Tom Owen (actor)

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Thomas William Stevenson Rowbotham (born 8 April 1949), known professionally as Tom Owen, is a British actor best known for playing Tom Simmonite in the world's longest-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. He is the son of Bill Owen (born William Rowbotham), who played William "Compo" Simmonite (the father of Tom Simmonite) in the show.

Career[]

Theatre[]

Owen trained as a student assistant stage manager at Leatherhead Theatre in 1966. He has worked extensively in repertory both as an actor and director. In 1969 Owen played Farley, in 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips' a role first played by John Mills in the original version. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company playing on Broadway in their production of 'London Assurance'. His performance as Krapp in Fiona Baddeley's production of Beckett's masterpiece 'Krapp's Last Tape' was likened to those given by Michael Gambon, John Hurt and Harold Pinter. He has appeared in the West End in 'Lulu'. He also starred in over twenty pantomimes

Television[]

He made his television debut in 1968 playing Bill Cowan in Southern TV's groundbreaking series Freewheelers of which he made fifty two episodes. Numerous television series followed including Tottering Towers, Wreckers at Deadeye, Horse in the House, The Piglet Files. Later he has appeared in other television shows including The Hello Goodbye Man, Z Cars, Upstairs Downstairs, The Bill, Minder, and Our Mutual Friend.

Owen's debut in Last Of The Summer Wine was in 1991 as a bank customer at a cash dispenser in the episode "Situations Vacant". Following the death of his father, Bill, who played Compo for twenty seven years, Tom joined Last of the Summer Wine as a regular and stayed with the show until it finished in 2010.

He appeared with Kirk Douglas in the TV film Queenie, with Michael York in Great Expectations and David Hemmings in Unman, Wittering & Zigo.

Film[]

He had two films being released in 2018 - 'The Bromley Boys' and 'Guernsey'.

Personal life[]

He married Mary Bernadette Therese Moylan in 1978; they have two sons, James and William.^[1][2]

Television roles[]

References[]

External links[]

• Tom Owen at IMDb