Warren Clarke was a Lancashire-born actor of immense presence and versatility, whose robust appearance and lived-in facial features were a significant asset in his extensive acting career. For over two and a half decades, he had appeared in a wide range of supporting roles before finding international success as the rough-around-the-edges, heavy-drinking, and often crude Superintendant Andy Dalziel in the TV series Dalziel and Pascoe.
Clarke's portrayal of Dalziel, which began in 1996, evolved over the show's eleven-year run from a beer-swilling chauvinist pig to a more complex and endearing character. The actor shared commonalities with his creation, including impatience, a reputation for not tolerating fools gladly, a humorous and irreverent nature, and a dislike for political correctness.
In his private life, Clarke was passionate about football, being a lifelong Manchester City supporter, and golf. He was the son of a hard-working stained glass maker and developed his love for the performing arts while in his teens. His parents encouraged him to pursue his chosen vocation, and he performed in amateur theatrics while earning his money as a copy boy, running errands for the Manchester Evening News, and working in a fruit and vegetable market.
Clarke's first acting gig was with Huddersfield Rep at the age of eighteen, and he went on to master the stage, performing in numerous productions, including Caligula in John Mortimer's adaptation of "I, Claudius" and Winston Churchill in "Three Days in May" at the West End.
From the late 1960s, Clarke found regular television work, initially with Granada in series like The Avengers and Callan. He remained a struggling actor for years, earning barely enough to make ends meet, and performed on stage at the Royal Court in London. To improve his situation, he earned a second income as a van driver.
Clarke's breakthrough role was as a violent, bowler-hatted thug in Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange in 1971. He then went on to play a pig-headed manager in Nice Work in 1989, which marked a turning point in his career. In the years between, he appeared in a succession of diverse leading and supporting parts in both comedy and drama, including Churchill in ITV's Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill, Quasimodo in the 1976 television version of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and a mutinous Roman soldier in the epic miniseries Masada.
Clarke's guest appearances were prolific, and he appeared in numerous TV shows, including Coronation Street, Call the Midwife, and Down to Earth. He was also a welcome presence in period drama, having been cast in Poldark, a remake of the popular 1975 miniseries, based on the novels by Winston Graham. Clarke died in his sleep at the age of 67, having already begun filming in Bristol and Cornwall.
