Eric Sykes, one of the most endearing and popular comic actors of his generation, was still appearing on the West End stage into his 80s, even though he became almost totally deaf and nearly blind.
But he was much more than an actor. He was also a hugely successful comedy scriptwriter of enormous talent, energy and imagination, a novelist, a film director and a producer.
Whenever he was asked when he was going to retire from work, he invariably replied that he enjoyed doing what he did so much that he did not regard it as work at all.
Mr Sykes is probably best remembered for the long-running and widely acclaimed Sykes And A... TV series with Hattie Jacques.
Mr Sykes wrote the scripts for the show in conjunction with Johnny Speight, the man who created Alf Garnett.
His humour was always gentle and warm-hearted. He invariably steered away from smut and had little to say in favour of the modern “alternative” comedians, whose bawdy repertoire entirely failed to appeal to him.
Eric Sykes was born in Oldham on May 4, 1923. He served as a wireless operator in the Mobile Signals Unit, Royal Air Force, from 1941 until after the end of World War II. Like many comics of his generation, he was introduced to show business during his wartime service.
On demob, he tried to forge a career in comedy but found very little work. Luckily he met Flight Lieutenant Bill Fraser, a friend from his RAF days, who was enjoying some success on the London stage.
Lt Fraser asked Mr Sykes to write some scripts and before long Mr Sykes found himself in huge demand as a show business writer. He was soon writing for hit BBC radio shows, such as Educating Archie and Variety Bandbox. Then he became one of TV’s first fledgling scriptwriters.
It was relatively early in life that he was afflicted by deafness but that disability seemed to have little effect on either the quality or quantity of his work.
During his run with Ms Jacques, which lasted until shortly before her death in 1980, Mr Sykes was involved in a number of other projects, including a controversial comedy show called Curry and Chips, in which he played opposite a blacked-up Mr Milligan.
Mr Sykes did not let age interfere with his work either.
Even though he was approaching 80, he starred with Nicole Kidman in the acclaimed movie The Others and also appearred in the hilarious West End farce Caught In The Net in which, despite his years and increasing blindness, he played an immensely active role.
Before all that, Mr Sykes had starred in scores of West End hits and was eagerly sought after by top-flight casting directors.
Other films in which he appeared, wrote or both, included Heavens Above! (1963), Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines (1965), Monte Carlo Or Bust (1969), Theatre of Blood (1973), Rhubarb, Rhubarb (1980), Boys In Blue (1982), and Splitting Heirs (1993).
His two novels were The Great Crime of Grapplewick (1997) and Smelling of Roses (1998).
In 2000, he wrote Sykes of Sebastopol Terrace, an illustrated guide to the TV series, including short stories based on its episodes.
In 2003 he produced an anthology of his favourite comics, with Tommy Cooper heading his list.
In 1952, he married Eith Eleanore Milbrandt, with whom he had one son and three daughters. He was awarded an OBE in 1986.
Mr Sykes continued to be active on screen into his 80s.
His appearances included a role in the Harry Potter series − long a showcase for British acting greats − when he was cast in the 2005 instalment, The Goblet of Fire.
He published his autobiography, If I Don’t Write It, Nobody Else Will, the same year.
The star − awarded a CBE in 2004 − also appeared in a dramatisation of Hallowe’en Party, one of ITV’s ongoing Poirot films in 2010.