| Tom Owen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 July 1949 Brighton, Sussex, England |
| Occupation | actor |
| Years active | 1968 - present |
Tom Owen (born 8 July 1949) is a British actor who is best known for playing Tom Simmonite on the longest-running British sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. He is the son of the late Bill Owen, who played "William 'Compo' Simmonite" (the father of Tom Simmonite) on the show.
Owen first shot to fame in 1968 at the age of 19 making his name on television as a star of the teen series Freewheelers (1968–70). Other appearances include Z-Cars, Upstairs, Downstairs, The Onedin Line, and The Piglet Files. Before being cast in Last of the Summer Wine in 1999 following the death of his father, he had not acted for many years and had instead worked for the Labour Party and taught drama as well as comedy and light-entertainment.
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 to 2010 | Last of the Summer Wine | Tom Simmonite |
He also had a part in the BBC series Billy Bunter, which was a programme televised in the 1950s. The lead role of Bunter was played by Gerald Campion. In 1969 Owen played one of the schoolboys in the musical version of Goodbye, Mr Chips, which starred Peter O'Toole in the leading role and in which Petula Clark played the part of the schoolmaster's wife.