Career: Roles in films such as Doctor in Love, The Mouse on the Moon, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and Charlie Bubbles followed. BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine made him a household name. He featured in all 295 episodes as Norman Clegg between 1973 and 2010. He also played his character's father in short-lived prequel First of the Summer Wine. He was also the voice of Wallace of Wallace & Gromit fame in the acclaimed A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers, A Close Shave, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and A Matter of Loaf and Death. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for services to drama. He died on June 2, 2017 at the age of 96.

Career: After the Second World War, Owen went on to appear in a number of films, including The Way to the Stars (1945), School for Secrets (1946), When the Bough Breaks (1947), and Once a Jolly Swagman (1949). His film career would also see him appear in a number of early Carry On films and several Lindsay Anderson movies, including O Lucky Man! (1973) and In Celebration (1974). On the stage, he starred alongside Katherine Hepburn in As You Like It, and with Spike Milligan in Son of Oblomov. Owen wrote the lyrics for the musical The Matchgirls. TV came knocking in 1973 when he landed the role of Compo Simmonite in Roy Clarke's Last of the Summer Wine. Owen played a central role in the success of the sitcom and appeared in the show for 26 years until his death in 1999. Away from acting, he was a strong supporter of the Labour Party.

Career: Hird made her film debut in The Black Sheep of Whitehall in 1942 with Will Hay and a string of small roles followed. She had a memorable role as a sharp-tongued mother in A Kind of Loving (1962). Her biggest roles were on TV in sitcoms, including Meet the Wife, In Loving Memory, Hallelujah! and for nearly 20 years in Last of the Summer Wine. Her most acclaimed performances came later in life in straight roles. She won Bafta Best Actress awards for two of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads monologues and the drama Lost for Words. Away from acting, she hosted the religious programme Praise Be! for many years. She died on March 15, 2003 at the age of 91.

Career: Following appearances in a radio play and a TV play, playwright Alan Ayckbourn encouraged Kaye to audition for the Bolton Octagon Theatre. He was offered a contract and performed in a number of plays, including The Cherry Orchard, The Homecoming, and The Imaginary Invalid. He first came to prominence on TV playing Elsie Tanner's nephew Bernard Butler on Coronation Street in 1969. Later roles included guest appearances on It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Are You Being Served? And Come Back Mrs Noah. His big break came in 1982 when he landed the role of Rene Artois in the popular sitcom ‘Allo, ‘Allo! He went on to appear in all 84 editions until 1992. He returned to the role in 2007 for a one-off TV special. He also performed the character in stage versions of the sitcom. His film credits included Jabberwocky (1977), Porridge (1979) and Brazil (1985). He died on January 23, 2017 at the age of 75.

Career: After marrying schoolteacher John Staff in 1951, she had two children and took a break from acting for 10 years. Fellow actor Gerald Harper, a friend from her rep days, persuaded her to return and she became an extra in TV. She appeared in a number of small roles until her big break came in 1973 when she was cast in the pilot episode of Last of the Summer Wine. Over 35 years, she appeared in 29 series of the long-running sitcom playing a broom-wielding, humourless battleaxe. During her time on Summer Wine, she also appeared in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Crossroads. She had a recurring role as Mrs Blewett in Open All Hours. She starred in a revived version of Crossroads in 2001 but left after a year due to the soap's racy storylines. She died on December 13, 2008, at the age of 80.