Stanley James Beck (21 February 1929 – 6 August 1973) played the roll of Private Walker in Dads Army. Dads Army was full of hugely popular characters and Beck was no different. His character Private Joe Walker was guaranteed to make you laugh every time you laid eyes on him. During series 6 of Dads Army in an episode called “Things That Go Bump In The Night” Becks absence can be first noticed, as he is not in the first part of the show.
Beck was opening a fete in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind
he suddenly felt ill. He returned home and within an hour was rushed to Queen
Mary's Hospital Roehampton suffering from pancreatitis and he died there three
weeks later aged 44. He was buried at Putney Vale Cemetery.
This was a massive loss to Dads Army. And was a great shock to his fellow cast members, Becks family as well as to Jimmy Perry and David Croft. Although Dads Army continued to make another few brilliant series the loss of Joe Walker could be noticed.
James Beck was a brilliant actor and a great man. At least he made a great impact on British Comedy in his short life.
