John Stride

John Edward Stride, born on 11 Jul 1936, was an English actor best known for his television work in the 1970s. Born in London, Stride was the son of Margaret (née Prescott) and Alfred Teneriffe Stride. He attended Alleyn's School, Dulwich, and trained at RADA, where he met his first wife, Virginia Stride (née Thomas). Stride's acting debut, albeit uncredited, was in 'Sink the Bismarck!' (1960). He played Bob, the barman, in 'Bitter Harvest' (1963), based on the trilogy '20,000 Streets Under the Sky' by Patrick Hamilton. By February 1959, Stride made his West End debut in 'Five Finger Exercise', directed by John Gielgud. Stride was one of the leading figures in the Old Vic scene, performing in Franco Zeffirelli's long-running production of 'Romeo and Juliet', first staged in 1960 alongside Judi Dench, and also in 'Henry IV, Part 1'. He developed a strong career in popular television drama series, including the Yorkshire Television series 'The Main Chance' (1969–75), and later 'Wilde Alliance' (1978), which lasted for only one series. His last notable role was in the BBC's adaptation of Kingsley Amis's novel 'The Old Devils' (1992), playing the lead character of Alun Weaver. Stride died on 20 April 2018 at age 81 in a care home after being discharged from Sandford Ward, at the Fulbrook Centre, Oxford.