Arthur Pentelow
Encyclopedia
Arthur Pentelow was an English
actor
who was best known for playing Henry Wilks
in Emmerdale Farm
from 1972–91. Pentelow also played George Greenwood in Coronation Street
from 1968–71.
, Lancashire
, Pentelow's love of drama happened whilst he was studying Shakespeare at grammar school, but he started his working life as a cadet clerk in the local police
force. He later served in the Second World War in the Royal Navy
and did radar work in Normandy
. After peace was declared, Pentelow returned to Rochdale, where he became a student teacher. He started acting as an amateur with the Curtain Theatre Company, before becoming a member of the Bradford
Civic Playhouse Theatre School. Between his theatre work he sold ice-cream and delivered laundry. He later went on to work in repertory theatre at the Bristol Old Vic
, Guildford
and Northampton
, before joining the company at Birmingham
, where his fellow actors included Derek Jacobi
, Rosemary Leach
and Albert Finney
.
, Privilege, and The Peace Game. He also made appearances in popular television programmes, such as, Z-Cars
, Emergency - Ward 10, and Hadleigh
.
Prior to appearing in the soap opera Emmerdale Farm when it began in 1972, he had already appeared in Coronation Street
as an old friend of Hilda Ogden
, played by the actress Jean Alexander
, as well as a sporting serial called United!
as the football supporters' club chairman.
The character of Henry Wilks
in Emmerdale Farm was a retired Bradford wool merchant, who became a director of Emmerdale Farm when it became a limited company. He also became a joint owner of the village public house - The Woolpack. His partnership with the landlord, Amos Brearly
, played by actor Ronald Magill
, added a humorous dimension to the soap opera for almost 20 years.
to commence filming Emmerdale Farm back in Leeds
.
players for glam-rock band Wizzard
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who was best known for playing Henry Wilks
Henry Wilks
Henry Wilks is a fictional character from the popular soap opera Emmerdale played by Arthur Pentelow. He ran the Woolpack Inn, along with Amos Brearly for nearly 20 years....
in Emmerdale Farm
Emmerdale
Emmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
from 1972–91. Pentelow also played George Greenwood in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
from 1968–71.
Early career
Born in RochdaleRochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Pentelow's love of drama happened whilst he was studying Shakespeare at grammar school, but he started his working life as a cadet clerk in the local police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
force. He later served in the Second World War in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and did radar work in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. After peace was declared, Pentelow returned to Rochdale, where he became a student teacher. He started acting as an amateur with the Curtain Theatre Company, before becoming a member of the Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
Civic Playhouse Theatre School. Between his theatre work he sold ice-cream and delivered laundry. He later went on to work in repertory theatre at the Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
, Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
and Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, before joining the company at Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, where his fellow actors included Derek Jacobi
Derek Jacobi
Sir Derek George Jacobi, CBE is an English actor and film director.A "forceful, commanding stage presence", Jacobi has enjoyed a highly successful stage career, appearing in such stage productions as Hamlet, Uncle Vanya, and Oedipus the King. He received a Tony Award for his performance in...
, Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach is a British stage, television and film actress.She was born at Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her parents were teachers related to Edmund Leach. She attended grammar school and RADA...
and Albert Finney
Albert Finney
Albert Finney is an English actor. He achieved prominence in films in the early 1960s, and has maintained a successful career in theatre, film and television....
.
Film and television career
Pentelow appeared in a number of films during his career, these included, Charlie BubblesCharlie Bubbles
Charlie Bubbles is a British film of 1967 starring Billie Whitelaw and Albert Finney, and also featuring a young Liza Minnelli. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France.The film made great play of its...
, Privilege, and The Peace Game. He also made appearances in popular television programmes, such as, Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
, Emergency - Ward 10, and Hadleigh
Hadleigh (TV series)
Hadleigh was a British television series made by Yorkshire Television which originally ran from 1969 to 1976. Developed by Robert Barr, it was a sequel to the writer's earlier Gazette for the same company...
.
Prior to appearing in the soap opera Emmerdale Farm when it began in 1972, he had already appeared in Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
as an old friend of Hilda Ogden
Hilda Ogden
Hilda Alice Ogden is a fictional character from the television series Coronation Street, one of the best-known of all the regular characters in the soap opera, whose name became synonymous with a certain type of working-class woman...
, played by the actress Jean Alexander
Jean Alexander
Jean Alexander is a BAFTA Nominated English television actress. She is best known to British television viewers as Hilda Ogden on the soap opera Coronation Street, a role she played from 1964–1987 and also as Auntie Wainwright on the longest running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine from 1988 to 2010...
, as well as a sporting serial called United!
United!
United! was a British television series which was produced by the BBC between 1965 and 1967, and was broadcast twice-weekly on BBC1.The series followed the fortunes of a fictional second division football team, Brentwich United...
as the football supporters' club chairman.
The character of Henry Wilks
Henry Wilks
Henry Wilks is a fictional character from the popular soap opera Emmerdale played by Arthur Pentelow. He ran the Woolpack Inn, along with Amos Brearly for nearly 20 years....
in Emmerdale Farm was a retired Bradford wool merchant, who became a director of Emmerdale Farm when it became a limited company. He also became a joint owner of the village public house - The Woolpack. His partnership with the landlord, Amos Brearly
Amos Brearly
Amos Brearly is a fictional character in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale. He was played by Ronald Magill.He ran the Woolpack, along with Henry Wilks for 19 years.-Character backstory:...
, played by actor Ronald Magill
Ronald Magill
Ronald Edmund Magill was an English actor. He is best remembered for playing Amos Brearly in the British soap opera Emmerdale Farm from 1972 to 1991, and appeared again in this role in 1994 and 1995.-Early life:...
, added a humorous dimension to the soap opera for almost 20 years.
Later years
Pentelow was often described as a modest and unassuming man by his fellow actors. It was a great shock when he died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 67, whilst driving from his family home in BirminghamBirmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to commence filming Emmerdale Farm back in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
Personal life
Pentelow was married to Jacqueline, whom he had met when they were both studying acting. They had two sons - Nicholas and Simon. Their son Nick was one of the saxophoneSaxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
players for glam-rock band Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
.