Career: Cole made his big-screen debut in 1941's Cottage to Let, but didn't achieve fame until he landed the part of Flash Harry in the classic St Trinian's films. He went on to have a successful career on stage, TV and in movies, often appearing opposite mentor Sim in such productions as Scrooge and The Green Man. TV credits include My Good Friend, Dad, An Independent Man, Blott on the Landscape and Minder, which ran for 15 years. In his later years, he appeared in Station Jim, Bodily Harm, Mary Reilly, A Class Apart, and Diamond Geezer. He died on August 6, 2015, after a long illness. He was 90.

Career: At 16, Waterman returned to Britain and concentrated on stage work until an acclaimed performance in 1968's Up the Junction led to more film roles. Low-budget movies (such as Scars of Dracula) and TV shows (including Colditz) followed until, in 1974, he co-starred with John Thaw in Regan, the pilot episode of iconic series The Sweeney, which became a major TV hit. A 10-year stint in comedy drama Minder followed. Other projects include TV shows On the Up, Stay Lucky, and Circles of Deceit. He's also worked on the stage, most notably in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, and My Fair Lady. As Gerry Standing, in BBC drama New Tricks, he has introduced himself to a new generation of fans.

Career: Nail hit the big time in 1983 when he was cast as Oz in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and his striking appearance landed him roles in the films Howling II (1985), Morons From Outer Space (1985) and Just Ask for Diamond (1988). He then went on to write and star in his own TV series Spender and the semi-autobiographical Crocodile Shoes. Films include Danny, the Champion of the World (1990), Evita (1996) with Madonna, and Still Crazy (1998) (with Auf Wiedersehen, Pet co-stars Timothy Spall and Bill Nighy). He enjoyed a musical career, with chart hits Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Ain't No Doubt and Crocodile Shoes, which sold 900,000 copies in 1994. The 2002 run of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet sprang from Nail's chance meeting with creator Franc Roddam in London. Nail agreed to do a new series on the spot and, after a few phone calls, the rest of the cast followed suit. It was followed up with a further two series and has now come to a dignified end. He is currently starring on Broadway in Sting's The Last Ship.

Career: Whitfield became one of BBC Radio's most beloved stars - 22 million people regularly tuned in to her show Take It From Here during the 1950s - but is probably best known for her TV appearances, and has starred alongside Frankie Howerd, Peter Sellers and Tony Hancock. Among her many comedy programmes during the first half of her career were Steptoe and Son, Hancock's Half Hour and The Benny Hill Show. Her long professional relationship with Terry Scott resulted in such series as Happy Ever After and Terry and June. She has also appeared in several Carry On films. Since then Whitfield has won acclaim in Absolutely Fabulous, The Last of the Blonde Bombshells, Jude and Mirrorball.

Career: Perhaps best known for playing Detective Sergeant Chisholm in the hugely popular ITV comedy drama Minder, Malahide's credits also include The Singing Detective, Middlemarch, Alleyn Mysteries, Five Days, Law & Order: UK, The Paradise and Hunted. More recently, he has starred in Game of Thrones, Indian Summers and Luther. His film credits include The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), The World is Not Enough (1999) and Billy Elliot (2000). Writing as PG Duggan, he created the BBC TV movie Reasonable Force and the miniseries The Writing on the Wall. Malahide's numerous stage credits include roles in The Crucible, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Beauty and the Beast, The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya and Mutabilitie.

Career: Scum was remade as a movie two years later. Winstone reprised his role, winning huge critical acclaim, before landing a part in the cult Brit flick Quadrophenia. After becoming a well-known name and face, he appeared in numerous TV shows, including Fox, Robin of Sherwood, and The Ghostbusters of East Finchley, but is better known for his often violent or controversial films, such as Nil By Mouth, Face and Sexy Beast. He is currently the face of an advertisement campaign for an on-line betting company, resolutely appearing during live football matches quoting the latest odds. Other projects include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Departed, Great Expectations, Vincent and the big-screen remake of The Sweeney.