Preview tribute to 'Compo'

Mar 16 2000

EPISODES of comedy series Last Of The Summer Wine dealing with the death and funeral of its star Compo are to be previewed in Holmfirth.

The show, at the Picturedrome cinema in Holmfirth next Friday, will be for an invited audience. It will consist of two excerpts and three complete episodes from the new series which starts on BBC1 on April 2.

Permission to use the material has been granted to the Holme Valley Business Association by the BBC.

Compo was played by the late Bill Owen, who is buried in Holmfirth.

The actor made a number of friends in the town and many will be invited to see the show.

Producer Alan J W Bell will be making a trip up from London to introduce the programme.

Writer and creator Roy Clarke, along with actors Kathy Staff, who plays Nora Battye, Gordon Wharmby (Wesley) and Tom Owen, Bill's real son who plays Compo's son Tom in the series, will also attend.

Bill Owen, who played Compo for 28 years, died on July 21 last year.