This is the first biography of the much-loved seventies actor Richard Beckinsale, who died on 19 March 1979 at the age of thirty-one. It looks back at one of the biggest stars of that decade through the eyes of family, friends and colleagues. With his star rising steadily, he died of a heart attack, alone at home. Adored by the general public, his death was one of the most shocking losses to British comedy of the late seventies, and since then there has never been an actor with the same innocent charm as Richard Beckinsale. Nor did his popularity wane after his untimely death: repeats of the classic sitcoms ''Porridge'' and ''Rising Damp'' would keep his memory alive throughout the ensuing three decades. ''The Richard Beckinsale Story'' is an uplifting, but ultimately sad, tale of the life and death of a great talent. It is the compelling story of a man destined for greatness, but ultimately cut down in his prime.