Comic actor
He was offered the starring role of the BBC series "Doctor Who" after the departure of Jon Pertwee , but his insistence that he play the part in the style of his Mr Pastry character was unacceptable to the series producer, Barry Letts.
First artist to be known as a "television star" and also the first to have his own regular programme.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1970 Queens Birthday Honours List for charitable services to handicapped children.
His father was a circus clown and acrobat. His grandfather was a groom at Sangers Circus. Richard himself took on the family tradition and became an acrobat, working for a while at Chipperfield Circus. He was proud of having learned 49 different ways of falling down ! He was also successful as a comedian, actor, writer and dancer.
