Buster Merryfield

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Buster Merryfield in Only Fools and Horses

Buster Merryfield (November 27, 1920 - June 23 1999) was a British actor who became a national institution after joining the hit BBC comedy Only Fools and Horses in 1984, as the sea faring Albert Trotter, affectionately known as Uncle Albert.

Born in Battersea, South London, Merryfield served in World War II as a physical training and jungle warfare instructor. As sports and entertainment's officer he organized shows for the troops and it is believed that this is where his passion for acting originated. However, it was to be many years before he became an actor at the age of 57, working for the Westminster Bank (later the National Westminster Bank) for 40 years previously.

He always prided himself on his fitness, following a strict fitness regime of daily press-ups and swimming sessions. Unlike his TV character, Merryfield never smoked. His efforts to stay fit could be traced back to his time as a child boxing star in the 1930s. He was British schoolboy champion in 1936 and Southern Command army champion in 1945. He also had a brief spell as a professional footballer with Millwall F.C. although he only played one full game for The Lions.

In the UK television sitcom Only Fools and Horses, Derek Trotter (David Jason) once mockingly refers to Uncle Albert as Captain Birdseye, due to their similar appearances; this is a reference to Merryfield's previous role as Captain Birdseye in television commercials. In 1997 he famously fell over at the British Comedy Awards whilst walking up to the stage to collect an award for Jason for his part in Only Fools and Horses. Despite cutting his forehead, he soldiered on and collected the award.

Prior to his death, he was being treated for a brain tumour at Poole General Hospital, Dorset. His wife Iris - to whom he was married for 57 years - was at his bedside when he died.

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