Ronnie Barker OBE (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was a British actor, comedian and writer, best known for playing Norman Stanley Fletcher in Porridge and its various spin-offs, Arkwright in Open All Hours, and as one half of The Two Ronnies (alongside Ronnie Corbett). He was also a friend and regular collaborator of David Jason. When the BBC launched a poll to find Britain's Best Sitcom, Barker was the only actor to star in two of the top ten (Porridge and Open All Hours).
Barker retired in 1988 to run an antique shop and thereafter his film and television appearances were intermittent. Notably, he was persuaded to appear alongside Albert Finney in The Gathering Storm as Winston Churchill's butler David Inches. In 2004, he was presented with a special lifetime achievement BAFTA.
Television Roles
- Foreign Affairs (1966) as Grischa Petrovitch
- The Two Ronnies (1971–1987)
- Porridge (1974–1977) as Norman Stanley Fletcher
- Open All Hours (1976–1985) as Arkwright
- Going Straight (1978) as Norman Stanley Fletcher
- Clarence (1988) as Clarence
- Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher (2003) as Norman Stanley Fletcher
Film Roles
- Futtock's End (1970)
- Robin and Marian (1976)
- The Gathering Storm (2002)
Radio
- The Navy Lark 1959–1977
