Clive Walter Swift (9 February 1936 – 1 February 2019) was an English actor and songwriter. A classically trained actor, his stage work included performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, but he was best known to television viewers for his role as Richard Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. He played many other television and film roles.
Life and career Swift was born in Liverpool on 9 February 1936, the son of Abram Sampson Swift, who owned a furniture shop in Bootle, and Lily Rebecca, née Greenman.Clive Swift profile, filmreference.com; accessed 12 October 2016. He was educated at Clifton College and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge reading English literature. He was previously a teacher at LAMDA and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His family was Jewish.
He appeared as Snug in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1968 film production of A Midsummer Night's Dream as part of a cast that included Diana Rigg, Helen Mirren and Ian Richardson. During the 1970s, he appeared as Doctor Black in two of the BBC's M. R. James adaptations: The Stalls of Barchester and in A Warning to the Curious, as well as the BBC adaptation of The Barchester Chronicles. He is best known for his role on Keeping Up Appearances as Richard Bucket, the long-suffering husband of Hyacinth. Swift made two appearances in Doctor Who, in the 1985 story Revelation of the Daleks and the 2007 Christmas special. Around the time of his second appearance, he gave a "grumpy" interview to Doctor Who Magazine in which he bemoaned "not getting paid" to promote his episode, and belittled the show. He also played Sir Ector, the adoptive father of King Arthur in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur.
In addition to acting, he was a songwriter. Many of his songs were included in his shows Richard Bucket Overflows: An Audience with Clive Swift, which toured the UK in 2007, and Clive Swift Entertains, in which he performed his own music and lyrics, which toured the UK in 2009. He also played the part of the Reverend Eustacius Brewer in Born and Bred, which aired on BBC One from 2002 to 2005. His last performance was in an episode of Midsomer Murders in 2017, after which he retired.
Personal life and death Swift was married to novelist Margaret Drabble from 1960 until their divorce in 1975. He was the father of one daughter, Rebecca (who died in April 2017), known for running The Literary Consultancy in London, and two sons, Adam Swift, an academic, and Joe Swift, a garden designer, journalist and television presenter. Swift's elder brother, David, was also an actor.
Swift died at home on 1 February 2019, at the age of 82. Paying tribute to Swift, fellow actor James Dreyfus said he "loved this extremely talented, subtle actor". His Keeping Up Appearances co-star Patricia Routledge said: "Clive was a skillful and inventive actor with wide experience, as his successful career proved", and that she was very sad to hear of her former co-star's death.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1961Johnny NobodyCourtroom OfficialUncredited role1965Catch Us If You CanDuffie1968A Midsummer Night's DreamSnug1972FrenzyJohnny PorterDeath LineInspector Richardson1973The National HealthAshMan at the TopMassey1978The Sailor's ReturnReverend Pottock1981ExcaliburEctor1984Memed My HawkMagistrateA Passage to IndiaMajor Callendar1988Young ToscaniniComparsaUncredited role1990OthelloBrabantioDVD, re-released 20041997Gaston's WarGeneral James2003VacuumsAJ JohnsonAKA: Stealing Bess (video title)
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1961Theatre NightThe KingEpisode: "Ondine"1963Love StoryMervynSeries 1; episode 11: "Dome Grist from Mervyn's Mill"CompactMr. PerrettEpisode 172: "On the Run"1965Knock on Any DoorArkwrightSeries 1; episode 2: "The Knife"1966Armchair TheatreThe Camp DoctorSeries 6; episode 4: "The Sweet War Man"Public EyeWestSeries 2; episode 11: "There Are More Things in Heaven and Earth"1968All's Well That Ends WellCaptain Parolles, a follower of BertramTelevision filmThe ExpertGraham RichardsSeries 1; episode 10: "He's Good for It"1969Dombey and SonMajor BagstockMini-series; 7 episodesCanterbury TalesThe Pardoner's Tale First RioterEpisode 4: "The Friar's Tale / The Pardoner's Tale"The Wednesday PlayNeilSeries 8; episode 18: "Birthday"1970AdjutantSeries 9; episode 16: "Mad Jack"Ryan InternationalInspector JenetEpisode 6: "Evidence of Murder"ITV Sunday Night TheatreMax FielderSeries 3; episode 5: "Roll on Four O'Clock"1970–1971Thirty-Minute TheatreInspector WaughSeries 6 (Waugh on Crime); episodes 8–131971The MisfitGeraldSeries 2; episode 5: "On the New Establishment"A Ghost Story for ChristmasDr. BlackSeries 1; episode 1: "The Stalls of Barchester"1972The Liver BirdsJim RoyleSeries 3; episode 4: "Birds on Strike"VillainsMr. CloughEpisode 5: "Alice Sheree"Dead of NightDanEpisode 1: "The Exorcism"A Ghost Story for ChristmasDr. BlackSeries 2; episode 1: "A Warning to the Curious"1973The Moon Shines Bright on Charlie ChaplinCaptainTelevision filmThe Pearcross GirlsFrank PledgerEpisode 1: "Sweet Julia"The FrightenersJames MachenEpisode 11: "The Classroom"1974South RidingAlfred E. HigginsMini-series; 9 episodes1975BBC2 PlayhouseRobbieSeries 2; episode 1: "The Breakthrough"Whodunnit?Commander BladeSeries 3; episode 7: "Too Many Cooks"Willow CabinsMatthewTelevision filmPlay for TodaySavorySeries 5; episode 14: "Goodbye"1976Air StewardSeries 7; episode 7: "Buffet"The BrothersGriffith TrevelyanSeries 6; episodes 6 & 7: "Tender" & "The Mole"Goodbye AmericaLord North, the Prime MinisterTelevision filmClayhangerAlbert BenbowRecurring role. 10 episodesRomeo and JulietFriar LawrenceTelevision film. Also shown across 8 episodes of The English Programme in 1978Victorian ScandalsWilliam Hepworth-DixonEpisode 7: "Beloved"Beasts'Bunny' NettletonMini-series; episode 6: "The Dummy"1977The GameEdmund WhitworthTelevision filmBBC2 Play of the WeekFrankSeries 1; episode 7: "The Kitchen"1978AdamsonSeries 1; episode 12: "Foreign Affairs"1990Tony DoranSeries 2; episodes 1, 2 & 4Jackanory PlayhouseProfessor MarvelSeries 6; episode 4: "Big Pete, Little Pete"Send in the GirlsMr. FentonEpisode 7: "Goosepimples"ShadowsDevineSeries 3; episode 3: "And Now for My Next Trick..."Bless Me, FatherFred DobieSeries 1; episode 5: "Father and Mother"A Horseman Riding ByWatkinsEpisode 6: "1905: The Hollow Victory"1979HazellNeville FitchSeries 2; episode 1: "Hazell and the Baker Street Sleuth"A Family AffairSir Charles ByfordMini-series; episode 10: "Finding the Words..."The First Part of King Henry the ForthThomas Percy, Earl of WorcesterTelevision filmBBC2 PlayhouseAlec ThorneSeries 6; episode 5: "Home Movies"1980Director of Austrian State RadioSeries 6; episode 25: "An Ordered Life"The Nesbitts Are ComingErnie NesbittEpisodes 1–6CribbDr. ProbertSeries 1; episode 8: "A Case of Spirits"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeHastie LanyonTelevision film1981BBC2 PlayhouseAaron GreenSeries 7; episode 18: "The Potsdam Quartet"Winston Churchill: The Wilderness YearsSir Horace WilsonMini-series; episodes 7 & 81982Tales of the UnexpectedLathamSeries 5; episode 5 "Stranger in Town"The Gentle TouchDalzielSeries 4; episode 1: "Right of Entry"Praying MantisDr. FaureTelevision filmThe Further Adventures of Lucky JimLord DavenportEpisode 5: "Eckersley Revisited"The Barchester ChroniclesDr. ProudieMini-series; episodes 3–71983Martin Luther, HereticJohann TetzelTelevision filmsEvents in a MuseumMr. Sloane1984Pericles, Prince of TyreLord Cerimon1985The Pickwick PapersTracy TupmanEpisodes 1–12Doctor WhoProfessor JobelSeries 22; episodes 12 & 13: "Revelation of the Daleks: Parts 1 & 2"Black SilkOliver HollingsworthEpisode 3: "Barrister on Trial"What Mad Pursuit?Bonwit SteinhauserTelevision film1986ScreenPlayJamesSeries 1; episode 1: "All Together Now"First Among EqualsAlec PimkinMini-series; episodes 1–101987Pack of LiesEllisTelevision filmInspector MorseDr. BartlettSeries 1; episode 2: "The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn"Cause célèbreR.P. Croom Johnson K.C.Television film1988A Very Peculiar PracticeProf. Piers PlattSeries 2; episode 2: "Art and Illusion"The Ray Bradbury TheaterSt. John CourtSeason 2; episode 9: "The Coffin"Les GirlsMr. ToblerEpisode 2: "Spanners"Double FirstMr. SwiftEpisodes 3 & 4MinderChisholm's DirectorSeries 7; episode: "An Officer and a Car Salesman"Journey's EndCaptain HardyTelevision film1989Laura and DisorderBarry PageEpisode 6: "The Metal Detector"StoryboardHewesSeries 4; episode 4: "Hunted Down"Gentlemen and PlayersSammySeries 2; episode 6: "Another Square Mile"Hard CasesJudgeSeries 2; episode 5British TelecomCyril (Beatie's brother-in-law in Australia)Television advertisement1990The Return of ShelleyRobsonSeries 2; episode 12: "A Problem Aired"Theatre NightBrabantio / GratianoSeries 5; episode 1: "Othello"This Is David HarperParapope JoshuaEpisode 6: "Born Again Testerday"1990–1995Keeping Up AppearancesRichard BucketMain role. Series 1–5; 44 episodes1991The War That Never EndsAthenagorasTelevision film1992BoonCharles HastingsSeries 7; episode 2: "Queen's Gambit"1993Noel's House PartyRichard BucketSeries 3; episode 2HeartbeatVictor KellermanSeries 3; episode 4: "Going Home"1994Woof!Alex PardoeSeries 7; episode 3: "Doggy Business"1997The Famous FiveMr. PottershamSeries 2; episodes 7 & 8: "Five Have a Wonderful Time: Parts 1 & 2"The Memoirs of Hyacinth BucketRichard BucketTelevision film (archive footage only)1998Peak PracticeNorman ShorthoseRecurring role. Series 6; 10 episodes1999AristocratsKing George IIMini-series; episodes 1–32002Young ArthurIlltudTelevision film. Pilot for cancelled series2002–2005Born and BredReverend Eustacius BrewerSeries 1–4; 36 episodes2007Doctor WhoMr. CopperSeries 4; Christmas Special episode: "Voyage of the Damned"2008Keeping Up Appearances: Life Lessons from OnslowRichard BucketTelevision film (archive footage only)2009–2010The Old GuysRoySeries 1 & 2; 12 episodes2010Little CrackersReal Father ChristmasSeries 1; episode 2: "Chris O'Dowd's Little Cracker: Capturing Santa"2011HustleYusefSeries 7; episode 6: "The Delivery"2014CuckooDr. RaffertySeries 2; episode 4: "Funeral"2015Rosamunde PilcherEdward Whiteley Episode: "Valentine's Kiss"SunTrapColinEpisode 2: "In the Line of Fire"2017Midsomer MurdersFelix HopeSeries 19; episode 2: "Crime and Punishment" (final appearance)
Radio "Vivat Rex" as Lord Talbot in "Henry VI" by William Shakespeare, in episodes 15–16, BBC (1977) Souvenirs of Chabrier - five-part series on the life and music of Emmanuel Chabrier, with Swift as the composer (1981)Souvenirs of Chabrier BBC Radio 3 (From Radio Times) accessed 21 December 2024. Measure for Measure as Escalus (2004) Oblomov as the Doctor (2005) The Right Time (2008)
Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities as Nash (2011) The Price of Fear – Remains to be Seen as Fred Treiber (2012)
Stage Cymbeline (1962) as Cloten The Physicists (1963) as Inspector Richard Voss (Aldwych Theatre) The Tempest (1966) as Caliban (Prospect Theatre Company)
References
External links Clive Swift at the British Film Institute
Obituary at Bbc.co.uk