Warren Clarke, the BBC star of 11 series of Dalziel and Pascoe, left behind an estate of just £13,056, reduced to £0 after outstanding debts were settled.
The Oldham-born actor died aged 67. During his career, he often spoke out about the low salaries paid to BBC TV actors.
Wife forced to sell engagement ring
His wife, Michele, was once forced to sell her engagement ring to pay the bills. Clarke explained in an interview:
“In those days, the BBC didn’t pay you until you had done the first studio recording, so I had been working on the show for two months without any money. I went to the cashpoint, put my card in the machine and it spat it out. A few months later, I noticed that my wife wasn’t wearing her engagement ring. I asked her where it was and she explained it was being repaired.”
Costly investment in spy thriller
According to the Daily Mail, Clarke lost a large amount of money after investing in the 2013 spy thriller The Numbers Station, starring John Cusack, which flopped after being panned as “glum”.
Career highlights and final role
Clarke’s best-known role was as outspoken police detective Andrew Dalziel, alongside Colin Buchanan as Pascoe, for 11 years. His last role was as Charles Poldark in the BBC costume drama alongside Game of Thrones star Kit Harington.
He also starred in major cinema roles, including Dim in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. He appeared in Sleepers in 1991 alongside Nigel Havers, as well as BBC dramas including Bleak House and The Invisibles.
Final episode broadcast after death
Tragically, the character’s death on screen in Poldark was broadcast after the actor’s death in real life. Clarke died in his sleep in November 2014 following a short illness.
