James, or Jimmy, Beck was a busy radio, TV and theatre actor best remembered for his role as Private Joe Walker, the Cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army.

In a cast mainly made up of much older actors it was a tragic irony that he was the first to die at the age of 44.

Stanley James Carroll Beck was born on 21 February, 1929, in Islington, North London. As a child he kept a scrapbook of stage and screen stars and was said to have been a particular fan of comic Sid Field.

His childhood was far from easy, with his father, a tram driver, frequently out of work.

After spending time at art college, and a period of National Service where he was an army PT instructor, Mr Beck took up acting. After stints with various repertory companies he became the leading actor at York where he met his future wife, Kay.

He began to secure television roles including a 1965 appearance as a policeman in an episode of Coronation Street – the television soap that had also included Dad’s Army stalwart Arthur Lowe in a long-running role.

In 1968 the BBC launched the first series of Dad’s Army. Co-writer Jimmy Perry personally suggested Mr Beck for the role of the Cockney spiv Private Walker, believing he had just the right rogueish charm and a lovable twinkle in his eye. The character of Walker became a big hit with the audience, providing a stark contrast to the other staid, middle class members of the Home Guard at Walmington-on-Sea.

In the following years more TV work was offered to Mr Beck on the strength of his success and popularity as Private Walker.

He was cast as the lead, Bert Jones, in London Weekend Television’s comedy Romany Jones.

By 1973, Beck had already recorded five series of Dad's Army and was working on the sixth, as well as on the popular radio version of the show.

Location filming for series six was completed when he suddenly felt ill. He was admitted to hospital suffering from acute pancreatitis and died. He was survived by wife Kay and three children.

His death was a great shock to his fellow cast members and fans. The Walker character was briefly mentioned in series seven but was then written out off-screen and he was never referred to in subsequent episodes.