Buster Merryfield played Uncle Albert with such weary perfection. Merryfield was actually a former bank manager who retired and decided acting looked more fun than spreadsheets. He’d never done comedy before, making his deadpan delivery even more impressive.
Here’s the heartbreaker: Buster had a fear of water in real life. Every time Albert told a war story about being “at sea,” Buster was secretly dreading the swimming pool. The crew had to use a shallow paddling pool for his scenes.
Grandad: The Original Pensioner with a Plan
Lennard Pearce, who played Grandad, was a stage actor with a voice that could curdle milk. He was 66 years old when the show started, and he’d often forget his lines on purpose to keep the cast on their toes. David Jason once said Pearce’s “rambling” speeches were 40% script and 60% genuine confusion.
Tragically, Pearce died suddenly after the 1983 Christmas special. The producers wrote Grandad’s death into the show, giving us the tear-jerking episode “A Touch of Glass.” The cast cried for real during the funeral scene—they were mourning him.
