Tom Owen (actor)


Thomas William Stevenson Rowbotham, known professionally as Tom Owen, is a British actor best known for playing Tom Simmonite in the world's longest-running sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. He is the son of Bill Owen, who played William "Compo" Simmonite in the show.

Career

Theatre

Owen trained as a student assistant stage manager at Leatherhead Theatre in 1966. He has worked extensively in repertory both as an actor and director. In 1969 Owen played Farley, in 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips' a role first played by John Mills in the original version. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company playing on Broadway in their production of 'London Assurance'. His performance as Krapp in Fiona Baddeley's production of Beckett's masterpiece 'Krapp's Last Tape' was likened to those given by Michael Gambon, John Hurt and Harold Pinter. He has appeared in the West End in 'Lulu'. He also starred in over twenty pantomimes

Television

He made his television debut in 1968 playing Bill Cowan in Southern TV's groundbreaking series 'Freewheelers' of which he made fifty two episodes. Numerous television series followed including 'Tottering Towers', 'Wreckers at Deadeye', 'Horse in the House', 'The Piglet Files'. Later he has appeared in other television shows including 'The Hello Goodbye Man', 'Z Cars', 'Upstairs Downstairs', 'The Bill', 'Minder' and 'Our Mutual Friend'.
Owen's debut in "Last Of The Summer Wine" was in 1991 as a bank customer at a cash dispenser in the episode "Situations Vacant". Following the death of his father, Bill, who played Compo for twenty seven years, Tom joined Last of the Summer Wine as a regular and stayed with the show until it finished in 2010.
He starred with Kirk Douglas in the TV film 'Queenie', with Michael York in 'Great Expectations' and David Hemmings in 'Unman, Wittering & Zigo'.

Film

He had two films being released in 2018 - 'The Bromley Boys' and 'Guernsey'.

Personal life

He married Mary Bernadette Therese Moylan in 1978; they have two sons, James and William.

Television roles

YearTitleRole
2000-10Last of the Summer WineTom Simmonite
1998The BillLarcy
1991The Piglet FilesHarold
1989MinderKeith
1984The Hello Goodbye ManRod Stewart
1979Horse in the HouseJim Tynan
1978HawkmoorJohn Stedman
1976Our Mutual FriendGolly
1974Hunter's WalkFreddie
1973HarlequinadeJohnny
1973The Onedin LineTom
1972Upstairs DownstairsStanley
1971-72Tottering TowersDick
1970Wreckers at DeadeyeZac
1968-70FreewheelersBill Cowan
Lytton's DiaryMr. Potter