Background
Clarke was born in Austerfield, West Riding of Yorkshire.
Clarke was born in Austerfield, West Riding of Yorkshire.
His jobs before becoming a writer included teacher, policeman, taxi driver, salesman and also soldier in the Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army. Clarke was the sole writer of Last of the Summer Wine, which at its peak it had over 18 million viewers. During its long run it featured Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, Kathy Staff and Dame Thora Hird in leading roles.
Clarke was not involved in casting the actors, but he wrote the character named Clegg with Sallis specifically in mind.
He also wrote a prequel, First of the Summer Wine, as well as The Misfit, starring Ronald Fraser. Open All Hours, starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason.
Keeping Up Appearances, starring Patricia Routledge. And Ain"t Misbehavin.
He created and wrote the short-lived fantasy drama, The Wanderer starring Bryan Brown, for Sky One.
He also created the sitcom Oh Number, lieutenant"s Selwyn Froggitt! in 1974, writing the pilot episode, though Alan Plater wrote the eventual series. Clarke has also worked in film and wrote the acclaimed drama A Foreign Field (1993). In 2003, Clarke adapted his Last of the Summer Wine chronicle The Moonbather for a world premiere performance at the Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club.
He received an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his contribution to British comedy.
In 1994, Clarke was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Doncaster. The highest honour the Council can bestow.
In 2013, he resurrected Open All Hours for a sequel series, Still Open All Hours starring David Jason. On 30 January 2014, the British Broadcasting Corporation commissioned a full series of six new episodes of Still Open All Hours, to be transmitted later in the year.
He currently resides in rural Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire.
Foreign some years he owned Horton Rounds in Northamptonshire, a Grade II listed house designed by Northamptonshire architect Arthur AJ Marshman.
