Bill Owen (actor)
He became a national treasure by playing a scruffy, lovable layabout on Britain's longest-running sitcom for over 25 years.
1914–1999 (age 85)·English actor·Birthday: March 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bill Owen was born William John Owen Rowbotham in London, a world away from the Yorkshire dales he would later embody. His path to acting was unconventional, beginning in variety shows and songwriting—he even co-wrote the hit 'The Runaway Train'. But it was television that captured his particular charm. In 1973, he stepped into the worn-out wellies of Compo Simmonite in 'Last of the Summer Wine', a character defined by a perpetually dripping flat cap and a mischievous pursuit of the formidable Nora Batty. Owen played Compo with such authentic, unkempt warmth that he became inseparable from the role, anchoring the gentle, meandering comedy for its entire record-breaking run. His death in 1999 felt like the loss of a beloved, slightly disreputable uncle, and the show aired his final episodes posthumously, a poignant farewell to a defining comic creation.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bill was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1999Died at 85
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Compo Simmonite in 'Last of the Summer Wine' from its 1973 inception until his death, appearing in 284 episodes.
- Co-wrote the 1960s novelty song 'The Runaway Train', which became a chart hit for Michael Holliday.
- Was a core member of the ensemble that made 'Last of the Summer Wine' the world's longest-running TV sitcom.
Did You Know?
His birth name was William John Owen Rowbotham; he took Bill Owen as his stage name.
He served in the British Army's Royal Ordnance Corps during World War II.
His final episode as Compo aired nearly a year after his death in July 1999.
“Compo was a gift; he was a real man of the people.”
