Actors - James Beck

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	Actors - James Beck

James Beck (February 21, 1929 – August 6, 1973) was an actor best remembered for his role as Private Joe Walker, the cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army which ran from 1968 to 1977. In a cast comprising mainly older actors, Beck was one of two younger members. He was the first of the cast to die, aged 44, as the result of a burst pancreas brought on by alcoholism.

Beck was born in Islington, North London and attended Popham Elementary School. His childhood was tough, with his father frequently unemployed and his mother making artificial flowers to provide a small income.

After a stint at art college and a period of National Service, Beck took up acting. Early acting roles included Shylock in The Merchant of Venice
in 1963, for which he earned positive reviews. Moving to London, he decided to concentrate on television, and one role was as a policeman in an episode of Coronation Street involving a train crash.

By 1968 he was offered the role of Private Walker in Dad's Army, a role originally written by Jimmy Perry for himself. His performance as the thorn in Captain Mainwaring's side was perfect for Dad's Army. While proving popular in this, his best-loved role, Beck still yearned for the challenge of other roles.

Always in demand, he continued to work on TV programmes such as A Family at War and Romany Jones, in which he played the lead character Bert Jones. He also recorded an unbroadcast remake of an early Hancock's Half Hour programme in which he played opposite Arthur Lowe.

By 1973 he had already recorded six seasons of Dad's Army and had already begun work on the radio series of the show when he became ill and died. His death was a great shock to his fellow cast members, as well as Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who had looked forward to his return to the show. The Walker character never returned to the television version of Dad's Army.

In the radio adaptations of the series, Graham Stark stood in until Larry Martyn gave his portrayal of Walker for subsequent shows. In 1976 John Bardon played Walker in the stage production.

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