Don't Rock the Boat

[Cheesefreek]

Does anyone remember this TV comedy series from the early 80s. One of the sons (who I had a crush on!) was played by an actor called John Price. After looking up some info, it would seem that he died in 1987. Can anyone tell me anything about him, and how he died? I know it's a bit obscure, but you never know.

[FPY]

Here's an obituary of John Price (I've slit in in two), doesn't say what he died of .

The Times (London)

October 27 1987, Tuesday

Mr John Price, actor, who died on October 23, at the age of 44, had packed an extraordinary amount into a relatively short space: as a classical player for the major companies, and in the provinces; appearances at the Royal Court, the Riverside, and on Shaftesbury Avenue; and work in many television plays and series.
Physically, he was impressive, as commanding in height as in voice. One of his recent parts was Hotspur, by whose light 'did all the chivalry of England move,' in the Bogdanov production of Henry IV, Part I, for the English Shakespeare Company which came to the Old Vic last spring.
Price was born at Worcester on January 27, 1943. He trained as a teacher. His acting career began in 1967 by his touring schools in Shakespeare, and at Great Yarmouth enduring the grind of summer-season.
He went at various periods to more satisfying repertory at Harrogate, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Birmingham, and Nottingham (where), in 1978, he acted Macbeth). He had played at the Royal Court, London (1971), as Moore, the reserve in David Storey's The Changing Room, set in a rugby league dressing room during a game; and at the Globe (1979) he was Brian in Alan Ayckborn's tennis court piece, Joking Apart.

[FPY]

2nd bit:

Under Peter Gill's direction at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, he played such parts as Alsemero in Middleton and Rowley's The Changeling (1978) and a theatrically compelling Anthony in Julius Caesar (1980). He was, too, the Orsino of Gill's RSC Twelfth Night; and appeared in the National Theatre's Don Juan (1980), and in a consistently expert performance (Lyric, Hammersmith) of Tony Last for Shared Experience's treatment of Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust; and he directed Twelfth Night at the Lyric, Belfast.

During 1983, again for Shared Experience, he had various parts at the Lyric, Hammersmith, in The Comedy Without a Title and Scenes of Italian Peasant Life, by Ruzante. Earlier this year he played both Hotspur and Pistol in the Old Vic trio of Shakespearean chronicles.

Among Price's television series were the award-winning Sam; Out of Bounds, and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; and such single plays as Destiny and Rumpole's Return. His films included It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet and Remembrance

[FPY]

Also small pic of him at:

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/parade/abj76 /PG/works/julius_caesar.shtml

Looks familiar.
Nothing about cause of death, but : late 1980s, male actor, young, no mention in obit of being "survived" by a wife and children, perhaps AIDS?

[Cheesefreek]

Thank you FPY. That was extremely helpful. I remember meeting the actress Sheila White, who was also in the TV series, (when she was in pantomime in Cardiff) and she told me what a lovely person he was to work with. Very sad to go so young.

[mightywease]

I saw him as Hotspur and Pistol in the ESC's production of the Henry's trilogy at the Old Vic in 1985/86 (I think).

An amazing production - my Brother and I saw all three plays on one day and it was just fantastic - I really remember John Woodvine as Falstaff and John Price as Pistol (He wore a T-shirt that read "Never Mind the B*****KS, Here Comes Pistol"). A great talent and a sadly cut short life. I'm sure if he were around today we'd be seeing him as King Lear or other great Shakesperian roles

[SamsDad]

I know this is a few years after the original question, but anyway! I'm a big fan of John Price's performance as Alan Dakin in "Sam" - top notch. The more I revisit Sam the more impressed I am. Was surprised to find he'd died so young and can't find anything about that either. One of the answers given on here suggests he had no wife or children but doing a bit of digging on Google seems to suggest he was married to an actress - Andree Evans - and had a daughter who is the actress Claire Price - been in various things on telly. And very nice she is too. There are some interviews online where she talks about her parents. I might have got this all mixed up because there is very scant information about him which is a shame as he was very talented.

[androman]

It appears he died of a stroke in October 1987. I came across the reference to it on this blog. Very sad to die so young, he was an outstanding actor in Sam. http://www.outofjoint.co.uk/writing/2012/06/a-dialogue-with-ones-ghosts.html