Joseph Anthony Capstick (27 July 1944 – 23 October 2003) 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

thumb|Memorial to Tony Capstick in Swinton

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.

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

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

|-

|1989|| Resurrected || Photographer ||

|}

Television

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

|-

|1984|| Punters || Man in Bookie's ||TV movie

|-

|1985–1989

|All Creatures Great & Small

|Fred Allan / Clem Hudson

|2 episodes

|-

|1986

|Screen Two

|Fireman

|Episode: "Song of Experience"

|-

|1987

|Truckers

|Garry Brown

|Episode: "Hired Guns"

|-

|1987–2004

|Last of the Summer Wine

|2nd PC / Policeman

|33 episodes

|-

|1988–1999

|Coronation Street

|Harvey Nuttall / Gas Board Official / Reg

|6 episodes

|-

|1989

|Stay Lucky

|Taxi Driver

|Episode: "A1 Rain Dancer"

|-

|1993–1995

|Heartbeat

|Alfie Alker / Harold

|2 episodes

|-

| rowspan="2" |1994

|Earthfasts

|Stranger at Inquest

|Episode: "Episode #1.4"

|-

|Common as Muck

|Mr. Adlard

|Episode: "Keeping the Refuse Tender"

|-

| rowspan="2" |1995

|Band of Gold

|Councillor Baker

|3 episodes

|-

|Out of the Blue

|Des

|Episode: "Survivor"

|-

|1998

|City Central

|Delivery Man

|Episode: "Throwing It All Away"

|-

|1998–1999

|The Cops

|Malcolm Rowley / Chip Shop Owner

|2 episodes

|}

References

  • BBC Obituary
  • BBC list of his work