Ian Lavender

Arthur Ian Lavender (16 February 1946 – 2 February 2024), better known as  Ian Lavender, was 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 was 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.GRO Register of Births: MAR 1946 6d 813 BIRMINGHAM - Arthur I. Lavender, mmn = Johnson 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. He died on 2 February 2024 in Woolpit, Suffolk, two weeks before his 78th birthday. His death was announced three days later.

References

Other websites



Category:1946 births
Category:2024 deaths
Category:Actors from Birmingham
Category:English movie actors
Category:English stage actors
Category:English television actors
Category:English voice actors