Angus Lennie, who died earlier this week, had a long career, but he will be remembered by a certain 70's generation for three major roles.
Firstly as Hoppy, the sole survivor of 633 Squadron. In the early to mid 1970's you would get up of a Saturday morning to watch the BBC Test Match coverage from Edgebaston or Trentbridge, only to be confronted by a wet, sodden out field a handful of gloomy punters and half an hour later 633 Squadron. The BBC must've had the film on a panic button. So there you were following the doomed mission for the hundredth time and the only thing you had to cling to ( other than the hope of cricket after a lunchtime pitch inspection ) was that at least one of them survived and that was Angus Lennie. OK he was stranded in Norway, but that was a better fate than the rest of the Squadron.
Next up what Boxing Day wouldn't be complete without The Great Escape. And there is Angus Lennie as Archie Ives ( the Mole ). Did Steve McQueen ever have a more unlikely sidekick? Sadly Ives doesn't make it to the Intermission. But his bravado, crumbling to desperation is one of the highlights of the first half of this classic film.
Finally, what might well be Mr. Lennie's crowning glory, playing Shughie McFee;the first great TV chef on ITV's Crossroads. OK, the Crossroads Motel had other cooks, but it was Shughie that brought the kitchen to life. Holding his own with such greats as Amy Turtle, Meg Richardson and, of course Benny. Would Ready, Steady, Cook exist without the quick thinking of Shughie? And not that they would admit it, but I'll bet Shughie was an inspiration to all these TV chefs we see polluting the channels these days.
So Angus Lennie, thank you, a generation salutes you.
Over
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