Aged 90. Arfur Daley, Flash Harry - two of the most memorable characters for me and as a child actor in one of my favourite British B&W films "Cottage to Let" with his mentor, the wonderful Alastair Sim.
Will be sadly missed. 
RIP George Cole
Perhaps the last genuine legend of British film and television. Will be much missed.
Cannot think of him without hearing the 'Flash Harry' theme music.
Funny man.
RIP
Forgot about Blott On The Landscape, which I first watched when it was broadcast in the mid 80s and then I got the DVD and watched again.
Very funny, with David Suchet, Geraldine James, Simon Cadell etc.
If you haven't seen it - get the DVD! Only a fiver on Amazon!
Very funny and charming character actor.
I think Minder was his magnum opus, he absolutely made that show.
A comedy drama that was about nothing and yet everything.
Stand on me.
Just read on the TV text that Minder was written for Dennis Waterman primarily and he wanted Denholm Elliott for the part of Arthur, and was very annoyed when George Cole got the part. They then gelled of course.
Also George Cole was short listed for the part of Hudson in Upstairs Downstairs.
One wonders how those two classic series would have fared had the parts gone that way. Not a lot different I suppose.
He was great in Minder - which was a very good series.
RIP George. St Trinians and Minder two of my favourites.
RIP
He was a spitting image of my father.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 6th August 2015, 5:37 PM BSTForgot about Blott On The Landscape, which I first watched when it was broadcast in the mid 80s and then I got the DVD and watched again.
Very funny, with David Suchet, Geraldine James, Simon Cadell etc.
If you haven't seen it - get the DVD! Only a fiver on Amazon!
RIP Mr Cole. He had a good, long life though.
I shall check out Blott as I haven't seen it for years. My Dad loved "Nanny Whip."
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 6th August 2015, 7:05 PM BSTJust read on the TV text that Minder was written for Dennis Waterman primarily and he wanted Denholm Elliott for the part of Arthur, and was very annoyed when George Cole got the part. They then gelled of course.
Also George Cole was short listed for the part of Hudson in Upstairs Downstairs.
One wonders how those two classic series would have fared had the parts gone that way. Not a lot different I suppose.
Ooh, interesting. I love Minder and UpDown.
I hope they make the Heggerty Haggerty Stories that he used to read on TV when I was a kid available now. I used to love those.
The Green Man from the fifties is a good one of his with Alastair Sim.
A vacuum cleaner sales man getting innocently involved with a bomb making assassin Sim.
Windyridge and Appleby ,two names not easy to forget 
Of course, and with the wonderful Terry-Thomas.
This is my favourite bit from the film where the trio of ladies nearly scupper his plans.
His facial expressions crease me up everytime.
George Cole was the perfect 'Arthur Daley' but, sadly, Alastair Sim didn't approve of the role. He didn't think it befitted an actor of George's quality.
Be that as it may, George must have made a lot of money and gained a lot of fans from his role in 'Minder'.
RIP, George.
Quote: Rood Eye @ 7th August 2015, 7:29 PM BSTGeorge Cole was the perfect 'Arthur Daley' but, sadly, Alastair Sim didn't approve of the role. He didn't think it befitted an actor of George's quality.
Don't know where you got that info from as Alastair Sim died 3 years before Minder started.