Clive Swift

Clive Swift (February 9, 1936 – February 1, 2019)

Clive Swift, the distinguished British actor best known for his portrayal of the long-suffering Richard Bucket in the beloved BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, died on February 1, 2019, just days before his 83rd birthday. His passing marked the loss of a versatile performer whose career spanned stage, screen, and radio, and who brought warmth, wit, and understated charm to every role he inhabited.

Born Clive Walter Swift in Liverpool, England, he was educated at Clifton College in Bristol before reading English literature at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, he developed a passion for the arts and became involved with the university’s dramatic society alongside contemporaries such as Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi. Following his studies, Swift trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), setting the stage for a prolific acting career.

Swift began his professional journey with the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he performed in numerous productions during the 1960s and early 1970s. His classical training and rich voice made him a natural fit for Shakespearean roles, but he also displayed a gift for modern and comedic performances. He appeared in notable films such as Frenzy (1972) directed by Alfred Hitchcock, A Passage to India (1984), and Excalibur (1981).

His most iconic role came in 1990 with Keeping Up Appearances, in which he played Richard Bucket, the endlessly patient husband of Patricia Routledge’s social-climbing Hyacinth. Swift’s understated performance provided the perfect foil to Routledge’s exuberance, and the series became a worldwide hit, running for five seasons and securing a lasting place in British television history.

Beyond his screen career, Swift was an accomplished musician, writer, and radio performer. He co-founded The Actors’ Touring Company, served as a music critic, and wrote several books, including The Job of Acting (1976) and a biography of 19th-century writer Victor Hugo. In later years, he toured with one-man shows blending storytelling, music, and humor, demonstrating his lifelong love for live performance.

Colleagues and audiences alike remembered him as a consummate professional—witty, generous, and deeply committed to his craft. His ability to transition seamlessly between drama and comedy made him a cherished figure in British entertainment.

Clive Swift is survived by his children—garden designer Joe Swift, poet Adam Swift, and daughter Rebecca Swift (who passed away in 2017)—from his marriage to novelist Margaret Drabble, which ended in divorce.

Clive Swift was laid to rest at Highgate Cemetery in London, England, a peaceful resting place befitting a man whose work and artistry left an enduring mark on British culture.