john inman died on thursday8th march. a great loss.

He was a very funny Man, he will be much missed by many ~ x

This is from today's Mirror.

JOHN INMAN: THE KING OF CAMP
JOHN INMAN: 1935 TO 2007 PALS' TRIBUTES TO 'I'M FREE' STAR

THE showbiz world last night paid a warm tribute to Are You Being Served? star John Inman, who died in hospital yesterday aged 71.

Inman, whose department store salesman Mr Humphries delighted millions of TV viewers with his camp antics and catchphrase "I'm free", suffered liver problems for years.

Friends and colleagues said the dapper star, who also excelled as a pantomime dame, was a gifted comic actor with a sharp wit - and a superb sense of timing.

Are You Being Served? co-star Wendy Richard, who played shop assistant Miss Brahms, wept as she said: "John was one of the wittiest and most inventive actors I have ever worked with.

"He will be greatly missed not just by his friends but also by his legion of fans."

Ex-EastEnders favourite Wendy, who visited Inman in hospital on Tuesday, said: "It was upsetting to see him look so frail. But I will always remember John in the good days.

Our days in the shop together were such fun." Chat show host Paul O'Grady simply described Inman as "a very nice man". He added: "He gave 100 per cent to the job, even making his own panto costumes.

"He could get away with being really blue and make it seem completely innocent. It was never vulgar - there was no filth in it."

Actress Rula Lenska, a friend of Inman for more than 25 years, said: "I'm very proud to have known him, extremely proud to have worked with him, and very sad to lose him."

Rula said everywhere Inman went, fans yelled his "I'm free!" catchphrase -but he never tired of hearing it.

Nicholas Smith, who played store manager Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served?, said Inman was an under-rated actor. He added: "I always had tremendous admiration for him.

His comedy timing was impeccable."

Fellow panto dame Danny La Rue was devastated by the death of his friend of more than 40 years. Danny, 79, said: "The world has lost a star and I've lost a dear friend."

Inman had spent years working in theatre before Are You Being Served? catapulted him to fame. The sitcom, set in old-fashioned store Grace Brothers, regularly got 22 million viewers on BBC1 between 1972 and 1985. Inman's portrayal of the pouting, mincing Mr Humphries quickly made him one of TV's best-loved characters and in 1976 he was voted Funniest Man On Television in a TV poll and won the BBC's Personality Of The Year. In 1975 he even had a hit single with Are You Being Served Sir? which reached No39 and stayed in the charts for six weeks.

But he angered gay rights groups, who insisted he was portraying a stereotype of a "theatrical homosexual". Inman pointed out that Mr Humphries sexual orientation was never stated.

He was similarly coy about his own sexuality, despite the fact that he had a 35-year relationship with Ron Lynch, who nursed him until his death.

Wendy said: "Of course he never said he was gay. He just said he was a young man who was very good to his mother."

Inman, who devoted much of his time to charity work, died in St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, West London, at 4am yesterday.

He had been suffering from the debilitating Hepatitis A virus, which causes the liver to swell.

In 2001 he was in intensive care for three days. Partner Ron, whom he married in a civil partnership in 2005, was said to be "devastated."

awwww that is very sad

That is really sad and he was one of my favourite charactors in 'are you being served?'

i heard about this yesterday..it is sad news...i am sure he is at rest now...
i always feel bad for those that get left behind...especially his partner of 35 years...they got married,apparently, in a gay civil ceremony. not sure when though...good for them, eh?
lots of fabulous memories of a very clever, funny and professional man...

rest in peace....xxxx

quote:

Originally posted by ~Ella~:
That is really sad and he was one of my favourite charactors in 'are you being served?'

Yes, I agree, I loved him, the way he talked and walked, He will be sadly missed.

I liked him a lot ,he will be sadly missed, I would never have thought he was 71 tho !

yes, i know what you mean...but 'are you being served' was on about 30+ years ago..i mean look at wendy richard now...and she was one the youngest of the cast....but i also think that john inman had really great skin and he always looked a bit younger than he was....

Yes,I see what you mean,It's hard to imagine Pauline as a young ,very attractive woman ,now but we all get old !

haha...how true is that?
it seems funny to think back to those days when those people looked as fresh as a button and straight out of stage school!!
although i will say that wendy doesn't look too bad for her age really. eh?
i think the men and women tend to age much better these days too...even you PJOG!!

i did mean men and women in general, of course....

Thanks, of course Ive just realised that you have seen a pic or two of me LOL

ah yes....hehe.....the site not to be mentioned on here...hehe....it's down at the mo too...

Yeh I tried to go on earlier, more of my family have joined !!

i loved john inman, i hav got most of the series of are you being served n i love them, he was very funny and will definately sadly missed. R.I.P john xx

quote:

Originally posted by PJOG:
I liked him a lot ,he will be sadly missed, I would never have thought he was 71 tho !

He certainly didn't look his age, although Frank Thornton, has aged, he plays Truly, in The Last of The summer Wine, mind you I loved Compo. Leaving it now, as I am going off a Paul subject !!!

quote:

Originally posted by boysmama72:
yes, i know what you mean...but 'are you being served' was on about 30+ years ago..i mean look at wendy richard now...and she was one the youngest of the cast....but i also think that john inman had really great skin and he always looked a bit younger than he was....

Didn't realise it was that long ago, blimey, I remember watching it, and I am only 34.

quote:

Originally posted by boysmama72:
yes, i know what you mean...but 'are you being served' was on about 30+ years ago..i mean look at wendy richard now...and she was one the youngest of the cast....but i also think that john inman had really great skin and he always looked a bit younger than he was....

Off to OZ, are you talking about Australia, if so hope you have a brilliant time.

quote:

Originally posted by iloveolga:

quote:

Originally posted by boysmama72:
yes, i know what you mean...but 'are you being served' was on about 30+ years ago..i mean look at wendy richard now...and she was one the youngest of the cast....but i also think that john inman had really great skin and he always looked a bit younger than he was....

Didn't realise it was that long ago, blimey, I remember watching it, and I am only 34.

yes, i think it started in the 70's anyway...and i remember watching it myself..it was good!..i am the same age as you...i will be 35 in april...OMG!!

oh yes..i almost forgot!

YES!!!! i am off to SUNNY AUSTRALIA!!!!!

my sis in law lives in Brisbane and we are going to meet her 3rd child who is due to be born anytime now..WAHEY!!!
it is all very exciting...but i am terrified at the prospect of flying!

plus, now is a good time to go as my eldest boy starts primary school in september...

I think you'll really enjoy flying and the view out if the window is amazing when you're in the air.

quote:

Originally posted by paul's_millionth#1fan:
i loved john inman, i hav got most of the series of are you being served n i love them, he was very funny and will definately sadly missed. R.I.P john xx

Yeah its very sad - especially as he died of Hep A. I met John Inman lots of times when I was younger - I still have his autograph!!!