Ian Lavender
Arthur Ian Lavender (born 16 February 1946), better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, movie and television actor. He is best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad' s Army. He is the last surviving cast member to have played one of the seven main characters within the platoon.
Early life
Lavender was born in Birmingham, England on 16 February 1946. He studied at the Bournville Boys Technical School and later Bournville Grammar-Technical School for Boys.
Career
His first television appearance was as the lead in a Rediffusion play entitled Half Hour Story: Flowers at my Feet in 1968. In 1968, aged 22, Lavender was cast as Private Pike, the youngest member and' stupid boy' of the platoon in the BBC sitcom Dad' s Army. He appeared in the entire run of the series, and in the spinoff movie released in 1971.
Lavender starred in the movie, 31 North 62 East (released September 2009), an independent psychological thriller starring John Rhys-Davies, Marina Sirtis, Heather Peace and Craig Fairbrass. In August 2013 Lavender made his Edinburgh Fringe debut in a stage version of The Shawshank Redemption.
Personal life
Lavender was married to actress Sue Kerchiss from 1967 until they divorced in 1973. He married his second wife, the American Miki Hardy in 1993.
Lavender was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 1993. It was removed in an operation and he has recovered. He had a heart attack in 2004.
References
Other websites
1946 births
Living people
Actors from Birmingham
English movie actors
English stage actors
English television actors
English voice actors