'The man who had enough fame to share it with me'

Jul 20 1999 By DENIS KILCOMMONS

THE love affair between Bill Owen and this part of Yorkshire was unlikely.

But love affair it was, and it is here that the London-born actor has been laid to rest, overlooking Holmfirth.

He made many friends in both the Holme and Colne valleys, where the series was filmed, and they will all have their own memories of Bill, a man of many talents and generous spirit.

Some years ago, I spent a day with him. He had agreed to do some publicity work for the Huddersfield Canal Society on condition he could go shopping first.

I was roped in because I had a Ford Granada so Bill could be transported in comfort. I was to be his chauffeur.

There was no star attitude, just a very nice man who, after an extremely fulfilling career, was happy to have found fame as Compo at an age when other people contemplate retirement.

Peter Sallis, he said, referred to Summer Wine as their pension.

Later, after visiting Huddersfield and Tunnel End, we went to the Railway pub in Marsden. The day was sunny and the pub almost empty when we went inside.

There I was, with the most famous character of the valleys, self-consciously basking in the reflected glory of being able to buy my hero a cheese sandwich and a half of bitter.

The landlord stared at us, from one to the other. Bill nodded and smiled and the landlord looked back at me. Recognition had dawned.

It had been happening all day, especially when we had gone shopping in Marks and Spencer's food hall, and he had acknowledged the many greetings with unfailing courtesy.

''I know you,'' the landlord said. To me. ''Look.''

He pointed to a feature I had written on the pub some years before and which was framed and on the wall.

Could fame be so arbitrary?

Bill smiled and went outside to sit in the sun.

He had fame enough to share and was well content to have found a Summer Wine pension in a part of the country he genuinely loved.