The agent of the last living "Dad's Army" main cast actor Ian Lavender has announced his death on Feb. 2 at the age of 77.
Hilary Gagan, the actor's agent, said that Lavender had been ill for some time and died with his wife Michelle Hardy and their two sons at his side.
He was famously known as Private Frank Pike in the legendary BBC sitcom, which he held for 10 years since 1969. Pike was characterized as a bank clerk and the youngest and most gullible member of his local Home Guard unit during the Second World War.
His cause of death has yet to be disclosed, according to British media.
Lavender became the lone survivor of the "Dad's Army" cast following the death of Frank Williams, who played Reverend Timothy Farthing, in 2022.
"We are deeply saddened to hear [of] the passing of the wonderful Ian Lavender," the Dad's Army Radio Show said in its social media statement. "In what truly marks the end of an era, Ian was the last surviving member of the Dad's Army main cast. His wonderful performance as Private Frank Pike will live on for decades to come."
Other Prominent Roles, Accolades
After "Dad's Army," Birmingham-born Lavender performed on stage numerous times throughout his career, appearing alongside Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman in a production of "The Merchant of Venice" in the early 1970s, The Independent reported.
He also joined the BBC One series "EastEnders" from 2001 to 2005. His last major appearance was from 2016 to 2017 when he briefly returned to the series but was cut short due to becoming ill with sepsis.
The following year marked the 50th anniversary of Dad's Army, which was commemorated by Royal Mail with a collection of stamps featuring the main characters.
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