Bernard Cribbins, actor who delighted UK kids, dies at 93

A warm, avuncular character actor, Cribbins was a childhood existence for many generations of Britons. He played station porter Albert Benefits in the 1970 motion picture traditional “The Railway Children” and voiced all the characters in “The Wombles,” a 1970s animated sequence about a spouse and children of burrowing creatures dwelling below London’s Wimbledon Popular.

Cribbins also was the voice of street-protection squirrel Tufty Fluffytail in a sequence of public information and facts films, and held the document for the most appearances — extra than 100 — on children’s storytelling Tv collection “Jackanory.”

Born into a lousy relatives in Oldham, northwest England, in 1928, Cribbins remaining school in his early teens and obtained his get started as a stage manager and bit player in regional repertory theater.

He moved on to West End productions in advance of appearing in a dizzying variety of British movies, which include 1960 comedy “Two-Way Stretch” together with Peter Sellers 1966 “Doctor Who” spinoff “Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD” the 1967 James Bond spoof “Casino Royale” and a person of Alfred Hitchcock’s remaining thrillers, “Frenzy” in 1972.

He appeared in quite a few films in the “Carry On” series, was a unforgettable visitor star on classic sitcom “Fawlty Towers” and had prime 10 hits with comedy tunes “Hole in the Ground” and “Right Reported Fred.”

A youthful generation understood Cribbins as Wilfred Mott, a companion to David Tennant’s titular Doctor, when ”Doctor Who” was revived in the early 21st century. He appeared in one more BBC children’s sequence, “Old Jack’s Boat,” concerning 2013 and 2015, and filmed scenes earlier this yr for an forthcoming “Doctor Who” 60th-anniversary specific.

“Doctor Who” showrunner Russell T. Davies remembered Cribbins as “a wonderful actor.”

“I’m so blessed to have identified him ,” Davies claimed. “Thanks for everything, my aged soldier. A legend has left the planet.”

Cribbins’ wife of 66 a long time, Gill, died previous calendar year.