The following is a rewritten version of a tribute paid to the British actor Stephen Lewis, on the Jamie Talks Television show on SouthWaves Radio in 2015. Stephen Lewis was born on the 17th of December 1926. He passed away on the 12th of August 2015.
I recently heard that the actor Stephen Lewis passed away. I want to take a moment to pay tribute to his life because he was one of those British stars who became immortalized through a couple of classic sitcoms.
Stephen Lewis also appeared in other notable productions, often in smaller roles, and even had his own spin-off series, which I’ll touch on a bit later. He also featured in several British films, including Sparrows Can’t Sing from 1963. My personal introduction to Stephen Lewis, though, was through the classic comedy series On the Buses.
Before I dive into that, let’s listen to the theme tune.
[Plays the On the Buses theme tune]
That brings back great memories. Of course, that’s the On the Buses theme tune. My first experience with the show must’ve been when I was about 10 or 11. I had never heard of On the Buses before then. At the time, I was into other comedies like One Foot in the Grave and some of the 90s and late 80s stuff like Only Fools and Horses. But I hadn’t really seen any true late 60s or early 70s comedy until On the Buses.
I think there was a clip of it in one of those “Best of the 1960s” compilations, and On the Buses was always featured in those. What you have to remember is that when I was growing up in the mid-90s, there weren’t many reruns of older shows. Even into the early 2000s, the only way you could see these shows was on Sky. If you didn’t have Sky, you missed out. That’s how it was.
So, I remember getting a VHS of On the Buses and being completely blown away. It was a different world. Sure, you had the cheeky characters in Stan and Jack, but Stephen Lewis as Blakey was fantastic. He was the perfect pantomime villain. As a kid, you don’t pick up on the innuendo or the more adult jokes, like in the Carry On movies. Instead, you latch onto the stereotypes and the larger-than-life characters, and Blakey was just that—he stood out as this classic villain.
His character, Inspector “Blakey” Blake, had that perfect pantomime look. It suited the show’s old-fashioned vibe, even for the time it was made. Stan, Jack, and Blakey were the core of the series. Their success even led to two movies—Mutiny on the Buses and Holiday on the Buses—both of which are classics. There was also a spin-off series, Don’t Drink the Water (1974-75), where Blakey moves abroad. It’s a lesser-known sitcom, but it’s worth checking out.
Stephen Lewis appeared in many films and TV shows over the years, but his next big role came in 1988 when he joined Last of the Summer Wine as Smiler. That series ran for about 30 years, until 2007, and while I’m not as familiar with his work in it, it just shows his cross-generational appeal. He found another series where he became a significant character.
One of my fondest memories of Stephen Lewis is his appearance in One Foot in the Grave, where he played a more sympathetic character, showcasing his versatility as an actor. He was fantastic.
You might not know this, but in the late 80s and early 90s, there were talks about bringing back On the Buses with rival bus companies. I think that would’ve been brilliant, but maybe they were a bit too old by then. Sometimes, it’s best not to revisit old series, though. Many of these characters are being replayed now on ITV3, and that’s how Stephen Lewis continues to live on—immortalized as Blakey.
Now, let’s take a moment to remember his work in Last of the Summer Wine.
[Plays the Last of the Summer Wine theme tune]
That was the theme from Last of the Summer Wine as we pay tribute to Stephen Lewis, who sadly passed away on August 12, 2015, at the age of 88. He retired in 2007, after an incredible career that spanned nearly 50 years.
It’s amazing to think that even though he’s primarily known for just one or two characters, he continues to live on through them. Stephen Lewis did a lot of theater work too, like many sitcom stars of his generation, honing his craft on stage before moving to television.
When I heard that Stephen Lewis had died, it struck me that while I wasn’t around when On the Buses was first airing, I still feel a deep connection to it. Shows like Dad’s Army are similar—many of the cast members have passed on, but their work continues to resonate. It doesn’t matter how old a show is; if you enjoy it, it stands the test of time.
And I really enjoyed On the Buses, especially because of Inspector Blake. Despite some of the dated content and the cultural shifts since then, it remains one of the most quintessentially British shows you’ll ever see. I feel a deep sadness now that he’s gone.
One day, I’ll revisit Last of the Summer Wine and watch Stephen Lewis’s episodes, no matter how many there are. I want to see more of his work. I’ve seen him in 2point4 Children and One Foot in the Grave, but I want to explore the roles that made him the star he was.
Stephen Lewis was one of those actors where you’d be watching a film and suddenly realize, “Wait, that’s Blakey!” He’s now forever Blakey, and it’s wonderful that he found a role that people loved him in so much. He’s become timeless, like the Carry On movies or Hancock’s Half Hour.
Thank you for listening. This has been Jamie Talks Television.
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