family, Edward was to resist the temptation to turn professional until he had safely brought up his family. In the meantime, he continued to perform with amateur dramatics societies, enjoying the experience while continuing to earn a living from being a salesman.

He turned professional in his late forties, starting off on radio before being noticed and offered small parts on TV. His first appearance in Dad's Army was in the fifth episode (before audiences had seen the Vicar) as the caretaker, but it wasn't until the fifth series that he became a regular. He also appeared in several films and theatre productions, and was being offered work in panto just as the series finished, but died soon after from a heart attack. This came as a shock to all the cast members, and it was Arthur Lowe, who stated at his funeral service, "With the loss of Teddy, it is now quite clear that there will be no more 'Dad's Army'."

Selected filmography

• The Bells (1931)
• Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)
• Dad's Army (1971)
• No Sex Please, We're British (1973)

External links

• Edward Sinclair at the Internet Movie Database