Robin Courteney Nedwell (27 September 1946 – 1 February 1999) was an English actor, formally trained at Central School of Speech and Drama. He is best remembered for his role as Doctor Duncan Waring in the television comedy series ''
Doctor in the House Doctor in the House may refer to:
* Doctor in the House (novel), ''Doctor in the House'' (novel), a 1952 novel by Richard Gordon
** Doctor in the House (film), ''Doctor in the House'' (film), a 1954 British film adaptation of the novel
*** Doctor i ...
'' and its sequels including '' Doctor Down Under''; although he was critically acclaimed for his performance in television series such as ''
The Lovers
The Lovers (VI) is the sixth trump (card games), trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is used in Tarot card games, game playing as well as in Tarot reading, divination.
Interpretation
According to A. E. Waite's 191 ...
'', ''The Upchat Connection'', ''The Climber'' and the ATV comedy-drama ''
Shillingbury Tales
''Shillingbury Tales'' is a British television comedy-drama series made by ATV for ITV and broadcast 1980–81.
Comprising a single feature-length pilot, 'The Shillingbury Blowers ', starring Trevor Howard, and six one-hour episodes, the seri ...
''. He also featured in several British films.
Early life and education
He was born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
but moved with his family at an early age to
Cardiff
Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
,
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, where he was educated at Monkton House preparatory school. After leaving school he studied at
University College, Cardiff
Cardiff University () is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed Unive ...
and joined a local theatre company, Everyman Theatre Cardiff, and then trained at the
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, commonly shortened to Central, is a drama school founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for ...
studying Stage Acting.
Career
Soon after finishing drama school he landed the role of Doctor Duncan Waring in the hugely popular British television comedy series ''
Doctor in the House Doctor in the House may refer to:
* Doctor in the House (novel), ''Doctor in the House'' (novel), a 1952 novel by Richard Gordon
** Doctor in the House (film), ''Doctor in the House'' (film), a 1954 British film adaptation of the novel
*** Doctor i ...
'' (1969–70). The producer,
Humphrey Barclay
Humphrey Barclay BEM (born 24 March 1941) is a British comedy executive and producer.
Career
Barclay was educated at Harrow School, before reading Classics at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his first foray into show business was via the Am ...
, talking of Nedwell's audition said "I remember him bounding into the audition room in 1969, an ebullient drama student in a tweed jacket. His natural personality and sense of comedy were immediately apparent and we cast him on the spot. He was entertaining, considerate, and the greatest fun", and recalled his trademark "huge laugh".
Taking a break from the series in 1971 to pursue his interests in film-making and feature film appearances, Nedwell returned in a leading role as Dr. Waring in the sequels '' Doctor in Charge'', '' Doctor at Sea'', '' Doctor on the Go'', '' Doctor Down Under'' (filmed in Australia), and '' Doctor at the Top''. Although most of his roles were designed for television, apart from the "Doctor" series, his appearances included ''
Vault of Horror
''The Vault of Horror'' is an American bi-monthly horror comic anthology series that was published by EC Comics from 1950 to 1955 created by Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein. The magazine began in March 1948 as ''War Against Crime''. It continued u ...
'' (1973) – along with his "Doctor" co-star
Geoffrey Davies
Geoffrey Walsh Davies (15 December 1938 – 13 July 2023) was an English actor.
Early life and career
The son of an accountant, Davies was educated at grammar school and studied at art college to be a commercial artist before becoming an acto ...
Cluedo
''Cluedo'' (), known as ''Clue'' in North America, is a murder mystery game for three to six players (depending on editions) that was devised in 1943 by British board game designer Anthony E. Pratt. The game was first manufactured by Waddingt ...
'' (1990).
Nedwell became known later in his career for his performances on stage. He appeared in the West End in ''
Brigadoon
''Brigadoon'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and score by Frederick Loewe. The plot features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years; on ...
'' in 1989, and in 1992, played Max Detweiler in a British tour of ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...
'', a production that was also staged at
Sadler's Wells
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a London performing arts venue, located in Rosebery Avenue, Islington. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site. Sadler's Wells grew out of a late 17th-century pleasure garden and was opened as a theatre buil ...
. He performed with the
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...
during the 1995–1996 season, appearing in that year's productions of ''
The Taming of the Shrew
''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...
'' (as Grumio), ''
Richard III
Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
'' (as King Richard III) and
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson ( 11 June 1572 – ) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence on English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for the satire, satirical ...
Nedwell had a romance with co-star Diane Keen. In 1982, Nedwell married PR agent Heather Inglis, with whom he had a daughter, Amie, although the couple later separated. His nephew Oliver is a graduate of the
National Film and Television School
The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is a film, television and games school established in 1971 and based at Beaconsfield Studios in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England. It is featured in the 2024 ranking by ''The Hollywood Repo ...
with several credits on feature length films.
Death
Nedwell lived in
Hedge End
Hedge End is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hampshire, England. Situated to the east of the Southampton, City of Southampton, it adjoins the districts of West End, Hampshire, West End and Botley, Hampshire, Botley. Hedge ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...
, England and died at his doctor's surgery in Hedge End after suffering a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers
''Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers'' is a 1977 British film directed by Norman Cohen and starring Robin Askwith and Nigel Davenport. It is a sequel to ''The Virgin Soldiers'' (1969).The Shillingbury Blowers'' (1980) – Peter Higgins
* ''Get Well Soon'' (1982) ( BFI health and safety film, made at
Lewisham
Lewisham ( ) is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the Historic counties of England, historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in ...